'Masterpiece’ WWII series based on true story now streaming on Netflix

If history buffs are in need of a new drama to binge, then look no further. The 2023 war series War Sailor, which is streaming now on Netflix, takes place between 1939 and 1972 across the Atlantic Ocean and in Norway, Malta, England, New York, Canada, and Singapore. It follows two close friends, Alfred and Sigbjørn, who are working on a cargo vessel in the Atlantic Ocean when World War II breaks out.  

Out of necessity, everyone on the ship becomes civilian fighters on the front lines of the war, fighting of the Germans who would attack from their submarines at any moment. While the men stand at arms, Alfred’s wife, Cecilia, and their three children struggle to survive in the occupied Norwegian territory.

As bombs drop across the UK, Alred and Sigbjørn wonder if their homes will still be standing when they return. The show is based on a real-life story of Norway’s merchant sailors and their families.

When neutral Norway was invaded in 1940, about 30,000 Norwegians at sea had already been under siege by the Germans for months. In November 1939, the Scandinavian country’s government struck a deal with the British: they would use Norway’s merchant ships and the civilians on them to aid in the war effort.

It didn’t take long before the people on board the 1,100 vessels became unwitting “war sailors”. In addition to carrying supplies across the world to support the Allies, the sailors battled the Germans, who, along with Italy and Japan, formed the Axis powers.

During the war effort, around 4,000 Norwegian people died on board these merchant vessels, with many of their stories going untold. While the characters in the movie are inspired by real people, writer and director Gunnar Vikene considers his depiction fictional.

The limited series stars Kristoffer Joner, Pål Sverre Hagen, and Ine Marie Wilmann. It features new and unreleased footage from the 2022 film by the same name, which was a critical success and Norway’s most expensive movie production to date.

Since its launch in 2023, fans have showered the limited series, which boasts an impressive 92% score on the popular critics' site Rotten Tomatoes, with praise online. One user gushed: "War Sailor is the best kind of war show: a character drama that happens amidst war, focusing most on how the characters are changed by the atrocities over the years."

Another added: "Brilliantly written, directed, and acted, this is a gripping, at times excruciating, film. The characters are beautifully, yet painfully, individual; the story is unexpected and convincingly painful." A third chimed in with: "Wow - what an intense film. Excellent acting and period sets. Can't believe it's not 100% liked. A masterpiece."