Vikings creator Michael Hirst on violent warriors, historical drama, and pagan religions

The man who created The Tudors travels even further into the past with History Channel's first scripted drama, which premieres on Sunday

Ragnar, played by Travis Fimmel stars in Hirst's latest series.
(Image credit: Facebook/Vikings)

On Sunday, History Channel is finally ready to set sail with Vikings, an ambitious attempt at a top-tier historical drama that can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Showtime's The Borgias and HBO's Game of Thrones.

Series creator, writer, and showrunner Michael Hirst has long had an interest in using entertainment to counter cultural misconceptions about Viking culture. "If you're in America or Europe, walk for three blocks and you'll pass about 14 Vikings," says Hirst. "Their reach was immense."

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.