Up into the overturned keel.
Clamber, with a heart of steel.
Cold is the ocean’s spray.
When your death is on its way.
With maidens you have had your way.
Each must die some day!

Viking Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) runs the family farm along with his wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) and their two children, daughter Gyda and son Bjorn (Nathan O’Toole), who has just come of age. Ragnar and his brother Rollo (Clive Standen) take Bjorn to The Thing, a village meeting where he will be officially inducted as a man by the local chieftain, Earl Haraldson (Gabriel Byrne). Ragnar believes he has found a way to navigate the Western seas and make it to new lands of untold riches. However, the chieftan refuses his request to take the raid to the West and orders him to head East. So Ragnar takes matters into his own hands. He commissions his slightly crazy friend Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård) to build him a ship, gathers a crew and they secretly make their way towards the West. While the Earl forgives this betrayal publically, he doesn’t trust Ragnar. But Ragnar’s gruesome pillaging and plundering earns him a reputation both in the new lands and back home, and soon even those in his own homeland are conspiring against him.

The first season of Vikings plays out like one continuous story arc. While there are some episode-long quests, they still serve to further along the overall story. The series comes from Michael Hirst, the creator of The Tudors, which followed a similar format. While the series takes place in the past and there are characters in period garb, the show itself feels very modern and relatable.

The characters are well-defined and well-developed. At the center of the story is Ragnar, who tells his son, “Odin gave his eye to acquire knowledge, but I would give far more.” While he may tell others it is riches he seeks, it is really this quest for knowledge that drives him West. While he believes strongly in his gods, he is intrigued by the Christian monks he meets in the West, and uses their knowledge to both gain intelligence on his enemies but also new insights into the nature of the Westerners. While watching the series, I couldn’t help but think of him as a Norse Jax Teller (from Sons of Anarchy)—both in looks and in attitude.

Other characters include Ragnar’s loyal wife Lagertha, a strong woman who can take care of herself and her family. She is equally happy and competent at home running the household and farm as she is serving as shield maiden on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Rollo may love his brother, but this is tested as he grows increasingly jealous of Ragnar’s power and fame, and soon does whatever makes him happy without any regard for others. Earl Haraldson is also a well-developed character. He is a corrupt leader who strikes fear in his subjects, but also has demons in his own past that drive him. His wife Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig) may seem innocent, but she too has a conniving side like her husband.

Besides the characters, another interesting aspect of the series is how it explores the clashing of cultures between the Norsemen and their “living” Gods and the god of the Christian Westerners. The series gives a fascinating look at the religious beliefs of the Norsemen, how these differ from those of the Christians, and the two cultures are more or less accepting of the other’s faith.

It’s a very strange experience watching this series where the savage Vikings are the heroes. In this aspect, I am once again reminded of Sons of Anarchy. While we get to know these Norsemen and their personal lives, we find ourselves rooting for them. However, their actions towards the Westerners are savage and brutal—they are attacking innocent, peaceful people all in the name of amassing wealth.

Vikings is an epic series that feels more like a feature film than a television series—the production values are amazing! From the beautifully shot landscapes, to the haunting score and well-choreographed (and bloody) battle sequences. This Blu-ray looks and sounds amazing—every detail is captured perfectly.

As for bonus features, this set contains extended versions of every episode (which is my favorite way to view deleted scenes), some additional deleted scenes, audio commentaries for both the premiere and the finale, and close to an hour of behind-the-scenes and historical featurettes.

The first season of Vikings is thoroughly entertaining and leaves the viewer anxious for the next season. It’s definitely worth checking out!

What’s Included on the Blu-ray:

Episodes: (6:47:57)

• All 9 episodes of Season 1:
  Disc 1: “Rites of Passage”, “Wrath of the Northmen”, “Dispossessed”
  Disc 2: “Trial”, “Raid”, “Burial of the Dead”
  Disc 3: “A King’s Ransom”, “Sacrifice”, “All Change”
• Widescreen 1.78:1
• Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Extras:

• Extended Versions of all 9 episodes
  Over 14 minutes of extra footage integrated back into the episodes. This is my favorite way to view deleted footage, but for those who prefer to watch the episodes as they originally aired, this is also an option. The aired versions include 45-second “Previously on Vikings” recaps, while the extended versions do not.
  
  
  
  • “Rites of Passage” (aired 44:09, extended 46:36)
    
  • “Wrath of the Northmen” (aired 44:12, extended 47:10)
    
  • “Dispossessed” (aired 44:12, extended 45:13)
    
  • “Trial” (aired 44:11, extended 45:18)
    
  • “Raid” (aired 44:11, extended 44:11)
    
  • “Burial of the Dead” (aired 44:11, extended 43:50)
    
  • “A King’s Ransom” (aired 44:11, extended 43:50)
    
  • “Sacrifice” (aired 44:11, extended 46:46)
    
  • “All Change” (aired 44:12, extended 45:00)
• Audio Commentaries
  • “Rites of Passage” Audio Commentary featuring Michael Hirst and Jessalyn Gilsig (44:09)
    Series Creator/Executive Producer Michael Hirst and star Jessalyn Gilsig (“Siggy Haraldson”) provide running commentary on the series premiere episode, giving some interesting insights and behind-the-scenes information about the production.
  • “All Change” Audio Commentary featuring Katheryn Winnick and Clive Standen (44:12)
    Actors Katheryn Winnick (“Lagertha Lothbrok”) and Clive Standen (“Rollo”) provide a fun running commentary on the season finale, giving some interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits.
• Deleted Scenes (3:39)
  Three deleted scenes on Disc 1 and one on Disc 3.
• Conquest and Discover: Journeys of the Vikings
  Interactive map that lets viewers learn more about the various sites and locations visited in the first season. Play All or select from Baltic, Gotland, Lindisfarne, Northumbria, Scandinavia and Uppsala. Narrated by Dr. Jochen Burgtorf, Professor of History at California State University, Fullerton.
• The Armory of the Vikings
  Interactive feature lets viewers learn more about the various weapons used by the Vikings. Play all or select from Ax, Sword, Shield, Dagger, Spear, Armor, Bow and Arrow, and Viking Ship. Narrated by Dr. Jochen Burgtorf, Professor of History at California State University, Fullerton.
• A Warrior Society: Viking Culture and Law (20:48)
  An interesting look at the history and culture of the Vikings. Features interviews with creator/executive producer Michael Hirst, history professors Dr. Anthony Perron and Dr. Jochen Burgtorf, Vikings consultant Justin Pollard, and stars Jessalyn Gilsig (“Siggy Haraldson”), Clive Standen (“Rollo”), Katheryn Winnick (“Lagertha Lothbrok”) and George Blagden (“Athelstan”).
• Birth of the Vikings (17:09)
  A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series—from the table read-throughs, to creating the costumes, sets and boats. Features interviews with creator/executive producer Michael Hirst, Vikings consultant Justin Pollard, director Johan Renck, costume designer Joan Bergin, production designer Tom Conroy, and stars Katheryn Winnick (“Lagertha Lothbrok”), Clive Standen (“Rollo”), Jessalyn Gilsig (“Siggy Haraldson”), George Blagden (“Athelstan”) and Travis Fimmel (“Ragnar Lothbrok”).
• Forging The Viking Army: Warfare And Tactics (12:11)
  A behind-the-scenes look at choreographing and filming the show’s fight sequences. Includes footage from Travis Fimmel’s, Katheryn Winnick’s, and Clive Standen’s stunt training sessions. Also contains interviews with creator/executive producer Michael Hirst, sword master Richard Ryan, stunt cordinator Mark Henson, and stars Katheryn Winnick (“Lagertha Lothbrok”), Clive Standen (“Rollo”), and Travis Fimmel (“Ragnar Lothbrok”).
• Sneak Peek (2:25)
  Play All or watch trailers for “Paranoia”, “The Family”, “The Wolverine”, “The East”, “American Horror Story Asylum”, and “Carrie”

Final Thoughts:

Vikings season 1 is a visceral, epic production that feels more like a feature film than a TV series with its well-developed characters, interesting story, and amazing battle sequences. The series looks and sounds amazing on the blu-ray, and the set contains a nice set of bonus features. The series is definitely worth checking out, especially since the series has already been picked up for a second season.