Vikings (2013-14)

Directors: Ciaran Donnelly & Ken Girotti            Writer/Creator: Michael Hirst
Music Score: Trevor Morris                              Cinematography: Jack Atcheler
Starring: Travis Fimmel, Clive Standen, Katheryn Winnick and Jessalyn Gilsig

The History Channel series Vikings that was so tremendous last year has definitely suffered from the sophomore slump. But perhaps that was inevitable. The production values, the acting, and most especially the storyline were incredibly compelling in their inaugural season. This year they seem to have been far too influenced by the success of Game of Thrones and completely given over to intrigue rather than character development. It’s too bad because, on it’s own last year, it was such a fascinating insight into a culture that has rarely reached the screen with anything like realism. And the potential for that to continue was something I had looked forward to with great anticipation. The first season also benefitted greatly from the short-term contract of the magnificent Gabriel Byrne as Earl Haraldson. His presence drew an audience in that might have been on the fence initially, and by the midpoint in the season they were actually hoping for his departure to make way for the ascension of Travis Fimmel as the famed Ragnar Lothbrok.

The real Lothbrok was a semi-mythological Viking warrior who is reputed to have led the invasions West that began the raids that would last for two hundred and fifty years. He is supposed to have had five sons who are actual historical Vikings. In the first season Fimmel is married to the breathtaking Katheryn Winnick. They are farmers as well as warriors and she supports him, giving him a son, young Irish actor Nathan O’Toole, and a daughter, Ruby O’Leary. But as Fimmel pushes Byrne to head West for new lands, Byrne’s conservatism takes hold and his fear that it will lead Fimmel to command the loyalty of the warriors causes him to deny his wishes. At the same time Fimmel’s brother, Clive Standen, becomes jealous of his brother’s success and causes Standen to betray him in looking for power for himself. The final battle between Fimmel and Byrne is realistic and riveting, and the raid on England is terrific in its surprise for the invaders. One of their captives is George Blagden who plays a monk who winds up converting to the Norse religion. He is actually one of the best parts of the second season. Two of the other standouts are Gustaf Skarsgård, son of the great Stellan Skarsgård, as the boat builder for Fimmel, and Jessalyn Gilsig as Byrne's widow and common law wife of Standen.

As stated above, the second season is primarily a story of shifting loyalties. This, of course, began at the end of season one with Winnick losing her baby and Fimmel being seduced by Alyssa Sutherland. Another interesting aspect of the second season is the leaps ahead in time. Winnick leaves Fimmel and when she returns a few years later their son is now played by the older Alexander Ludwig. Fimmel also has to broker a peace between the king, Donal Logue, and his rival Thorbjørn Harr who has taken on Standen as one of his warriors. But that’s just the beginning. More of the action takes place in England as the Viking royalty ban together to secure more fertile land to live on, and intrigue with the English princes is just as vicious. Ultimately, this isn’t nearly as interesting as the first season that was so focused on the characters. And as more of the action takes place in Britain it would appear that season three of the show will definitely be drifting more toward a Game of Thrones storyline, and that’s disappointing. It was the unique aspect of the show that made it so interesting, and copying something else makes it seem much less so. I just hope Vikings can get back to the character driven stories of the Norse people that were so compelling that first season. But time will tell.