“It’s very earthy; the texture of that world,” says Tom Conroy of Vikings: Valhalla. “Sometimes we work in these miserable weather conditions, and we’re all thinking, ‘Oh God, this looks terrible.’ And yet… it all makes it look more visceral; more real.” Bringing this new world to life is a grueling collaborative effort, but if—as they say—the first bite is with the eye, then Conroy is the man responsible for making your mouth water; the man whose work cements the bond of verisimilitude with the audience. We asked him to whisk us on a pictorial tour of the world he helped create, unlocking some of the mysteries, struggles, and secrets behind the mammoth production along the way. “This is a sweeping story,” he tells us excitedly. “The scale of it is huge, with so many sets. I don’t think fans of /Vikings/ are going to be disappointed.” Vikings: Valhalla premieres on Netflix on Feb. 25.
