Cover Story this week
Ragnar’s
By Kat Mulligan TV Mediasons come to blows in season 5 of ‘Vikings’
There is a call, a pull deep within that longs for a time of exploration and expansion, with oars moving quickly through foreign waters, seeking out the next adventure or new-found home with blade and axe in hand.
Since 2013, fans have heeded this call vicariously, becoming followers of Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel, “Warcraft: The Begin ning,” 2016), whose heroic actions saw him expand the Vikings’ reach far beyond the Nordic seas. What happens, however, when power is shifted — when sons who have ex acted their vengeance must now decide what is the next best move for their people? Perhaps the an swer is mere days away, as “Vi kings” returns for season 5, Wednesday, Nov. 29, on History Channel.
“Vikings” began as an ambitious project from series creator Michael Hirst, who longed to traverse the thin line between fact and fiction when it came to Viking lore. Ragnar is the perfect example of this duality, for his legacy as a fierce ruler and war rior is still the topic of much de bate, as is his personhood, for some believe him a mere legend. The series has seen Ragnar go from an honorable son and earl to the eventual but reluctant king, accom panied by his closest friend, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgård, “Kon-Tiki,” 2012), and wife Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick, “The Dark Tower,” 2017). Ragnar ac quired more land, another wife and increased his lineage, and now five key sons are set to become promi nent figures in the future.
Late Laughs
Conan
The quest to expand is never easy, and season 4 proved this. Predictions came to pass, battle lines were drawn and the leadership of the Viking people was once again left fractured, the unity Ragnar sought to achieve knocked asunder.
The chaos of last season’s finale has made season 5’s premiere highly anticipated. Everything that has come to pass during the past four seasons means little now that a war
mind. One of her sons will kill her, so the seer claimed, but will the answer be an obvious one, like Ivar (Alex Høgh Andersen, “A War,” 2015), or someone she cannot anticipate?
Meanwhile, while brothers feud, one son of Ragnar seems determined to further the Viking conquest. Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig, “Final Girl,” 2015) will finally trek to the Mediterranean this season, with trailers hinting that a desert storm or two lurks in his future.
season in “Vikings.” As noted, Floki’s character arc is at the top of many cast members’ minds, particularly that of the man who plays the role. While discussing Floki’s future with Entertainment Weekly, Skarsgård reflected on the weight of multiple sorrows that have led to his character’s surrender. According to Skarsgård, “Floki has definitely lost everything” and “submits [himself] to the will of the gods.” Skarsgård notes that “this world is not for [Floki] anymore,” and that he must go so that he can find “some sort of meaning to live again.” As a character with a rich history, his is a journey that is arguably the most anticipated to watch unfold when the series restarts this November.
President Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was charged with conspiracy against the United States. Apparently, his “conspiracy against the United States” was suggesting to Donald Trump that he run for president.
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon
Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was charged with fraud, tax evasion and money laundering as part of the Russia investigation. I don’t want to say Trump’s nervous, but he just hopped into a white Ford Bronco and took off down the highway.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
one of season 5’s most
This year’s San Diego
While other historically based series have struggled to maintain their momentum, “Vikings” seems to have captivated audiences worldwide. Much of this, no doubt, is due to the exquisite craftsmanship of the narrative, thanks to creator and writer Hirst, who is renowned for his attention to detail on historical projects. Films such as “Elizabeth” (1998) and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007), along with the beloved series “The Tudors,” speak to the devotion Hirst has to depicting key historical events with a nice serving of dramatic flair. The research involved, the intricacies of the costumes and settings, and every aspect of production is selected to ensure that the words and historical details are as closely adhered to as possible.
When it comes to “Vikings,” Hirst told Entertainment Weekly that “the show has grown in the same way the Viking age grew,” which was essential in that “it’s about real things, it’s about real people.” The success of historical dramas such as “Vikings” lies, for Hirst, not necessarily in the beautifully depicted battle sequences or the in-depth historical lore, but in the sheer fact that “in some ways, all of our lives were actually touched by Vikings and Viking culture.” The series speaks to a universal longing to be connected to ancestry, therein finding a sense of place and of self. The waters will get deeper and the waves bloodier, as the wars begin between brothers and a queen. If season 4 holds any clues for what comes next, only more heartache and treachery can await the sons of Ragnar. Unknown lands will be discovered and dire prophecies perhaps fulfilled as season 5 of “Vikings” returns Wednesday, Nov. 29, on History Channel.
Trump and his Republican buddies are still trying to do anything. So far, nothing. The latest chop at the T-ball is tax reform. Today, they announced a $1.5-trillion overhaul of the tax code, with major tax cuts to corporations and the rich. This is the biggest story! Or it would be, if we had not just heard that Beyoncé will be starring in the new “Lion King!”
The Late Show With James Corden
The Dodgers lost in seven games, but in L.A. they talk about baseball a little differently. Here they say that the Dodgers were canceled after seven episodes.
Late Night With Seth Meyers
After Hillary Clinton joked last night that she was considering dressing up as president for Halloween, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, “That’s cute. She can borrow my Donald Trump mask.” Ha, that’s Donald Trump Jr., just a chill, normal dude who owns a mask of his father’s face.
Sunday, Nov. 26
8:00 a.m. CNBC EPL Soccer Burn. at ARS London, England (Live) (2:00)
ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 E:60 (1:00)
FSN In-Depth Outdoors (0:30)
8:15 a.m. HBO Boxing Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy HBO After Dark. New York City, N.Y. (2:45)
8:30 a.m. FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)
9:00 a.m. (15) KVRR Midwest Outdoors Magazine (0:30)
ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown (Live) (3:00)
ESPN2 Fantasy Football Now (Live) (3:00)
FSN Jason Mitchell Outdoors (0:30)
NBCSN F1 Extra (Live) (0:55)
9:30 a.m. (15) KVRR Ultimate Outdoor Adventure (0:30)
FSN Vikings: Beyond the Gridiron (0:30)
9:55 a.m. NBCSN EPL Soccer Man. C. at HUD Huddersfield, England (Live) (2:05)
10:00 a.m. (9) KMSP Vikings GameDay Live (Live) (1:00)
(29) WFTC NFL Kickoff (Live) (1:00)
FSN #VikingsConnected (0:30)
10:30 a.m. FSN Vikings Huddle (0:30)
11:00 a.m. (7) KCCO The NFL Today (Live) (1:02)
(9) KMSP (15) KVRR Fox NFL Sunday (Live) (1:00)
FSN Focused (0:30)
HBO Cotto Show (0:30)
11:30 a.m. FSN In the Spotlight (0:30) Noon (9) KMSP (15) KVRR NFL Football (Live) (3:00)
(11) KARE FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Women’s Slalom Killington, Vt. (Live) (1:30)
ESPN NCAA Basketball Third Place Game PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Fifth Place Game PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:00)
FSN Champions Tennis PowerShares Series Champions Cup. Lincoln, Neb. (2:00)
NBCSN Premier League Goal Zone (Live) (1:00)
(7) KCCO NFL Football Mia. at N.E. Foxborough, Mass. (Live) (3:23)
1:00 p.m. NBCSN RFU Rugby English Premiership. Exe. vs. Sar. (2:00)
1:30 p.m. (11) KARE Red Bull Signature Series Joy Ride. Whistler, B.C. (1:30)
2:00 p.m. (5) KSTP World of X Games (0:30)
ESPN NCAA Basketball Third Place Game PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:30)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Fifth Place Game PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:30)
FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
2:30 p.m. (5) KSTP World of X Games (0:30)
FSN NBA Basketball Pho. at Min. Minneapolis, Minn. (Live) (2:30)
3:00 p.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR The OT (0:30)
(11) KARE ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Women’s Free Skate America. Lake Placid, N.Y. (Live) (2:00)
NBCSN FEI Equestrian (1:00)
3:25 p.m. (7) KCCO NFL Football Den. at Oak. Oakland, Calif. (Live) (3:05)
3:30 p.m. (9) KMSP (15) KVRR 89 Blocks (1:30)
4:00 p.m. NBCSN NCAA Basketball Temple at La S. Philadelphia, Pa. (Live) (2:00)
4:30 p.m. ESPN College Basketball Live Scoreboard (Live) (0:30)
ESPN2 Championship Drive (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:30)
ESPN2 CFL Football Grey Cup Championship. Ottawa, Ont. (Live) (3:30)
FSN Wolves Live Post-game (Live) (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central (0:30)
5:30 p.m. FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)
GOLF APGA Golf Final Round Australian Open. Sydney, Australia (5:00)
6:00 p.m. (11) KARE Football Night in America (Live) (1:20)
FSN UFC Unleashed (1:00)
NBCSN F1 Auto Racing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (2:00)
6:30 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
7:00 p.m. FSN Equestrian Calgary, Alta. (1:00)
7:20 p.m. (11) KARE NFL Football G.B. at Pit. Pittsburgh, Pa. (Live) (3:15)
7:30 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Championship PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:00)
8:00 p.m. FSN WPT Poker Montreal, Que. (1:00)
NBCSN FIA Auto Racing F2 Series Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (1:00)
8:30 p.m. (8) WDSE MN Hockey: Land of 10,000 Rinks (1:30)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Championship AdvoCare Invitational. Orlando, Fla. (Live) (2:00)
9:00 p.m. FSN Bull Riding Championship. (1:00)
NBCSN History of the NHL (2:00)
9:30 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Championship PK80. Portland, Ore. (Live) (2:30)
10:00 p.m. FSN Sled Head 24/7 (0:30)
10:30 p.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (0:30)
FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)
GOLF EPGA Golf Final Round Hong Kong Open. Fanling, Hong Kong (3:00)
10:35 p.m. (9) KMSP Fox 9 Sports Now (0:25)
11:00 p.m. (9) KMSP Vikings: Beyond the Gridiron (0:30)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Championship Wooden Legacy. Fullerton, Calif. (Live) (2:00)
FSN WPT Poker Montreal, Que. (1:00)
NBCSN Match of the Day (1:00)
11:05 p.m. (15) KVRR Vikings Game Plan (0:30)
11:35 p.m. (15) KVRR Vikings: Beyond the Gridiron (0:30)
Monday, Nov. 27
8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN Wolves Live Post-game (0:30)
GOLF Morning Drive (2:00)
NBCSN The Dan Patrick Show (Live) (3:00)
8:30 a.m. FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)
9:00 a.m. ESPN First Take (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN DFL Soccer Stutt. at Han. Hanover, Germany (2:00)
9:25 a.m. SHOW Movie (1:30)
10:00 a.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
GOLF EPGA Golf Final Round Hong Kong Open. Fanling, Hong Kong (2:00)
11:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 First Take (2:00)
FSN NBA Basketball Pho. at Min. Minneapolis, Minn. (2:00)
Noon (9) KAWE Classical Stretch: By Essentrics (0:30)
ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)
GOLF APGA Golf Final Round
Australian Open. Sydney, Australia (5:00)
NBCSN NASCAR America (Live) (1:00)
4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
ESPN2 College Football Live (Live) (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN Monday Night Countdown (Live) (2:15)
ESPN2 SportsCenter With Michael and Jemele (1:00)
FSN Vikings Huddle (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central (1:00)
NBCSN Super High Roller Cash Game (1:00)
5:30 p.m. FSN Made for the Outdoors (0:30)
NBCSN Poker Masters. (1:00)
9:00 p.m. NBCSN Poker Masters. (1:00)
9:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Post-game (Live) (0:30)
10:00 p.m. ESPN2 E:60 (1:00)
FSN Becoming Wild (0:30)
NBCSN Super High Roller Cash Game (1:00)
10:20 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt (1:40)
10:30 p.m. FSN Made for the Outdoors (0:30)
10:40 p.m. HBO Boxing Sergey Kovalev vs. Vyacheslav Shabranskyy HBO After Dark. New York City, N.Y. (2:45)
11:00 p.m. ESPN2 E:60 (1:00)
GOLF Feherty (1:00)
NBCSN Fishing With Roland Martin (0:30)
11:15 a.m. HBO Cotto Show (0:30)
11:30 a.m. NBCSN Sweetwater (0:30) Noon (9) KAWE Classical Stretch: By Essentrics (0:30)
ESPN Outside the Lines (Live) (0:30)
GOLF The Golf Fix (1:00)
NBCSN National Walleye Tour (0:30)
12:30 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (1:30)
NBCSN The Scott Martin Challenge (0:30)
1:00 p.m. ESPN2 The Paul Finebaum Show (Live) (1:00)
FSN UEFA Soccer Champions League. R. Mad. vs. APOEL (2:00)
GOLF Golf Mixed Team Final World Long Drive Championship. Thackerville, Okla. (2:00)
NBCSN Premier League Live (Live) (0:55)
1:55 p.m. NBCSN EPL Soccer TOT at Leic. Leicester, England (Live) (2:05)
3:00 p.m. FSN NHL Hockey Min. at Wpg. Winnipeg, Man. (2:00)
GOLF Golf Men’s and Women’s Final World Long Drive Championship. Thackerville, Okla. (2:00)
3:30 p.m. ESPN Highly Questionable (0:30)
ESPN2 Intentional Talk (Live) (0:30)
3:45 p.m. HBO Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (1:00)
4:00 p.m. ESPN Around the Horn (0:30)
ESPN2 The Fantasy Show (0:30)
NBCSN Premier League Goal Zone (Live) (1:00)
4:30 p.m. ESPN Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
ESPN2 College Football Live (Live) (0:30)
5:00 p.m. ESPN SportsCenter With Michael and Jemele (1:00)
ESPN2 Around the Horn (0:30)
FSN Becoming Wild (0:30)
GOLF Golf Central (1:00)
NBCSN NASCAR America (Live) (1:00)
5:30 p.m. ESPN2 Pardon the Interruption (0:30)
FSN Made for the Outdoors (0:30)
6:00 p.m. ESPN College Football Playoff (Live) (1:00)
NBCSN Super High Roller Cash Game (1:00)
12:30 p.m. ESPN NFL PrimeTime (Live) (1:00)
1:00 p.m. ESPN2 The Paul Finebaum Show (Live) (1:00)
FSN NCAA Basketball S. Dak. vs. Yng. (2:00)
NBCSN Super High Roller Cash Game (1:00)
1:30 p.m. ESPN The Fantasy Show (0:30)
2:00 p.m. ESPN NFL Live (Live) (1:30)
ESPN2 NBA: The Jump (Live) (0:30)
NBCSN Super High Roller Cash Game (1:00)
2:30 p.m. ESPN2 SportsNation (Live) (1:00)
3:00 p.m. FSN NBA Basketball Pho. at Min. Minneapolis, Minn. (2:00)
6:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Big10/ ACC Challenge. UMD at Syr. Syracuse, N.Y. (Live) (2:00)
FSN Due North Outdoors (0:30)
GOLF The Golf Fix (1:00)
NBCSN Poker Masters. (1:00)
6:30 p.m. FSN Wild Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
7:00 p.m. FSN NHL Hockey Min. at Wpg. Winnipeg, Man. (Live) (2:30)
GOLF APGA Golf Final Round
Australian Open. Sydney, Australia (5:00)
NBCSN Poker Masters. (1:00)
USA WWE Monday Night Raw (3:05)
7:15 p.m. ESPN NFL Football Hou. at Blt. Baltimore, Md. (Live) (3:05)
8:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Big10/ ACC Challenge. Wis. at Vir. Charlottesville, Va. (Live) (2:00)
Tuesday, Nov. 28
8:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN Wild Live Post-game (0:30)
GOLF Morning Drive (2:00)
NBCSN The Dan Patrick Show (Live) (3:00)
8:30 a.m. FSN Becoming Wild (0:30)
9:00 a.m. ESPN First Take (Live) (2:00)
ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
FSN DFL Soccer Sch. at Dor. Dortmund, Germany (2:00)
10:00 a.m. ESPN2 SportsCenter (1:00)
GOLF Feherty (1:00)
11:00 a.m. ESPN SportsCenter (1:00)
ESPN2 First Take (2:00)
FSN NHL Hockey Min. at Wpg. Winnipeg, Man. (2:00)
ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Big-10/ ACC Challenge. N.West. at Ga.T. Atlanta, Ga. (Live) (2:00)
FSN Wolves Weekly (0:30)
GOLF School of Golf (1:00)
NBCSN NHL Live! (Live) (1:00)
6:30 p.m. FSN Wolves Live Pre-game (Live) (0:30)
7:00 p.m. ESPN NCAA Basketball Big10/ ACC Challenge. L.ville at Purd. West Lafayette, Ind. (Live) (2:00)
FSN NBA Basketball Was. at Min. Minneapolis, Minn. (Live) (2:30)
NBCSN NHL Hockey Chi. at Nash. Nashville, Tenn. (Live) (2:45)
USA WWE Super Smackdown (2:00)
8:00 p.m. ESPN2 NCAA Basketball Big10/ ACC Challenge. Ia. at Vir.T Blacksburg, Va. (Live) (2:00)
SHOW Inside the NFL (1:00)
9:00 p.m. ESPN NBA Basketball Den. at Utah Salt Lake City, Utah (Live) (2:30)
There’s something about good music and good food that just makes them go well together. They’re both great on their own, but put them together and you can create something that really feeds the soul.
Music legend Patti LaBelle couldn’t epitomize the union between music and food any better if she tried. As the “Godmother of soul,” LaBelle maintains a legacy in the music industry that is undisputed, with her solo career first catching fire in 1984, with hit singles
“New Attitude” and “Stir It Up” successfully crossing over to pop radio stations. As for food, she proved pretty decisively in the first
season of her Cooking Channel series that she can blend together flavors in the kitchen just as beautifully as she does harmonies in the recording studio or on stage.
When the second season of “Patti LaBelle’s Place” premieres
Sunday, Nov. 26, on Cooking Channel, the Grammy Hall of Fame member invites Cedric the Entertainer (“The Soul Man”) over to her place for some music, laughter and, of course, hearty food. First, LaBelle shares her secrets to making perfect lamb chops and candied sweet potatoes, which she serves with fresh sautéed spinach.
Cedric the Entertainer isn’t her only guest for the season premiere, though. “Dancing with the Stars” judge Carrie Ann Inaba reunites with LaBelle — who was a contes-
tant in the dance show’s 20th season — when she also swings by for a bite to eat. Luckily, the host is always ready for another hungry mouth; she quickly whips up a simple and delicious raspberry pie that gets everyone’s taste buds dancing.
Over the course of the season, LaBelle welcomes many more high-profile guests, including Laverne Cox (“Orange Is the New Black”), R&B artist Johnny Gill, for-
mer “NBC News” anchor Tamron Hall, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez and actress/comedian Kym Whitley (“Young & Hungry”). Of course, LaBelle’s guests aren’t just getting warm food and even warmer hospitality. Music is the host’s true passion, and it fills every frame in the second season of “Patti LaBelle’s Place,” premiering Sunday, Nov. 26, on Cooking Channel.
3:00 p.m. TRAV Bizarre
12:30 p.m. (2) KTCA America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated
TRAV Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations
1:00 p.m. (2) KTCA The Great British Baking Show
TRAV Food Paradise
2:00 p.m. (2) KTCA The Great British Baking Show
TRAV Food Paradise
2:30 p.m. (8) WDSE Martha Stewart’s Cooking School
3:00 p.m. (8) WDSE Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street
TRAV Food Paradise
4:00 p.m. TRAV Food Paradise
Brainerd Daily Dispatch, MN: Food Nov 26, 2017 to Dec 2, 2017
Videoreleases
Logan Lucky
After he’s laid off from his construction job at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jimmy Logan (Tatum) comes up with a plan to rob the motorsport complex. He and his bartender brother, Clyde (Driver), recruit an incarcerated safe cracker (Craig) to help pull off their criminal scheme, but first they’ll have to break him out of prison. After arranging a prison riot, disabling a generator and blowing up a pneumatic pipe, they make off with a sizable sum of cash, but an FBI agent (Swank) won’t rest until she’s tracked them down.
Super Dark Times
When a group of four high school friends are bored one afternoon, they blow off some steam by playing with Josh’s (Tahan) older brother’s katana sword. When the boys start feuding, Daryl (Talisman) is accidentally stabbed and killed. In a panic, the other three boys bury Daryl, hide the weapon and vow to keep what happened a secret between them. However, when Josh stops showing up for classes, the others begin to fear that their secret is coming out of hiding.
Director:KevinPhillips.Stars:Owen
Solution on page 10.
Director:StevenSoderbergh.Stars: ChanningTatum,AdamDriver, DanielCraig,HilarySwank,Katie Holmes.2017.118min.Comedy.
Campbell,CharlieTahan,Elizabeth Cappuccino,MaxTalisman,Sawyer Barth,AmyHargreaves.2017.100 mins.Drama.