The Almighty Johnsons
Encyclopedia
The Almighty Johnsons is a New Zealand
fantasy comedy
/drama
television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and is produced by South Pacific Pictures
. It began airing its first season of ten episodes in New Zealand on February 8, 2011.
The show follows a student named Axl Johnson, who on his 21st birthday discovers his family members are reincarnated Norse gods
. The only problem is, they don't have full control of their powers and it is up to Axl (the reincarnation of Odin
) to restore them and ensure the family's survival by finding the reincarnation of Odin's wife, Frigg
. Matters are complicated by the presence of four antagonistic Norse goddesses who are trying to find Frigg before the Johnsons do to prevent the restoration of the gods' powers. Moreover, the Johnsons and the band of goddess rivals aren't the only Norse deities living in exile in New Zealand.
Season 1 was released on DVD in New Zealand on May 18, 2011.
Funding for a second series was approved by NZ On Air in June 2011.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
fantasy comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
/drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
television series, which was created by James Griffin and Rachel Lang and is produced by South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures
South Pacific Pictures is a television production company based in New Zealand. The company produces drama series, mini-series, telemovies and feature films for the domestic market and international market....
. It began airing its first season of ten episodes in New Zealand on February 8, 2011.
The show follows a student named Axl Johnson, who on his 21st birthday discovers his family members are reincarnated Norse gods
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
. The only problem is, they don't have full control of their powers and it is up to Axl (the reincarnation of Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
) to restore them and ensure the family's survival by finding the reincarnation of Odin's wife, Frigg
Frigg
Frigg is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. She is said to be the wife of Odin, and is the "foremost among the goddesses" and the queen of Asgard. Frigg appears primarily in Norse mythological stories as a wife and a mother. She is also described as having the power...
. Matters are complicated by the presence of four antagonistic Norse goddesses who are trying to find Frigg before the Johnsons do to prevent the restoration of the gods' powers. Moreover, the Johnsons and the band of goddess rivals aren't the only Norse deities living in exile in New Zealand.
Season 1 was released on DVD in New Zealand on May 18, 2011.
Funding for a second series was approved by NZ On Air in June 2011.
Principal characters
| Character (God/Goddess) |
Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Axl Johnson (Odin Odin Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz".... ) |
Emmett Skilton Emmett Skilton Emmett Skilton, also credited as is a New Zealand based actor.His professional career began in 2004 with a role in the comedy television series Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby as Willem Van der Muren, with his most... |
The main character of the show. Axl was raised by Mike after his father died and mother walked out. He has shown a handful of abilities the most visible being super strength, but also an instinctive battle sense as befitting a war god. He has been on a quest to seek out his soul-mate, the Goddess Frigg Frigg Frigg is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. She is said to be the wife of Odin, and is the "foremost among the goddesses" and the queen of Asgard. Frigg appears primarily in Norse mythological stories as a wife and a mother. She is also described as having the power... , so that the Norse gods' and goddesses' powers can be restored to their full potential. |
| Mike Johnson (Ullr Ullr In early Germanic paganism, *Wulþuz appears to have been a major god, or an epithet of an important god, in prehistoric times.... ) |
Tim Balme Tim Balme Timothy Guy Balme is an actor and screenwriter from New Zealand. He's most famous for his roles on the long-running soap opera Shortland Street and Mercy Peak, as well as lead roles in the cult favorites Braindead and Jack Brown Genius... |
The oldest of the Johnson brothers and also the wisest. Mike is seen as a father figure to Axl. He has a high sense of responsibility, and is willing to risk debt to make good on his word. He is the god of the hunt, and has the power of skill at any game, however the use of his powers brings as much bad luck as good, such as taunting his pool table opponents leading to a bar brawl and his best friend Rob going into a coma for fifteen years. |
| Anders Johnson (Bragi Bragi Bragi is the skaldic god of poetry in Norse mythology.-Etymology:Bragi is generally associated with bragr, the Norse word for poetry. The name of the god may have been derived from bragr, or the term bragr may have been formed to describe 'what Bragi does'... ) |
Dean O'Gorman Dean O'Gorman -Early life:Born in Auckland, New Zealand; he has a brother named Brett. He attended Rangitoto College and earned a black belt in karate by the age of ten. -Career:... |
The cocky brother, Anders is selfish and arrogant, wanting to reclaim his power for his own selfish needs. He has the power of manipulation of those that can hear his voice. |
| Ty Johnson (Höðr Höðr Höðr is the brother of Baldr in Norse mythology. Guided by Loki he shot the mistletoe missile which was to slay the otherwise invulnerable Baldr.... ) |
Jared Turner Jared Turner Jared Turner is a New Zealand actor, best known for his roles as teacher, Ben Maddox in Go Girls and as Ty Johnson on the television series, The Almighty Johnsons... |
The very sensible brother, Ty is very shy and spends a lot of time alone. He has the power of radiating cold. Ty cannot feel warmth and is unaffected by below freezing temperatures, hence his job selling and repairing refrigerators. |
| Gaia | Keisha Castle-Hughes Keisha Castle-Hughes Keisha Castle-Hughes is a New Zealand film actress who rose to prominence at the age of eleven when playing Paikea "Pai" Apirana in the 2002 film Whale Rider... |
Axl's flatmate, a nurse. She has a crush on him, and Axl has feelings for her but has yet to realize it. |
| Valerie Johnson | Roz Turnbull | Valerie is Mike's wife. She went through hormone treatment as part of the in vitro fertilisation In vitro fertilisation In vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed... process with Mike as they attempted to have a child. She was the fiancée of Mike's best friend Rob until he went into a coma. |
| Olaf Johnson (Baldr) |
Ben Barrington | The boys' grandfather who is an oracle, though his diluted god-powers and years of drug use mean he's no longer very good at it. He is god of long life and rebirth, and therefore while currently being in his 90s he still looks youthful. |
| Zeb | Hayden Frost | Axl's other flatmate. Useless and gutless, he's up for anything without thinking of the consequences first. |
| Dawn | Fern Sutherland | Dawn is Anders' secretary and first assistant in his PR company. She is constantly bemoaning her job and the lengths to which she goes to please Anders but doesn't realise that she only does these things because of his persuasive tongue, which has also kept her from deciding to quit her job. |
| Agnetha (Freyja) |
Alison Bruce Alison Bruce Alison Bruce is a New Zealand television and movie actress, best known for her role as Queen Melosa in the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.- Filmography :-Awards:... |
The leader of a band of goddesses that will become known as the Forces of Frigg who are intent on undermining the gods' quest to regain their powers. She is the goddess of fertility and prosperity. As revealed in the season one finale, she is the mother of the Johnson brothers. |
| Ingrid (Snotra Snotra In Norse mythology, Snotra is a goddess associated with wisdom. Snotra is solely attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. Scholars have proposed theories about the implications of the goddess.... ) |
Rachel Nash | Goddess of prudence and wisdom and oracle of Agnetha's band of goddesses who has an analogous role to that of Olaf amongst the Johnsons. Ingrid spends a lot of time researching the geneaology of potential Norse gods and goddesses in their quest to reach Frigg before Odin does. She has a soft spot for Olaf which finds her telling him things she shouldn't. |
| Michele (Sjöfn Sjöfn In Norse mythology, Sjöfn a goddess associated with love. Sjöfn is attested in the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson; and in three kennings employed in skaldic poetry... ) |
Michelle Langstone Michelle Langstone Michelle Langstone is a New Zealand actress who has been in many films and television series over the years in both New Zealand, and in Australia. She starred as Dr. Katherine "Kat" Manx in the hit-television series Power Rangers: S.P.D., and later appeared as Master Guin in Power Rangers: Jungle... |
One of Agnetha's band of goddesses, Sjöfn is the goddess of love, and is bisexual. Michele in her mortal guise is a local area doctor. She is often entrusted with the riskier intervention missions against the Johnson brothers. |
| Stacey (Fulla Fulla In Germanic mythology, Fulla or Volla is a goddess. In Norse mythology, Fulla is described as wearing a golden snood and as tending to the ashen box and the footwear owned by the goddess Frigg, and, in addition, Frigg confides in Fulla her secrets... ) |
Eve Gordon | One of Agnetha's band of goddesses and Frigg's handmaiden. The only member of the Forces of Frigg without any real powers to speak of she is sent all over the city whenever an errand needs to be done. |
| Colin Gundersen (Loki Loki In Norse mythology, Loki or Loke is a god or jötunn . Loki is the son of Fárbauti and Laufey, and the brother of Helblindi and Býleistr. By the jötunn Angrboða, Loki is the father of Hel, the wolf Fenrir, and the world serpent Jörmungandr. By his wife Sigyn, Loki is the father of Nari or Narfi... ) |
Shane Cortese Shane Cortese Shane Cortese is a New Zealand actor and singer, known for his role as the evil Dominic Thompson on New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street and Hayden Peters on hit show Outrageous Fortune. He was also a runner-up on Season 1 of NZ Dancing With The Stars in 2005.-Career:Cortese trained at... |
Colin is a lawyer and the estranged father of Eva. As the god Loki he is the God of Fire. He makes a contract with the Johnsons for Axl to marry his daughter, Eva, on pain of death if the contract is not fulfilled. He has secretly allied with Agnetha. |
Season 1: 2011
| Episode # | |
Director | Writer(s) | Official Website
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