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Single Issue XI
Vikings Season 1 (2013)
After the success of Hatfields and McCoys, it seems as if the History Channel has decided that scripted dramas, at least in limited number, may be in its future. And with Vikings, it appears as if they have their first hit original drama. Based on the sagas centered around legendary Ragnar Lodbrok as well as the support of other contemporary sagas and written works, Vikings is an epic tale set in the early days of the Viking Age. The drama is epic in that it is about breaking free of the restraints of society while forging one’s own destiny.
The choreography of the fighting in this series is simply amazing, and easily one of the best parts of the season. Throughout the nine episodes, there are about four small battles. Unlike many shows where it feels like scripted fighting, I find the choreography in this to be amongst the best I have ever seen. In many cases when the “heroes” are fighting it feels like they are barely making their kills in the chaos of the fighting, or truly barely avoiding the strike of a blade or axe. In addition, I never thought that fighting in a shield wall would be able to be portrayed so wonderfully and interestingly on the little screen. And it really helps show how the Vikings were able to easily shatter the small forces of the Northumbrians in this season, despite the fact that it is inaccurate to show the English as fighting outside of the shield wall as well. I think the shield wall fighting also helps keep the budget inline and keep the producers and directors focused on making the action look tight and crisp for the audience. Because of all of this, the choreography and battle direction really helps solidify the fact that the Vikings were feared by both the soldiers and civilians of the English kingdoms.
I think the final main thing that should be discussed is the story itself. While it is not perfect like many other shows, I find the story of the first season to be very engrossing. Obviously the center of the story is Ragnar but his quest for glory is not the only story that Vikings tells. The extent of Rollo’s jealousy and how it affects his decisions, Athelstan’s struggle as a Christian amongst a Pagan culture, and even Lagertha’s (Ragnar’s wife) journey to produce a new son are all mixed together amongst the backdrop of Ragnar’s tale. Showing the first contact (at least in the show) of Vikings and Saxons was also a great addition to the story, as it shows how the show is not just about battles and glory, but exploration, curiosity, and meeting of cultures. Ragnar’s reluctant rise to power is also interesting as his personality and beliefs not only clash with those above him in Viking hierarchy but also his peers. Much of the early conflict in the first season involves Ragnar's tumultuous relationship with his leader, the Earl Haraldson. Haraldson is a traditionalist in Viking culture, whereas Ragnar is a radical, and desires to sail only ever eastward towards their traditional grounds for raiding. Meanwhile, Ragnar’s desire to explore westward places him in direct conflict with his earl. Ragnar’s eventual decision to defy his earl of course leads to violent results, and whose consequences lead to interesting results for the viewers to enjoy.
The only main issue I really had with the story was the overall pacing. In some episodes, weeks or months would pass by, without any real hint as to the time passing. This was most prevalent when showing Ragnar learning Saxon from Athelstan, a feat that seems to be accomplished within the span of an episode, with him speaking near-fluent Saxon English to others in later episodes. This also leads to important events being presented quickly at the expense of possibly character development and other important things as the writers and producers race to get to the main bullet points of the season. It’s not a huge issue overall, but I feel it is an issue that could have been an easy fix. In addition, the betrayal of Rollo at the end of the season felt like it came from nowhere, though it did add a nice little cliffhanger onto the overall season. Both of these issues as well as other, much more minor ones could have been fixed by, in my opinion, simplifying having one more episode of story overall to fully flesh out narrative of the season. But again, it hardly tarnishes the overall quality of the season; it’s just something that they can work on in later seasons. Despite these small issues, the majority of these factors and many more lead to the first season having a fascinating story distinct from many other shows.
Overall, I think that the first season of Vikings is a wonderful starting point for this series. It does have some minor problems to it, like any show does, and I think that it is sometimes unavoidable to have some minor pitfalls in new series. But the story, the production values, the characters and story all make for an interesting and refreshing first season of Vikings. And even better, it has room to grow over its future.
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