History Renews ‘Vikings’ for Season 2

Travis Fimmel in Vikings
Travis Fimmel stars in 'Vikings' - Photo by Jonathan Hession / HISTORY

Vikings will be sticking around for another season, so says History Channel’s Dirk Hoogstra, EVP, Development and Programming. The network’s first scripted drama has caught on with audiences and is ranked as the #1 new cable series of 2013. Vikings has been averaging 5 million viewers, with ratings growing week-over-week.

The 10-episode season two renewal came with four episodes still to air of season one.

Vikings is a win win for us. As our first scripted series, Vikings has paid off in a big way with critical acclaim, strong ratings and a passionate, loyal fan base. It came out of the gate strong and has stayed on top, solidifying HISTORY as a major player in the scripted genre, just as we are in reality,” said Hoogstra. “We could not be more proud of the entire cast and crew and everyone involved in the making of Vikings. [Writer/creator] Michael Hirst has captured audiences with his complex, compelling characters and brought the unknown, epic world of these warriors to life. Season Two will begin production this summer to air in 2014.”

The Plot:

Vikings tells the extraordinary tales of the lives and epic adventures of these warriors. The drama portrays the world of these Dark Age raiders, traders, explorers – not from an outsider’s view, but, through the eyes of Viking society.

While Vikings is filled with conflict, warfare and bloodshed – for these were extreme times – it is a family saga at heart. It follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel), a curious, compelling man who is always looking to break through barriers and discover new worlds to conquer. Ragnar is deeply frustrated by the unadventurous policies of his local chieftain, Earl Haraldson (Gabriel Byrne), who continues to send his Vikings raiders east every summer, to the Baltic states and Russia, whose populations are as materially poor as themselves.

Joining Fimmel and Byrne are Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha, a fierce shield maiden and Ragnar’s wife; Jessalyn Gilsig as Siggy, Earl Haraldson’s beautiful wife; George Blagden as Athelstan, a young, innocent Christian monk captured by Ragnar on his first raid on England, Clive Standen as Rollo, Ragnar’s impulsive, wild, care-free brother and Gustaf Skarsgard a ship builder who designs the new generation of Vikings ships.