The creator ofVikings, a History Channel show entering its fourth season,recently slammedGame of Thrones for its gratuitous nudity and violence, but we can't help but wonder: What's gratuitous, and what's gratifying?
Boobies are coming
Michael Hirst, who also created The Tudors, argues that Game of Thrones uses skin to sell the show without much regard for it's place in character development and plot, while Vikings only utilizes nudity when it serves a specific storytelling purpose. Because the History Channel isn't offered the same boob-baring potential as HBO, the show is required to keep most of its cast clothed with the exception of a few crucial moments—like when Odo whipped a woman in his dungeon. Kinky.
Hirst claims this BDSM scene is an important part of Odo's character and that there will be a big pay-off at the end of season 4, while scenes like the one from Littlefinger's brothel serve no larger purpose.
Which I imagine George R.R. Martin vehemently disagrees with. But I digress; the point here is that both shows feature some spectacular nudity, all of which does convey what's probably an accurate portrayal of the time period and a very, very satisfying viewer experience for the rest of us.
Either way, this much we know is true:GoT season 6 is on the way and Vikings is featuring some kind of big BDSM payoff. Get ready for one skin-filled spring.
