After 3 Years of Waiting, the Best Historical Series of 2010s is Dropping on Netflix This Saturday
It was supposed to be a miniseries, but it lasted six seasons.
Summary
- The Canadian History channel had an unexpected hit back in 2013.
- The show would go on to become one of the best historical dramas ever made.
- The series lasted for six years and is finally available on Netflix.
Back in simpler times (by which we mean 2013), an unlikely hero emerged in the world of historical fiction.
No, it wasn’t the usual suspects at the BBC, who reinvented soapy historical dramas with The Tudors (about scheming, sexy English royalty). Nor was it Showtime, who perfected the formula with The Borgias (about scheming, sexy Spanish popes), or even HBO (which made Rome, about scheming, sexy Roman soldiers).
Instead, it was the little old History channel (the Canadian version) who made Vikings hot again. And again. And again.
In fact, Vikings lasted a stellar six seasons before wrapping up as planned by its creator. It was soon acquired by Netflix, with the streamer also taking on a sequel series. The acquisition announcement was paired with the disappointing news that fans would be waiting a long time to see their favorite show.
What’s It About?
Vikings is loosely based on the true story of Ragnar Lothbrok, a legendary Norse chieftain whose exploits were recorded in 13th century Scandinavian sagas.
The series begins when Ragnar is a mere farmer, frustrated that his chieftain keeps sending his Viking clan east. There, they can only raid Russian and Baltic villages just as poor as their own. In defiance of his chieftain, Lothbrok builds a new, faster generation of boats and takes his followers West in search of more lands to conquer. Ragnar slowly becomes a King to his people – and the scourge of England, which must defend itself against his ruthless raids.
As the series went on it began to follow an ever-widening circle of characters, including Ragnar’s sons Bjorn, Ubbe, Ivar, Hvitzerk, and Sigurd – all legendary figures in their own right.
A Huge Success
In spite of its humble origins, Vikings quickly gained popularity thanks to its smart mix of history and myth. Although originally planned as a miniseries, the story proved so popular that it soon expanded, eventually running over the course of six seasons and 89 episodes.
Critics appreciated that the show had less gratuitous nudity and sex than its fantastical cousin Game of Thrones, and viewers appreciated that the brutal history of Viking warlords was never tamed down.
Although some fans complained that the show lost steam after (spoiler alert! Look away now!) Ragnar passed away and his sons became the main characters, it continued to draw decent ratings and good reviews – the final season has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Series creator Michael Hirst says that Vikings ended exactly where he wanted it to, with all of the major threads tied up and the discovery of the New World on the horizon. Luckily for fans, that means they can enjoy all six seasons of the show without any pesky cliffhangers at the end.
The Long Wait
Back in 2019, Netflix announced that it would start carrying Vikings on the platform, but that they would not have the rights to stream the popular show for another three years – most likely so that The History Channel could finish its contract with Prime Video, where the show was first available to stream.
Luckily, the wait came with a bonus: Netflix also acquired the rights to the sequel series Vikings: Valhalla, which began in 2022 and takes place 100 years after the original series.
Vikings: Valhalla has proven even more successful than its parent show, but it learned some valuable lessons from the first series: after three years, Valhalla is ending on a high note. The show’s upcoming third season will be its last.
You can stream Vikings on Netflix starting March 30, 2024.
Source: CBR.