Vikings
Season 3 Episode 2: “The Wanderer”
Directed by Ken Girotti
Written and created by Michael Hirst
Starring Travis Fimmel, Clive Standen, Katheryn Winnick, Jessalyn Gilsig, George Blagden, and Gustaf Skarsgard.
The History Channel
Air Date: Thursday, February 26, 2015, 10:00pm

Last week on Vikings 3.1 “Mercenary“, the core Kattegat crew could not leave fast enough for Wessex to get what King Ecbert (Linus Roache) promised, leaving behind sad Aslaug, Siggy, and Helga (Alyssa Sutherland, Jessalyn Gilsig, and Maude Hirst, respectively). Of course he wants more.

Ragnar and company agree to fight for Princess Kwenthrith’s (Amy Bailey) stolen crown of Mercia by her father and brother. Bloody and bloodier it gets with Ragnar showing off his cunning battle strategy. Meanwhile King Ecbert gets his flirt on with Lagertha (Katherine Winnick), Athelstan (George Blagden) providing the translation, as they go to farm the lands. Lagertha left her lands in the hands of possible usurpers, so maybe she shouldn’t stay away too long.

Vikings 3.2 “The Wanderer” review: We get some insight as to why Princess Kwenthrith is so crazy and it is quite understandable and really disturbing. After a bit of celebrating their victory over the King of Mercia, they turn their attention to the other bank and there is nothing scarier that seeing Ragnar’s smile come out of the darkness with the trophies hanging from the longships. Her brother and his army fled like little girls. Lagertha and the king get a bit closer, but she should really worry about the treachery at home. And is there a love connection in Athelstan’s future?

Meanwhile the Kattegat ladies are dreamsharing. That’s not weird or prophetic at all. That they are dreaming the arrival of Kevin Durand is understandable. But really, I’m excited to see what his role will be. He usually plays villains we like, or good guys we don’t, and plays them well.

Once again, a dynamite episode.