Vikings on History Channel

Saw the trailers (during The Bible broadcast)...

...Appeared to be a fictional tale to me also.

Aw, that's disappointing. I saw the trailers too, and thought it looked good. Like shadowferret, I was expecting more delving into the culture and traditions, etc, just in story form. Sad it's just a fiction show.

I thought it was very well done. It's like historical fiction. You pick up on cultural facts (the roles of men and women, their traditions, etc.) while still being entertaining. In that one episode there were so many things I didn't know, but there wasn't that classroom feeling like in a traditional documentary. I admit I enjoy some of the History Channel's documentaries like Mankind, but I also like what they're doing with Vikings as well.

It's been a while since the major content of the History channel has been, you know, history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utDHcbiOfKY

From what I've read, the History Channel is trying to get its piece of the scripted series market. I believe the creator also did the series The Tudors. I watched the first episode and I enjoyed it. It's nicely shot. The dialogue is a little weird and it moved a bit slowly, but I think it shows promise. I'd be thrilled, personally, to see the History Channel do some quality historical fiction scripted series!

Too Soap Opera-y for me, and I was really looking forward to it--s6

Shadow_Ferret said:

Anyone watch it? Thoughts?

I DVRed it and watched the first 20 minutes of it. It's not what I was expecting. Appears to be just a story featuring Vikings. I was hoping it would be a documentary talking about their lives, culture, technology, maybe featuring new information learned from recent excavations and findings.

No. Just seems like a fiction tale.

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It's scripted TV about real Vikings that lived.

I started a book--In Search of First Contact--that I hope will be more history and less script. --s6

If you can get it, try the Neil Oliver Viking series (it was on over here a while ago). Documentary. Very good - Oliver is a fantastic presenter, so enthusiastic and I learnt a BUTT load.

One thing I know fer shure: Vikings used to run across the oars when the dragon ships were pulling into the fjords. I saw Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas do it! --s6

So, this show is clearly not everyone's thing, but for those of us who like HF, it's pretty cool, I think.

figaroooooooooooooo

I thought it would be funny if they had a fake reality show about Vikings.

Seraph said:

... Gabriel Byrne is perfect

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FIFY.

Celia Cyanide said:

I thought it would be funny if they had a fake reality show about Vikings.

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Like the Capital One commercials?

angeliz2k said:

Like the Capital One commercials?

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Love those ^

... Especially the one where they're selling "home security systems."

I thought Gabriel Byrne wasn't the best, to be honest, because I just kept thinking, Holy shit, that's Gabriel Byrne as a Viking, rather than getting into his character.

Celia Cyanide said:

I thought it would be funny if they had a fake reality show about Vikings.

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That would be amazing.

I have a problem with term viking as viking was not culture but was what Norsemen called pirates, so to speak.

angeliz2k said:

Like the Capital One commercials?

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Kind of like that, but set in the actual time period? Like historical fiction, but done in the style of a fake reality show. Is there anything like that? It would be cool to do one about Pilgrims, too!

thothguard51 said:

I have a problem with term viking as viking was not culture but was what Norsemen called pirates, so to speak.

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True. A farmer might or might not go off "viking". There was more trading than raiding.

The one thing that really bugged me -- in the new boat, at the end, the steering rudder is on the left side. That thing is called a steerboard, it was always on the right side, and it's where the word "starboard" comes from. How could they build a whole boat and get that wrong?

Celia Cyanide said:

Kind of like that, but set in the actual time period? Like historical fiction, but done in the style of a fake reality show. Is there anything like that? It would be cool to do one about Pilgrims, too!

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Something like that was done a few decades ago. Let me delve into the junk drawer I call a memory, and I'll see if I can pin it down.

I never thought it was anything more than historical fiction. This is the guy who was behind the Tudors and thinking, "OMGzorZ, they're going to show us docu-drama style stuff that's 100% legit" is kind of laughable. And yet, people watched the Tudors, knowing there was a lot of made-up stuff, a lot of embellishment, a LOT of artistic freedom.

Also, the History Channel nailed it with the Hatfields and McCoys, so series or miniseries drama isn't something that new they're delving into.

For what it is, it's entertainment and I'm enjoying the hell out of it. Sure, it's fun to learn about culture and history, but as a norskie myself . . . been there, done that. No reason for me to get all up in arms about how things are portrayed (or not portrayed).

Take it as face value and watch it, or don't. For me, it's not rocket science.