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NFT: Vikings - TV Series not the NFL Team

pjcas18 : 5/23/2016 11:28 am
Has anyone watched this?

I binge watched the first 4 seasons on Amazon, loved it. Would have been better as an HBO series, but still great.

I read that season 4 was renewed as a 20 episode season, but so far only 10 episodes have aired.

Does anyone know if they plan split seasons like Waling Dead or other split season shows and they will return to finish season 4 over the summer?

I think they've also renewed for a season 5 of 20 episodes, but I might be confused.

How did I miss this show?
great show, i believe 10 more episodes to come  
gtt350 : 5/23/2016 11:34 am : link
.
Great show.  
compton : 5/23/2016 11:38 am : link
I hope that I don't have to wait until next year February for new episodes.
I have enjoyed the show  
steve in ky : 5/23/2016 11:39 am : link
I really like how they evolved Rollo's character from the first season to this last one. I didn't expect that. On the other hand I feel just the opposite of the Floki character.
Im 2 episodes behind  
Deej : 5/23/2016 11:44 am : link
I thought it was fantastic the first several seasons. Now it is really starting to drag. I much preferred the earlier mysticism themes. The show hasnt really recovered from the death of a major character IMO (dont want to say who because this isnt clearly a spoiler thread). And the main character has developed in an uninteresting way.

Also, it has become too sprawling. I dont need to check in at 4-5 different locations each week. This isnt Game of Thrones.
I agree some of the locations  
pjcas18 : 5/23/2016 11:46 am : link
are just not as interesting.

I like the way season 4 (part 1?) ended.

I Love the Show  
Aloha Alan : 5/23/2016 11:51 am : link
but I wish we had the "real" versions shown abroad other than the censored versions we have here in the US.

My understanding is that the characters are more deveolped, there's both more violence and nudity in the European versions.

That's not to say that that I do not love this show, because I do. I love history and this is just that.

On a different note, the BBC show Last Kingdom was showing the English side of things predominantly from that period over the "Northerners (Danes/Scandanavian)" side in the Vikings.
Is every episode on amazon?  
Steve L : 5/23/2016 11:58 am : link
?
RE: Is every episode on amazon?  
pjcas18 : 5/23/2016 11:59 am : link
In comment 12967840 Steve L said:
Quote:
?


yes, prime, except the most recent season which is for a fee (until September or so).
They showed 10 episodes this half-season...  
BamaBlue : 5/23/2016 12:07 pm : link
and a 'mid-season' finale a couple of months ago. The show is expected to return "sometime in the Fall." There will be 10 more episodes in this (Season 5). If you watch the history channel, they tend to really promote this show. When it's going to return, it won't be a mystery.

Very interesting show. It will be interesting to see if they can continue to make the show interesting with the decreasing role of King Ragnar...
RE: They showed 10 episodes this half-season...  
pjcas18 : 5/23/2016 12:24 pm : link
In comment 12967859 BamaBlue said:
Quote:
and a 'mid-season' finale a couple of months ago. The show is expected to return "sometime in the Fall." There will be 10 more episodes in this (Season 5). If you watch the history channel, they tend to really promote this show. When it's going to return, it won't be a mystery.

Very interesting show. It will be interesting to see if they can continue to make the show interesting with the decreasing role of King Ragnar...


this latest season is season 4. There has only been 4 seasons with season 4 ending in April. Here is what I read on Wikipedia, and is confusing me.

Quote:
Vikings was renewed for a fourth season in March 2015 with an extended order of 20 episodes, which premiered on 18 February 2016.[2][3][4] On 17 March 2016, History renewed Vikings for a fifth season of 20 episodes.


So it sounds like season 4 is 20 episodes with two parts. 10 already have taken place.

Season 5 will also 20 episodes, has been contracted.

Unless I'm misinterpreting or Wiki is wrong.
Love The Show  
Trainmaster : 5/23/2016 12:26 pm : link
How do we get the European version?
Great show  
I Love Clams Casino : 5/23/2016 12:50 pm : link
I've been watching since season one.

Before I got hooked, I looked up what history records about the characters, so I know what happens.

I wish I hadn't...oh well....

RE: Great show  
pjcas18 : 5/23/2016 12:54 pm : link
In comment 12967923 I Love Clams Casino said:
Quote:
I've been watching since season one.

Before I got hooked, I looked up what history records about the characters, so I know what happens.

I wish I hadn't...oh well....


How close has it been to history?
great show!  
Pete from Woodstock : 5/23/2016 12:55 pm : link
watched from the start! Largatha!
The last 10 episodes  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 1:03 pm : link
From season 4 will air in October here in Denmark.

I watch it on HBO Nordic here.
RE: RE: Great show  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 1:06 pm : link
In comment 12967933 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
In comment 12967923 I Love Clams Casino said:


Quote:


I've been watching since season one.

Before I got hooked, I looked up what history records about the characters, so I know what happens.

I wish I hadn't...oh well....




How close has it been to history?


Ragar was from Denmark and the story has been twisted quite a bit for tv.
One big difference from reality is the role of the women. They were not allowed to fight.
Every Dane knows the story about "Regner Lodbrog" as his real name is and I won't get into spoilers.
Ragar  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 1:06 pm : link
*Ragnar
RE: RE: Great show  
I Love Clams Casino : 5/23/2016 1:07 pm : link
In comment 12967933 pjcas18 said:
Quote:
In comment 12967923 I Love Clams Casino said:


Quote:


I've been watching since season one.

Before I got hooked, I looked up what history records about the characters, so I know what happens.

I wish I hadn't...oh well....




How close has it been to history?


Well I know his son, The Boneless (Ivar, I think) is real, the Kings names in Britain are all real, his raids on Paris are real...mostly the major story lines. I'm certain the throw in characters that have no basis in reality, like the priest the Floki killed, his daughters from earlier in the show...I think King Horik was real as well
RE: RE: RE: Great show  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 1:14 pm : link
In comment 12967955 I Love Clams Casino said:
Quote:
In comment 12967933 pjcas18 said:


Quote:


In comment 12967923 I Love Clams Casino said:


Quote:


I've been watching since season one.

Before I got hooked, I looked up what history records about the characters, so I know what happens.

I wish I hadn't...oh well....




How close has it been to history?



Well I know his son, The Boneless (Ivar, I think) is real, the Kings names in Britain are all real, his raids on Paris are real...mostly the major story lines. I'm certain the throw in characters that have no basis in reality, like the priest the Floki killed, his daughters from earlier in the show...I think King Horik was real as well


All true
Plus his other son "worm in eye" (not sure of the name in English) is also real.
And a fun fact is  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 1:20 pm : link
That Ivar Boneless actually had legs and was one of the greatest and most feared of all Vikings. The name boneless seems to come from a mistake in the latin translations.
According to legend  
Deej : 5/23/2016 2:13 pm : link
Ragnar had a wife named Lagertha who was a shieldmaiden.
miss Applestand, he was a terrific character  
gtt350 : 5/23/2016 3:51 pm : link
.
Isn't "Worm in Eye"...  
BamaBlue : 5/23/2016 5:07 pm : link
the bastard son of the "god" who shows up in the village every time Ragnar hits the road?
RE: Isn't  
Koldegaard : 5/23/2016 5:13 pm : link
In comment 12968364 BamaBlue said:
Quote:
the bastard son of the "god" who shows up in the village every time Ragnar hits the road?


Yep but only in the show
The child Alfred who is sent to Rome...  
manh george : 5/23/2016 11:38 pm : link
is real, and important. Don't click on the Wiki link below if you don't want to know how he turns out.
Alfred is real, and important. - ( New Window )
Rollo  
Bill2 : 5/23/2016 11:47 pm : link
Is real. Was of major consequence in the history of Europe. And England

All four sons are real.

As said the English characters have a lot of real people amongst them.

A question not for discussion so we don't spoil it for anyone: Who shaped the history of England more...the "Vikings" or the Anglo Saxons?
RE: Rollo  
pjcas18 : 5/24/2016 1:01 am : link
In comment 12968775 Bill2 said:
Quote:
Is real. Was of major consequence in the history of Europe. And England

All four sons are real.

As said the English characters have a lot of real people amongst them.

A question not for discussion so we don't spoil it for anyone: Who shaped the history of England more...the "Vikings" or the Anglo Saxons?


Interesting question. I assume Genghis Khan never made his way to England or you'd have maybe a 3rd option.

unrelated question, is Magnus real? Or invented by Kwenthrith? I don't think that spoils much.
Genghis Kahn's army....  
manh george : 5/24/2016 2:49 am : link
never got farther west than Poland. His successor, Obadai, died, and the Generals all went home to elect a new Kahn. They never made it back to western or central Europe, except in Russia. If Obadai had not died, all of Western Europe would have been destroyed. There was no army west of Poland that could even have slowed the Mongols down.

The Vikings were nasty, but they were on foot. The Mongols would have eaten them as an appetizer if they met up in battle, coming at them on ponies, carrying composite bows. Of course, the Mongols were 350 years later, as well. Genghis died in 1227. The siege of Paris by the Vikings ended in 885. William the Conqueror invaded England and installed the Normans 150 years before Genghis died. He used longbows. Strangely, the composite bow never became popular in Western Europe. You couldn't shoot a longbow from a horse.

The Duchy of Normandy, made up of Viking descendants of Rollo who bonded with Franks, was started as a fiefdom in 911, 26 years after the siege of Paris.
2 episodes in.  
Randy in CT : 5/24/2016 3:28 am : link
Meh?
.  
Bill2 : 5/24/2016 1:46 pm : link
Ah. The mongols got to the out skirts of Vienna before the incident mentioned above in 1241


The lead Normans under the William the Conqueror were descendents of Rollo.

Every single royal family of Europe can trace back to Rollo. Which the seer sort of said to Rollo if one saw the seasons.

Vikings were called raiders if they were raiding. Once assimilated into Britain; history tells us we now call them Brits. In effect the fierce tribes pushed north of Germany and slowly became vikings who kept raiding and scandanavians who farmed. Same happened to all nations which later formed the Hanseatic League and from there transfered power in the West to that circle rather than the Mediterranean where western history had been centered for 3500 prior years.

( broad strokes)
I'm not sure it's a certainty that the Mongols would have taken all of  
Greg from LI : 5/24/2016 2:24 pm : link
western Europe even had they not retreated. The halt of continued western expansion may not have even been due to the death of the Great Khan. The Mongol armies were facing logistical problems as well as manpower shortages - even had they wanted to keep pushing westward, they may not have been able to do so successfully. While infighting among Genghis' descendants certainly played a role, the Golden Horde launched several invasions of central Europe in the latter half of the 13th century with mixed success. They were dealt significant defeats by the Poles and the Hungarians which ended large-scale campaigns by the hordes in Europe. They only raided after that.
RE: .  
pjcas18 : 5/24/2016 2:35 pm : link
In comment 12969496 Bill2 said:
Quote:
Ah. The mongols got to the out skirts of Vienna before the incident mentioned above in 1241


The lead Normans under the William the Conqueror were descendents of Rollo.

Every single royal family of Europe can trace back to Rollo. Which the seer sort of said to Rollo if one saw the seasons.

Vikings were called raiders if they were raiding. Once assimilated into Britain; history tells us we now call them Brits. In effect the fierce tribes pushed north of Germany and slowly became vikings who kept raiding and scandanavians who farmed. Same happened to all nations which later formed the Hanseatic League and from there transfered power in the West to that circle rather than the Mediterranean where western history had been centered for 3500 prior years.

( broad strokes)


the seer also had a prophecy for Bjorn. Is that legit?

also what about Magnus, is Ragnar really the father or did Kwenthrith just make that up, to keep him relevant. I can see how making that up could work both ways.
Now that we're on this tangent, is  
Randy in CT : 5/24/2016 2:44 pm : link
anyone into Marco Polo at all?
RE: Now that we're on this tangent, is  
pjcas18 : 5/24/2016 2:54 pm : link
In comment 12969552 Randy in CT said:
Quote:
anyone into Marco Polo at all?


I think his travels would make an excellent show or movie, he was allegedly so influential in many of the later explorers I'd watch it.
RE: .  
SwirlingEddie : 5/24/2016 3:27 pm : link
In comment 12969496 Bill2 said:
Quote:
Ah. The mongols got to the out skirts of Vienna before the incident mentioned above in 1241


The lead Normans under the William the Conqueror were descendents of Rollo.

Every single royal family of Europe can trace back to Rollo. Which the seer sort of said to Rollo if one saw the seasons.

Vikings were called raiders if they were raiding. Once assimilated into Britain; history tells us we now call them Brits. In effect the fierce tribes pushed north of Germany and slowly became vikings who kept raiding and scandanavians who farmed. Same happened to all nations which later formed the Hanseatic League and from there transfered power in the West to that circle rather than the Mediterranean where western history had been centered for 3500 prior years.

( broad strokes)


So much fascinating and critical history happened in and around Vienna. I befriended a WWII officer of the Austro-Hungarian army some years ago and his breadth and depth of historical knowledge and experience, from the Mongols to the Otttomans, the Nazis and the Communists was breathtaking and eye-opening for me. It really changes ones perspective on the world.
There was a pretty recent mini-series about Marco Polo.  
manh george : 5/24/2016 4:14 pm : link
Unfortunately, it sucked.

As far as the Mongols in Western Europe are concerned, the books I read, including Genghis' biography, suggested that there never was a defeat in Poland. They were there when Obadai died and just left. Poland celebrates it as a victory, but it isn't clear from what I read that there was even a battle.

As far as potentially getting defeated in Western Europe, that was pretty much a resource allocation question. They spread too thin after dividing into four competing groups, with parts of their armies going after China, Japan, and the Indian Subcontinent at pretty much the same time they were going into Western Europe and Russia. They stayed in Russia a very long time, as well as China and the Indian Subcontinent, where they were known as the Mughals and ruled until 1707. They were domninant in parts of Russia until 1480. They were only defeated in Japan by two typhoons and Kublai Kahn's incompetence.
Marco Polo  
Metnut : 5/24/2016 4:18 pm : link
wasn't perfect, and a lot of its issues stemmed from the show being intended to appeal to Asian audiences, but saying it sucked is a bit harsh. It was gorgeously shot, and there some good performances in there if you could look past the campiness of it all.

The show wasn't cancelled, and there will be a season 2 dropping at some point.

On Rotten Tomatoes...  
manh george : 5/24/2016 4:23 pm : link
the show holds a rating of 24%, based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10.

I saw one episode, and agreed with the poor reviews.
RE: On Rotten Tomatoes...  
pjcas18 : 5/24/2016 5:10 pm : link
In comment 12969657 manh george said:
Quote:
the show holds a rating of 24%, based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/10.

I saw one episode, and agreed with the poor reviews.


What am I looking at then? I don't go by Rotten Tomatoes on shows, but it looks like a 93% rating to me. Am I looking at something different than you?
Link - ( New Window )
He's talking  
Metnut : 5/24/2016 5:13 pm : link
about the Marco Polo show on Netflix, not Vikings.

So 24% fresh means almost 1/4 of the critics liked it? At least I'm not the only one who enjoyed it! It's not a show I'd give a strong recommendation to, but it was beautifully shot and had some good performances. Worth checking out, IMO, the pilot if you're interested in the time period.
RE: He's talking  
pjcas18 : 5/24/2016 5:15 pm : link
In comment 12969708 Metnut said:
Quote:
about the Marco Polo show on Netflix, not Vikings.

So 24% fresh means almost 1/4 of the critics liked it? At least I'm not the only one who enjoyed it! It's not a show I'd give a strong recommendation to, but it was beautifully shot and had some good performances. Worth checking out, IMO, the pilot if you're interested in the time period.


My bad. I do feel like he'd make an interesting subject, but I guess the execution hasn't been there yet.

Vikings  
Metnut : 5/24/2016 5:17 pm : link
suffered a bit in the latest season because the pacing was tweaked due to the switch from 10 -> 20 episodes. Still really enjoyable, easy to watch stuff. They really do stretch their limited budget and make the world look authentic. Not that easy to do when they have multiple theaters going on now.
RE: He's talking  
buford : 5/24/2016 7:48 pm : link
In comment 12969708 Metnut said:
Quote:
about the Marco Polo show on Netflix, not Vikings.

So 24% fresh means almost 1/4 of the critics liked it? At least I'm not the only one who enjoyed it! It's not a show I'd give a strong recommendation to, but it was beautifully shot and had some good performances. Worth checking out, IMO, the pilot if you're interested in the time period.


I liked it too. It was a bit slow in spots, but how could you not love the guy with the preying mantis and the blind guy?
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