Spartacus, Gods of the Arena

[NV Whino]

The prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand (shown last season) is off and running. This has to be one of the best shows on TV. It airs on Starz Fridays at 10:00 PM, and Netflix streams it Saturday.
A caveat, however. If nudity, sex, stylized violence and swearing offends you, this is not the show for you. If you want a rollicking good time with an action-packed story filled with political intrigue, this is the series for you. Great cast, great writing, great directing.

A note about the prequel:
Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) was diagnosed with nonhodgkins lymphoma just as they were about to shoot season 2. To buy some time to allow Andy to recover from treatment, they developed a prequel, which is airing now. Again, as they were about to film season 2, Andy was called back into treatment and had to give up the role altogether. They have just chosen a replacement for Andy and season 2 will come to fruition. In the mean time, check out the prequel and learn the back story.

[Inchworm]

1. Cool news about the prequel

not so cool news about Andy Whitfield :(

This is up in my top shows to watch out for.

:hi:

[petronius]

2. That was extremely enjoyable! Not on par with the best B&S episodes,

but I'm looking forward to the next five. Impressive how they managed to make John Hannah lose so many years...

[elocs]

3. I did watch an episode of Spartacus and although I am by no means a prude

the series does seem to be a vehicle for gratuitous nudity, sex, stylized violence and swearing. The show just seemed to be an excuse for those things. I would have been content if Spartacus was what was once considered to be an R rating, so this one is a little too much for me.

[NV Whino]

4. I don't know which episode you watched

but you need to make it to episode 3. That's when the real story starts and the political intrigue kicks in. But, like I said, this show isn't for everyone.

[Dappleganger]

6. In agreement with you...

it does lend itself to unnecessary excesses.

[siligut]

10. It is like a graphic novel, come to life

The extremes, especially the streaming blood, are evocative of the drawings in graphic novels. This last episode, Paterfamilias, was disgusting, as it was meant to be. While I have no first-hand knowledge of the behaviors of the Roman elite, I believe that is what the series hopes to reflect. Of course, this could be done through suggestion, and I would rather that were the case myself.

[Dappleganger]

5. So let me get this straight, Netflix will be streaming the new show

on Saturdays?

If so that is GREAT! We did watch the preview this week on Starz but we are hoping to cut the cord to Directv this week.

[NV Whino]

7. Yes, stair cases. Good contest

It streams via Netflix on Saturday.

[NV Whino]

8. Auto fill did me in again

No staircases in Spartacus.

[Inchworm]

9. Finally got time to watch the first episode

I'm hooked. Even though I'm fairly sure the outcome, it will be awesome to watch it all come to together.

Love the theatrics of it all!

:woohoo:

[NV Whino]

11. Episode 3

Oooo, daddy showed up! It's getting good. It's going to be hard to get all the back story in 6 episodes, but the writing is so tight, I know they can do it.

[petronius]

12. Just watched Ep4 - I suspect we'll soon find out why Tullius never shows up in B&S

:)

I'm really kind of impressed with this - for an unplanned prequel they're doing a really good job of developing character backgrounds without screwing up the already developed characters. It would be nice they'd spend more time with Crixus, Manu Bennett is doing a really good job of acting young and nervous and unpolished compared to his later persona. Gannicus is the only downer for me, he's kind of a blank spot...

[siligut]

13. Gannicus reminds me of a surfer

Dustin Clare is good looking, but lacks the presence to play Gannicus well. I thought the same thing about Tullius, so I checked to see how many episodes he is in, 3 of 6, but that would mean we won't see him next week, so I don't believe it is accurate. I loved the sky and emotion in the last scene, Lucretia will have revenge.

[petronius]

14. That 5th episode was far and away the strongest of the bunch,IMO

I'm now extremely disappointed that GotA only gets 6 episodes. :(

I was wondering how they'd get rid of Melitta without turning Oenamaus against the house - didn't really see that coming...