#REVIEW: “VIKINGS” SEASON THREE

Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong

Walking in blind to season three of any television series is akin to arriving late as someone’s date to a college reunion where everyone already knows each other and their shared history. Whereas I had heard of VIKINGS, a monster audience and critical hit playing on the History Channel, I had never seen an episode, so, like the proverbial newbie at a reunion, I hunkered down, slipped in disc one from the handsomely packaged, recently released The Complete Third Season of VIKINGS on DVD and Blu-ray and wanted to get to know these characters better. By the end of the first episode, which had everything from fierce and bloody battles to thought provoking familial issues, I was hooked and resigned myself to an epic evening of binge-watching! This feeling actually threw me for a loop as I tend to disdain historical and medieval themed television shows and movies. But it is the calibre of the acting by the uber-talented cast of VIKINGS that makes it compelling to watch.

There is not an actor out there who can captivatingly play King Ragnar Lothbrok better than Travis Fimmel. Not only does he have the most arresting, hypnotic eyes on television and is the only male on the planet who can convincingly wear his hair in a Mohawk man-bun, it is a role he was born to play and Fimmel is mesmerizing. The combination of his blood-thirsty brutality tempered with insight is astonishing as the stories progress. Katheryn Winnick, as Ragnar’s ex, the warrior Lagertha, is formidable. It is easy to see why King Ecbert (played with the same gravitas and expertise that actor Linus Roache brought to his under-appreciated performance as Father Greg Pilkington in PRIEST) is infatuated with her. As wonderful as it is to see that Jessalyn Gilsig (as Siggy) has found another role befitting her talents after her short stint on Glee,  one of my favourite character in VIKINGS is played by Gustaf Skarsgard…yes…THAT Skarsgard…his father is Stellan and one of his brothers is Alexander (True Blood). As Floki the shipbuilder, he’s flaky and unpredictable.

The production values on the DVD set I received of The Complete Third Season of VIKINGS are impeccable. My one and only complaint is the lack of a more comprehensive and informative special features option. It does contain some deleted scenes and a few short trailers. I would have loved to have heard some commentaries from the actors for a few of the episodes and an interview with VIKING’s creator, Michael Hirst.

Momentum Pictures release VIKINGS Season 3, now on DVD and Blu-ray.