Oh, I'm sure I'll still be tuning in when the final credits for the series finale rolls. But they need to make some adjustments or that will be next season.

I really thought Jonathan Rhys Meyers was going to be battle-ready Alfred, and both Ecbert and Aethelwulf would have shuffled off this mortal coil by now. Instead, looks like we'll still have a mess at the open of Season 5. Heck, we haven't even gotten Aethelred to the throne yet.

The timeline is a huge mess right now. Ecbert and Aethelwulf had been dead for *decades* before the Danes arrived in Wessex proper in 871. I assume they'll shunt Linus Roache's character offstage next week (pity) and do some sort of reset in Season 5, but there's really way to reconcile the current scenario in Vikings…

Last two episodes were kinda flat, weren't they? I feel as if Hirst really rushed the invasion of Northumbria. Not only were we denied a satisfying battle scene, the quick run-up to the Norse Away Team v. Hapless Northumbrians minimized the drama of revenge on Aelle.

I think she was in on it. They're *all* in the Bad Place. The Medium Place is halfway between two equally bad places.

See? Hooks you right in.

True, they didn't kill him off, and the series could go on to show some Norse migration to the area in some future season. As far as I know, Rollo never massacred his own men, and the "gift" of land by Charles the Simple legitimized the possession of territory already held my Norse raiders. Perhaps Hirst will sort of…

Crackle's follow-on series, "Accountants Getting their Dry Cleaning in an Uber" sounds pretty good, honestly.

Bjorn has Ragnar's knack of not showing what he's thinking. And his taste for self-destructive relationships.

He's more Ragnar's son than the others. ;-)

Yup. I was reading somewhere the the "Boneless" nickname wasn't common until the 14th or 15th centuries.

I didn't know that. He's a high-value actor, and I'd expect him in an important role (which is why I was betting Alfred, though I'm thinking I was wrong). IMdB posted the cast for several episodes of Season 5 and JRM's part was conspicuously not listed. Those episodes have since been removed.

I'm afraid this episode was our farewell to Rollo as a regular character. I suppose he could pop up in a B-plot somewhere down the line, but Rollo's future is Normandy, and Clive Standen's is with leading creative roles.

Ubba/Ubbe's name appears in different forms through different source documents. I prefer Ubba, but Ubbe is fair enough. I'm with you on the upcoming rise of the Saxons.

My strongest impression of the series open was how much Joely Richardson looks like her mother. Damn.

I;m in as long as the show continues. :-)

Nobody really knows what the "boneless" thing meant. Could have indicated a disability, as in Vikings. Could also have meant he wasn't interested in sex or be some sort of situational nickname lost to history. Would be interesting, of course, to discover some sort of high-status burial linked to his period … :-)

I'd be very happy with 8 seasons. If the ratings slouch post-Ragnar, it wouldn't surprise me to see them go back to 10 episodes per season and still stagger on a couple years.

Note my less than ringing endorsement of the identification. But I'd be happy to visit Repton. ;-)

It *looks* like Alex Hugh Andersen is on-set for Season 5. I could certainly be wrong about JRM. IMdB lists Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as Alfred n Season 5. Maybe JRM is Gothrum. We need that character and haven't met him yet.