Did someone say #Vikings?! pic.twitter.com/wrGPcSqQTV
— Vikings on HISTORY (@HistoryVikings) August 17, 2015
So How do you like THAT for an entrance?
Yes last Season is long over, but I realized that I had not written a review for it any of them previous (even though I did not have a blog then) so this is part preview for season 4 and (hopefully) 3 parts review for past seasons. This post will serve as the main Vikings ‘page’ for reviews on this blog.
Actually I just noticed, that is not fully true as looking in my archives again I did find a couple of Vikings related posts:
vikings-season 1 & 2 review * and something of a preview tv-tuesdays-24-days-til-we-raid/
Historically accurate?
Yes and no. It’s as accurate as can be with what we know.
NO they did not wear horned Helmets.
Were there really Berserkers? (AS in Bear or bare) Yes.. (in both regards) Rollo is one of those berserkers or in his care BARE warriors. Berserkers would get worked up into such a frenzy that they went ‘bear-zerk’ (Once I get my Norse page fixed up I will likely link back to i
t here)
However here’s a not so surprising fact… Ragnar and Rollo were not really brothers. This was a creative liberty taken to tell the sagas of both Ragnar and Rollo. The cast has said themselves, if you do not want anything spoiled for you, then do not read the viking sagas.
I have always loved Norse mythology, Vikings and curious about the culture. As far as my research and studies on Vikings and the Norse culture, the show for the most part is quite accurate. It’s all the comic Hagar the horrible’s fault we think vikings had horned helmets, well that and Opera. They did use drinking horns though.
While re-reading a review by In Harsh Light (in the link below) I am reminded they did (Thankfully) mention that Christianity has Pagan roots (and yet they say not to cheat, lie & steal… and what did they do?) and the reviewer (even though I already know) mentions it is historical fact.
If you’d like to watch the 2015 Comic con panel (or missed it in an earlier post) you can watch it here
10 Reasons why Vikings is so Badass
Reviewing Vikings
Season 1 starts off in 793 in the East Baltic sea and is supposed to have the theme of strength in it. In short this season Ragnar, Rollo, & a young Bjorn journey to ‘The Thing’ (an assembly) the viking version of a parliament. Laws are made, complaints are made, punishments are doled out and planing raids & a lot of drinking. Ragnar procures a way to sail west and has Floki (yes like Loki) make a ship for him. As punishment for going without his blessing their Jarl (earl) keeps most of the score and keeps Ragnar’s ship as his own. Ragnar humiliates the jarl and they both look to the future. Kattegat is under attack and Ragnar gets badly hurt, while he recuperates as winter falls and Floki tells stories around the fire. Rollo’s Loyalty is put to the test and Ragnar & the Earl go head to head. They meet with the English King an their camp is attacked. Th Lothbrok’s travel to Uppsala to pay tribute to the gods. The gang travel to meet with Jarl Borg in place of King Horik about some land while back home sickness befalls most of the population. Ragnar meets Aslug (more like Aslut or the slug 2 names I love to call her) daughter of shield maiden broomhilda… Bjorn is not happy with this.
Vikings: Season 1 via amazon
Season 2‘s theme is crisis of faith power & relationships (trust & betrayal) and picks up in Scandinavia in 796
Lagertha learns of Ragnar’s betrayal, and drops the wifely facade and Kicks ass, among other things! Rollo and Ragnar have a sibling Battle for the ages. Princess Aslug (or as I call her Ass Slug)
Vikings: Season 2 – Via amazon
vikings-season-1-2-review (this review is not by me, and I haven’t even read it this way I could be fair so I’m not just including bad or good reviews.
‘No Complaining’ on History Channel’s ‘Vikings
Season 3 – Had me terrified! I know that Rollo & Bjorn out live Ragnar but I really do hope it will be awhile before Travis’ role ends. I Just love him, I mean his acting etc. There’s the massive battle on the castle and a really cool hallway stunt… OUCH!
Vikings Season 3 via amazon
The raiding party travels back to England and deal with King Eckbert, to make a settlement and do some farming. in season 3
we are in France and there’s a great epic battle, and Ragnar seems gravely sick or injured.
I think this guy explains best WHY those that are fan of Vikings, love the show so much.
Season 4 preview
So what’s In store for season 4?
First Four Episode Titles of Vikings Season 4 Revealed
See Rollo’s ‘disasterous’ wedding night
This is a (possible) season 4 spoiler. Do not read if you want to keep things a surprise
Trailer preview time
Watch Vikings Season 4
here via Amazon
The Lothbroks
Ragnar as one review I’ve read (noted below) called him power hungry. That is wrong, he was a curious person and was ambitious. Oh also he is said to be a descendant of Odin (the All father as in the top God of Norse Pantheon)
Played by Travis Fimmel of the piercing Blue eyes, Ragnar is bloody (all puns intended) fearsome on the battlefield and a loving husband and father when we start in season 1. You can also see part of Travis’ personality come through when playing Ragnar. The scenes with ‘his children’ and Travis is a prankster on set, so that twinkle in those blue eyes can be dangerous!
3 Reasons to Love Vikings Star Travis Fimmel
There’s an episode (or few) in season three upon first watch that had me terrified (& that is all I will say) I will give you a hint that it may be in the last 3- 5 episodes. ivana-chubbuck-talks about her Vikings work with Travis Fimmel
(The saga of Ragnar)
Rollo is a great ‘berserker’ warrior however tormented as the older ‘brother’ who lives in the younger’s shadow. He loves Lagertha (I
forget if there was a thing between the two of them or not but Lagertha Saved Ragnar and somehow Ragnar won out (as usual). In season 1 Rollo is tortured to keep his brother who at the time was injured, safe. Between Ragnar and Rollo, I’m not sure who I’d fear more on the battlefield. (what would be worse a ripper or Berserk?)
Lagertha The beautiful former (as the guys make the mistake of starting to say)
fierce shield maiden has given Ragnar 2 children though they sadly lose one to a 
plague (Ragnar you need to stop going on Raids!). Her role gets beefier as the series goes on and I love that she doesn’t take any crap from the men. In season one when they go raiding and the current Jarl (earl) sends one of his men. The earl’s man tries to rape a woman and Lagertha just wasn’t going to let him… She is one bad ass and not only on Vikings but in real life! Katheryn Winnick who plays
our favorite shieldmaiden is a black belt 3x and has her own martial arts school(s) (since she was I think 16 or 18 I know it was a young age) After Ragnar she’s with some drunken Jarl who beats on her. Bjorn wants to kill him for it. The jarl is a D-bad and well I’ll just say Lagertha doesn’t need her son to fight her battles.
Katheryn Winnick aka ‘Lagertha’ give shield maiden lessons
What is the ‘deep dark’ secret of Kathryn Winick’s on set? Find out in this castemate quiz here
Bjorn He goes from being a young boy with an attitude, to a fine handsome adult. We last see him leave as a child I guess he feels as much betrayed when lagertha leaves Ragnar for his extra curricular activities. Now being in his late teens (? not sure if 16 or 18) having to deal with a stepfather and Lagertha’s new tool of a hubby D-bag, won’t let Bjorn just go to battle as he would like (apparently he wants Bjorn to be a coward like him) but stepfather won’t have it. Bjorn wants to see his father again (yes more of a viking man than this piece of nothing. When they are permitted to leave to help Ragnar he trains with his uncle Rollo, and in time becomes Bjorn Ironside in season 3. I’m glad Alex Ludvig was cast to play the teen-Adult Bjorn. I think he fits in well (and come on that last name it just screams cast me!)
Better than HBO’s ‘Risk’
I’m a Game of Thrones fan and a Vikings fan so which do I say is the better show? VIKINGS …Hammers, Axes and Shields down! I said it before anyone else did (I think unless I just didn’t hear about it yet at the time) then I started to hear ‘whispers of it in other reviews etc. I love the way this review from In Harsh Light put it
I can also make the argument however that they are 2 totally different types of shows. First off Game of thrones is fantasy Fiction; Vikings, on the other hand has really happened. Think of it as a reality show just what a thousand few hundred years later?
“History’s impressive take on Norse warrior legends and mythology often rivals HBO‘s Game of Thrones. Yes, I said that. I realize I commit blasphemy against myriad GoT fans by saying that.”
but know what… tough shit… what on the show, is actual history (with a bit of creative liberties) and GOT is just a fantasy drama, that ‘beheaded’ itself in the first season (to which I screamed Nooooo…) and which I found to be a ploy to hook all into watching. Kill the heart and soul of a show at least the first season and you know that no one is safe. In Vikings relatively there is no safety because of the life they lead (but known at the same time if you are into Norse Mythos & history that certain characters will last at least a few seasons)
Michael Hirst creator & writer of Vikings…Reddit
‘Vikings’ recap: 4.1 ‘A Good Treason* VARIETY’s season 4 review
(did they get to watch the whole season already?)
My review….
WOW first the Walking Dead Mid-season premier, then having seen Deadpool on Tuesdays (feb 16th) & now the first episode of vikings! A lot goes on in this first episode of the season. Which was over an done in what felt like a blink or 2 of an eye!
a quick summary…Bjorn comes back looking even taller and baring ‘gifts’. Ragnar is still sick, and Floki tries to make it up to 
him. Queen Slug…(as I call her) is already prepping for Ragnar’s death, while Kalf & Lagertha have become co-Jarls. Rollo gets married and truly becomes a traitor. Everyone seems to be planning to betray Ragnar in one way or another. They’re gonna
have a revenant type scene that I’m sure you’ve already seen in the trailer, so Bjorn goes off to see if he can survive the wild (which isn’t just the motivation… I’m sure it’s to bring a name for himself as well) Porrun has disappeared in the night etc. We
travel to Paris and Ragnar & Rollo go at each other which Rollo actor Clive Standen said a few blows really did hit so he and Travis went home bruised! This looks to be a fight to the death and after seeing an article saying Ragnar may die this season… I had the Kleenex ready but had a jaw drop in the Mid-season finale (I think the next half will come in june or july) It’s been one crazy season so far for me at least oh yeah and we jump 6 or 10 years after the events in Paris and meet the adult versions of Ragnar’s sons
You can read more on the Vikings show, characters and actors on my Vikings Hub
Now as for the soundtrack…. I don’t know who amoung the myriad of credits sets up who composes the music (or secures getting current music in a soundtrack) but there are a few people as well as myself I know of that would love for the band Tyr which is one of my favorite bands, and they play Viking (or Folk) metal on the show. Lead singer Heri wants to do a song for the show. I have tried helping, (even during the 2013 or 2014 comic-con panel) I was tweeting on and off trying to get someone’s attention but to no avail (still trying to find out who and how to get in touch with the creator or find out who is in charge of ‘casting’ for music ralted stuff on the show) anyway I found one Vikings video to the song ‘By the Sword in my Hand’ by Tyr, and this can somewhat be used to review the events of the past few seasons as well.
There’s one actor I would LOVE to see cast in Vikings… I will say he’s played a Turk and certainly does not look like one, however he has the perfect name and born in one of the perfect places to be cast…Thorvaldur David Kristjansson he was BORN to be on the show! If I ever got to meet this guy, I think I’d blush calling him Thor! Here’s a link to an interview
And this is me Signing off….Holding the Heathen Hammer High!
Multiscreen MoTVision 
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