Okay, finally got around to watching this. I like it. It's like Game of Thrones, but with more vikings and less crazy dragon ladies.
What I don't like is how the vikings are portrayed as schizophrenic sociopaths. One moment they're being all friendly and the next they're cutting down people left and right without any apparent reason. She-viking is all "halt, don't rape that Saxon woman" one moment and just idly watching them kill other civilians the next. He-viking participates in slaughtering an entire monastery of unarmed monks, but when they get to the Saxon town, he's all "don't resist and we won't harm you". And Rollo (he reminds me of Jaime Lannister) kills random people for ***** and giggles, but then he helps an old man get a drink before he steals his cup. And don't even get me started on Floki. That guy is turning more insane every damn episode.
It's all very confusing, because I can't connect to any of the characters. The Saxon lords seem mighty high on their horses, but the vikings also seem ******* insane. I find myself identifying with the various redshirts they drag into every episode, like the Saxon soldier they killed after he helped them get to the town, and it makes me angry with the main characters. I can't even like the priest, because he's just another schizo. One moment he's all "please don't kill me" and the next he's like ********** you, viking dude who graciously spared my life".
It's making me angry!
I get that vikings raped and plundered, but the way they switch back and forth between good and evil makes it such a mess. At least the Earl is a consistent *******. He's like the boy king from Game of Thrones. It's impossible not to hate him, even if they try to make him a bit human by showing us why he's become such a ****.
Gonna see if the character development gets any better. Hope there's at least some consistency to their actions later on.