Vikings fans urged to watch historical drama with 82% approval rating

Devotees of Vikings are on the hunt for historical dramas of the same calibre, following the conclusion of the beloved series on Prime Video.

The show has garnered a loyal fanbase, leaving many disheartened as it came to an end.

Yet, followers of shows like Vikings and The Last Kingdom are in for a treat as ITVX is serving up a visual feast with an adaptation of Bernard Cornwell's The Warlord Chronicles trilogy.

Making its initial debut on MGM+ in America during 2023, The Winter King later graced ITVX in the UK, much to the delight of keen viewers.

The series features Iain De Caestecker in the role of Arthur Pendragon and Stuart Campbell as Derfel Cadarn, a Saxon warrior under Arthur's wing.

Although The Winter King was discontinued after just one season, it still amassed fairly positive acclaim.

Rotten Tomatoes bestowed upon The Winter King an 82% approval rating, with critics concluding that "Action-packed and sprawling in scope, The Winter King compensates for its lack of fidelity to Bernard Cornwell's books with sheer entertainment value."

The series also received a moderate Metacritic score of 60 out of 100, based on the reviews from seven critics.

Despite some viewers praising the TV rendition, there were those who bemoaned its deviations from the original literature.

Reddit user WhyssKrilm candidly shared: "I know this will p*** some people off, but I really don't care what fans of the books think, for the same reason I don't care what comic book fans think of Marvel or DC movies."

One viewer was unfazed by deviations from the original text, remarking, "I don't care if it's faithful to the source material, I only care if it itself is any good. I don't care if it's radically different from how Arthur is portrayed in the books, I think it's a very interesting choice to portray him as cunning and strategic, rather than physically imposing."

Aligning with this perspective, user ApprehensiveGolf188 chimed in: "I'm with you. I've seen plenty of shows that had more problems than this one that got a second season."

They further mused on the challenges of adapting literature, stating, "It's tough to take on a beloved book and turn it into long form media and make something people will get behind."

Bracing for potential backlash, they concluded, "I know this is Reddit, so I suppose I will get slaughtered for saying that, but I'm just finishing binging this and I'm glad enough I did."

The Winter King is available on ITVX