Vikings: Season 3 [Blu-ray] [2015]

Ragnar Lothbrok is now the King of Kattegat, ruling over a host of lesser earls. He has also forged a strong alliance with King Ecbert of Wessex, enjoying more power and influence than any Viking king before him. Aware that his people still yearn for conquest and raids, Ragnar turns to his loyal Christian friend and advisor Athelstan, who tells him tales of a fabled city to the south called Paris. Ragnar becomes obsessed with tales of this city and soon has marshalled the might of the Viking nation against it. But his obsession comes at a very high cost.The third season of Vikings does not hang around. Having chronicled the (allegedly) reluctant rise to power of Ragnar Lothbrok over two previous seasons and nineteen episodes, the third season asks a more interesting question: what is he going to do with that power now he has it? We know that Ragnar wants to be more than a brute and a warmonger, he wants to be a statesman, a builder and a farmer, the man who brings his people out of their rocky homeland to a warmer place where the soil is better. But he is also not a fool, and knows his people still like to raid and to fight.The result of this is a clever two-pronged strategy. Invoking the alliance forged with Ecbert last year, he plans to set up a Viking colony in Wessex. He also plans to appease his more combat-hungry troops by mounting an assault on Paris and carrying off its immense wealth. It's a clever plan which, you'll be shocked to hear, doesn't entirely pan out.This season sees Viking at its most expansive. There's scenes in Kattegat, several other Scandinavian locations, Wessex, Mercia and in Paris. As well as Ragnar and his extended family and allies, there's also the royal families in Wessex and Mercia to deal with, and a whole new cast of characters in Paris to get to know, including the weak-willed King Charles the Simple, the more formidable Count Odo and the strong-willed Princess Gisla. The rising scale is handled well by the show. The producers deftly interleave a whole series of complex storylines (including a subplot where a very strange man shows up in Kattegat and causes chaos) with verve and skill.The show also continues to comment on larger-scale historical forces, religion and culture through some very personal character stories. There's the ongoing religious turmoil of Athelstan (and Ragnar's fascination with Christianity) and how this interacts with Floki's growing anger that the threat posed by Christianity to the Norse way of life is being ignored. There's Ecbert's ongoing clash between his acceptance of other cultures (there's a terrific and cynically honest exchange between him and Ragnar) but knowing that his priests and lords will not accept many concessions to the heathens.The result is a rich tapestry of a show, with more going on than just the endless cycle of betrayal and counter-betrayal in the previous season. The last few episodes of the season then take things to the next level by depicting the full-scale Siege of Paris in all its glory. With lengthy, massive battle sequences that easily match anything in Game of Thrones, this season sees Vikings gain a scope and epic reach to match its already-impressive character work.Season 3 of Vikings (*****) sees an already-impressive show become even better: grander, more epic, more brutal but also more human, more intimate and smarter.

This series of the Vikings, is just as intense, and compulsive viewing as the first two series'There's just as much character development, violence, betrayal, and treachery in this, as ever,A lot of this series, is focused on Ragnar Lothebrok's obsession with taking the great city of Paris (In 9th century)only this time,it's not so easy as knocking on the door, as the french are well prepared for a siege...The locations, and battle scenes, are consistently great, and very enjoyable... And the title song isalways cool to listen too... But this series explores the true difficulties, that the Vikings faced, whilst extending their empire building...All in all, an excellent programme, and probably the best thing on T.V along with Game of Thrones...

I found season 1 a bit slow,then i watched season 2 and changed my opinion! Season 3 just got better.It is now one of my favourite shows!Ragnar is tough,loyal,fearsome and loving!The whole story is awesome,now to buy season 4 and watch it before season 5 is broadcast.!

These series of the Vikings never disappoints. it is so engrossing the whole way through.Super acting, scenes costumes and story as usual.Had these watched in 2 two... late nights as it is just one of those series where you have to know what happens next.Ended on such a cliffhanger,,,,eeekkkk,,,, roll on series 4.This series has it all. A pleasure and joy to watch.Do not miss it.

It was a gift for my daughter who had watched the series on Prime...she wanted to have the Blu-rays in her collection. She loved it!

Came across this when season 1 first came out....ignored it as it was made by History Channel thinking it would be a documentary as such. One day I was so bored and wondering what to watch...I came upon it again but this time...well I do like history at school so I watched SEASON1 EP1and boy oh boy was I completely gobsmacked. by the time I caught up with it mid season I've been telling my mates and work colleagues about it....even they were all hook on it......

I thought I'd give it a look-see because I was bored. Then I got hooked; hooked so bad it's been a marathon week-long early evening to midnight Viking-fest of blood, gore, violence, politics, humour, misery, elation, depression, and not a little smattering of close-to real history.Absolutely superb, and not just the plots, scenery and action; some of the acting is stupendous too.

An absolutely entertaining and gripping saga in its own right. I am also impressed how historically accurate it portrays in the main, obviously there are few additions and twists here and there with character creations to help the series to grip the viewers. I like the way the myths are handed down to the children and I am sure many viewers will be drawn to investigate the subject further; via Myths, legends and sagas etc. Roll on Season 4