[LeBeau]

I started watching this on Sunday nights following Walking Dead, glad to hear it's being renewed since it seemed to have a solid first season.

I've always enjoyed reading/watching historical fiction, even if the show does take some large liberties with the stories and myths. Didn't realize at first that all the landscape shots were done in Ireland, looks great.

Also, anyone else think that Ragnar's wife (Katheryn Winnick) is the Canadian Scarlett Johansson?

[CarCrashKid]

Oh man! She looks good but I love the show.

I was so disappointed when I found out there were only 9 episodes in the first series.

[Sourcecode]

Same. I actually kept going back to the site for days thinking the episode was late.
It ended way to quick/
But I was loving it.

[Ryre]

Love the show. The actor playing the main character, Ragnar, has a really interesting screen presence. He's a find. (spoilers follow) The second battle on the beach, where they form the shield wall, struck me as one of the most realistic historical battle scenes I have ever seen. Usually they just depict the two sides running together and having a disorganized melee. Here you could see the teamwork and tactics at work. You believe that the Northmen are the holy terrors the Saxons found them to be.

The show loses its nerve in a few times, mostly having to do with (gasp!) gender. The only character we see forcing himself on a slave is Ragnar's brother, and it serves as a signal that he is not a good guy and the audience isn't supposed to like him. Historically, all the Northmen would have been doing that. And on a raid, again, the only viking who tries to rape an Englishwoman is a bad guy--and Ragnar's wife stops him and ultimately kills him, for doing something that was pretty normal behavior.

The show has the guts to show us a protagonist (Ragnar) who has no problem raiding harmless monks and executing a prisoner. But doesn't quite have the guts to ask us to root for men who treat women like spoils of war, even though that would be historically accurate as far as I know.

[NY Digital]

It's not historically accurate woman wise, and I think it's trying to cater to female viewers as well.

You have to be an idiot to think Vikings didn't rape. That's what they did. Pillage and Rape.

Love the show otherwise though. The cast is almost perfect.

Hoping to see more seasons? I only wish more money and interest went into stuff like this instead of BS shows we see nowadays.

[vinman]

Yeah. I enjoy the character Ragnar. He's got great presence, charisma, a sense of humor, intelligent, and he's brave

[BlondeBeastMan]

yeah, the show would have more rape scenes....if they want to be realistic. In fact, the clear indicator of bad guy on the show = the rapist.

katheryn winnick from the vikings show. she has such a glorious arse..and sweet, sweet bouncy titties.

from 0:07 to 0:19 is what i am talking about.

i will fuck her till the sun collapse into a white dwarf...




or her pussy caves in....which ever one comes first....

(06-07-2013 04:06 AM)CarCrashKid Wrote:  

Oh man! She looks good but I love the show.

I was so disappointed when I found out there were only 9 episodes in the first series.

[LeBeau]

^ Okay we get that you're thirsty over her...but did that post add anything to this thread besides making it NSFW now? Maybe next time just leave it at the Youtube clip, that's a good link and makes sense in this context.

[LeBeau]

(06-07-2013 11:23 AM)Sourcecode Wrote:  

Same. I actually kept going back to the site for days thinking the episode was late.
It ended way to quick/
But I was loving it.

Agreed. I was hoping for more as well, but also pleased nothing really dragged on, in fact, they actually packed a lot of plot lines in each episode when you break it down. Or maybe I'm just subconsciously comparing it to this last season of Walking Dead since I watch one after the other.

One thing that may be a good disclaimer for people; reading about the historical basis behind the characters may actually be a double edged sword.

I thought it was interesting and naturally started reading Wikipedia and stuff but may have accidentally spoiled some future episodes based on hints they've already shown.

I won't say any more, but if you plan on following this show maybe wait till it's done to dig into any further reading.

[LeBeau]

(06-07-2013 12:43 PM)NY Digital Wrote:  

It's not historically accurate woman wise, and I think it's trying to cater to female viewers as well.

You have to be an idiot to think Vikings didn't rape. That's what they did. Pillage and Rape.

Love the show otherwise though. The cast is almost perfect.

Hoping to see more seasons? I only wish more money and interest went into stuff like this instead of BS shows we see nowadays.

Yeah, that makes sense, aren't women the predominant viewers of fictional television and buyers of fictional books already?

I remember when the more educational networks (TLC, Discovery, History) came out, and compared to where they are now, it's so watered down.

TLC especially is just garbage reality shows. Quick wiki search gave me this list, wow, didn't even realize it was that bad:

"The channel has been criticized for departing from the original nature[10] of its programming, by airing shows of a controversial nature with what is described as having no educational value.[11] TLC programs that have come under fire from critics and the media include Toddlers & Tiaras,[12] Sarah Palin's Alaska,[13] LA Ink, Extreme Couponing, 19 Kids and Counting, Kate Plus 8, Sister Wives, Long Island Medium, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding."

I still don't know what/who Honey Boo Boo is, and I'm doing my best to keep it that way...has anyone dropped a post yet on the ridiculousness of modern celebrity culture?

[Swooper]

Yeah, the show is top notch for sure. Aside from the unrealistic portrayal of rape to pander to female viewers, it's all-around fantastic in regards to feel and acting. In particular the actor who plays Ragnar seems very good. His trademark smirk makes the character imo.

[Screwston]

(06-07-2013 03:00 PM)BlondeBeastMan Wrote:  

yeah, the show would have more rape scenes....if they want to be realistic. In fact, the clear indicator of bad guy on the show = the rapist.

katheryn winnick from the vikings show. she has such a glorious arse..and sweet, sweet bouncy titties.

from 0:07 to 0:19 is what i am talking about.

i will fuck her till the sun collapse into a white dwarf...




or her pussy caves in....which ever one comes first....

(06-07-2013 04:06 AM)CarCrashKid Wrote:  

Oh man! She looks good but I love the show.

I was so disappointed when I found out there were only 9 episodes in the first series.

What porn is that from? I need a link to watch it

[Tytalus]

Curious about the XXX too.

That said, the show is awesome and I highly recommend it.

[Surreyman]

I'm glad they made the characters a realistic size too.

So often historical shows are full of characters who are either unrealistically hench or fat.

I also like that there was no unnecessary diversity, other than the 'shieldmaiden' nonsense (I can believe her beating off the two skinny losers in E01, but going on a raid to England? Nah.). If the BBC made it, there would have been a black character with some bullshit story about how he came from Africa to become a Viking.

On the other hand, I felt that Morgan Freeman did very well in the old Robin Hood movie. He had a convincing backstory and looked believable as a Moor. It didn't feel like a PC addition to the story, it felt like they added him in there to contrast with Kevin Costners character.

[Spike]

Bump

I started watching the show this week. Nearly finished season One. It's a pretty good show but it's still too much a show I run in the background, meaning it's boring from time to time with just a little bit too much talking and some female drama or religious nonsense in between and I watch with half an eye and browse the net on my phone.

[Fast Eddie]

I think it's pretty good. For some reason, Ragnar Lodbrok's mannerisms and way of speaking remind me of low key Nigerians. Can't really explain why.

On the topic of Vikings, real ones that is, I'm thinking their way of life represented the closest a people has ever come to an ultimate masculine existence. You could say they were " 'bout that thug life" except in a way that brought fame and profit rather than low class poverty and prison. Roving bands of bros with names like Erik Bloodaxe and Sweyn Forkbeard that boldly sailed into stormy seas and wrought havoc deep in enemy territory.

Think about the intensity of their experiences. Crossing frigid seas and taking the enemy's gold and women on the strength of your superiority at hand to hand combat with shields and axes. Taking today's morality out of the equation and trying to put ourselves in the shoes of people who lived in a time when life was cheap and might made right, is there a better feeling for a man than to overcome an enemy in battle and take his womenfolk as a prize?

The Vikings were the greatest merchants and explorers of their age. One day they would be fighting, raping and pillaging, the next they'd be making their way as far East as Byzantium and Baghdad to sell the women slaves they had captured in the Muslim slave markets. Or they'd be using their ships, the most advanced at the time, to discover lands that wouldn't be reached by the outside world for over half a millenium. They were basically Seafaring Warrior Pimps, and you can't say fairer than that.

[Sollertis]

Indeed. I quiet enjoy the show.

I have no idea about the mannerisms and the way of speaking of low key Nigerians but I like the way the actor portrays Ragnar. It has something undefinable and different. Character of Ragnar is a special thing as well. I see him more as an intellectual with thirst for knowledge than a brute who just wants to go pillage and rape...but that could be my subjective opinion deluded with love for smart characters.

"Odin gave his eye to acquire knowledge, but I would give far more."-Ragnar

It´s not a perfect show (either in historical or story sense) but it is definitely better than 95% of the crap on tv.

If you had enough with cop shows, reality tv, pc sitcoms and want something a little more historical and adventurous with swords and axes then check it out.

[4profit]

Vikings were heavily romanticized in the 19th century. I think the most masculine peoples were the peoples who lived in the Eurasian Steppe (Scythians, Sarmatians, various different tribes of Turks, Mongols, Hungarians, etc). The Steppe lifestyle was nomadic, meaning that there were little settlements, and the people relied heavily on warfare and raiding to survive and prosper. Many significant changes in the populations of the world were caused because of people moving in and out of the Steppe, which would wreak havoc on nearby populations who lived in areas more favorable for settlement.



That being said, I'd be excited if archaeologists in Russia, Ukraine, and the various former FSU countries of Central Asia uncovered more artifacts and tombs that could shed more insights on the Scythians/Sarmatians. I find them to be one of the most interesting peoples of antiquity and the middle ages, but there's so little information on them relative to other peoples of the same time, like the Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Mesopotamians.

[Suits]

I tried this show a few years ago and was immediately turned off by the girl power scenes in episode 1.

[VolandoVengoVolandoVoy]

(04-09-2015 12:52 AM)Fast Eddie Wrote:  

I think it's pretty good. For some reason, Ragnar Lodbrok's mannerisms and way of speaking remind me of low key Nigerians. Can't really explain why.

On the topic of Vikings, real ones that is, I'm thinking their way of life represented the closest a people has ever come to an ultimate masculine existence. You could say they were " 'bout that thug life" except in a way that brought fame and profit rather than low class poverty and prison. Roving bands of bros with names like Erik Bloodaxe and Sweyn Forkbeard that boldly sailed into stormy seas and wrought havoc deep in enemy territory.

Think about the intensity of their experiences. Crossing frigid seas and taking the enemy's gold and women on the strength of your superiority at hand to hand combat with shields and axes. Taking today's morality out of the equation and trying to put ourselves in the shoes of people who lived in a time when life was cheap and might made right, is there a better feeling for a man than to overcome an enemy in battle and take his womenfolk as a prize?

The Vikings were the greatest merchants and explorers of their age. One day they would be fighting, raping and pillaging, the next they'd be making their way as far East as Byzantium and Baghdad to sell the women slaves they had captured in the Muslim slave markets. Or they'd be using their ships, the most advanced at the time, to discover lands that wouldn't be reached by the outside world for over half a millenium. They were basically Seafaring Warrior Pimps, and you can't say fairer than that.

I think the reality of life for the vikings was far from some romantic adventure. I think generally life was nasty, mean, brutish and short for them.
Constant warfare + no antibiotics + no pain killers = not fun

[UroboricForms]

Ah yes, the "History" channel. Where we show the equivalent of a soap opera just with added titties and chainmail. Makes sense.

[spokepoker]

I miss back when it was the hitler channel.
WWII, 24/7.

[Chowder Head]

The guy that plays Floki and Eric from True Blood are brothers. Who knew?

   

   

[CaptainChardonnay]

No really into the magic. However I still watch it since I've already started.

[The Father]

Vikings? On TV? Now? Dude, I can't be bothered with preseason games...