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Vikings - Season 4, Part 2 - Wednesdays on History
- Thread starter RatskyWatsky
- Start date
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It seems like most of the time it's the (pretty) female characters who get to experience this fluidity.
Call me cynic, but i find that a bit suspect.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Yep. It's hard for me to take "sexual fluidity" in TV seriously when it pretty much always follows that very specific pattern.
Freezasaurus
Member
I know you're not surprised by this.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Oh wow. Really now. "The opposite sex sucks so I'll turn gay" trope, essentially? Lame.
Also this.
PHOENIXZERO
Member
Ivar the Boneless has taken a whole new meaning.
And yeah, WTF with Lagertha?
And yeah, WTF with Lagertha?
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
New episode tonight!
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
I thought the premiere was great. Ragnar's sons seem like they're going to be cool characters and I thought all the actors did a good job. They've got a good bro dynamic going, which is a nice change of pace from the antagonistic relationship of Ragnar and Rollo.
Also, I felt really bad when Ragnar tried to hang himself after no one would go with him to England.
Poor dude.
Also, I felt really bad when Ragnar tried to hang himself after no one would go with him to England.
Poor dude.
finowns
Member
But in this world the opposite sex actually does suck.
Also if and when they kill Ragnar the show is over. There are good side characters but Ragnar is the show. Hopefully they go for the more fruitful route, historical fiction.
Avinexus
Member
I think that too, but I also think Bjorn could take over as series lead and it still be good. The actor is great in the role imo, they just gotta give him enough story/screen time to build a more developed and interesting adult Bjorn.
finowns
Member
He doesn't have the charisma to carry the show. I don't particularly care if he triumphs or fails, everything I like about the character is in relation to Ragnar. That includes every character except Lagertha.
They are trying very hard to make Ivar take his place as the main draw, for me its not working. They are trying too hard.
He kinda got some of Ragnar's mannerism. But you are right
rockman zx
Member
Travis as Ragnar is the show, without him there is no Vikings to me. I can't see Bjorn or Ivar as the leads, I rather have Floki or Lagertha. Lol
Freezasaurus
Member
Oh. Because I'm kind of hoping he gets killed off rather soon. He's a huge asshole.
That's how you beat assholes like Ecbert and Rollo. Be an even bigger asshole.
The only characters i care about are the ones left from the first season. Ragnar, Rollo, Lagertha, Bjorn, Floki. Rest of the characters are just either underdeveloped or not likeable.
ColdLasagna
Member
Also, I felt really bad when Ragnar tried to hang himself after no one would go with him to England.
To me it was his way of seeing if the Gods still favoured him for his quest to England.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Damn, I'm loving this half of the season. Ivar is the most compelling character this show has had in ages.
H.Cornerstone
Member
I still don't like the theory they went with for Ivar. I find it hard to imagine the most bad-ass of Ragnars sons has no use of his legs.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
Ableist!
H.Cornerstone
Member
Apparently Ivar really was a badass...supposedly a berserker, carried heavier bow and arrows because of his upper body strength, led the Great Heathen Army in England and managed to exact revenge against
King Aelle
H.Cornerstone
Member
He even became a king in Ireland.
The Silver
Member
IMO they're doing a good job in transitioning to Ivar, I'm already invested in him, the evil bastard.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
New episode tonight!
Katheryn Winnick is drop dead gorgeous but she is such a terrible actress. She hasn't sold the "I hate men now" angle at all.
I don't see how this show keeps going without Fimmel. He carries the whole thing and the only other actor at his level of talent is Linus Roache. The idea of Bjorn taking over as the lead fills me with cringe, that guy sucks.
H.Cornerstone
Member
The other problem Vikings would have is that it then Literally becomes the same plot and story lines as the Last Kingdom.
The Last Kingdom is mainly about England defending itself from the great heathen army.. led by Ragnar's sons.
Curt Baboon
Member
It's insane how I watched The Last Kingdom like a month ago and I honestly can't remember a thing about it.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
To be fair to Kartheryn Winnick, it's not like she's given much to work with as Lagertha. There's only so much an actor can do with subtext.
And The Last Kingdom is IMO a far superior show in every respect aside from having a lead as mesmerizing as Fimmel.
Second episode was good. I'm still uncertain of where they're going with Ragnar (as always) this season. He seems contemptuous (and has for a while since Athelstan's death) of his fellow Vikings. This was most visible when he was throwing coins towards potential raiders. Also was him looking at the little girl passing by supposed to be him reminiscing about his daughter? Always nice to see the more surreal sequences and small moments for characters to just breathe. That's what sets this show apart from some other similar shows I feel which are always about showing more and more events unfolding.
H.Cornerstone
Member
Which is saying something seeing how as a book reader I was disappointed in it.
I've been meaning to read the books after how much I loved the show, but that's usually how I am with anything that I read first and then gets adapted. Game of Thrones for example, I get way more enjoyment out of the books.
I agree with everything you said.
Yeah, i also believe that scene is meant to be him remembering his daughter.
Moz La Punk
Member
Sorry if I kill the flow of this discussion but I just had to get this off of my chest. I've never watched Vikings before somehow and Im someone who LIVES for series since the X-Files, through HBO's golden age with Sopranos (best series ever), Six Feet Under and The Wire, to following popular shows like Lost, Mad Men, 24, Breaking Bad and Californication all the way to today's hot stuff like Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Black Sails, The Leftovers, WestWorld and Fargo. To name a few.
All this time Vikings flew under my radar. I'm not exactly sure why. I guess I always thought it was this cliche show drifting on the hype of GoT (which I like, though not wild about it or anything). Maybe I thought the name was a bit on the nose, I dunno.
I have some free time these weeks and last week I decided to give Vikings a chance. I'm now at where the series currenly is, so I basically watched 4 seasons in a week time.
I have to say, Vikings is probably my favorite series since the Sopranos. It is INSANELY good.
Maybe its magnified by watching it all in pretty much one sitting but the way these characters change through events, although never change completely without context, reminds me of the nuanced feeling of the Sopranos. Just as the way Ragnar is portrayed is reminscinse of Tony Soprano, a guy you root for but is bad deep down inside and you somehow also start to hate him. After four seasons its really clear Ragnar only does things for himself and uses his family and friends to get those things done. Which makes him incredibly human and - to an extend - very relatable.
This show does so many things right. Especially the first three seasons it defies expectations and runs circles around tired cliches. The first few episodes it felt like a bad cosplay show but engaging enough to keep on watching. But then they amp it up. Stuff you expect takes seasons is done within mere episodes, like Ragnar becoming kal or discovering and raiding England. The battles are realistic (well, to me anyway) and tense and hard. Also original are the multiple timejumps that allow us to see characters evolve faster (but not unnaturally) and lets the show introduce various new characters and let us enjoy grown up versions of kids we saw in previous seasons.
All that great stuff pales in comparison with the main draw of course, Ragnar, superbly played by its actor. When you see him in interviews and stuff you see how different he is in the show so that really takes some skills (and of course a lof of make up). He's really an enigma on screen, so charismatic, with unusual mannerisms that give him a unique flavor. You just can't stop watching him. Even the less than stellar season 4 is, in my eyes, redeemed for the depth it adds to Ragnar. The drug abuse was just a symptom of the ghosts bothering his mind, which combined with his god complex made him feel invincible with the expected outcome in Paris as a result. Theyve made Ragnar into a horrible but very human character in season 4 and while that isnt very fun viewing, it was neccessary to get him on the level of the greats like Tony Soprano. It was painful as viewer to see Tony get worse and worse, more agressive especially in season 4 which coincidentially is also one of the most unpleasant seasons of that show, but needed for the character development.
And in any case I think the results are obvious in season 4.2 that has now begun. Ragnar is now both a mysterious enigma (by being away from the rest of the cast for so long) and a flawed human (as you see how he has fallen in reputation and tries to make amends with his family and friends that he used and abused for all these years).
My only fear is how the show will follow up the obvious death of Ragnar. I know all about Ivar from history and stuff but I think the only flaw Vikings has is that it hasnt given enough character development to most other characters except perhaps Floki. I do like what they are doing with Ivar up until now but he misses that relatable charm of Ragnar. I think we will see in season 5 how the show solves this, I hope they manage because I would hate this show not ending in the same quality.
To conclude, a last comparison I want to make with my all time favorite The Sopranos. I think what makes that show infinitely watchable - besides the great acting and humor of course - is the feeling of companionship these characters give. It just feels like coming home and chilling with friends when youre with Tony and the gang in the bada bing. I get that same feeling with Ragnar and the rest when theyre on their raids or in kattegat.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, but vikings just got a new fan.
All this time Vikings flew under my radar. I'm not exactly sure why. I guess I always thought it was this cliche show drifting on the hype of GoT (which I like, though not wild about it or anything). Maybe I thought the name was a bit on the nose, I dunno.
I have some free time these weeks and last week I decided to give Vikings a chance. I'm now at where the series currenly is, so I basically watched 4 seasons in a week time.
I have to say, Vikings is probably my favorite series since the Sopranos. It is INSANELY good.
Maybe its magnified by watching it all in pretty much one sitting but the way these characters change through events, although never change completely without context, reminds me of the nuanced feeling of the Sopranos. Just as the way Ragnar is portrayed is reminscinse of Tony Soprano, a guy you root for but is bad deep down inside and you somehow also start to hate him. After four seasons its really clear Ragnar only does things for himself and uses his family and friends to get those things done. Which makes him incredibly human and - to an extend - very relatable.
This show does so many things right. Especially the first three seasons it defies expectations and runs circles around tired cliches. The first few episodes it felt like a bad cosplay show but engaging enough to keep on watching. But then they amp it up. Stuff you expect takes seasons is done within mere episodes, like Ragnar becoming kal or discovering and raiding England. The battles are realistic (well, to me anyway) and tense and hard. Also original are the multiple timejumps that allow us to see characters evolve faster (but not unnaturally) and lets the show introduce various new characters and let us enjoy grown up versions of kids we saw in previous seasons.
All that great stuff pales in comparison with the main draw of course, Ragnar, superbly played by its actor. When you see him in interviews and stuff you see how different he is in the show so that really takes some skills (and of course a lof of make up). He's really an enigma on screen, so charismatic, with unusual mannerisms that give him a unique flavor. You just can't stop watching him. Even the less than stellar season 4 is, in my eyes, redeemed for the depth it adds to Ragnar. The drug abuse was just a symptom of the ghosts bothering his mind, which combined with his god complex made him feel invincible with the expected outcome in Paris as a result. Theyve made Ragnar into a horrible but very human character in season 4 and while that isnt very fun viewing, it was neccessary to get him on the level of the greats like Tony Soprano. It was painful as viewer to see Tony get worse and worse, more agressive especially in season 4 which coincidentially is also one of the most unpleasant seasons of that show, but needed for the character development.
And in any case I think the results are obvious in season 4.2 that has now begun. Ragnar is now both a mysterious enigma (by being away from the rest of the cast for so long) and a flawed human (as you see how he has fallen in reputation and tries to make amends with his family and friends that he used and abused for all these years).
My only fear is how the show will follow up the obvious death of Ragnar. I know all about Ivar from history and stuff but I think the only flaw Vikings has is that it hasnt given enough character development to most other characters except perhaps Floki. I do like what they are doing with Ivar up until now but he misses that relatable charm of Ragnar. I think we will see in season 5 how the show solves this, I hope they manage because I would hate this show not ending in the same quality.
To conclude, a last comparison I want to make with my all time favorite The Sopranos. I think what makes that show infinitely watchable - besides the great acting and humor of course - is the feeling of companionship these characters give. It just feels like coming home and chilling with friends when youre with Tony and the gang in the bada bing. I get that same feeling with Ragnar and the rest when theyre on their raids or in kattegat.
Anyway, sorry for the long post, but vikings just got a new fan.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
holy shit @ Ragnar and Ivar killing their own people
holy shit @ Lagertha teaming up with Bjorn's wife to take back Kattegat from Aslaug
holy shit @ Bjorn and his people almost killing Rollo by tying him under the boat
holy shit @ them actually using old person makeup for Eckbert
This half-season has been great so far!
holy shit @ Lagertha teaming up with Bjorn's wife to take back Kattegat from Aslaug
holy shit @ Bjorn and his people almost killing Rollo by tying him under the boat
holy shit @ them actually using old person makeup for Eckbert
This half-season has been great so far!
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.😱
I gotta wait another two hours for it to come on Amazon video so i can see it. 😞
Am I the only one who is disappointed in Lagertha's arc this season? From the lesbian romance to the sudden and random revenge plot it all just seems forced. It was awesome seeing her in action and her bad assness. Maybe I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing. It is really stupid of her to leave the sons alive like they won't come back to take revenge
Yes! I'm enjoying the hell out of this season. All 3 storylines are interesting.
Yeah, it makes no sense.
Why is she so suddenly vengeful? Why does she nonsensically think that Aslaug is a bad queen and has run Kattegat to the ground (her "Look what you've done to it!" line last week)? Kattegat looks pretty damned prosperous to me, and Aslaug is absolutely fit to be queen, just as she has been ruling alone for the last few years.
But nope, the script demands action and revenge, and Lagertha obeys.
RatskyWatsky
Hunky Nostradamus
New episode tonight!
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
No, you are not alone. I don't like what is happening with Lagertha much either. I hope they'll redeem it eventually but so far it's nonsensical.
Ragnar and Ivar murdering everyone of their raiders also seemed incredibly forced.
And while I am glad to see Rollo become a viking again (asshole viking Rollo > douchey French duke Rollo), it also feels off and forced. Like, his defection to the Franks and stuff was already not that believable (oh he heard the Seer say something about a princess and bam, he defects? pssh), but now that he's settled in and all, he suddenly leaves it all behind to go with a group he knows hates him with a passion?
Dude's really a heel-face-revolving-door trope at this point huh.
Fantastic episode.
Ragnar and Ecbert have always been great together, and tonight was no exception. Drunken philosophy is best philosophy XD
Ragnar and Ecbert have always been great together, and tonight was no exception. Drunken philosophy is best philosophy XD
But everything was made far more bittersweet by knowing what is coming. God damn it, I worry about this show after that happens. He IS the show to me.
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