This series almost defies belief with its masterful attention to cultural detail combined with a level of accuracy that is simply astonishing for popular series or movies. One could almost believe that someone laid hands on a time machine and took the whole crew back to 52 BC for filming. Clearly, no expense was spared in the making of this series, which has all the polish and flair of a big-budget movie, combined with an archeologist's critical eye for accuracy and detail.
For the look and feel of being there, this film is miles above "Augustus", "Nero", and "Empire", which have a too-clean low budget look to them, and while having the same grittiness as "Gladiator", there are no grossly over-enlarged computer generated buildings. Instead, the real closeness of the cement insulae (multi-story apartments) that real Romans lived in are marvelously depicted, complete with the kinds of graffiti that really existed. There is trash in the streets, there is no "segmentata" armour (incorrect for this period, chain mail only!), cleansing oil is used in the baths (no soap then!) and then scraped off, the jewelry looks like it was stolen right out of a museum, the list goes on and on
As for cultural immersion, this series once again raises the bar. The Romans were a different culture and their attitudes to life and death, propriety and impropriety, and their spiritual lives were very different than our own. This series takes on the challenge, and unashamedly depicts life as it must have been in those times. If there was no fig leaf, then there IS no fig leaf. (I should mention that the 18A rating is there for very good reasons). In this show, a dead person looks like a dead person (blue etc.), sex looks like sex, etc., so be prepared for no punches to be pulled.
The lives of the rich, the poor, and the slaves, and their relationships to each other and the gods are all shown honestly.
The story. Ah, the story. Nicely done. O.K., it's a soap opera, but I'm pretty sure that the Romans invented them (didn't they?) The story is not overly convoluted and it does not have the annoying "point A" to "point B" direct line plot of sooo many Hollywood productions these days. There are two main plot lines. The first concerns two Roman soldiers and their life amongst the plebeians. The second follows the fortunes of Gaius Julius (the man who would be Caesar), along with his family and other such famous personages as Pompey, Cato, Cicero, Mark Antony, Brutus, etc. Of course, you KNOW that these two plot lines will frequently cross The amazing thing is that it makes Caesar's rise to power seem like less than a sure thing. (And if THAT was a spoiler, you need to read a book. Seriously.)
All in all, marvelous, simply marvelous. Go BUY it. There absolutely HAS to be more seasons! (If this goes the way of Firefly (i.e. gets cancelled) there's no justice. Sex, violence, accurate historical setting, eye candy what's not to like?
For the look and feel of being there, this film is miles above "Augustus", "Nero", and "Empire", which have a too-clean low budget look to them, and while having the same grittiness as "Gladiator", there are no grossly over-enlarged computer generated buildings. Instead, the real closeness of the cement insulae (multi-story apartments) that real Romans lived in are marvelously depicted, complete with the kinds of graffiti that really existed. There is trash in the streets, there is no "segmentata" armour (incorrect for this period, chain mail only!), cleansing oil is used in the baths (no soap then!) and then scraped off, the jewelry looks like it was stolen right out of a museum, the list goes on and on
As for cultural immersion, this series once again raises the bar. The Romans were a different culture and their attitudes to life and death, propriety and impropriety, and their spiritual lives were very different than our own. This series takes on the challenge, and unashamedly depicts life as it must have been in those times. If there was no fig leaf, then there IS no fig leaf. (I should mention that the 18A rating is there for very good reasons). In this show, a dead person looks like a dead person (blue etc.), sex looks like sex, etc., so be prepared for no punches to be pulled.
The lives of the rich, the poor, and the slaves, and their relationships to each other and the gods are all shown honestly.
The story. Ah, the story. Nicely done. O.K., it's a soap opera, but I'm pretty sure that the Romans invented them (didn't they?) The story is not overly convoluted and it does not have the annoying "point A" to "point B" direct line plot of sooo many Hollywood productions these days. There are two main plot lines. The first concerns two Roman soldiers and their life amongst the plebeians. The second follows the fortunes of Gaius Julius (the man who would be Caesar), along with his family and other such famous personages as Pompey, Cato, Cicero, Mark Antony, Brutus, etc. Of course, you KNOW that these two plot lines will frequently cross The amazing thing is that it makes Caesar's rise to power seem like less than a sure thing. (And if THAT was a spoiler, you need to read a book. Seriously.)
All in all, marvelous, simply marvelous. Go BUY it. There absolutely HAS to be more seasons! (If this goes the way of Firefly (i.e. gets cancelled) there's no justice. Sex, violence, accurate historical setting, eye candy what's not to like?
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