the actors playing Ragnar and Floki chew up the scenery [no spoilers]

there, i said it.

Rollo and Athelstan are both done brilliantly and i'll use them to contrast.

the portrayal of Athelstan speaks so much to my experience as a low support needs autistic person, like i would even choose it as an example of good representation if it were stated to be that. the character always defies expectation and rarely feels comfortable conforming to a social style. he always leans on someone who doesn't punish his strangeness to help him navigate socially. he always speaks directly and honestly, tends towards trusting people, and can't perceive deception until there is evidence of it. i would think the actor either is, or recognised the similarities and did a lot of outside work to portray it this way. it comes across perfectly.

Floki is like a bunch of stereotypes of different kinds of "whacky weirdo" thrown together that doesn't really match anyone's actual personality or experience. i get that it's meant to be fun, but even narratively the portrayal often comes into conflict with the development of the character. he is first described as shy but later is brimming with confidence in crowds of people and stressful situations, and his mannerisms and ways of interacting don't change at all to represent this.

Rollo is a great example of dynamic acting. the role he plays is so muted for so much of the series, and it seems like not much effort, but when he really shows the emotion it not only stands out and grips you so strongly that you feel it, but it also highlights how much work went into the silence. it's part of a whole. he is a character that doubts himself and so suppresses his true feelings. he feels stupid and so rarely speaks out of turn. he is therefore burdened by his unrecognised thoughtfulness and that weight is tangible in his expressions.

Ragnar twitches and occasionally widens his eyes or tilts his head strangely. nah really like that's it, no matter what mood he's expressing that's always it. the energy he gives when he's sweet-talking a love interest is basically the same energy as when he's torturing an enemy. it never changes.

come at me then 😁