Spartacus, blood, sex, and sand

by Jérôme ~ February 15, 2010

After HBO killed Rome, I felt I needed to fill up the void left by the disappearance of one of my favorite TV series. I looked for some TV drama with some strong historical background and I found Spartacus – Blood and Sand on Starz.

HBO always sets the standard pretty high in term of violence, sex, and plot; Oz and Rome are the perfect example. So when I watched the first episode of Spartacus, I have to admit, my expectations were pretty low. I was ready to watch some kind of average TV show with some average acting performance.

The results was clearly not what I was expecting.
First of all the plot is pretty basic, nothing exceptional, no side story, background limited, well it was the first episode. When the show moves forward – the 4th episode has been released – the background becomes a little deeper and the story line shakes from the original line. This is more promising than after watching the first episode alone.

Compared to Rome the characters are less appealing, not because of the acting but because they do not ring any bell to the average watcher. Everybody knows Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, or Brutus, but less people know the city of Capua or Batiatus. Spartacus character is a little flat, weak background, obvious motivations, and too much stubborn.

Graphically, it’s a pure pleasure to watch; Spartacus is a smart mix between 300, Gladiator, and Rome: 300 for the slow motion and bloody fights, and the carton board background, and Gladiator and Rome for the buildings, costumes, and decorations. The action is so that your attention focuses on the images rather than the music – even if at first the music during the fights recalls 300.
As a mix of 300 and Rome, the show is really graphic and the pace is done at the first episode. The sex scenes are in the pure tradition of Rome and the fights are really bloody and might be disturbing some times, especially the first fight in the Pit.

If you decide to watch Spartacus, do not set your mind like you are about to watch some action drama like Sons of Anarchy, the story needs to build up and it is in motion to be a great one. The historical period is heavy in events and promises a lot of deepness into the story. This show has a good potential to become the next Rome if the writers do it right. Fights are sick, 300-like but it is part of the story: slavery and gladiators.

Watch, do not judge by the first episodes.