The first season of Vikings received generally positive reviews from critics, with an 81% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show was praised for its action sequences, costumes, and performances, particularly Travis Fimmel's portrayal of Ragnar.
The season’s greatest strength, however, is its nuanced characterization, particularly of Ragnar Lothbrok. Unlike the horned-helmet caricatures of popular culture, Hirst’s Ragnar is an intellectual and a seeker. He is driven not by bloodlust but by an insatiable curiosity—about other civilizations, their gods, and their systems of governance. When his crew first encounters the monks of Lindisfarne, Ragnar is not simply a savage killer; he is a pragmatist who recognizes that monasteries are undefended storehouses of wealth, but he is also genuinely fascinated by the Christian liturgy and architecture. Travis Fimmel’s performance, all twitchy stillness and sudden, wolfish grins, presents a man constantly calculating, questioning, and yearning. This complexity extends to the supporting cast: Katheryn Winnick as his fierce, shield-maiden wife Lagertha, who is his equal in battle and ambition; Gustaf Skarsgård as the cunning, envious shipbuilder Floki; and Gabriel Byrne as the tragically doomed Earl Haraldson, a tyrant whose cruelty stems from genuine fear for his people’s survival. No one is purely heroic or villainous; all are products of a harsh, honor-bound world. viking series season 1