Vikings (TV series)

[pensmama87]

Anybody watch this?

My husband and I are just about through the third season, but I think we will stop there.

I think the show had a lot of promise and was about an interesting topic - the legends of Ragnar Lodbrok, tied together with real historical people and events of the Viking conquests. It’s fascinating to watch a show where faith is central to people, whether that’s pagan or Christian, and what happens when those worlds intersect.

The problem my husband and I have is with the blatant errors of how Christianity was practiced by early medieval people, including portrayals of Christians that are not just wrong but laughably so, if they weren’t so infuriating (e.g. Christians crucifying Christians). I did a little more reading on it and it turns out the creator, Michael Hirst, has something of an axe to grind when it comes to Christians and Catholics in particular (he directed the Elizabeth films starring Cate Blanchett, which are seriously anti-Catholic.) That agenda unfortunately distracts from the otherwise compelling characters and story.

 

[tomarin]

I’ve watched a little bit of an episode here or there and found the show goes out of its way to make the characters look as dirty and grubby as possible. I thought the Vikings actually had pretty good hygiene. Also I definitely remember reading that they often had colorful clothes dyed bright hues by natural dyes, but the people in Vikings are all clothed in different shades of silver, gray and black. So dubious historical accuracy there.

 

[Exiled_Child]

Anybody watch this?

My husband and I are just about through the third season, but I think we will stop there.

I think the show had a lot of promise and was about an interesting topic - the legends of Ragnar Lodbrok, tied together with real historical people and events of the Viking conquests. It’s fascinating to watch a show where faith is central to people, whether that’s pagan or Christian, and what happens when those worlds intersect.

The problem my husband and I have is with the blatant errors of how Christianity was practiced by early medieval people, including portrayals of Christians that are not just wrong but laughably so, if they weren’t so infuriating (e.g. Christians crucifying Christians). I did a little more reading on it and it turns out the creator, Michael Hirst, has something of an axe to grind when it comes to Christians and Catholics in particular (he directed the Elizabeth films starring Cate Blanchett, which are seriously anti-Catholic.) That agenda unfortunately distracts from the otherwise compelling characters and story.

Yeah, it’s funny that you say that, because I watched a few episodes on Netflix and came to exactly the same conclusion. In fact, I actually suspect that’s the main reason that series was even made. Sure, it’s a lucrative business and they make massive fortunes, but the primary reason shows like this are made is so that non-stop veiled attacks on Christianity fly under the radar and and warp people’s minds. And the older I get, the more I believe this is virtually always the case with almost everything Hollywood produces. I see this as a manifestation of culture war, which is every bit as real as conventional war, except the bombs and violence are aimed directly at the human psyche. Hollywood’s entire purpose is to slaughter Christ, and it’s just a neverending, relentless assault. I also think that whoever controls the media controls the human mind itself, which means that all of us are actually foot soldiers in this war.

 

[TCEL]

I watched the first season and found it intriguing, but it seemed to romanticize Vikings a bit much. I don’t think of Vikings as rock stars.

 

[pensmama87]

I watched the first season and found it intriguing, but it seemed to romanticize Vikings a bit much. I don’t think of Vikings as rock stars.

Apparently the eyeliner and hairstyles (at least the braids etc) are accurate. The clothing and tattoos and shaved heads, no. (Who shaves their head in Scandinavia before central heating?)

The paganism is definitely romanticized. I don’t object to showing the culture of the people and their motivations, though. It’s not as though they were all evil straight through.

What bugs me most is the invention of Christian cruelties that just never existed, and pretending that these not only happened but occurred with official approval from the Church.

 

[ATraveller]

It’s funny it’s on the ‘History’ Channel in Canada. The Fake History Channel is more like it.

Yeah, it’s funny that you say that, because I watched a few episodes on Netflix and came to exactly the same conclusion. In fact, I actually suspect that’s the main reason that series was even made. Sure, it’s a lucrative business and they make massive fortunes, but the primary reason shows like this are made is so that non-stop veiled attacks on Christianity fly under the radar and and warp people’s minds. And the older I get, the more I believe this is virtually always the case with almost everything Hollywood produces. I see this as a manifestation of culture war, which is every bit as real as conventional war, except the bombs and violence are aimed directly at the human psyche. Hollywood’s entire purpose is to slaughter Christ, and it’s just a neverending, relentless assault. I also think that whoever controls the media controls the human mind itself, which means that all of us are actually foot soldiers in this war.

This is why I haven’t watched a film in nearly a decade. I barely watch anything on TV except news as shows I used to watch have mostly been cancelled. I haven’t even bothered looking for or trying new shows. Giving them any support (financial or viewership) signals a demand for poison, which I’m guilty of but trying my best to avoid.
If only the Christian entertainment industry could produce good content. Christendom used to be the leaders in the arts and sciences.

 

[pensmama87]

It’s funny it’s on the ‘History’ Channel in Canada. The Fake History Channel is more like it.
This is why I haven’t watched a film in nearly a decade. I barely watch anything on TV except news as shows I used to watch have mostly been cancelled. I haven’t even bothered looking for or trying new shows. Giving them any support (financial or viewership) signals a demand for poison, which I’m guilty of but trying my best to avoid.
If only the Christian entertainment industry could produce good content. Christendom used to be the leaders in the arts and sciences.

I’m not quite so skeptical. I still think there are beautiful and true films and even TV programs being made. Deacon Steven Greydanus at Decent Films usually has really good reviews of movies.

But yes, there are definitely some very prominent players who have an anti-Christian agenda.

I think we’ll be done with Vikings, unless another poster mentions something compelling about seasons four or five. It really is a shame, because it was a great premise that really hadn’t been done before.

 

[tomarin]

I’m not quite so skeptical. I still think there are beautiful and true films and even TV programs being made. Deacon Steven Greydanus at Decent Films usually has really good reviews of movies.

But yes, there are definitely some very prominent players who have an anti-Christian agenda.

I think we’ll be done with Vikings, unless another poster mentions something compelling about seasons four or five. It really is a shame, because it was a great premise that really hadn’t been done before.

What was the premise that was so original?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I’ve been watching the entire series.

I find it interesting but also acknowledge that they took liberties in the story.

I also found it interesting that they made Christianity bad, while Islam, when the Vikings saw them in Spain, were good.

Fact is, the Moores conquest of Spain was hardly nice and Christians suffered much from their occupation.

Anyway, take it with a grain of salt.

Jim

 

[pensmama87]

What was the premise that was so original?

Scandinavian legendary warriors aren’t exactly the subject of much popular contemporary media. Nor is the early Middle Ages, more broadly.

 

[tomarin]

Scandinavian legendary warriors aren’t exactly the subject of much popular contemporary media. Nor is the early Middle Ages, more broadly.

Well perhaps not but ‘swords and sorcery’ is a television and movie genre (I presume there’s no sorcery in Vikings but it still has the look and feel), Game of Thrones being the most successful example of that on the air right now.

 

[pensmama87]

Well perhaps not but ‘swords and sorcery’ is a television and movie genre (I presume there’s no sorcery in Vikings but it still has the look and feel), Game of Thrones being the most successful example of that on the air right now.

That may be true and that might account for some of the appeal and success of this show.

But somebody can take a well known genre and do something new with it and do it well. The creator seemed to have his own (thoroughly unoriginal) idea about the source material, which is too bad, because I think it was a wasted opportunity.

 

[tomarin]

That may be true and that might account for some of the appeal and success of this show.

But somebody can take a well known genre and do something new with it and do it well. The creator seemed to have his own (thoroughly unoriginal) idea about the source material, which is too bad, because I think it was a wasted opportunity.

Yes, and I really admire people who can take genre conventions and turn them on their head, to interesting effect.

 

[TCEL]

Apparently the eyeliner and hairstyles (at least the braids etc) are accurate. The clothing and tattoos and shaved heads, no. (Who shaves their head in Scandinavia before central heating?)

The paganism is definitely romanticized. I don’t object to showing the culture of the people and their motivations, though. It’s not as though they were all evil straight through.

What bugs me most is the invention of Christian cruelties that just never existed, and pretending that these not only happened but occurred with official approval from the Church.

It wasn’t even the aesthetic per se (costumes can be great fun), I just got the vibe that it’s cool to be a Viking, and that the life and such is glorified unnecessarily. (I don’t care if Vikings actually thought that, we’ve progressed since then.) Honestly, I think I’m becoming a curmudgeon and am overly quick to sense out presumption. However, I’ve only seen the first season, so I’m not making a full assessment. I was browsing on Netflix at my parents and came across something called The Last Kingdom, which also seemed to be about something Viking related. The production didn’t seem as shiny, which doesn’t necessarily bother me. Have no idea if that’s worth watching.

 

[LilyM]

It wasn’t even the aesthetic per se (costumes can be great fun), I just got the vibe that it’s cool to be a Viking, and that the life and such is glorified unnecessarily. (I don’t care if Vikings actually thought that, we’ve progressed since then.) Honestly, I think I’m becoming a curmudgeon and am overly quick to sense out presumption. However, I’ve only seen the first season, so I’m not making a full assessment. I was browsing on Netflix at my parents and came across something called The Last Kingdom, which also seemed to be about something Viking related. The production didn’t seem as shiny, which doesn’t necessarily bother me. Have no idea if that’s worth watching.

I don’t know that I see too much over-glorification of the Viking lifestyle. It shows a lot of the poverty, brutality, struggles, hardships and intense infighting within the Viking community. Even their king, to misquote Monty Python, looks most of the time like he’s “got s@!t all over him”, in stark contrast to the somewhat more civilised portrayal of the Christian rulers.

It shows one of the principal Viking characters who actually switches allegiances entirely, adopts Christianity and allies himself with Christian France, and seemingly being better off in many ways for doing so.

 

[Potter]

I watch the shows on DVD, though I tend to fast-forward through some of the longer battle scenes. I like reading about Vikings for the same reason I like reading about motorcycle gangs and cowboys – they’re all rough-and-ready characters, no complaining about being offended or having to work.

The music and visuals are superb, as well. I hope Rollo comes to a bad end, though…his wholesale treachery of his men was deplorable.

 

[pensmama87]

I watch the shows on DVD, though I tend to fast-forward through some of the longer battle scenes. I like reading about Vikings for the same reason I like reading about motorcycle gangs and cowboys – they’re all rough-and-ready characters, no complaining about being offended or having to work.

The music and visuals are superb, as well. I hope Rollo comes to a bad end, though…his wholesale treachery of his men was deplorable.

I don’t know how it works out on the show, but the historical Rollo and his descendants did pretty well for themselves:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollo

 

[TCEL]

I don’t know that I see too much over-glorification of the Viking lifestyle. It shows a lot of the poverty, brutality, struggles, hardships and intense infighting within the Viking community. Even their king, to misquote Monty Python, looks most of the time like he’s “got s@!t all over him”, in stark contrast to the somewhat more civilised portrayal of the Christian rulers.

It shows one of the principal Viking characters who actually switches allegiances entirely, adopts Christianity and allies himself with Christian France, and seemingly being better off in many ways for doing so.

Good to know. I know people who have been drawn to Wicca and Paganism, so maybe I’m overly sensitive to the “cool” vibe. I obviously did enjoy it enough to watch the first season. Then I got busy with life.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Good to know. I know people who have been drawn to Wicca and Paganism, so maybe I’m overly sensitive to the “cool” vibe. I obviously did enjoy it enough to watch the first season. Then I got busy with life.

“Outlander” seems to be more of a draw for those interested in Wicca than the Vikings.

The latest episode, showed just how brutal the world was in those days.

Jim

 

[TCEL]

“Outlander” seems to be more of a draw for those interested in Wicca than the Vikings.

The latest episode, showed just how brutal the world was in those days.

Jim

No doubt, Wicca and paganism are two different things. Brutality can be glorified to look cool. Bloodlust, berserkers, etc. (I couldn’t stand 300 for this reason. I see no need to revel in the poeticism of bloodlust.)