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TV Media Weekly | February 14 - 20, 2015 kings as they truly were: a demo- cratic and advanced civilization. "I want the show to challenge a lot of the stereotypes and social cliches about the Vikings. Their at- titudes towards women, for ex- ample, were much more enlight- ened than the Saxons and the Francs, and they were more dem- ocratic," Hirst said of this contin- ued theme in the upcoming sea- son. "I wanted to show that they were interesting, subtle and, in many ways, profound people." The show will also introduce a contrast of new characters, includ- ing Harbard, played by Canadian actor Kevin Durand ("Real Steel," 2011, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," 2009). While Harbard is described as a lowly wanderer who turns up unexpectedly when Ragnar and the others are away, this new char- acter has a profound effect on Queen Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Devil Wears Prada," 2006), as well as Siggy (Jessalyn Gilsig, "Glee") and Helga (Maude Hirst, "The Tudors"), all of whom share the same dream. Viewers will also be introduced to Emperor Charles of France, played by fellow Canadian actor Lothaire Bluteau ("24," "The Tu- dors"). According to a recent statement released by History, Charles is a powerful but troubled man who views battling the Vi- kings (no spoilers) as part of his spiritual destiny. Be sure to catch the season 3 premiere of "Vikings" when it airs Thursday, Feb. 19, on History. By Meagan Sylvester TV Media T he historically accurate world in "Vikings" is a pop- culture thirst for the Dark Ages in all its primitive guts and glory. With a touch of ro- mance and familial rift to strengthen the humility of these ancient nomadic characters, "Vi- kings" sets itself apart from the rest. As the critically acclaimed se- ries prepares to set sail on its third season, it's clear the Canadian- Irish production has developed a style of its own by scrapping the "adult only" content that appears popular on some of its rival dra- mas. With 10 Norseman ships and roughly 6,000 extras now on set, season 3 of the hit historical dra- ma "Vikings" premieres Thursday, Feb. 19, on History. For many fans, season 2 marked the end of a bloody era as Ragnar (Travis Fimmel, "The Bay- town Outlaws," 2012, "The Beast") rose above his humble ranks by defeating King Horik (Donal Logue, "Gotham") in a fi- nal showdown, thus becoming king of his people (despite a few problems on the home front). But with great power comes great re- sponsibility, and the new king is tasked with leading his people to the shores of Wessex, where the English have promised fertile agri- cultural land, but it's too soon to tell whether the proposed treaty will be honored. This season, however, Ragnar's imperial ambition leads the Vi- kings beyond the isle of modern- day England and into the heart of western Europe. In what will be "the first raid of Paris," Ragnar and his band of Norseman will work together to infiltrate the mythical city of Paris, an urban center unlike any the Vikings have seen before. "When we get to France, peo- ple are not going to expect what [the Vikings] find because the Francs — or the people who lived there at the time — were very Eastern," said show creator Mi- chael Hirst of what's to come in season 3, at Comic-Con in July last year. "The Roman Empire had spread its influence down to France, so there's African influ- ence and Egyptian influence. The court in Paris will be unlike any- thing you've ever seen." And while Hirst said he initially anticipated captivating viewers who crave those testosterone-in- duced battle scenes every week, he is surprised by the number of people who are drawn to the cul- tural and spiritual aspects of the show. In fact, Hirst says there has been a shift in historical interest among viewers, making the show both possible and popular in to- day's vast vault of television. "When the fans start talking about [the show], they talk more about the gods and the spiritual side than the battles and the vio- lence," Hirst said of the show's rising popularity among both men and women. "I thought when I wrote it we might get a History channel male-skewed au- dience, and I've wondered whether they would go for this other intellectual side. But you know, they love it." Hirst credits the recent interest in paganism and other forms of spirituality to major Viking exhibi- tions in London, England, and the writer — who works closely with historians and other consultants for accuracy — said this kind of fan-based excitement has rein- forced his desire to portray the Vi- Clive Standen and Travis Fimmel as seen in "Vikings" The fi rst raid of Paris What to expect in season 3 of the hit drama 'Vikings' 2 | Cover story CHANNEL GUIDE Comcast Walton Cable- Vision Sammo ns of Indiana Tipton Cable TV Oak Hill Cable Swayzee AT&T U-Verse

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