Vikings Episode 1 Recap: Its Not Easy Being A Viking (Series Premiere)

Vikings airs on History Channel on Sundays at 10. The first 3 episodes can also be viewed on the History channel website. Per the title, the show is about Vikings (who weren't the most warm and fuzzy people around). If you are opposed to watching violence, turn back now.

The story opens in 793 AD as Scandinavian Rognar Lodbrok begins his quest to conquer other lands. The series was filmed in Ireland. The color pallet is beautiful with mostly greens, browns and grays. I'm glad Norse history is finally getting some airtime. Also, speaking of the Norse, Tamsin over on Lost Girl on SyFy is a Valkyrie. We're not sure what that means in the LG universe yet.

According to http://www.missgien.net/vikings/myth.html Odin is the chief of the gods and the ruler of the universe. He was the son of the frost giant Bor and the giantess Bestla. Early in his career, together with his brothers Vili and Ve, Odin overthrew the primeval giant Ymir and fashioned the world from his remains.

Odin, his wife Freya (or Frigg), and the other major Norse divinities - Thor and Tyr -live in Asgard, near which is located Valhalla, where Odin was believed to feast with the spirits of slain warriors. At Ragnarok, the "twilight of the gods", Odin will lead his army against the giants led by Loki. Odin's sacred bird is the raven, and his principal weapon - in addition to his powerful runes and magical spells - is the spear. He is depicted as tall, bearded, and one-eyed, having exchanged his other eye for wisdom.

I also looked up shield maiden since Ragnars wife is one. A shieldmaiden was a woman who had chosen to fight as a warrior in Scandinavian folklore.

Wikipedia:

Episode 1 "Rites of Passage"
Ragnar Lothbrok and his brother Rollo return from a battle in which Ragnar has visions of the god Odin and his valkyries. Home again, Ragnar takes his son Bjorn to Kattegat so that Bjorn may undergo his rite of passage. Left at home, Ragnar's wife Lagertha quickly dispatches two would-be rapists. In Kattegat, Ragnar convinces Rollo that raids to the west are worthwhile and possible thanks to new navigational tools, but is rebuked by his ruler, Earl Haraldson, who orders raids into the Baltic as usual, and has the upstart Ragnar watched. Bjorn and Ragnar visit Floki, a gifted shipwright and Ragnar's friend. He has been secretly building a new type of longship, which they successfully test. Meanwhile, back at home, Rollo makes unwelcome advances on Lagertha.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). Vikings are fun to watch but I wouldn't want to run a ship full of 'em.