After going on a sci-fi spree and becoming incredibly burnt out of the genre I needed something to watch that was a bit closer to its roots. This was the original reason to watch Vikings. Instead of a cheesy action show about some dudes hitting each other with axes, I got a multigenerational epic about the late 900s Europe.

The story follows Ragnar Lothbrok, a farmer from a small kingdom in Norway. After encountering a traveling Christian mercenary, Ragnar discovers a new way to traverse the open sea. The Norwegian Jarl for the past decade has been monotonously raiding settlements east of Scandinavia each summer, Ragnar challenges his choice and gives him the option to change his mind. The Jarl decides that they will travel east regardless. Ragnar in rebellion gathers a band of Vikings and sets sail west to the rumored land of England. Once ashore on England, the Vikings encounter a Christian monastery, an entire city that is unguarded and filled with precious golds and silvers. Once the Vikings clean house and take some monks home as slaves. Now that the entire Scandinavian Peninsula is aware of rich lands to the west, the course of European history is about to be changed for the worst.

I can sing a lot of praises to this show. Authentic Scandinavian actors, language barriers portrayed well, excellent storytelling, actual medieval rituals, un-cheesy writing for character deaths. This is a show that does its research and successfully transitions it into a visual medium. The show Vikings is worth a watch if you just want a simpler show that can keep you engaged