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Whats better, The Last Kingdom or Vikings?

Which is better?

  • The Last Kingdom

    Votes: 76 67.3%

  • Vikings

    Votes: 37 32.7%
  • Total voters
    113
sgtnosboss

sgtnosboss

Member
Nov 9, 2017
4,786
I am not trying to make any close comparison, because honestly I haven't watched either. After GOT and The Witcher though I am looking for another show with good fights, sword play, and just all around love that era type setting. It doesn't have to be better just for the reasons I listed. If you have other reasons please say!

So people that have actually watched both, which is better?
 
Sheepinator

Sheepinator

Member
Jul 25, 2018
27,996
I've watched all of both, except for the first few eps of the latest Vikings season. I voted Last Kingdom. It's been excellent throughout, whereas Vikings was only truly great for seasons 1 and 2.

Btw, looking at history, Vikings is sort of an unofficial prequel to Last Kingdom, which takes place a few decades after the events of Vikings.

For the type of show you mentioned, you should check out Spartacus and Black Sails. Both are top top tier.
 
Dysun

Dysun

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,975
Miami
Havent seen The Last Kingdom yet, but Vikings is good fun at first and gets weaker later. Based on what everyone says TLK will probably be the run away winner here
 
Prolepro

Prolepro

Ghostwire: BooShock
Banned
Nov 6, 2017
7,310
Vikings was pretty good to great for a couple seasons, then declined when a major character dies Aethelstan, and pretty much stopped being interesting when another major character dies Ragnar.

Only saw the first season of TLK and it was okay. Might get to it later.

The real answer is Vinland Saga.
 
iareharSon

iareharSon

Member
Oct 30, 2017
8,940
Vikings is really good for a few seasons but falls off a cliff. It has some really high highs, and really low lows - but is overall good over that stretch. I would say that The Last Kingdom is a more quality experience though.
 
Herne

Herne

Member
Dec 10, 2017
5,318
Agreed with everyone here, Vikings starts out strong for the first two seasons, then it starts going downhill. The Last Kingdom is solid throughout so far.
 
Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 29, 2017
3,837
Michigan
I enjoyed watching Vikings for several seasons and then it really just fell apart in a few different stages. Last Kingdom is, so far, an excellent watch.
 
OP
OP
sgtnosboss

sgtnosboss

Member
Nov 9, 2017
4,786
Sheepinator said:
I've watched all of both, except for the first few eps of the latest Vikings season. I voted Last Kingdom. It's been excellent throughout, whereas Vikings was only truly great for seasons 1 and 2.

Btw, looking at history, Vikings is sort of an unofficial prequel to Last Kingdom, which takes place a few decades after the events of Vikings.

For the type of show you mentioned, you should check out Spartacus and Black Sails. Both are top top tier.
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never heard of Black Sail, but I have watched all of Spartacus and loved it
 
Disco

Disco

Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,449
Black Sails is the best any of these shows have gotten imo, including Spartacus and Vinland in that mix too (though Vinland has had such a good first season and I hope it continues)
 
CassCade

CassCade

Banned
Nov 2, 2017
2,037
The Last Kingdom is much more consistent and therefore "better" but the first 2-3 seasons of Vikings are great, the latter seasons decline in quality but are still watchable.

You should listen to those mentioning Black Sails, it is better than both but the first half of season 1 is kinda meh but if you stick with it, you'll find a rewarding show.
 
Lord Arcadio

Lord Arcadio

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,172
Whatever happened to the show about the Roman invasion of Britain? The one where the Celts had magic. It looked awful.
 
Sunster

Sunster

The Fallen
Oct 5, 2018
10,017
I love Vikings, even the recent seasons. When I watched the first 2 episodes of The Last Kingdom, it felt like a duller, lower budget version of Vikings. Weeks later when I saw the thread here about it and everyone was praising it, I gave it another try. It takes off like a rocket after those first few episodes... Amazing show
 

jimtothehum

Member
Mar 23, 2018
1,491
I have not seen Vikings, so I can't make a comparison, but I will say that Last Kingdom is definitely worth your time.
 
Stuntman

Stuntman

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
2,157
TLK is great, the budget is probably low but it looks and feels great. Great use of locations.
 

Deleted member 46948

Account closed at user request
Banned
Aug 22, 2018
8,852
Vikings was very entertaining while Travis Fimmel carried the show, after that it fell off a cliff.

The Last Kingdom is still great.
 

Deleted member 46948

Account closed at user request
Banned
Aug 22, 2018
8,852
JaeCryo said:
Vikings was pretty good to great for a couple seasons, then declined when a major character dies Aethelstan, and pretty much stopped being interesting when another major character dies Ragnar.

Only saw the first season of TLK and it was okay. Might get to it later.

The real answer is Vinland Saga.
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No love for my boi King "Yes I'm corrupt" Ecbert, huh
 
ThreepQuest64

ThreepQuest64

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
5,735
Germany
I love both series. Vikings took two episodes to got me hooked. Last Kingdom a few more. While Last Kingdom heavily focuses on Uthred, I like how Vikings incorporates several interesting characters despite Ragnar Lothbrok being the focus of the first four seasons.

Both series show excellent and great battles with many twists while Vikings manages to show their characters a bit more dirtier (in regards of makeup) and it also shows more of Norse rituals and traditions while Last Kingdom focuses more on Christianity and the clash between a character that is torn between two worlds (something Vikings also did for the first three seasons and which was also excellently executed).

I still remember this one scene where Ragnar safes Queen Kwenthrith from an arrow with his shield on their boat and he asks her if it was his or her God who just saved her. I really like this ambivalence which shows the absurdity of having and allowing only one true god and the desire to destroy the others for other reasons that mere power over people.

Vikings wants to cover as much locations and time as possible with the Mediterranean Sea, Francia, the Silk Road, many different places within Britain and Norway/Scandinavia. The Last Kingdom focuses almost entirely on Britain but does so more intricate and grounded.

In that regard both series are very different and while they seem very alike on the surface I think both want to achieve something different. And for this I really love both. Can't wait for the next season of TLK.

Claven said:
Ecbert
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This character... fucking amazing and brilliantly played by Linus Roache in Vikings. I enjoyed every scene with him. It was a blast to watch him.
 
Meauxse

Meauxse

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,242
New Orleans, LA
TLK takes maybe 3 eps to get hooked. The first two seasons are a hell of a ride, pure binge territory.

But, yeah, I'm voting TLK because IMO it is a much more cinematic experience with a more flushed atmosphere.
 

Deleted member 24052

Banned
Oct 29, 2017
13,470
If you're itching for medieval/dark ages knights and political intrigue, I would actually like to recommend a FANTASTIC historical documentary series on youtube called Timeline (Specifically the Wars of the Roses series, and the Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty series about the Plantagenet family dynasty of kings leading up to the Wars of the Roses).

The Wars of the Roses is what Game of Thrones is based on, and you'll likely notice many similarities and historical references when watching these documentaries. Their production value is great, and they're very interesting.



As far as your direct question goes though, my fiance and I really enjoy Vikings.
 
Sheepinator

Sheepinator

Member
Jul 25, 2018
27,996
CassCade said:
You should listen to those mentioning Black Sails, it is better than both but the first half of season 1 is kinda meh but if you stick with it, you'll find a rewarding show.
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Indeed re Black Sails. The middle of S1 was the weakest, around eps 3-6, too much talking, but once it picks up it never stops until the entire series ends.
 

Deleted member 16516

User requested account closure
Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,427
As good as The Last Kingdom is, it's a shame nothing in this genre has come close to matching the quality of Rome since it ended.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,656
The Last Kingdom is way better. Vikings was good at first, but it really shat the bed later.

TLK has only gotten better every season.
 
PopcornMegaphone

PopcornMegaphone

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,158
The Last Kingdom by a country mile. Vikings was fun at first, the latter seasons are awful. I stopped watching after awhile.

edit - due to this thread I added Black Sails to my Hulu list. I'm looking forward to it.
 
CreeperBlocks

CreeperBlocks

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,082
Canada
I feel you could've ended The Last Kingdom last season on how it ended but I'm glad we're getting another. That being said the last Kingdom is a better Viking Show than Vikings
 
CassCade

CassCade

Banned
Nov 2, 2017
2,037
Sheepinator said:
Indeed re Black Sails. The middle of S1 was the weakest, around eps 3-6, too much talking, but once it picks up it never stops until the entire series ends.
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So true and it has one of the best series finales I have seen.
Edmond Dantès said:
As good as The Last Kingdom is, it's a shame nothing in this genre has come close to matching the quality of Rome since it ended.
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So true, Rome was magnificent and I was so interested with the direction a 3rd season would have taken. I think it would have been more successful in a post GOT world.
 
Sheepinator

Sheepinator

Member
Jul 25, 2018
27,996
Rome was ahead of its time. Probably too expensive when it was made, but after GoT those kinds of budgets might be more tolerated. I hope everyone who watched it also saw Spartacus. It takes a few eps to get going, and you might be put off by the effects at first, but then it's spectacular.
 
H.Cornerstone

H.Cornerstone

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,717
Yeah, I loved the first 2 seasons of Vikings, but really felt like they didn't know what to do with it after season 3, and I stopped after season 4 Part 1. I just didn't like Ivar or Ragnar's sons at all.

The Last Kingdom is good from the beginning and I felt Season 3 was the best one yet.
 
Hayeya

Hayeya

Member
Oct 29, 2017
3,807
Canada
Vikings first 4 seasons were awesome until THAT thing happens and everything goes downhill.
It is still fun and good, but nothing special.

Will watch TLK soon.
 
BringBackSonics

BringBackSonics

Member
Oct 27, 2017
45,160
Seattle
I've watched all three seasons of Last Kingdom and four seasons of Vikings (In my first watch). I have to say The Last Kingdom. The Third Season of LK has been the best season out of any of the both shows. While I enjoyed the first two seasons of Vikings, I feel like it dropped it a bit off for me after the second season.
 
Freedonia

Freedonia

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,054
Vikings was good fun for the first three seasons, I stopped during the fourth. The Last Kingdom, on the otherhand, just keeps getting better
 
TheRuralJuror

TheRuralJuror

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,499
Last kingdom. I prefer it's approach of putting a fictional character into historical situations than Vikings approach of just using the characters for whatever. Good show. Early Vikings was good, but it definitely falls off as we go.
 
Corleth the Fey

Corleth the Fey

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,801
Southend on Sea, UK
Destiny is all.

I'll stan for Last Kingdom all day everyday. I've watched all three seasons at least three times now. This is a lot of TV. Normally, I'll see the good stuff once and move on. Not with TLK. Can't wait for a least one more re watch before season 4.
 
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