History Channel’s Vikings opened to 8.3 million viewers Sunday night, making it the highest rated cable debut of the season. The show centers on the life of Ragnar Lothbrok (played by Travis Fimmel) who at times, questions the Vikings lack of adventure, specifically that of his boss, Earl Haraldson (played by Gabriel Byrne).
Also playing a big role in the series is Katheryn Winnick, the wife of Ragnar. In real life, Winnick is a black belt badass and she shows off some of those skills in this exclusive clip.
Vikings may not have the gory flair of Game of Thrones but what it lacks in action it more than makes up for with dialogue. Lots of it. The strength of the show lies in the actors ability to build their characters, something the audience seems to enjoy (judging from episode 1 ratings).
Let’s just hope the writers can keep it going.