[wushuliu]

"Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away"- Ripley, Aliens.

I tend to avoid the History Channel but being a genuine fan of history as well as good storytelling I figured what the heck let's give Vikings a try since it's on Amazon streaming.

Ouch. That was a mistake.

Let's get the good out of the way: great production value and lots of effort went into costume, design, an creating what appears to be an authentic 9th century Nordic world. It's well shot and the direction all in all isn't bad. Lots of blood and action.

But when actors open their mouths things go downhill fast: this has got to be one of the worst written high profile shows I've seen on TV. Dialogue is stunted, cliched, and delivered with the skill of a grade school production. Everyone talks slowly as though they're foreign actors speaking English except most of them aren't. There is no sense of time passage, the characters are cliches of cliches, and the acting in general is god awful.

The lead is pretty good however - he genuinely seems like he would just as soon split your skull as shake your hand when he's not running a meth lab in a trailer and getting high off his own supply.

For some reason they cast a 'strong' female as his wife who is a shieldmaiden who looks like she'd rather be shopping in Malibu in an over-obviously poor attempt to provide some 'balance' to all the raping and killing. Riiiight. Oh well, 'E' for effort I guess.

It's a shame when you think what other networks could have done with the concept, but THC (lol, maybe that explains the stuff they crank out) ironically has won the race to the bottom when it comes to entertainment over education.

[Rob Babcock]

I saw the trailers in the theater but wasn't interested enough by it to watch the show.  Pity...not enough good period stuff out there.

[Tyson]

I rather liked it.  Guess I should go get my IQ checked....

[wushuliu]

I rather liked it.  Guess I should go get my IQ checked....

An ounce of prevention...

[Photon46]

Couldn't disagree more with Wushuliu's harsh assessment. While there are some instances of less than stellar dialogue, I think the series is an interesting and worthwhile attempt to do something different. Maybe my wife's infatuation with series lead actor Travis Fimmel has affected my critical faculties but I think he's got great screen presence. I work with a number of very intelligent women with MBA's and they ALL like the series a lot. Maybe their higher thought processes have been short circuited by their limbic lizard brain's response to so much muscle and testosterone, but it's a huge hit with most of the people I work with.

[BobM]

I don't think the dialogue is at all inappropriate for the type of people they are trying to portray. It would be far worse if they cast British actors with a haughty attitude and mid-evil type of dialogue. The Vikings were peasant raiders, and to my ears the writing totally melds with that impression.

I for one totally enjoy the story.

[JonnyFive]

I enjoyed the story, I guess I didn't notice the dialogue is lacking in parts.  They are, after all, an ancient peoples who spent their time drinking and eating mushrooms.  Maybe it was actually difficult for them to form words?   You...axe....me...give.

Every time I see the lead character Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) I think he's actually Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy (Charlie Hunnam).

[wushuliu]

I think some people are fascinated by vikings and Nordic history and are willing to forgive the silly dialogue and performances because of that fascination thanks to the period detail and admittedly top notch visuals. But that aside there is absolutely nothing 'dfferent' about the show at all. In many ways it reminds me of some Ridley Scott movies - gorgeous obsession with historical detail dragged down by lackluster story. Except with Vikings I find the story worse than lackluster, just plain lazy.

[wushuliu]

Every time I see the lead character Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) I think he's actually Jax Teller from Sons of Anarchy (Charlie Hunnam).

Maybe because he's a fellow Aussie (I just assume everyone on TV now is Australian).

[BobM]

Except with Vikings I find the story worse than lackluster, just plain lazy.

OK, I can't object to that. Now that Ragnar has become king I hope they find some new way to keep us entertained next season. I can only assume that they are likely to just keep invading England, but perhaps there might be a quest to find America?

[JohnR]

Time for an update. I just finished Season 3. I've never heard of Fimmel before but he continues that same insolent style that made him captivating before. I think this Season was less violent than the earlier 2? At one point, he lapsed into his native accent which was a bit of a surprise. I felt that that the season was a bit unfinished - more like a half a season. And the whole thing with uncaptioned old languages. Anyway. If you watched it before, watch more, but expect to be left waiting

[JoshK]

I am going to have to be on the side of disagreeing with the OP.  I loved this series.  Yeah there are some cheesy bits here or there but not at all unfitting of times they are portraying, I'd assume. 

[geowak]

I think it's a good series, I like it. I don't really look for the best actors or best stories in everything I watch.
It's a romantic version of the past, I don't know how different it could be and still be entertaining. I find myself wanting to know more about  Nordic history, so I think it's educational in the sense I want to know more...while I am being entertained. We tend to taint everything we put our hands on....us humans. Actually for more drama, and an expected drop of IQ , just look through the discussions here on AC....

[JohnR]

Actually for more drama, and an expected drop of IQ , just look through the discussions here on AC....

But less violence

And more trolls