“…Nordic noir represents the bleakest of the bleak, often centering on brutal crimes tinged with shocking violence. The tales invariably feature protagonists who, while possessing a generally ferocious sense of justice, are nonetheless tortured, brooding, and generally introspective. The settings, whether city streets or remote villages, are desolate and harsh. Combine these elements with densely plotted mysteries that often feature more than a few shocking turns and a spartan, direct prose style to accentuate the genre’s dark themes and it is not difficult to see why Nordic noir has been so influential and a successful piece of the crime genre.”

Penguin Random House

“One year after the violent eruption of the subglacial volcano Katla, the peace and tranquility in the small town of Vik is dramatically disturbed.”

IMDB

Katla unquestionably falls within the Scandi Noir genre as coined above. The series starts slow and bleak. The obligatory crow, the harbinger of death, the omen of bad shit yet to come, pops up early on. Yet the bird has one white feather. The light? A glimmer of hope?

Yes, Grima and, well, the whole cast, is driven by the need for truth and yes, they are without exception tortured and introspective to varying degrees. The landscape is desolate and overpowering. Katla, a real volcano, becomes a powerful character in her own right as a catcher of dreams, a mirror to your nightmares. Finally, the story is dense and mysterious and the dialogue minimal.

Where it stands out is that it does not investigate shocking violence, a gruesome death, but rather people coming back to life, whether they died, or simply lost a vital part of themselves. It is our memories, us hanging on to these people and these elements of ourselves, that bring them back.

Moreover, the exceptional clarity of the symbolism is refreshing. Some of the darker series, like the German instalment, Dark, was gripping, but beyond confusing. You had to turn to YouTube to try and understand the last season. Katla does a brilliant job of slowly letting you in on the mystery without losing complexity or depth.

Furthermore, all the major storylines are resolved. Sure, there is a final clip which sets up a possible second season, but you feel it will bring new characters, new storylines, as Grima and company have gone full circle. They have let go of what they needed to, whether it was a sibling, a child or a side to themselves. They all found the white feather.