Canonfire!

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:50 am HBO's Vikings

So... anyone watching it? What do you think?

Joe / GG
www.greyhawkgrognard.com

Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:35 pm

Joe,

You read my mind. Wink

I was wondering the same thing (along with its predecessor, "The Bible").

To answer you, YES. I am watching it!

-Lanthorn

Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:47 pm

I've been watching and enjoying Vikings .
Like anything on the "history" channel, I'm always pleasantly surprised when they actually get any of the history right.
I watched a little of The Bible as well. I always enjoy watching caucasians portraying non-caucasians in a "historic" retelling of mythology.
But again, lots of bright lights and pretty colors moving on the picture box.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:40 pm

Unfortunately, I don't get the History Channel. Are they offering it on their website for online viewing?

SirXaris

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:47 pm

I know it will be coming out for sale at some point, if not already.

-Lanthorn

Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:59 am

Hmm. Thought is was on the History Channel. Confused

Finally saw a couple of episodes. Unfortunately, I must agree with this assessment:

http://spectator.org/archives/2013/03/12/history-channel-gets-vikings-p

I would have expected better from an entity calling itself the "History" Channel. In truth, I was hoping for more of a "documentary" type feel, but Hollywood couldn't even stick to basics -- Earl? The Vikings were not the Anglo-Saxons of England. rolleyes

Anyway, glad you guys are enjoying it, but I'm disappointed and won't be watching any more episodes.
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Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:32 pm

It's TV, M.S! Ya can't expect anything great. I don't. But I enjoy it when they give history a try. When they present anything past a Kirk Douglas-type show about the Northmen, I figure it's worth a watch.
But then I love to laugh too! And there were some hoot-worth moments!
(But not as many as in the Bible show! I mean, a show about a Semitic region in which only Caucasians are the actors? Priceless! I'd expect nothing less than a blonde/blue Jesus from Hollywood.)

Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:48 pm

Tue Mar 26, 2013 3:08 pm

Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:50 am

Wow. All human are descended from 3 men...of different races? Interesting theory.
So many of this planet's problems come from adherance to and fundamentalist following of the three versions of that book. That's my theory.
But as to TV, it's fuelled by money and money alone, so what is the motivation to be historically accurate for them? The already have a market that will tune in, and that's all advertisers care about.
I think that to get the masses to watch history, they must dramatize history, and that's a very easy way for the facts to fly out the window. at the rare moments that I watch TV and find a factual documentary or an accurate history program, I am pleasantly surprised. That's a rare occasion.
Which is why I find myself watching almost no TV these days.

Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:01 am

Thu Mar 28, 2013 7:21 am

To each his own.

However, neither the "Old Saxon" Erl nor the "Old Norse" Jarl originated in what we, today, call the English Language. Thus, since both survive in today's English, why can't they more accurately use Jarl?

"Old Saxon" Erl (modern "Earl") = "Man."

"Old Norse" Jarl = "Chieftain."

Both equate with the continental European "Count," from the Latin comes.

All three words mean relatively the same thing -- today -- and all three now exist as part of the English language. The Norse word haf, however, does not survive as part of the English language. Therefore, I must reject your use of it as an example.

There's no reason they cannot say "Jarl" rather than "Earl" while making the series. It would be more "accurate" in spite of any thoughts to the contrary.

In any event, I gave my reasons why I do not care for the series. I can dislike the series for whatever reason I consider valid. My opinions do not influence "your" likes and dislikes, so why do you think your opinion should influence mine?

To me, your opinion is not "more important" than my opinion, nor is your opinion more valid . . . and vice versa. So we agree to disagree.

I was not trying to influence "you" into not liking the series.
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Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:02 am

Thu Mar 28, 2013 10:37 am

Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:08 pm

I certainly hope that my opinion did not imply a devaluation of your opinion. That was never intended. I hope we can swap opinions here without giving offense.
As a Pagan, I am the last person to devalue another's opinion. Many of the practices of my faith seem very silly indeed to others! I believe that there are many, many paths to reach the Truth.

Love, sunshine and granola!
bugs

Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:34 pm

Nobody answered Xaris, and maybe he found it already, but full episodes are available online at http://www.history.com/shows/vikings. They even release the next weeks episode online the day after the episode which airs on TV. I'm enjoying it. I didn't expect too much, so I've been pleasantly surprised at the quality. As far as historicity, the stories about Ragnar are mainly folklore anyway, plus it's a TV show, so it doesn't bother me if it's not "accurate."

Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:47 am

Thanks smillan_31! Happy

SirXaris

Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:08 pm

No problem, brother. I hope you like it. The opening scene has some hokey special effects, but don't be put off by it. The story and characters are pretty engaging.

Tue Apr 02, 2013 3:57 pm

I've been catching up on the Vikings episodes online, thanks to smillan's link and find it an interesting story.

I appreciate the historical references (Northumbria, Lindisfarne Abby, etc.). I think it is very interesting, and good for the tale, that they made the Earl's wife a Jezebel.

The only thing that irritates me, so far, is the love triangle between Ragnar, his wife, and his 'brother'. I really hate that tripe. It ruins otherwise good stories, in my opinion. Evil

SirXaris

Tue Apr 02, 2013 4:20 pm

Wed Apr 03, 2013 8:12 am

I like that Cuthbert was given a cameo and that Athelstan will have a large part in the movie. Reminds me a a series of books I read recently, though they are an historical fiction account of the history of the British Isles during the same period.

The series is titled, The Saxon Stories. It begins with The Last Kingdom and is written by Bernard Cornwell.

SirXaris

Tue Apr 16, 2013 12:50 pm

That's a great series Sir X! I got hooked on Mr. Cornwell's Sharpe series. (That was also my introduction to Mr. Sean Bean, one of my favorite actors, as well as the famed 95th Rifles) Every Cornwell series makes fun reading, and he's covered everything from the ACW to the Saxon times with equal respect and entertainment value.

Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:09 pm

Sun May 12, 2013 9:24 pm

Well, I'm getting more and more frustrated with the extent to which this shows potential is being wasted on soap opera-like drama. To whit:

Jarl of Gotland - "I had to kill my brother because he betrayed me."
Rollo - "My brother wouldn't betray me."
Jarl of Gotland - "So, why don't you betray him and be my trusted man?"
Rollo - "Sure. Why not?"

Just rolleyes

I don't know what else to say about that kind of idiocy. Mad

SirXaris
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Thu May 16, 2013 8:35 am

For those of you who may be interested:

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/05/16/teenager-rare-viking-era-find-metal-detector/?test=latestnews

Enjoy!
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Thu May 16, 2013 8:45 am

Nice link, Mystic! Happy

SirXaris
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