1. The Thor Films Made Norse Mythology Cool(er)
If Game of Thrones transformed fantasy from a niche genre into a commercially viable one then the Thor films changed the way we look at vikings. No longer were they the bad guys in silly helmets (except well you know Loki): they were heroes, relatable protagonists and hugely popular. Thor is even in Vikings, although hes not played by Chris Hemsworth but a large, wooden statue. With Thor: The Dark World in cinemas now and a third film confirmed to be in the works it looks like theyre going to be around in the media for a while. Lets hope that that success also translates to season 2 of Vikings. Need another reason? The main characters name translates as Ragnar HairyTrousers. (Apparently that part of the saga is usually left untranslated.) Thats not actually a reason to watch the show, just an amusing fact. Plus who wouldnt want to hear that story over a horn of mead? Vikings is set to air some time in 2014 on the History channel, or, if you want to catch up, its available on DVD (Region 1 only so far) or Lovefilm. Heres hoping the second season is as good as the first.