Small Screen Scenes: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Fox Home Entertainment To Bring HISTORY’s® Highest-Rated Freshman Drama Series to Blu-ray™ and DVD Vikings 1 Highly Recommended by Whom You Know We are Thrilled to Kick Off Coverage of The History Channel Our Coverage Sponsored by Maine Woolens
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We haven't been this excited about a television series new to us since Downton Abbey.
We'll admit we're a little slow on telling you about Vikings 1, but it is because we saw Vikings 2 and liked it so much that we thought this series is of such excellence it deserves to be start at the beginning. To that end, you need to get this series Vikings 1 tout de suite before Vikings 2 comes on so you are prepared and ready for all the drama and all the action that will absolutely captivate you from the opening song and credits. Two big thumbs up for having it filmed in IRELAND. We even like the music as it's Clannad-like; the theme song is highly laudable.
Beginning in 793AD in the Eastern Baltic, Vikings shows its intelligent audience that this series is nothing like a show they've seen before. If you are an avid reader, you know that we love hockey (see complete NHL kickoff coverage with star interviews here, see our pal Kevin Dineen here who's coaching in the Olympic Gold Medal game right now) and actually love probably is not even a strong enough verb for how we feel about the sport; Vikings makes a hockey game look tame. We bet if hockey players saw this series they'd be convinced they were direct descendants. The Seattle Seahawks defense even looks less fierce compared to the Vikings. The violence in Vikings however you know is not real as it is a drama, and it's necessary to tell their actual story of survival which is a long way from surviving conditions in 2014. Vikings shows social darwinism at its best.
Just like little girls are filled with sugar and spice and everything nice, Vikings are filled with aggression and ambition and everything they feel is their destiny. Like the settlers of America once did, the Vikings wanted to go West. Swords and spears punctuate each scene and skill is acted so convincingly you are certain you did go back in time. We recommend you set aside time and watch the whole thing at once so you don't have to bother with 2014 at all; that's what we did we were so into it. The Vikings even have their own language, and they worship other gods. (Maybe like the Druids?) Get rid of your preconceived notions about Vikings in general-this is not Hagar the Horrible; it's Ragnor time. Vikings definitely reminds us of Thomas Cahill's How the Irish Saved Civilization.
It shows how groups of people need to stay together to survive and how motivating others is essential-you may learn some sales skills; it shows how if you think you have family problems that is nothing new to history. Power struggles of all kinds ensue. If you think rush hour crowds in Manhattan are tough, you haven't seen anything yet. People were entirely different levels of tough in the Viking era and maybe we can learn something from them. They also possessed more practical skills like shipbuilding, and their lives were dependent on totally different variables.
Both the script and the acting equal each other in terms of quality, and that's hard to find as one we usually find to be stronger than the other. Lagertha and Ragnor in particular are standout as protagonists while the Earl revels in his revolting behavior thinking that treasure that he had nothing to do with belongs to him. Strategic behavior develops that each life literally depends on, and one's level of cunning determines whether they'll survive and they learn young. Though an entirely different era and topic, the quality of drama in Vikings is equal to that of Downton Abbey though we do wish Vikings had a Dowager Countess. (There's only one Maggie Smith.)
Need more reasons? It's intelligent, sexy, intense, and has plots that are so riveting you'll forget you want to eat popcorn while you watch. Their thirst for knowledge that we take for granted today gives the viewer an entirely different perspective on history, which is what we suppose it's supposed to do.
Vikings 1 by the History Channel is Highly Recommended by Whom You Know. Because we have a heart, we do love you.
Get excited for more action and drama with Vikings 2, which we will be writing on as well.
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Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will bring the critically acclaimed HISTORY drama, created and written by Michael Hirst (“The Tudors,” “Elizabeth”), to Blu-ray™ and DVD.
Vikings Season 1 delivers a visceral journey to a thrilling ancient world in this epic new series about history’s bravest and most brutally fearsome warriors.
Vikings follows the adventures of the great hero Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), a Viking chieftain seeking to fulfill his destiny as a conqueror, alongside his ambitious brother Rollo (Clive Standen) and loyal wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). Throughout his quest, Ragnar faces a path of betrayals and temptations to protect his freedom, family, and life. When Ragnar teams up with his boat builder friend Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) to craft a new generation of intrepid ships capable of conquering the rough northern seas, the stage is set for conflict.
Exclusively featured on the Blu-ray™ and DVD, “Birth of the Vikings” looks at the creator’s approach to, the series challenge in re-creating the period, and the wonders of shooting the series in Ireland’s beautiful, Wicklow mountains. “Birth of the Vikings,” is an all-access look at the creation of VIKINGS.
Vikings Season 1 Blu-ray Special Features will include over 9 hours of exclusive content including:
· Includes 9 episodes with extended and alternate scenes.
· The Armory Of Vikings – an interactive feature that allows viewers to learn more about the history and legacy of Vikings armory and weapons.
· Conquest and Discover: The Journey Of The Vikings – an interactive feature that allows viewers to learn more about the locations and places Ragnar traveled to in his journey through Season 1
· Warrior Society: Viking Culture & Law – featurette that takes a closer look inside the fascinating system of laws, practices and rules employed by Vikings.
· Birth Of The Vikings: featurette that provides an all-access look at the creation of VIKINGS.
· Forging The Viking Army: Warfare And Tactics – featurette that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the process of casting and creating the epic battle scenes of Vikings
· Deleted Scenes
· Commentary from Michael Hirst
Vikings Season 1 DVD Special Features:
· Warrior Society: Viking Culture & Law – featurette that takes a closer look inside the fascinating system of laws, practices and rules employed by Vikings.
· Birth Of The Vikings: featurette that provides an all-access look at the creation of VIKINGS.
· Forging The Viking Army: Warfare And Tactics – featurette that takes a behind-the-scenes look at the process of casting and creating the epic battle scenes of Vikings
· Deleted Scenes
· Commentary from Michael Hirst
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™ and DigitalHD™. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 21st Century Fox.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content globally. The company owns one of the world's deepest libraries of premium film and television content. In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
