Striking Peek At History’s Vikings

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My, my, my, the action-packed adventure-drama called Vikings, coming soon from the History Channel, is looking mighty fantastic. The newest piece of promotional art doesn’t look bad either. Behind that sparking blue eye, wild, fair-colored beard, and silver, knot-work insignia, is Ragnar Lothbrok, hero of the series and someone I think we’re all going to enjoy getting to know.

Ragnar will be brought to life by Travis Fimmel. He’s looking tough and unshaven here, but not so long ago the young man began as a Calvin Klein model and later co-starred with Patrick Swayze in A&E’s The Beast as a rookie FBI agent.

History’s Vikings explodes onto the airwaves Sunday, March 3 at 10/9c, hence the 3.3.13 listed on the poster. The original series will offer some authenticity to the real culture which has inspired such heroes and Marvel Comics Thor, Beowulf and Karl Urban’s turn as aviking in the action film, Pathfinder. You’ve heard that winter is coming. Well, “a storm is coming”, too. That’s the series’ rather fitting slogan.

Vikings will be presented as a nine-part scripted series. It will allow a detailed look into the Dark Age raiders, traders and explorers from the inside. As Ragnar, Fimmel is a “compelling farmer and family man” who boasts being of the same bloodline as the Norse god Odin, says TV Line. Don’t let him fool you, however. Ragnar is a conqueror at heart…and in body.

Actor Gabriel Byrne will star as Ragnar’s local chieftain, Earl Haraldson. Actor Gustaf Skarsgard will play his goofy, creative friend Floki. I won’t say how lame an attempt the name Floki is to disguise the familiar moniker, Loki…

Bones actress Katheryn Winnick is Lagertha, a warrior in her own right and Ragnar’s wife. Jessalyn Gilsig formerly of Heroes is the chieftain’s wife. George Blagden, who we just saw in Les Miserables is a captured Christian monk from England. Lastly, Clive Standen is Rollo, Ragnar’s “strike first, ask questions later” brother.

This one looks good. It does come from the same network that delivered Hatfields & McCoys. It was created and written by The Tudors creator Michael Hirst and is being called “high on adventure, exploration, conflict, warfare, and bloodshed,” but also a “family saga.”

Need something to watch before the March debut? Try Gabriel Byrne and Christian Bale in Royal Deceit, a Hamlet tale set in early Denmark. There’s definitely a viking feel and you’ll see a handful of actors who have gone on to become quite famous.

3 Comments

1. 

   luca

   February 5, 2013 at 6:36 pm

   can’t believe they put that Calvin Klein model in the leading role, how about choosing an actor with experience… too late now

   Reply
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     peter U

     February 23, 2013 at 4:38 pm

     Luca. He’s been acting and playing very interesting roles for a long time. He could have kept modeling but decided to focus on acting. What difference does it make that he used to be a model? It’s about integrity and Travis seems to have it for his roles.

     Reply
2. 

   Ron K

   February 26, 2013 at 11:40 am

   Vikings on the History Channel
   Hollywood’s latest offering for the feminization of the male in todays’ political correct society. Did you ever look at the paintings of the Viking Norsemen and think of a man whose waist line was smaller than a wooden barrel? Do you really think that the cast of Viking’s could row across the North Sea and then raid a foreign country? I have looked at the trailer a few times in the movie theater and laughed out loud. In today’s Hollywood it’s all about being political correct, but I am ashamed of the History Channel they are supposed to be historical accurate. It’s not the actor’s they are being paid to do a part, just because the casting director never read a history book or gathered information about the time period this story was being written about, come on a Viking looks more like an offspring from a bear not from a white tail deer. Really most of these guys don’t look like they could row across a pond and the only raid they could really accomplish would be a panty raid at a college.

   Reply