Oh my, oh my!
A quick google reveals that "Chuck Tingle" claims Billings, MT as his home. Coincidentally, Billings is where I currently make my abode. Hmmmm… I'm in the process of changing my username for the Billings Gazette online comments to "Chuck Tingle". (Rubs hands together) This should be excellent!

Hirst mixes and matches his history at will, so I think it's possible he'll use the Bjorn plan (but attributed to Ragnar) if it suits him. Waiting for a flood after clogging up the moat seems too passive for our Ragnar and Hirst's storytelling, but I guess we'll see.

Oh, and my reaction initially to the Lagertha/Kalf agreement was a flashback to "The Princess Bride".

I agree, Swanpride. If she really hates and despises Kalf I find it very hard to believe she would want to have him touch her. This reeks of male writer fantasy if that's the case. No flesh and blood woman with the power to avoid it would have sex with Kalf if she despised Kalf as much as Lagertha professes.

I read that, too, and I think it's possible, but my preferred scenario for Ragnar to conquer Paris is one suggested on another site (and apparently based on a ruse mentioned in Norse sagas). In this scenario, the vikings claim to have some dead Christians they would like buried or blessed or something by the church…

Just thought I'd let you know that I posted a comment on another site mentioning your thoughts and got lots of "likes".

Hah! That imagery is great. I've had dreams like that…

Yeah, I think the Rollo and Normandy thing will be a big focus —probably next season. In this siege, Odo will come out a hero and given his interest in Princess Gisela, that puts a bit of a crimp on the Rollo/Gisela marriage that the Seer foresaw.

I hadn't thought of that, but I think you're exactly right. It's worrying to think of what the fate of people suffering these types of psychological disorders were in those times.

Yeah, I'm apprehensive about Bjorn. So far he seems like he would be better off in High School Musical. He is very young, though, so perhaps his character will gain some gravitas as the show progresses. Unless there are major changes is the character and acting (which certainly could happen) I wouldn't rely on him to…

Yes, Floki is one of a kind and we'll never see his likes again. (Odin, bless him) Let's hope he goes out in a blaze of glory, in all his…Floki-ness? There will still be plenty of murder and mayhem, double-crossing and clever conniving as the show goes on, but it may be nominally "Christian" folks doing that.…

Hans, Hans, I thank you for the laughs, I really do…

Oh, Hans, you might want to edit this post. You forgot to mention the "might as well watch Downton Abbey" bit this time…

With such big events coming up and what I expect to be a lot of time spent in France, I think this type of exposition/set-up was necessary and (to me) enjoyable.