Similarly, I was disappointed in the way Ashur (my favourite gladiator) becomes a stock villain rather than the multi-layered personality of the previous shows. The stuff involving the Roman characters is a bit repetitive, and it was a mistake to bring back a major female character whose storyline was already spent at the end of BLOOD & SAND.
It's not quite as good as the first couple of seasons, and that's due to some minor flaws in the writing. Review of Vengeance: Fans who wondered whether SPARTACUS could continue in the wake of star Andy Whitfield's death needn't have worried: VENGEANCE proves to be a decent follow up to BLOOD & SAND, offering the same kind of plotting and intrigue that fans of the show love, albeit with a few changes to the format. Still top drawer entertainment throughout, excellent fight scenes combined with truly intriguing plotting. In particular, the characters of Crixus and Ashur bag decent, unexpected story lines, although I was less enamoured with Gannicus himself. His character arc is engaging, as are the various cloak-and-dagger shenanigans that take place at his ludos. I particularly like the shift in focus so that Batiatus is now a 'good' character when shown in comparison to his even-more-dastardly colleagues. At first I wondered whether the format would work with a different character in the leading role, but I needn't have worried: it turns out to be fantastic entertainment, just as good as the original show. Review of Gods of the Arena: GODS OF THE ARENA is the six-part prequel miniseries following on from BLOOD & SAND, necessitated by star Andy Whitfield's illness. As the credits on the final episode rolled, I realised I'd watched a show that had become the stuff of genius, that had engaged my emotions to the max, and that I'll be gobbling up any future sequels or prequels that come along.
#Spartacus season 1 review series#
The series builds on itself as it goes along, increasing the stakes, throwing in some genuine twists and shocks you won't see coming, and eventually culminating in the best finale of any series I've ever seen to say it's dramatically satisfying is a real understatement. On the gladiator front, Peter Mensah and Manu Bennett are all heart as Doctore and Crixus respectively, and Nick Tarabay is a sly delight as the sneaking Ashur. Lucy Lawless brushes aside memories of XENA with the cunning and manipulative Lucretia, and watching her snappy dialogue with Hannah is the stuff of pure joy. John Hannah is an actor I could never stand, but his hammy, larger-than-life turn as Batiatus is almost legendary. The late, lamented Andy Whitfield is all heart in the titular role, but it's the supporting characters who really stand out. On the surface, the show is all about gladiator combat – and there are tons of grisly fight scenes – but at its heart it's another variation on UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, depicting the lives of the masters and their slaves and showing how the two worlds interact. However, then I started getting to know – and like – the individuals and each episode just seemed to get better and better. The 300-style slow-mo fight scenes and lashings of CGI gore take some getting used to. I'll admit that the first couple of episodes (the first series runs for 13) left me distinctly ambivalent. SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND came out a couple of years ago, and only now have I caved in to see what all the fuss is about I'm glad I did, because this gladiator drama is every bit the equal of ROME.
#Spartacus season 1 review tv#
Review of Blood and Sand: After ROME, I've always been on the look out for adult-oriented historical TV series that bring ancient eras to life in all their vivid, bloody glory.
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