[champ]

Briar King, on 07 December 2017 - 06:50 PM, said:

Nice ep3. Good battle in York.

I haven't watched the ep yet but looking forward to it. Always cool when they show their ye olde version of York, I'm often there, beautiful city!

[Abyss]

The York battle was suitably epic.

I feel like i have to overlook how the Vikings essentially went utterly contrary to their usual line-up-and-charge tactic in favor of cat-and-mouse ambushing the fuck out of the Saxons, and all on Ivar's say-so, but it worked.
Ivar stopping the Saxons by sheer force of crazy was pretty awesome, even if it pushed the suspension of disbelief a bit. Overall a pretty great battle.

Ubbe is a moron, as expected. He really comes across as a half-ass version of Bjorn, half the size, half the brains, all the hair. No shocker when Hvitserk bailed on him for Ivar's army.

I'm still not buying Harald's plan for Astrid, but she's... wavering? ...it seemed like she could have stabbed him a lot after dinner. I liked how his 'kingdom' was a dirtier version of Kattegat. Not sure if this plotline is going anywhere worthwhile tho', unless it turns out that Astrid is there to murder Harry so Lagetha can march in a take over.

Floki.... a little too much wandering and visions. Ok. You've in Iceland. We get it. Move on and do something besides wandering around in your furs.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 12 December 2017 - 05:01 PM, said:

The York battle was suitably epic.

I feel like i have to overlook how the Vikings essentially went utterly contrary to their usual line-up-and-charge tactic in favor of cat-and-mouse ambushing the fuck out of the Saxons, and all on Ivar's say-so, but it worked.
Ivar stopping the Saxons by sheer force of crazy was pretty awesome, even if it pushed the suspension of disbelief a bit. Overall a pretty great battle.

Ubbe is a moron, as expected. He really comes across as a half-ass version of Bjorn, half the size, half the brains, all the hair. No shocker when Hvitserk bailed on him for Ivar's army.

Most interested by this as this is battle was the entry point for the main character in Bernard Cornwell's Uhtred books. With Ubba and Ivar sacking York.

Abyss, on 12 December 2017 - 05:01 PM, said:

Floki.... a little too much wandering and visions. Ok. You've in Iceland. We get it. Move on and do something besides wandering around in your furs.

But I mean that's his real life historical endgame really. They are tying up his storyline.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 12 December 2017 - 05:10 PM, said:

...

Abyss, on 12 December 2017 - 05:01 PM, said:

Floki.... a little too much wandering and visions. Ok. You've in Iceland. We get it. Move on and do something besides wandering around in your furs.

But I mean that's his real life historical endgame really. They are tying up his storyline.

Sure, they're just taking an unnecessarily repetitious and artsy route there... Floki wanders around. Admires scenery. Has vision. Looks like cold shit. Repeat.

[acesn8s]

We're not really good bodyguards are we?

[Malankazooie]

Damn. I'm so behind on watching this season. Finally got around to watching the opening two hour episode (or was it two episodes back to back? not sure).

Anyway. The best part was Floki trying to blow wind into the sails of his boat. Classic Floki. I love that man.

[Abyss]

Ivar bringing Headmund back in reflection of Ragnar and Aethelstan... awesome.
Bjorn n Halfdan discussing their night's adventures... hee.

[Malankazooie]

Going too slow for me. May just have to wait until season is finished and then binge them all at once from On Demand.

Anyway. Watched episode 3 (it's already currently running episode 6). That slave girl at the beginning though, amirite? More cakes then Duncan Hines. Dayuuuum.

The actor that plays Ivar and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (playing Bishop Heahmund) are intense AF. When they are on screen everyone else just seems to wilt a little.

So, do you guys think Astrid will ever come to love (or accept her role as queen to) King Harald? Dude needs to buy one of those self help books on how to talk to/pick up chicks. Also, I don't think it's any secret that Astrid prefers to eat at the Y, but maybe she could accept some Sunny D in her diet?

[Cause]

I watched Season 5 episode 0, the making of coumentary thing. The guy who plays the warrior bishop. King Henry from Tudors! He is an ass! I could not tell of he was having fun and just messing around of if he is really such a pretentious twat!

'I have never watched Vikings. I must discover the Viking world as my character discovers it... etc etc'. His whole demeanor was just odd.

[Malankazooie]

He's been sort of an odd bloke for as long as I've been aware of him. So I'm not surprised he came off as pretentious and he's probably never watched Vikings. I don't recall ever seeing him in any interviews or late night talk shows. I think he is one of them Daniel Day Lewis type actors. Pretty intense on screen but very awkward in real life.

[Abyss]

Malankazooie, on 28 December 2017 - 11:59 AM, said:

So, do you guys think Astrid will ever come to love (or accept her role as queen to) King Harald? ...

I have this suspicion that Astrid is just biding her time until Harry moves on Lagetha and then she's going to stab him a lot.

[Malankazooie]

Abyss, on 02 January 2018 - 06:51 PM, said:

Malankazooie, on 28 December 2017 - 11:59 AM, said:

So, do you guys think Astrid will ever come to love (or accept her role as queen to) King Harald? ...

I have this suspicion that Astrid is just biding her time until Harry moves on Lagetha and then she's going to stab him a lot.

That could be interesting. When Bjorn returns with Halfdan, Halfdan might want to make a move on that situation, but I think Halfdan is so enamored with living a life of adventure and raiding with Bjorn and discovering new societies and cultures that he might just be all like "meh, King Harald is better off dead then living such a joyless life of inertia pursuing affairs of state".

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 02 January 2018 - 10:24 PM, said:

Abyss, on 02 January 2018 - 06:51 PM, said:

I have this suspicion that Astrid is just biding her time until Harry moves on Lagetha and then she's going to stab him a lot.

Are you not keeping up weekly? Get on it! Put down Slogbringer and hit play if so.

I was a week back, all caught up to last night now.

Good to see that Astrid's plans are about as well thought-out as Harald's. Yes, that was sarcasm.... this whole Harald / Astrid plotline is silly and unnecessary and the gang rape or whatever that was supposed to be was just...

Ivar and Heahmund's interactions are interesting but a bit trite. The chess thing wasn't nearly as clever as it tried to be. I still like the distorted reflection of Ragnar and Athelstan's relationship.

We do not need Alfred's plotline. It is wasting time that could be spent smashing people in the face with axes.

I now know more than i ever wanted to know about reindeer castration.

Ubbe... still a putz.

Dear Bjorn... the whole 'i will always take care of the children' thing would have meant more if your first daughter hadn't been deprived and ignored to death.

'Halfdan and I ate him.' ...hee.

The number of possible betrayals going into next week's war is insane... Ubbe/Maggie v Lagertha, Ubbe/Torvi v Maggie, Ivar v Harald or vice versa, Halfdan v Bjorn/Lagertha, Astrid v Harald, Heahmund v Ivar, Hvitserk v Ivar... fuuUUuuuuck.

[Malankazooie]

Finished with episode 4 (and damn I'm behind, I think episode 8 airs tonight).

Anyway. It's the one where Aethelwulf and co. attempt to starve out Ivar and the Vikings at York and also Bjorn and his crew enter Sicily as "traders".

- lol at Bjorn tasting pineapple for the first time.
- Uh oh. Halfdan has his eyes on that Nun (Kassia). *gulp!
- Aw. Astrid agrees to marry King Harald. Only domestic bliss for these two going forward, right?
- Do you guys think Ivar is a little unhinged?

[acesn8s]

Viking fight!

Is Ivarr losing his cool?

[Abyss]

Notwithstanding my dissappointed that not one set of main characters actually clashed, that...
Was
Fucking
Insane.

[Malankazooie]

acesn8s, on 21 December 2017 - 06:53 PM, said:

We're not really good bodyguards are we?

Ha haaaaa! I know what this is referencing now that I watched that episode (damn I'm only on episode 5 and I think the new episode 9 airs tonight). Anyway, Bjorn and Halfdan are my new favorite duo. Although things didn't look so good for them at the end *gulp! But along with Halfdan saying that line, I laughed out loud when that look on his face made it apparent he found some extra plumbing when his hand went between that prostitute's thighs (and then Bjorn's comment the next morning). And then to solidify my love for this terrific twosome, Halfdan's little laugh when it is revealed they had just eaten Commander Euphemius. Good bodyguards indeed! om nom nom nom

The episode started out nicely with the battle for York. Hammer swinging viking brute was awesome and some nice brutal horse trampling by Bishop Heahmund. These battle scenes are on par with what one expects in GOT, so it's quite a treat. Although I'm not 100% sold on the vikings having success with coming out of the sewers two by two up ladders. In real life I think they would have been picked off pretty easily.

Huh, I'll be damned. I thought I recognized one of the vikings who have agreed to follow Floki. The actor is professional wrestling star from the 90', Edge. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0178581/

[acesn8s]

I never noticed that was Edge, too funny!

Last night's episode was good. I'm curious to see what happens next.

[Abyss]

Malankazooie, on 18 January 2018 - 04:45 AM, said:

acesn8s, on 21 December 2017 - 06:53 PM, said:

We're not really good bodyguards are we?

Ha haaaaa! I know what this is referencing now that I watched that episode (damn I'm only on episode 5 and I think the new episode 9 airs tonight). Anyway, Bjorn and Halfdan are my new favorite duo. Although things didn't look so good for them at the end *gulp! But along with Halfdan saying that line, I laughed out loud when that look on his face made it apparent he found some extra plumbing when his hand went between that prostitute's thighs (and then Bjorn's comment the next morning). And then to solidify my love for this terrific twosome, Halfdan's little laugh when it is revealed they had just eaten Commander Euphemius. Good bodyguards indeed! om nom nom nom

The episode started out nicely with the battle for York. Hammer swinging viking brute was awesome and some nice brutal horse trampling by Bishop Heahmund. These battle scenes are on par with what one expects in GOT, so it's quite a treat. Although I'm not 100% sold on the vikings having success with coming out of the sewers two by two up ladders. In real life I think they would have been picked off pretty easily.
...

Bjorn and Halfdan's Excellent Adventures would be an awesome spinoff.

The sewer thing... most of them popped up among the citizens Aethelwulf had ordered to the chapel, or away from the groups of troops. Not a great plan but it wasn't completely silly.

acesn8s, on 18 January 2018 - 12:46 PM, said:

...
Last night's episode was good. I'm curious to see what happens next.

VERY, tho the lack of Rollo was dissappointing and i'm hoping that's leading somewhere.

Headmund and Lagertha... that is a WEIRD pairing.

The whole Alfred plotline was silly (again), even if it was somewhat historically accurate.

Rewatched the previous episode's battle again... damn. The hammer to the face, the guy beating a sheild maiden with the edge of his sheild... they really didn't hold back.

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 20 January 2018 - 04:55 PM, said:

I liked it. It was the political arena side of the shore for all locations.

Pretty sure the French could have taken over the planet with that instant transportation if they just applied themselves.

That time jump for the French arrival was just ridiculous and sloppy.