Vikings on the History Channel

[fmenardi]

Hello!
Someone is watching the TV series "Vikings" on the History Channel?
Is historically accurate in terms of weapons, clothing, habits, housing, etc?
Some considerations?
Regards,
Fabrício

 

[JasonB]

I would also be interested in hearing from someone that has watched to find out just what it is. I'm not watching it (no tv anymore) but when the first commercials came out around the new year, I was rather excited about it. Just before the series started, they showed additional commercials, and I lost interest. I thought it was going to be a historical look at the Vikings, but these new commercials made it look a bit like a Viking age soap opera.

 

[bagelman1952]

I have watched the first two episodes and enjoyed them very much. Story is allegedly based around two brothers who did exist although there is obviously a great deal of poetic licence in order to dramatise it. So far there has not been a horned or winged helmet in sight so in terms of costume and settings it seems very accurate to me

 

[Einion]

Is historically accurate in terms of weapons, clothing, habits, housing, etc?

Haven't seen it yet but it's probably safe to judge from other programs on History channel - take everything, clothing, equipment, weapons especially, as well as any buildings and other things in the environment, with a pinch of salt.

Some things are dead-on, good enough that a museum would be happy to display them, but in the same scene you might see re-enactor's safety weapons (blunted spear tips or rounded end on a sword), mail obviously made from stainless wire, shields made from a sheet of plywood etc.

Einion

 

[Uruk-Hai]

And swords carried on the back, just like Groo the wanderer, or so I have heard.

It is based on a Saga so I think some supernatural things will occur as well.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[ghamilt1]

I"ve watched the first two episodes and have quite enjoyed them. I wish I knew more about the Viking period to make a judgement on the accuracy but it does have a certain atmosphere about it so far that would fit Scandinavia in the 8th century.

One thing: the main character uses what he calls a "sun stone" as a navigational tool to find his way west; a problem for early viking sailors I imagine. I did read something in my local paper about some archeologists finding just such a stone, quartz according to the article, in a dig associated with vikings. So they seem to have got that much right.

Generally speaking I have really enjoyed the first two installments. At least the History channel is showing something nominally historical in the "Viking" series, as opposed to the steady stream of "pickers", Pawnshop owners, swamp dwellers and other nonsense.

 

[Einion]

At least the History channel is showing something nominally historical in the "Viking" series, as opposed to the steady stream of "pickers", Pawnshop owners, swamp dwellers and other nonsense.

Agreed. Maybe they need to look up the definition of "specialist channel" Although I'm in favour of anything that helps reduce its jokey reputation as The Hilter Channel they should be historical ideally, but it would seem that's not enough to pay the bills.

Einion

 

[Uruk-Hai]

If there is something that is overdone, it is Time Team with Tony Robinsson aka Baldrick from Black Adder series.

I do admit that some parts of it is interesting but its the same thing over and over again. And they never finish the digs, never do reconstructions. I would be more interested in the conclussions of the finds rather than the dig itself.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[IIICorps]

I have watched enough of it to know it has no interest for me.