Alyssa Sutherland, Travis Fimmel and Dianne Doan as seen in “Vikings”

More Norse war: History's biggest drama is turning out to be a long-lived one. "Vikings," the historical saga about the famous Norse explorers and warriors, has been a huge hit for the cabler, and while it's still in the midst of its fourth season -- the midseason finale airs Thursday, April 21 -- it has already been re-upped for a fifth installment.

Of course, a new season of any drama usually brings at least one new face, and season 5 will be no exception. When filming of the joint Canadian-Irish production begins this summer, Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers will be standing alongside the likes of Ragnar (Travis Fimmel, "The Beast"), Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland, "The Fortune Theory," 2013) and the rest of the cast. 

The Irish actor won his Golden Globe for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the 2005 miniseries "Elvis," a role that also netted him an Emmy nomination. He has also starred in shows such as "The Tudors" and "Dracula," and starred in "Velvet Goldmine" (1998), "Mission: Impossible III" (2006) and "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002), among others, on the big screen.

Although it's been criticized by some historians for its inaccurate portrayal of some aspects of Viking culture, "Vikings" has been a huge hit with both critics and audiences: it's been nominated for six Emmys and two Critics' Choice TV Awards, and has won almost a dozen awards in its two home countries.

History has given "Vikings" fans a lot to look forward to. With the midseason finale set to air Thursday, April 21, on the cabler, the second half of season 4 is set to air later this year, and the announced season 5 is set to start filming this summer.

Inside job: Life on the inside isn't always easy, especially if "on the inside" is inside a massive, disease-ridden urban quarantine area. "Containment" is a chilling and infectious new drama set in Atlanta, and it's premiering Tuesday, April 19, on CW. When a deadly epidemic suddenly breaks out in the Georgia city, an urban quarantine is quickly set up to contain it, trapping many people on the inside.

In a modern world that's hyper-aware of the dangers of infectious outbreaks, it's a chilling premise that feels all too real.

David Gyasi ("Interstellar," 2014) stars as Lex Carnahan, an Atlanta police officer trying to keep the peace in the parts of the city that aren't under quarantine -- a job that gets a whole lot harder when he finds out that his girlfriend, Jana (Christina Marie Moses, "Starship: Rising," 2014), is one of the people trapped inside the quarantine barriers.

At least she's not alone on the inside. Kristen Gutoskie ("Restless Spirits," 1999) is Katie, an elementary school teacher in lockdown with her class; George Young ("Love... And Other Bad Habits," 2013) is Victor, a doctor and researcher with the CDC racing against time to find a cure for the infection; and Hanna Mangan Lawrence ("X: Night of Vengeance," 2011) is Teresa, a 17-year-old girl who is eight months pregnant. Cut off from the outside world, with a deadly infection moving through their ranks, these survivors are brought together in these extraordinary circumstances as their society begins to break down around them.

Officer Carnahan also isn't alone outside of the quarantined area. Claudia Black ("Pitch Black," 2000) stars as the doctor in charge of the government's response to the deadly emergency, and Trevor St. John ("The Bourne Ultimatum," 2007) stars as Leo, a journalist reporting on the earth-shattering events in Atlanta -- and who begins to uncover a conspiracy that might indicate that there's more to this outbreak than the government has led people to believe.

It's a grim story of survival and the worst aspects of humanity, but also of people coming together to face great adversity. "Containment" premieres Tuesday, April 19 on CW.

Backdoor 'Justice': The Chicago franchise just keeps on growing. "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D." and "Chicago Med" have all been big hits for NBC. The three dramas are closely tied together, and it's not unusual to find characters from one show popping up in another one.

Well, a fourth entry is about to join the ranks. "Chicago Justice" has been busy with a flurry of casting announcements since the show was revealed back in January, when it was using the working title "Chicago Law."

Carl Weathers, who's probably best known for his role as boxer Apollo Creed in the classic boxing flick "Rocky" (1976) and its sequels, is just the latest actor to join the cast, as the Cook County state attorney. He'll be starring alongside Philip Winchester ("Strike Back"), Joelle Carter ("Justified") and Nazneen Contractor ("The Border").

"You try to get somebody who inhabits the role seamlessly," executive producer Dick Wolf said of Weathers' casting.

Watch for "Chicago Justice" some time in the 2016-17 TV season.