Bumping 'cause I finally catched up, last time around I waited for the entire season 4 to finish, now I watched the first half of season 5.
Well.... Travis Fimmel as Ragnar was the casting decision of a lifetime, I'm talking Heath Ledger as Joker level. Without both the actor and the character, his absence is sorely and utterly missed. Lagertha and Floki has to carry the show in a sense, and of course there are Ragnar's sons: two dull ones (one dead), a generic good guy and that goddamn psycho of Ivar.
I really, really dislike Ivar and there's nothing I like about him. His face, his haircut, his psychotic behiavour, his bullying attitude, nothing at all. And this is not a critique to the actor or the writers - most likely this is the entire point. TV and movies are full of badass villains you can root for somehow - Hannibal Lecter, Walter White, Tony Montana etc... Ivar probably is not meant to be one of them. You're MEANT to be annoyed by him and not like him one bit.
Ivar at least had one badass scene, him surrounded in the pouring rain in York screaming at all the englishmen with a blood stained face. But then again, there's a cripple sitting down alone and isolated in front of, what, 453 people and NOBODY is able to put an arrow in his foul mouth? really? ONE tried and missed and that was it?
Also, I'm not convinced about Heachmund, is he meant to be evil Athlestan being spirited away to Kattegat, only to woo Lagertha in no time to the point that she wants a goodbye kiss before the battle? battle that ages her in record time making finally the catch-up with her age (C'mon she should be 50 by now).
On the english side, Aethelwulf seemed to finally develop - there was a scene of him talking to the nobles on the throne and I swear he looked like Ecbert, maybe it was a conscious directing choice but he had the posture, the way of speaking and the mannerisms of his father, maybe he's becoming a more cunning and interesting character no wait nevermind he's dead stung by a bee. WTF?
Anyway, Floki's scenes of him exploring Iceland are of a mesmerizing beauty. Makes me wanna visit the place!