Vikings follows the adventures of the great hero Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), a Viking chieftain seeking to fulfill his destiny as a conqueror, alongside his ambitious brother Rollo (Clive Standen) and loyal wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick). Throughout his quest, Ragnar faces a path of betrayals and temptations to protect his freedom, family, and life. When Ragnar teams up with his boat builder friend Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) to craft a new generation of intrepid ships capable of conquering the rough northern seas, the stage is set for conflict.
For thoughts on Vikings: The Complete Series, please check out my piece on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
Vikings: The Complete Series arrives on Blu-Ray with an immensely pleasing AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. This release comprises the eight individual releases that have been available for purchase previously along with the newly released Season 6, Part 2. The levels of detail this presentation is able to eek out is quite striking, as all of the subtle details in the production design are easily identifiable. The series can be a bit dark, but there are some magical instances of beautiful colors popping off the screen. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a nice amount of detail in shadows. The bright whites of the show do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. Skin tones appear very natural across the entire cast. There are no egregious instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here. Even the special effects of the show mostly blend in seamlessly with the remainder of the elements for a natural presentation. The Blu-Ray presentation should thrill most fans of the show.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with an incredibly active DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that creates a truly enveloping world throughout all six seasons. Dialogue always comes through crisp and clear without being stepped on by the powerful score or any sound effects. Action sequences and more kinetic moments are given the appropriate power in the mix with a forceful showing in the low end. Ambient sounds are also precisely placed in the rear channels. The show sports some memorable music that often fills the room and perfectly complements the scenario. The audio track features an incredibly complex mix that is handled impeccably.
Special Features
Season One
- Extended Versions Of All Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
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- Rites Of Passage: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Jessalyn Gilsig
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- All Change: Actors Katheryn Winnick and Clive Standen
- Deleted Scenes: Four minutes of unused material is provided here including some domestic scenes with Ragnar and Lagertha, scenes of Ragnar seeking guidance, a moment with King Horik and more.
- Conquest and Discovery – Journeys Of The Vikings: A graphical chart featuring individual segments with historian Dr. Jochen Burgtorf who provides interesting historical background and context for the series.
- The Armory Of The Vikings: Another graphical chart featuring individual segments with historian Dr. Jochen Burgtorf who provides interesting details about some of the weapons.
- A Warrior Society – Viking Culture and Law: A 21-minute featurette which takes a look at the Viking society, the research that went into the characters, the contributions of historians to the narratives, the difference between reality and lore, and much more that is really fun to dig into for your edification.
- Birth Of The Vikings: A 17-minute look at the creation of the show from the practical world building to the development of characters and storylines and much more. There are some great insights from the creative team and cast members.
- Forging The Vikings Army – Warfare and Tactics: A 12-minute look at the immense amount of training and preparation that went into constructing the epic battles throughout the season through precise choreography and more. It is intriguing to see the vast difference between rehearsal and what we get on the show.
Season Two
- Extended Versions Of All Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
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- Blood Eagle: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Gustaf Skarsgård
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- The Lord’s Prayer: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Gustaf Skarsgård
- A Warrior Society – Rites Of Passage: A 12-minute featurette which takes a look at the important transition from youth to adult, especially as it relates to the Viking society. Not only do you get further insight into the culture, but you understand how it is utilized in the show more.
- My Family, My Enemy: A ten-minute look at the conflicts that arise in the second season for Ragnar including the build up of his power and the people who want to take it away. There are some good insights into where different characters are in their headspace at this point in the show’s narrative.
- Imagining and Executing Climactic Battles: A 13-minute featurette which once again takes a look at the immense amount of work that goes into making the epic battles featured on the show.
- The Viking Sagas – An Interactive Archival Exploration: While you have to watch a lengthy introduction before even getting to the interactive menu, this section offers you videos where you can learn about sagas of “Warriors”, “Love”, “Outlaws” and more.
Season Three
- Extended Versions Of All Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
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- Born Again: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Linus Roache
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- Breaking Point: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Linus Roache
- Deleted Scenes: Eleven minutes of unused material is provided here including some domestic scenes with Bjorn and Lagertha, scenes of Ragnar in the dining hall, talks between Ragnar and Rollo and more.
- Athelstan’s Journal Part 1: A 37-minute series of mini-sodes which explores some of the Viking cultural details such as their gods, their sense of honor and loyalty, sin and more.
- Athelstan’s Journal Part 2: A 10-minute series of mini-sodes entitled Stones & Bones which explores some of the Viking cultural details such as how they view vows, death and more.
- The Guide To The Gods – Interactive Exploration: A lengthy introduction leads to the interactive menu that offers you videos where you can learn about the various gods.
- Heavy Is The Head – The Politics of King Ragnar’s Rule: A 12-minute look at the difference between “accuracy” and “truth” and how the show uses what they know about the Viking culture to craft an evolving narrative that is quite thrilling.
- A City Under Siege – Creating and Attacking Paris: A 15-minute featurette which once again takes a look at the immense amount of work that goes into making the epic battles featured on the show. This time we take a closer look at the impressive Paris siege.
Season Four
- Extended Versions Of All Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
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- Mercy: Creator Michael Hirst and Historical Consultant Justin Pollard
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- The Last Ship: Creator Michael Hirst and Historical Consultant Justin Pollard
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- In The Uncertain Hour Before The Morning: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Linus Roache
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- All His Angels: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Linus Roache
- Deleted Scenes: Eight minutes of unused material is provided here including some scenes with Ragnar and Bjorn, Lagertha petting an owl and planning, and more.
- The Transformation of Rollo: An eight-minute look at the familial dynamics that hold Rollo back from greatness and how the show uses this for grand dramatic tension.
- The Viking Seafaring Prowess: An eight-minute featurette which further explores the craftsmanship that went into building ships, what the different ships mean, how much it influenced their culture and more.
- The Sons of Ragnar – Bjorn Ironside, Ivar The Boneless, Ubbe, Hvitserk, Sigurd, Eric & Agnar: A lengthy introduction leads to the interactive menu that offers you videos where you can learn about Ragnar’s sons.
- The Queen and the Shield Maiden: A nine-minute featurette which turns a focus to some of the women on the show and how they fit into the Viking culture.
- Vikings, Valhalla and the Legacy of Ragnar Lothbrok: A nine-minute exploration of the idea behind mortality and how it relates to Viking culture and our leads of the show.
- The Journeys Of Bjorn Ironside: A graphical chart featuring individual segments that show some of the travels of one of our favorite characters.
Season Five
- Extended Versions Of All Episodes
- Audio Commentaries
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- Moments Of Vision: Creator Michael Hirst
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- The Most Terrible Thing: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Gustaf Skarsgård
- Deleted Scenes: Nearly 30 minutes of unused material is provided here including some scenes with Viking singing, a graveside visit, moments with Lagertha and more.
- I Am Boneless: A nine-minute look at a character’s rise to power, his ruthlessness, how he fits into history and more.
- Bringing The Invisible People To Life – The Sami: A nearly five-minute look at the new cultural introduction to the show, where they fit into history, their unique sensibilities, how they are realized on the show and more.
- The Epic War Of Ragnar’s Sons: An eight-minute look at the gigantic war that arises when a power vacuum is created.
- The King and the Warrior Bishop: A six-minute exploration at the different types of power that Alfred wields compared to the brutality exhibited by most leaders on the show.
Season Six
- All Episodes are Extended International Versions
- Audio Commentaries
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- The Best Laid Plans: Creator Michael Hirst and Historical Consultant Justin Pollard
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- The Last Act: Creator Michael Hirst and Actor Georgia Hirst
- Deleted Scenes: 27minutes of unused material is provided here including some scenes in the dining hall, moments of motherly advice, a chat with the oracle and more.
- The Legacy Of Lagertha: A seven-minute look at the role of Lagertha, the evolving nature of her journey, the amazing Katheryn Winnick who plays her and more.
- The Epic Worlds Of Vikings: An eleven-minute look at the vast world that has been crafted over the six season including the practical sets and effects, the props, and more that allow the actors to sink effortlessly into their roles.
Final Thoughts
Vikings did not have a prestige home network like HBO to bolster its profile, but that did not keep audiences from discovering that it was one of the most exciting shows on television for six seasons. The series did a truly tremendous job with building up its world and expanding what we knew about this society in measured but satisfying ways. It was easy to become committed to these characters through their chaotic and violent journey due to the captivating performances from everyone involved. There were a few dips in quality along the way, but even the weaker moments were better than a great number of shows. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has released a stellar complete series Blu-Ray set featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and an expansive selection of special features. If you love epic storytelling that skillfully mixes complex character dynamics with pulse-pounding action, this one is not to be missed. Highly Recommended
Vikings: The Complete Series is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
