By starting out with epic narrative, the story of a hero with Ragnar at its center, "Vikings" could build on the audience for this genre, which is the basis of Westerns (Wyatt Erp), police procedurals (CSI), and superhero franchises (Supergirl). In addition, historical fiction is having a good run nowadays in terms…

It's a perfect choice for Fimmel. Epic narrative is the basis of some of the most successful series on television, especially Westerns that pit the good guy against the bad guy of the week. Thanks a lot. Your post brought back the theme song of the American series, and now I can't get it out of my mind:

Thank you for taking the time to explain this.

My email notified me of the whole post, so thanks. I believe what you say and often agree with your ideas. This time, if what you say is true (which I think it must be) I'm left feeling too manipulated by the pyrotechnics and excesses to continue.

It seems like such a low bar for cardinals, the leaders of the church worldwide, that you feel OK about them by the end of this.

How can that be, if the lives of the cardinals seem "stunted," as SB above stated? How is it complimentary of the priesthood if the highest clergy in the church is portrayed as having selected THIS "young pope"? If they are truly devout, how has he persuaded them of his suitability to lead? I would think portraying…

So you, for one, would not say that "The Young Pope" is anti-clerical?

That was the point of infantilizing Naz in "The Night of" as well, that the growth of lifers in Rikers was stunted by belonging to the institution:

"Vinyl" in the Vatican, that's all. But I like the series is an exemplar for free speech.

à chacun son goût

"Entertainment" is not a genre, is it; and what I say in my post doesn't exclude the series from being entertaining, does it? In fact, what I say in my post might make "Vikings" seem even more entertaining.

Well said. Perhaps the scene with the bishop was supposed to be another indication that King Aelle was taking the threat of Ragnar's sons seriously. Metaphorically, there was also a human sacrifice on his side, given the interpretation the Catholic Church of his time placed on the mass as offering, literally, the…

Thanks for a most enlightening response despite the grim subject matter. Roman tragedies, particularly those of Seneca, are usually credited by scholars with being the antecedents of Elizabethan revenge tragedy, perhaps because Latin and Greek were the linguistic basis of education in universities throughout Europe,…

What's the genre, would you say?

Since the title of the episode is “Revenge,” that seems as good a place as any to begin. “Revenge being a dish best served cold,” the revenge Ragnar’s five sons take on King Aelle is dished out in two chilling parts: the defeat of his soldiers, via the terrifying, almost slow-motion fanning out of the Great Heathen…

Yes, indeed. Here's a worrisome thought: Wasn't it Floki who killed Aethelstan?

Thanks for the up-vote. Speaking of the Viking diet, our local PBS affiliate runs a program called "New Scandinavian Cooking" (or something like), where the host prepares foods as they might have been cooked for centuries in Norway. He specializes in using local crops and herbs found in gardens, woods, and meadows…

This is me, knocking you upside the head with a scroll: Pretend we're in "NCIS" and I'm Gibbs, you're Tony.

Yes, but what's the point? Gaudy set pieces in a star vehicle? The Vatican goes "Cleopatra"? Been there, done that, have the T-shirt. More of HBO's take on "The Emperor's New Clothe's"? If it's not torture porn it's surprise for its own sake, with body parts that look sensual only to the most desperate: You can…

So grateful to you for noting the mind-freeze that took me to Albert from Alfred, and for a nice compliment. I had forgotten about Alfred's tutor Asser, who has a major role in "The Last Kingdom," as I now recall. Interesting how in this period the Welsh in Britain (and Icelanders in Scandinavia) excelled in writing…