Spartacus: Blood and Sand

I started watching this very belatedly in early 2019 while waiting for the final season of Game of Thrones. I figured some swords-and-sandals would fit the bill in the meantime.

For the first two episodes, that's exactly what I got. Nothing special; a lot of gory violence, graphic sex and nudity, and colourful baroque mock-Shakespearean dialogue so over-the-top that I couldn't tell whether the acting was good or not. However, I had seen John Hannah (Batiatus) and Lucy Lawless (Lucretia) in other things before, so I stuck with it.

And damn, did the show hook me quickly after that. Yes, the dialogue is absurd and nobody ever spoke like that, but the actors deliver it with such unrestrained gusto and are clearly having such a blast making the show that you can't help but get swept up in it. Also, the dialogue has the added virtue of being clever and well-written: for example, there's a scene in the final season (don't worry, no spoilers) in which Marcus Crassus is having a discussion with his son Tiberius and a young Julius Caesar. Crassus is speaking to both of them, and they are answering him -- but Crassus is completely oblivious to the fact that Tiberius and Caesar are simultaneously having their own verbal sparring match against each other, while still advancing their three-way discussion. I rewound that scene a few times just to watch it play out.

Gory violence and graphic sex can only sustain a show for so long; fortunately, the characters are beautifully written and developed, and their relationships with each other (romantic or otherwise) are allowed to evolve and progress. By the end of the show I had come to care greatly about the central characters -- and what else could possibly be the mark of well-written characters effectively portrayed?

It's the stuff of TV legend by this point that Andy Whitfield, who gave a virtuoso performance as Spartacus in season one, was diagnosed with cancer shortly after filming wrapped, and that it took his life. The switch to his successor Liam McIntyre took a little bit to get used to, but McIntyre stepped into the unenviable position of taking over from a well-liked and tragically departed predecessor in a central role, and made it his own. No small feat, that.

In closing, if you're not a fan of gory violence, graphic sex and nudity, and casual profanity, this show won't be for you. If you're a "fan" of those things, watch the show, and you'll be surprised by how quickly they take a back seat to the story and the characters. Enjoy!

I can't stand much of whats on TV. What I love about this show is the amount of sensuality and poetry it brings to the table, while not being sensory with respect to sexuality, violence, and ethics. I usually hate romance, but the romance in this movie is genuine, there are several forms of love and lust that are identified in the episodes. The fact that they have homosexuality in it despite possible conflicting interest--what would seem to attract small target audience--does suggest a good portrayal of sexuality at that time (Although i doubt that only a couple of them would be subject to homosexual lust because many of the mentors and mentees mated at that time).

As a previous rater stated, the characters have shades of evil and good. Their ethics seems to match what values were imbedded in the roman civilization. The reason there is so much blood and it over indulges is because the show not only explicitly includes sensual dialogue, but the way it is directed and the tactics of capturing violence and glory are not 2D and speak to its sensuality. Bottom line: if you are a passionate person, you will enjoy the dramatic dialogue and poetry, the sexuality, and the brutality.

Spartacus is ridiculously underrated and absolutely one of my favorite tv shows ever! It is one of the rare shows where each season is just as incredible as the others, all 4 seasons are fantastic & some of the best tv I've ever seen! I've watched the entire series 3 times already. After the original actor (Andrew Whitfield) who played Spartacus sadly died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after Season 1, they had to recast it and the actor who replaced him (Liam McIntyre) as Spartacus was just as terrific! Do yourself a favor and watch this incredible series immediately...you will not be disappointed! It really is the perfect show!

Well, this one is going to be a hit for Starz. It will sell good on DVD's also. As far as I think will happen. Visually it is a kind of hybrid between "Gladiator" and "300". The story is way more action and fight oriented than HBO's "Rome" for example. We all know the story - the enslaved Thracian (from the lands where the country Bulgaria is right now), who fought his way trough the arenas of Rome and eventually lead a army of followers against Rome. How he died is unknown. We'll see how Starz will show that in a year. They started season 2, probably estimating that Season 1 will be a success. What I saw from the first movie, I also think "Spartacus" will make it big time. Lot's of blood, skin and all other components needed for a good ratings. Good luck for those new series.

I watched the whole Spartacus series back when it first came up and now I'm revisiting it. Still, it does stand it's ground. I had no recollection of Jai Courteney being in the series and I don't like him as an actor but as Varro he is just great. All the acting is great, even when it's over the top, it all just fits together so nicely. Yeah, the GCI is a bit funny now and then but after just a few episodes, I really started to enjoy it. This show is sad, exciting and just pure fun to watch. To Andy: you made such an impression on younger me and you still do. You are a legend.