Returning: Vikings

It’s still a long way off but SBS’s highest rating drama of 2013 and 2014, Vikings, has been given an airdate of 8:30pm Thursday March 19th.

The ten part series will kick off with a double episode and settle into a 9:30pm timeslot.

The Nordic warriors with an insatiable appetite for brutal warfare, unrestrained passion, fierce alliances and ruthless betrayals have sailed back to local shores, ready to pillage and conquer Australian television screens again.

Australia’s own Travis Fimmel (The Beast, Baytown Outlaws) continues to lead the stellar cast as Ragnar Lothbrok, the restless young warrior and family man who longs to discover and triumph over new lands across the seas. Alongside Travis is fellow Australian, former model Alyssa Sutherland (The Devil Wears Prada, Arbitrage) who stars as Ragnar’s wife.

In season three, Ragnar leads his people to an uncertain fate on the shores of Wessex in the hope of securing new land in England. King Ecbert (Linus Roache, Batman Begins, Law & Order)) has made many promises and it remains to be seen if he will keep them. However, ever the restless wanderer, Ragnar is searching for something more and he finds it in the mythical city of Paris. Rumoured to be impenetrable to outside forces, Ragnar and his band of Norsemen must come together to break down its walls and cement the Vikings legend in history.

The gripping family saga of Ragnar, Rollo (Clive Standen, Camelot, Doctor Who), Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick, Love and Other Drugs, Stand Up Guys) and Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig, Lone Survivor, Hunger Games) continues as alliances and loyal friendships are questioned, faith is catechized and relationships are strained. Vikings tells the extraordinary tales of the lives and epic adventures of these warriors and portrays life in the Dark Ages, a world ruled by raiders and explorers, through the eyes of Viking society.

Rugged Norsemen and women also returning in the new season include George Blagden (Les Misérables, Wrath of the Titans) as Athelstan, a former monk befriended by Ragnar; Jessalyn Gilsig (Glee, Friday Night Lights) as Siggy, beautiful wife of the late Earl Haraldson; Linus Roache (Link, Seaforth) as Ecbert, King of Wessex, a man of strength, knowledge and undisguised ambition; and Gustaf Skarsgard (The Way Back, Evil) as Floki, a genius ship builder and loyal yet sometimes dangerous friend of Ragnar’s.

New to the Vikings cast this season are Kalf (Ben Robson, Dracula – The Dark Prince, Hard to Lose), Lagertha’s young, handsome second in command; Harbard (Kevin Durand, Dark Angel, X-Men Origins: Wolverine), a wanderer who turns up unexpectedly in Kattagat when Ragnar and most of the men of the town are away raiding; Emperor Charles of France (Lothaire Bluteau, Black Robe, The Tudors), a complex, troubled and powerful man who views battling the Vikings as spiritual and earthly; and Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski, The Pianist, Oliver Twist), the daughter of Emperor Charles.

Vikings was created and written by premier internationally renowned historical storyteller Michael Hirst (Academy-Award winning Elizabeth, Emmy, Golden Globe nominated The Tudors). Vikings has been a huge international success with the first series being the number one cable series in the US in 2013 and the second being the number one show on the HISTORY channel in the US in 2014.

Episode one – Mercenary – Thursday 19 March at 8.30pm
Ragnar and Lagertha’s fleets depart Kattegat once more for Wessex and this time they bring a group to colonize there. King Ecbert hosts the Norsemen and proposes a deal. Despite the misgivings of some of the other leaders, Ragnar leads his forces into battle once more, but this time as allies of Wessex.

Episode two – The Wanderer – Thursday 19 March at 9.30pm
Lagertha & Athelstan help to establish the Viking settlement in Wessex. Harbard, a mysterious wanderer, arrives in Kattegat, realizing the forewarned dreams of Aslaug, Siggy and Helga.