Netflix took their time tapping into the European teen market. Hailed as Germany’s answer to Stranger Things, their first venture, Dark, only arrived in December 2017, almost a full five years after launching their original programming slate with House of Cards.

But following the critical success of the generation-spanning, time traveling thriller, the streaming platform hasn’t stopped making young adult content with a continental twist.

And as with much of their American teen stable (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Order, Chambers), the supernatural is often a key element. There’s Danish post-apocalyptic sci-fi The Rain and French superhero fantasy Mortel, while this month sees the debuts of Norwegian mythological drama Ragnarok and Dutch horror Ares.

Premiering on January 31, the former sounds like a Marvel Cinematic Universe spin-off, but it’s actually a brand-new six-part series combining Norse legend, high school melodrama and the kind of climate change activism that would make Greta Thunberg proud.

One of many cast members plucked from the Scandinavian teen phenomenon Skam, David Stakston stars as Magne, a gangly, socially-awkward teen who moves back with his family to Edda, a fictitious snow-capped town plagued by thunderous storms, environmental pollution and erm, an “immortal clan of warriors” posing, rather unconvincingly, as a nuclear family.

And following a paragliding tragedy – shot in eerily quiet fashion – which robs him of his only notable ally, a suspicious Magne becomes devoted to proving that there were dark forces behind it.

Hit by the usual stumbling blocks of skeptical parents and potentially corrupt officials, Magne’s amateur sleuthing is pretty standard stuff. Likewise the high school scenes largely occupied by the typical parade of photogenic yet obnoxious teens.

But the outsider’s gradual discovery of the superhuman strengths that have coincidentally developed since his return is much more compelling, whether he’s beating the javelin world record 15 times over or ripping apart the head of a rabid dog.

Yet despite such weighty themes as grief, isolation and, well, the future of the entire planet, Ragnarok can often veer towards unintentional camp. The dominant Jutul brood, aka the “Giants” hellbent on destroying the world in ageless form, are headed by both a vampish headmistress who spends prom night seducing two students and a businessman with a fondness for killing reindeer in his birthday suit.

These aren’t the kind of antics you’d expect from creator Adam Price, the man behind bleak political drama Borgen and intense priesthood saga Ride Upon the Storm.

But at least Ragnarok doesn’t appear to take itself too seriously. After launching into a self-important diatribe about his villainous Norse heritage, patriarch Vidar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson) is wryly reminded by high school jock ‘son’ Fjor (Herman Tømmeraas), “now, you drive a Volvo.”

There’s little humor to be found in Ares, the macabre eight-parter now available to stream where a previously bright-eyed student publicly gouges both eyes out and slits her throat before the opening credits have even rolled.

Netflix have been upping the ante considerably with their recent horror output – France’s Marianne was touted as the service’s scariest show to date – and this unsettling secret society tale certainly isn’t afraid to shock. The premiere also sees the bunch of chosen ones transported to the grandiose headquarters with plastic bags wrapped tightly over their heads before being violently stripped half-naked, while protagonist Rosa’s schizophrenic mother is rushed to hospital after self-harming during a particularly maniacal episode.

But does Ares have anything going for it other than a long list of potential trigger warnings? Well, as with Ragnarok, it boasts a fine lead performance, this time from Jade Olieberg. A first-year med student with ambitions of climbing the social ladder, Rosa provides our entry point into the Illuminati-style organization. And while the world of basement-dwelling creatures and mysterious black goo initially leaves her terrified and dumbfounded, she soon proves that she’s not the straight-laced innocent we might have all expected.

You also have to admire how its creators run with the concept. Such stories might be nothing new, even on Netflix (see The Society ). Butstands out from the crowd with its penchant for blood and gore and a go-for-broke denouement that provides a disturbing answer to the question, “Did you ever wonder how a small country like the Netherlands became so rich and powerful?”

But even with its refreshingly slim half-hour running time, Ares can make for an oppressive watch. Most of its scenes are dimly-lit, and by tackling everything from sexual assault and mental illness to multiple suicides and even the atrocities carried out by Dutch colonials, it appears to be competing with 13 Reasons Why for the title of Netflix’s most issue-based show.

The likes of Dark and Élite have shown that English-speaking young audiences are becoming more open to foreign-language fare. And although Ragnarok and Ares don’t offer the same mass appeal, they’re still both intriguing, if flawed, additions to the current teen drama resurgence.

Jon O’Brien (@jonobrien81) is a freelance entertainment and sports writer from the North West of England. His work has appeared in the likes of Esquire, Billboard, Paste, i-D, The Guardian, Vinyl Me Please and Allmusic.

Stream Ares on Netflix

Stream Ragnarok on Netflix starting on January 31, 2020