So, this is a sequel to the original Vikings. Taking place 100 years later, with new characters, new places, new buildings, and a new history story. I'm gonna say it now, it's not as good as the original Vikings. I agree with people on that. BUT, it is just good enough to watch all the way through. You don't have to watch it for the sake of the characters, just watch it for the sake of seeing what happens. This is why I recommend it in that sense.
As a tremendous fan of the original Vikings series, my expectations were naturally high for this sequel. In the first episode, I was quite disappointed. As the Viking characters, particularly the male Viking characters ALL LOOK THE SAME. There's nothing physically distinct about the main characters, besides different hair colour, and the fact that some of them are from Norway and some of them are from Greenland. I can't remember their names. The guy who brings everyone together to go and attack England and leads the armies, just looks like an older version of Harald's grandson!
The casting and the looks do not work for me. But that being said, I do like the characters, their motives and their backgrounds. I also really like the story. It truly does feel like a whole century has passed since the ending of Vikings. I like how England has evolved overtime more than Norway when it comes to buildings and counties. I like how in Norway, a lot of Vikings have converted to Christianity and already hate the Vikings who still believe in the Old Ways. There's conflict between them, which leads into a Civil War. I'm all for that. (The actor who plays Cumber The Ice King from Cursed is in this, and he's one of the leaders of Christian Vikings. This is a much better role for him, and I like his character).
There aren't many nods or connections to the original characters we remember and love from the original, at all. Which does make this sequel feel a bit empty and non inspired sometimes. There are a few, such as the guy who is Harlad's grandson, and that French girl who is Rollo's great granddaughter or something like that. But Harlad's grandson is pretty much NOTHING LIKE him. And the French girl...well, I like her cunning personality, but she doesn't do anything! She's just kind of there at the English Castle, to try and help the Prince, and to become a Viking's mistress, I wanted to see her resemble Rollo in multiple ways, like giving battle strategies to the English Nobles, commanding, maybe even fighting a little bit. She was really underused.
The one thing which REALLY annoyed me was when the Viking Villain died at the end of the season. He was my favourite character in the whole season. I loved the idea of a Viking who converted to Christianity, not because he had to do it, not because he was influenced to do it, but because he disagreed with the Pagan ways and saw no purpose in them. He found purpose in the Christian ways instead. And he wanted to stop Vikings from still using the Old Ways, like sacrifice, something that he felt was so unneeded. After seeing his brother get sacrificed, for no reason other than to appease gods that are probably not even real. Even though he was brutal and nasty, I did get where he was coming from and I did feel sympathy for him about his brother. I was sad when he died, I wanted to see a lot more of him in Season 2 which is coming soon.
So, even though there are a lot of things I don't like, I'm watching this series purely just to see what happens and to see what historical things happen to continue the legacy of the Great Vikings who once lived in real life.