Despite everything we've discussed, many Vikings fans still believe the show is being sent to Valhalla way too soon. Disgruntled viewers took to Twitter to vent when the news broke, comedian Kathleen Madigan among them. "Vikings [is] being canceled after season 6," she tweeted. "I'll just go ahead and prepare my own viking funeral in solidarity. Sad news." If Hirst wants to call time on the show he created that's his prerogative, but was he a little too hasty?
He may have been on the verge of running out of actual history to work with, but that doesn't necessarily mean Vikings had to end. The Tudors was notorious for being historically inaccurate, though even leading historians admitted that the things Hirst added worked well for TV. "Yes, the scriptwriters may have taken liberties with the facts," Dr. Tracy Borman told The Telegraph, "but they have also succeeded in re-creating the drama and atmosphere of Henry VIII's court."
Vikings star Alexander Ludwig praised Hirst's willingness to take a "creative liberty" with the show, which he could have continued to do for many more seasons. It wasn't meant to be, however, and in the end the fans simply have to respect his decision. We can take solace in the fact that there's a follow-up show in the works, but for many, Hirst will never top Vikings.
