A-
Vikings raises a stunning specter of the past as all our expectations are reset
“Life moves on, whether or not we are a part of it.”
B
An encouraging Vikings pauses while everyone assesses the path
“Perhaps she had come to the end of reason.”
B-
An impressive battle and a surprising death can't save Vikings from itself
“Ragnar was wrong. It is always a matter of blood.”
B-
Vikings teases a big death, but shows a few promising signs of life
“The Lost Moment” begins right where “A New God” left us, with the self-anointed god Ivar ranting about his divinity…
C+
Vikings anoints a new Norse god, but continues to drift back to England
“They whisper that I am weak. I fear they’re right.”
C
A melodramatic Vikings just gives in and embraces its Norse fanfic side
“I am being more honest with you than you have any right to expect.”
B-
Vikings' fifth season returns roaring with unfocused rage
“I don’t want to leave my country and my home. I am tired of fighting, and yet, let’s do it. Let’s go to England.”
B
In its bloody mid-season finale, Vikings finds some redemption in the chaos
“I know only too well what happens next. This is not right. This is not how I imagined everything. But no doubt I am a…
C-
A dull Vikings plods along with speechifying and unworthy men
“I love women. Not just spiritually.”
C
War brings plenty of gore and removes all subtlety on a dispiriting Vikings
“If we must fight then we must fight, but first let us discuss the alternatives.”
C
In preparation for the coming war, Vikings plays chess, poorly
“We don’t have time to play games. The world is coming to an end.”
C+
Schemes, alliances, and dialogue are all dubious on a shaky Vikings
“It cannot be as bad as it looks.”
B-
An action-packed Vikings season reaches an uncertain midway point
“So is this an interruption of your journey, or is it a part of it?”
B
Vikings advances, promisingly, in five separate directions
“Too much knowledge is an agony. Prepare yourself.”
B
A fractured, ambitious Vikings seeks post-Ragnar unity in its two-part premiere
“I am old enough to know that you can never say for sure what someone else will do.”
B
Vikings’ fourth season finale roars toward an uncertain future
Since Ragnar Lothbrok’s death, Vikings has been in a rush. The sons of Ragnar, Valhalla-bent on vengeance, squabble and…
C+
An all-action Vikings lacks direction
“On The Eve” delivers plenty of action while reaffirming that action for its own sake has always been Vikings least…
B-
Vikings’ labored attempts to recapture past glories prove fitfully effective
Evaluating Vikings post-Ragnar Lothbrok presents the unique problem of differentiating between what is second-rate by…
C+
Vikings flails for a new direction as the sons of Ragnar seek revenge
Vikings’ leaps forward in time have always been a refreshing storytelling strategy. Tuning in to see characters grown…
B-
The spirit of the past hovers over a splintered Vikings
After the still-shocking death of Ragnar Lothbrok last week, his spirit haunts the Vikings, and Vikings. Opening on a…