History got in the scripted TV drama game in a big way back in 2013 with the premiere of Vikings. Although the show isn't quite as accurate to real history as we might expect of a series airing on History, it has been a hit of a series with a compelling cast and intriguing stories. The fifth season is slated to debut later this year, but History has some early good news for fans of the show. Vikings has officially been renewed for Season 6.
Vikings scored a renewal for 20 more episodes in Season 6, with production slated to begin in Ireland this fall. The episode count matches that of Season 4 and Season 5. Few details about the sixth season are currently available, but it has been confirmed that star Katheryn Winnick will direct an episode for the very first time, which we can probably take to mean that her character will survive the events of the fifth season. Surely Winnick wouldn't hang around set for Season 6 if Lagertha is killed in Season 5!
While few shows score a renewal for a new season before the latest season has even debuted, it's not too surprising that History has so much faith in the series. Vikings has scored consistently solid ratings for the network, with Season 4 episodes averaging 7.8 million viewers. For as long as Vikings is turning in impressive numbers in ratings and viewership, History will likely continue giving the series new seasons.
Interestingly, the entire run of the series to date has been penned by only one person. Vikings creator Michael Hirst has written every single episode so far, and he also serves as executive producer. His creative vision has been a good fit for History, and their collaboration will continue for a while yet. We can only hope that the show won't run out of steam any time soon.
Sadly, we still have a while to wait before we get any new episodes. Season 5 won't debut until Wednesday, November 29 at 9 p.m. ET on History, although at least we can count on an exciting first venture back. The premiere will be a two-hour event. The rest of the eight episodes that make up the first half of the season will air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET. Fans will then face a hiatus for an unspecified amount of time before the second half of Season 5 airs in 2018.
We've seen the action of Vikings come a long way over the years so far, starting with the tentative early raids to England building to the death of the leading man and continuing with increasingly fierce battles. Season 5 will put the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok in the spotlight as they explore the known world and set about conquering it. At least some of the characters will visit Iceland in Season 5, and we can bet that there will be more death and drama to come.
For what you can watch while we wait for the Season 5 premiere of Vikings, take a look at our fall TV premiere guide.
