LA PALMA on Netflix: All You Need to Know About The 2024 Series

LA PALMA on Netflix is a Norwegian miniseries that has taken the streaming world by storm, captivating viewers with its gripping storytelling, dramatic visuals, and intense human emotions.

The series, set against the backdrop of a volcanic eruption, brings disaster fiction to new heights. Let’s dive into the story, the characters, the cast’s backgrounds, and real-life inspiration to uncover whether LA PALMA’s story has any roots in reality.

Netflix’s latest Norwegian miniseries, La Palma, has quickly become a top-viewed show on the platform. Premiering on December 12, 2024, the four-episode series combines disaster drama with personal narratives, offering a compelling viewing experience.

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The Story in La Palma

La Palma follows a Norwegian family vacationing on the Canary Island of La Palma. Their holiday turns perilous when a young researcher discovers alarming signs of an imminent volcanic eruption that could trigger a massive tsunami.

The series intertwines the family’s struggle for survival with the efforts of geological researchers attempting to warn authorities and mitigate the impending disaster.

The show unfolds in three interconnected storylines:

1. The Scientists – Led by Marie Ekdal, a Norwegian volcanologist, her Spanish boss, and their colleague from Iceland. They face skepticism from politicians afraid a needless evacuation order will cost the island a fortune. The scientific team races against time to predict the scale of the eruption and tsunami.
2. The Family – Centered on a Norwegian family of four, who is on their traditional Christmas Holiday. This year it offers personal struggles on top of the looming natural disaster. The parents aren’t communicating well and the teen daughter is coming-of-age and discovering who she is.
3. The other tourists – Alongside the Norwegian family and the scientist from Norway, we meet a few other characters from Norway, who we follow as they’re alongside either member of the Norwegian family or the volcanic scientists.

The Netflix series LA PALMA masterfully weaves these narratives, showcasing themes of survival, sacrifice, and resilience as everyone on the island is confronted by the power of Mother Nature.

Meet the Main Characters of La Palma

Fredrik (played by Anders Baasmo): Portraying a teacher, Fredrik struggles to protect his family amid the chaos.

Jennifer (played by Ingrid Bolsø Berdal): Fredrik’s wife and the mother of Sara and Tobias.

Sara (played by Alma Günther): Fredrik and Jennifer’s daughter who struggles with her sexuality. She knows she likes girls, but is afraid to be judged and defined as “the lesbian” by others.

Tobias (played by Bernard Storm Lager): Fredrik and Jennifer’s son is on the Autism spectrum. The family has gotten him at ease in the world, but a volcanic eruption isn’t something they’ve been able to prepare for.

Marie Ekdal (played by Thea Sofie Loch Næss): A doctoral student at the La Palma Geological Institute. She was in the 2004 tsunami in Thailand with her brother and their parents. Their parents died and her brother, who is also on the island, is still depressed.

Haukur (played by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson): A researcher and Marie’s colleague. He’s from Iceland and knows what it’s like to live in a place where volcanic eruptions happen. However, a tsunami is new for him.

Álvaro (played by Jorge de Juan): Haukur and Marie’s boss who previously warned about the volcano possibly erupting, which then didn’t happen. Now, he’s nervous about making the same mistake and the mayor in the city is as well.

Erik (played by Amund Harboe): Marie’s unemployed brother who struggles with life.

Jens (played by Thorbjørn Harr): The brother of Jennifer and an employee in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He helps his sister with strictly confidential information. Later, he saves the lives of many by going against orders and telling the media about a possible “Safe Zone”.

Is the new Netflix series La Palma (2024) based on a true story?

The 2024 Netflix miniseries La Palma is not directly based on a true story. However, it is inspired by real geological phenomena and historical events.

It takes cues from the volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja on the Canary Island of La Palma in 2021. This was a real disaster that caused significant destruction and displacement. The eruption lasted nearly three months, destroying thousands of homes and reshaping the island’s landscape.

Prior to that, the volcano also erupted in 1971 and 1949.

While the series dramatizes the events for storytelling purposes, it incorporates realistic scientific and emergency response scenarios.

It also highlights the potentially catastrophic effects of natural disasters, such as the theoretical possibility of a volcanic collapse triggering a tsunami. This theory, while not universally accepted by scientists, provides a gripping narrative element in the series.

However, to many, this won’t sound too far-fetched. After all, it was an underwater earthquake in the Indian Ocean that resulted in the 2004 tsunami. A tragedy that took over 250,000 lives. The official estimation is between 230,000 – 280,000 death.

Many bodies were never recovered, which is the reason why the estimate has such a wide gap.

In summary, while La Palma is fictional, it draws from real-life geological events and scientific discussions, blending fact and fiction to deliver a dramatic and emotionally charged story.

Are there any LGBTQ characters in the new Netflix series La Palma?

Yes, La Palma includes LGBTQ+ representation through the character of Sara, a 17-year-old who develops a romantic interest in another young female tourist named Charlie (or Charlotte) during her family’s vacation on La Palma.

This subplot adds depth to Sara’s character and provides a personal narrative amid the unfolding disaster. The La Palma series has been praised for balancing disaster elements with personal stories, including Sara’s journey, without excessive melodrama.

However, many viewers have also complained about the fact that the two girls survived the tsunami when they were aboard an airplane. Of course, they were hardly the sole survivors, so it’s not like they were magically saved while those around them perished.

I, for one, am happy that this inclusion of a lesbian character in La Palma didn’t result in the infamous “Bury Your Gays”-trope. That’s when anyone introduced as gay ends up dead shortly after. It’s brutal when you look at the many (many) examples of this happening.

Why LA PALMA Is a Must-Watch

With its gripping narrative, well-rounded characters, and stunning cinematography, LA PALMA offers more than just a disaster story. It’s a profound exploration of human strength and bonds in the face of adversity.

Whether you’re a fan of disaster dramas, survival thrillers, or character-driven stories, this series is sure to leave a lasting impact.

Stream LA PALMA on Netflix now, and witness a tale of survival that’s as thrilling as it is moving.