Australias next top viking

[CheechFU]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOlHcvmUITc

The History channel is making a historically accurate drama about vikings, specifically Ragnar Lodbrok. It's pretty good, I've watched 4 episodes and it's trying to be a bit game of thrones but it's not that good.
But Vikings!

[strangelysaucy]

Can't go wrong with a bit of Viking action. What's it called?

[Professor Bear]

It's maybe stretching the trade descriptions act, but they have decided to call it "Vikings".
I found out about it from - of all places - the "extras" menu on the new God Of War game, as apparently there is some kind of cross-promotion between the History Channel and Sony centering on the overlap of fans of button-mashing and historical fiction.  Vikings is a good show, but go in expecting something along the lines of Game Of Thrones and you'll be disappointed as it is much, much smaller in scale and focus, and then further limited by whatever elbow room is afforded by actual historical events - or at least by a historically-validated timeline of territorial expansion.  Best think of it as a completely straight-faced version of Spartacus, only without the CGI and soundstage approach that lets Spartacus run wild, though there's still plenty of brain-smashing in Vikings if that is your thing.

[smilersaltash]

I'm not knocking any attempt the History Channel is making to show something historical, even if it is inaccurate.

I have been so hacked off that one of my favorite channels has been hijacked to show crappy, 3rd rate reality shows about strange Americans living in swamps, in Alaska,in trucks, in pawn shops, in storage lockers etc that I took to leaving abusive messages on their facebook page. Their moderator has asked me nicely to bugger off so I have given up that particular pastime for the time being.

[Michaelvk]

I'm not knocking any attempt the History Channel is making to show something historical, even if it is inaccurate.

I have been so hacked off that one of my favorite channels has been hijacked to show crappy, 3rd rate reality shows about strange Americans living in swamps, in Alaska,in trucks, in pawn shops, in storage lockers etc that I took to leaving abusive messages on their facebook page. Their moderator has asked me nicely to bugger off so I have given up that particular pastime for the time being.

That cheap TV bollocks is pissing me off too.. I remember, once upon a time, watching fascinating documentaries about aviation on Discovery channel.. Long gone, of course. All now replaced by said bullshit.

[smilersaltash]

I don't know why they have done it. A while ago I could put on the History Channel, and there was always something worth watching over the course of an evening. Now sadly, there are whole weeks where there are no programs with any historical content.
In January, to make a point on their facebook page, I scanned through the whole months scheduled programming and found 4hrs of what I considered to be of a historical and factual nature.
After realising there was little for me on that channel, I started to take a more critical look at all the channels I was recieving. After a bit on research, I discovered if I cancelled my tv package and moved by telephone and internet provider I could have £55 every month to spend on dvd's of my choice.
It hasn't worked out that way, as I spent all the money saved this month on a JD statue, but you know what I mean.

[Professor Bear]

Channel providers have long used the niche remit of their channel (sci-fi, historical, autobiography, etc) to get a broadcasting licence, then gradually pack the schedule with the cheapest programming that actually fits within that remit even if only in the broadest sense, then make money back through targeted advertising or by showing shopping and "text to win" blocks.  That's why in recent years there's been a steady stream of oddly-themed reality shows coming out about Fishing Ice Road Moonshiners or whatever - the makers aim to sell them to basic cable channels for buttons to be repeated more or less forever.

History Channel might yet crawl back from the brink, mind - just look at HBO and ANC.

[smilersaltash]

I can't - I'm on freeview now 

[CheechFU]

I can't - I'm on freeview now 

Let me tell you about the internet...