Post by Chalice_Of_Evil on Dec 7, 2018 6:05:58 GMT
Finally got to see episodes 11 & 12 (‘The Revelation’ and ‘Murder Most Foul’) of Season 5 last night.
**spoilers below**
I have to admit I was somewhat underwhelmed by the first two episodes after such a long break. Considering Katheryn Winnick is the first name listed in the opening credits now after Travis Fimmel left, I would’ve thought she should have more screentime than she got...but no, gotta devote all that screentime to Ivar and his tantrums. I’m so very tired/sick of Ivar and his yelling/thinking he’s scarier than he actually is. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the only ‘scary’ thing about Ivar is his fangirls/fanboys and their belief that he’s the ‘good guy’/‘right’. So far his excuse/motivation for all the horrible things he’s done has been that he wants to get revenge against Lagertha for killing his mother, Aslaug. Well...what’s going to be his excuse for all the horrible things he’ll inevitably still be doing once Lagertha’s out of the picture?
Also, all those who are baying for Lagertha’s blood need to be reminded that Aslaug wasn’t exactly a ‘good’ person. Didn’t she neglect Bjorn’s daughter, little Siggy, and then – along with Ivar – shrug/laugh off the news of her death? Doesn’t exactly seem like the world is a worse place without her. Quite the contrary, actually. And I’m wondering how many of these people who think Ivar’s justified in everything he’s done (including slaying his own brother – I’m surprised everyone just forgot about/forgave that) were the same people who hated Aslaug in the beginning. I remember there being a large portion of people who wanted *her* blood early in the series, but because she got an arrow in the back, suddenly she’s considered saintly and Lagertha’s the Devil? I guess some people either didn’t notice or chose to forget that when Aslaug died, she did it with a knowing smirk on her face. That, to me, indicated that she *knew* what was coming and that she (who couldn’t possibly take Lagertha on in a fight) would get to live out her fantasy of killing Lagertha through Ivar. Oh, and let's not forget Ragnar and his fellows vikings slaughtered a bunch of unarmed/innocent monks in the first season...yet nobody seems to hold that against his character in the show. Yet Lagertha kills Aslaug, who quite a lot of people originally wanted to see dead, and she's considered 'evil'?
It was good to see Lagertha and Rollo share a scene together after so long separated. I’m glad the show remembered that in the first season it was strongly hinted at that the two of them had possibly been involved at some stage (though, personally, I always thought Rollo had a thing for Lagertha...but those feelings weren’t returned). Now, of course, people are saying she’s the worst hypocrite ever for holding Ragnar’s cheating on her with Aslaug against the two of them when it appears she may have a had thing with Rollo (assuming Bjorn is indeed Rollo’s biological son – though Bjorn made good points about why Ragnar would be his real father...whether biologically or not. Too bad there was no such thing as DNA tests back then). However, if Lagertha was with Rollo...we don’t know when exactly it would’ve been. She could’ve been with him, then gotten together with Ragnar. Also, it was made clear in Season 1, when Ragnar/Lagertha invited Athelstan to their bed, that some Vikings were ‘swingers’ and could have open relationships. I think where Lagertha drew the line, as far as Ragnar/Aslaug were concerned, was Ragnar wanting them all to live together as a happy family with Aslaug and her child. Anyway, I thought Katheryn Winnick did a good job in the scene between Lagertha and Rollo.
And it was nice to see Clive Standen the role I came to know him for (I watched one episode of his Taken TV series and quickly realised it was not for me). I’m guessing his line about not seeing Lagertha again will indeed turn out to be true – as I imagine they won’t share anymore scenes together and this one was intended to ‘wrap up’ their characters’ relationship.
Alexander Ludwig’s acting seemed somewhat ‘off’ in these two episodes. At one point he was waving his hands about and adopting a mocking tone that felt like he was trying too hard to be Travis Fimmel/Ragnar. That sort of performance worked with Fimmel as Ragnar (like the scene in Season 4 when he was mocking Heaven when he and Ecbert got into arguing about their respective afterlife beliefs), but here it just...didn’t. I hope Ludwig eases up on trying to imitate Fimmel/Ragnar and just goes about doing his own thing. Bjorn will never be Ragnar, nor should he try to be.
I did enjoy Torvi’s retort when Bjorn was calling Lagertha a ‘fool for love’.
I know some people have complained about the female characters in the show not appearing as if they have aged much, if at all.
I haven’t read spoilers or anything, but I’m guessing there’ll be another time jump and we’ll see Lagertha visibly aged. I’m wondering if, much like Ragnar, it’ll be when Lagertha is old and hasn't got much fight left in her that she’ll meet her fate. Ragnar didn’t get to go out in battle, and I’m curious as to whether it’ll be the same case for Lagertha. I read a comment elsewhere that I think could in fact turn out to have some merit – that all the original characters will go out not with a 'bang', but rather a 'whimper'. While that would suck (especially in the case of Lagertha, who deserves to go out as the kick-arse shield-maiden she is), it would actually feel somewhat ‘realistic’...as not all heroes get to go out in a blaze of glory. Sometimes they’re broken and shells of their former selves. I am, however, hoping that Lagertha gets final lines worthy of her awesome character.
I’m not sure whether I’ll still have much interest in the show if/when she’s gone (I haven’t read any spoilers confirming that she will be getting offed yet, but I think it’s pretty likely that Lagertha is not long for this world. If she somehow survives this season, that’ll be the biggest surprise of all!). The again, I read that next season/Season 6 will be the last one, so maybe I’ll manage to hang in there until the bitter end. After all, if I can stick it out with Supernatural (which is mindbogglingly in its fourteenth season), I think I can manage one more season of Vikings. We’ll see. Here’s hoping the rest of this season picks up like the second half of Season 4 did.
And lastly...Margrethe is finally dead! HALLELUJAH! Too bad that dream sequence turned out to not be real and she didn't off Ivar first, though.
**spoilers below**
I have to admit I was somewhat underwhelmed by the first two episodes after such a long break. Considering Katheryn Winnick is the first name listed in the opening credits now after Travis Fimmel left, I would’ve thought she should have more screentime than she got...but no, gotta devote all that screentime to Ivar and his tantrums. I’m so very tired/sick of Ivar and his yelling/thinking he’s scarier than he actually is. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the only ‘scary’ thing about Ivar is his fangirls/fanboys and their belief that he’s the ‘good guy’/‘right’. So far his excuse/motivation for all the horrible things he’s done has been that he wants to get revenge against Lagertha for killing his mother, Aslaug. Well...what’s going to be his excuse for all the horrible things he’ll inevitably still be doing once Lagertha’s out of the picture?
Also, all those who are baying for Lagertha’s blood need to be reminded that Aslaug wasn’t exactly a ‘good’ person. Didn’t she neglect Bjorn’s daughter, little Siggy, and then – along with Ivar – shrug/laugh off the news of her death? Doesn’t exactly seem like the world is a worse place without her. Quite the contrary, actually. And I’m wondering how many of these people who think Ivar’s justified in everything he’s done (including slaying his own brother – I’m surprised everyone just forgot about/forgave that) were the same people who hated Aslaug in the beginning. I remember there being a large portion of people who wanted *her* blood early in the series, but because she got an arrow in the back, suddenly she’s considered saintly and Lagertha’s the Devil? I guess some people either didn’t notice or chose to forget that when Aslaug died, she did it with a knowing smirk on her face. That, to me, indicated that she *knew* what was coming and that she (who couldn’t possibly take Lagertha on in a fight) would get to live out her fantasy of killing Lagertha through Ivar. Oh, and let's not forget Ragnar and his fellows vikings slaughtered a bunch of unarmed/innocent monks in the first season...yet nobody seems to hold that against his character in the show. Yet Lagertha kills Aslaug, who quite a lot of people originally wanted to see dead, and she's considered 'evil'?
It was good to see Lagertha and Rollo share a scene together after so long separated. I’m glad the show remembered that in the first season it was strongly hinted at that the two of them had possibly been involved at some stage (though, personally, I always thought Rollo had a thing for Lagertha...but those feelings weren’t returned). Now, of course, people are saying she’s the worst hypocrite ever for holding Ragnar’s cheating on her with Aslaug against the two of them when it appears she may have a had thing with Rollo (assuming Bjorn is indeed Rollo’s biological son – though Bjorn made good points about why Ragnar would be his real father...whether biologically or not. Too bad there was no such thing as DNA tests back then). However, if Lagertha was with Rollo...we don’t know when exactly it would’ve been. She could’ve been with him, then gotten together with Ragnar. Also, it was made clear in Season 1, when Ragnar/Lagertha invited Athelstan to their bed, that some Vikings were ‘swingers’ and could have open relationships. I think where Lagertha drew the line, as far as Ragnar/Aslaug were concerned, was Ragnar wanting them all to live together as a happy family with Aslaug and her child. Anyway, I thought Katheryn Winnick did a good job in the scene between Lagertha and Rollo.
And it was nice to see Clive Standen the role I came to know him for (I watched one episode of his Taken TV series and quickly realised it was not for me). I’m guessing his line about not seeing Lagertha again will indeed turn out to be true – as I imagine they won’t share anymore scenes together and this one was intended to ‘wrap up’ their characters’ relationship.
Alexander Ludwig’s acting seemed somewhat ‘off’ in these two episodes. At one point he was waving his hands about and adopting a mocking tone that felt like he was trying too hard to be Travis Fimmel/Ragnar. That sort of performance worked with Fimmel as Ragnar (like the scene in Season 4 when he was mocking Heaven when he and Ecbert got into arguing about their respective afterlife beliefs), but here it just...didn’t. I hope Ludwig eases up on trying to imitate Fimmel/Ragnar and just goes about doing his own thing. Bjorn will never be Ragnar, nor should he try to be.
I did enjoy Torvi’s retort when Bjorn was calling Lagertha a ‘fool for love’.
I know some people have complained about the female characters in the show not appearing as if they have aged much, if at all.
Well, it seems that might change for Lagertha at least, if a photo I saw of Katheryn Winnick in makeup is any indication.
I haven’t read spoilers or anything, but I’m guessing there’ll be another time jump and we’ll see Lagertha visibly aged. I’m wondering if, much like Ragnar, it’ll be when Lagertha is old and hasn't got much fight left in her that she’ll meet her fate. Ragnar didn’t get to go out in battle, and I’m curious as to whether it’ll be the same case for Lagertha. I read a comment elsewhere that I think could in fact turn out to have some merit – that all the original characters will go out not with a 'bang', but rather a 'whimper'. While that would suck (especially in the case of Lagertha, who deserves to go out as the kick-arse shield-maiden she is), it would actually feel somewhat ‘realistic’...as not all heroes get to go out in a blaze of glory. Sometimes they’re broken and shells of their former selves. I am, however, hoping that Lagertha gets final lines worthy of her awesome character.
I’m not sure whether I’ll still have much interest in the show if/when she’s gone (I haven’t read any spoilers confirming that she will be getting offed yet, but I think it’s pretty likely that Lagertha is not long for this world. If she somehow survives this season, that’ll be the biggest surprise of all!). The again, I read that next season/Season 6 will be the last one, so maybe I’ll manage to hang in there until the bitter end. After all, if I can stick it out with Supernatural (which is mindbogglingly in its fourteenth season), I think I can manage one more season of Vikings. We’ll see. Here’s hoping the rest of this season picks up like the second half of Season 4 did.
And lastly...Margrethe is finally dead! HALLELUJAH! Too bad that dream sequence turned out to not be real and she didn't off Ivar first, though.