A new historical drama, which features an eight-season Game of Thrones star as one of its leads, comes off as the perfect TV show for fans of Vikings. Although the show in question is yet to match the high critical acclaim of Vikings and its sequel, Vikings: Valhalla, it shows immense potential in its opening installment.
Created by Michael Hirst, Vikings draws from the story of Ragnar Lodbrok, walking through everything from the scourge of Anglo-Saxon England and West Francia to the adventures of Ragnar’s sons. In its incredible six-season runtime, Vikings never leaves a dull moment, explaining why it boasts an incredible Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%.
The show’s sequel, Vikings: Valhalla, too, perfectly carried its legacy for three nearly-perfect installments. Considering the Vikings franchise’s incredible run, only a few historical dramas can come close to matching its mastery of historical storytelling. A new drama in the genre is not there yet, but it shows enough potential to come close.
Vikings & Valhalla Fans Will Love Prime Video’s New King & Conqueror Show
Vikings and its spin-off Vikings: Valhalla unfold somewhere between the late 10th and early 11th centuries. Meanwhile, the new show, King & Conqueror, primarily takes place before the Battle of Hastings in 1066, walking through all the major events that led to it. Since the Battle of Hastings marked the end of the Viking Age, Vikings: Valhalla can be seen as the perfect setup for King & Conqueror.
Despite seemingly having several historical and timeline overlaps, however, Vikings and King & Conqueror, unfold from significantly different perspectives. For instance, Vikings, as its name suggests, focuses more on the Norsemen and their relentless efforts to conquer England.
King & Conqueror, on the other hand, unfolds from the POV of the English and Norman, highlighting all the political conflicts that eventually led to the Norman Conquest. This change in perspective makes King & Conqueror the perfect companion piece to Vikings, allowing viewers to see similar events through a contrasting lens.
Vikings’ Shows & King & Conqueror Face Divisive Responses For Historical Inaccuracies
Despite earning critical acclaim throughout its runtime, Vikings was often criticized for blurring the lines between fact and fiction. King & Conqueror, too, has received a divisive response for touting itself as a historical drama but not taking real history too seriously. While Vikings significantly compresses the timeline of real historical events, the new show alters the nature of many real relationships.
Even when it comes to costume design and character appearances, Vikings riffs more on the public perception of the titular seafarers instead of staying true to archaeological evidence. While this aesthetic choice makes the show more appealing, it adds another layer of unrealistic dramatic flair.
Similarly, in King & Conqueror, key figures like Edgar Ætheling are completely removed from the story, while others, like Edith of Wessex, are completely changed. Owing to these changes in both Vikings and King & Conqueror, both shows should be seen for their entertainment value and perceived less as history lessons.
Vikings
6/10
- Release Date
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2013 – 2020-00-00
