We’re 18 episodes in, and I already dread it ending.
Jeezus, but this is amazing television. It’s like a series of half-sized Hollywood epics. “Gladiator” wasn’t half this good.
Discuss.
Yeah, it was awesome, all of it. Beautiful to look at and great acting, from everyone.
The only thing I didn’t care for was the brief affair between Servilia and what’s-her-name. It thought it was a bit over the top and unnatural – in the dramatic sense, not the sexual sense. I never felt a real connection between those two women.
I particularly loved the casting for Cleopatra. When she was unrolled from that rug – stunning.
Back when it was first shown there was a thread every week about the current episode.
Funniest moment? When Titus Pullo takes Octavian to the brothel. Or maybe when Lucius Vorenus rebukes Pullo for cursing the gods during a storm at sea.
The only gripe I had was no epic battle scenes. I was so looking forward to Caesar/Pompey, and all we got was a stylized falling of the eagles, then Caesar saying he won.
Funny you should mention that; I actually saw that coming, since an epic battle scene is beyond the budget of a TV series and, in any event, if you’re going to blow your budget on an epic battle, that would be the wrong one in this storyline (I know how it turns out, after all.)
The one really jarring omission, and my only complaint so far, was not showing Brutus and Mark Antony’s speeches at Caesar’s funeral. Maybe they can’t top Shakespeare, but that’s an absolutely critical, central event in the storyline that would not have been any more taxing than any other crowd scene, and would have provided absolutely riveting viewing. Instead we suddenly cut to Brutus looking upset; it took me a few minutes to realize we had skipped the speeches. It makes it hard to grasp why Later we get a few secondhand accounts. It was a very strange decision.
Myself, I kind of liked that. You sit there thinking “How are they gonna try to top Shakespeare? This is gonna be hard”. Then, all of a sudden, you’ve got Mark Antony gloating and making fun of Brutus, with their faces showing how Brutus blew it and Antony hit it out of the park. Like a lot of the series, comedy gold.
…my favourite scenes are…I don’t want to spoil it…how do you put the black boxes?
Historically speaking, did Brutus and Antony make speeches? I’m rereading Colleen McCullough’s *Master of Rome * series in preparation for getting the new book, Antony and Cleopatra, and since she did 13 years of research I’m thinking she knew what she was writing about. I don’t remember any big speeches…just the murderers getting spooked as to the enormity of their actions, and running like rabbits.
I could be remembering that wrong, though. I haven’t gotten to that part yet. 
Aji, you do {spoiler}Caesar was murdered{/spoiler}, and replace the {} with .
This will give you a spoiler like this.
This will give you a spoiler like this
Antony did - he was chosen to give the funeral oratory and it turned out exactly as the series notes. He made a dramatic spectacle and public opinion immediately turned in his favor.
Loved the series and I’d say Antony was easily my favorite character. Great portrayal by James Purefoy and probably the most historical treatment of the lot. Ciaran Hinds’ Caesar was also excellent.
Now I’m curious. Why does the first set of SPOILER tags show up in plain text, while the second set is interpreted as a spoiler box? Unless I’m missing something, they appear identical.
Edit: And when I quoted you, they both showed up as spoiler boxes. What’d you do?
Season 2 blew my mind. Everything about it was incredible, especially Antony and Cleopatra’s final episode.
And has there ever been a greater villainess than Atia?
Yes, absolutely brilliant series. It’s the first historical show where I don’t have the feeling it will feel “dated” thirty years from now. So much subtle reasearch has gone into the psychology of Romans!
The lead characters, for instance, are true to their time, even when their morals (on killing, honor, religion, treating slaves) are so alien to us. No compromises there, not even to make the characters more sympathetic to us.
The lack of restraint Pullo has when killing the slave boyfriend of his slave girl-crush? Today, he’d be in a mental hospital for the criminally insane, diagnosed with an impulse disorder. Vorenus’ obsession with honor and the sexual honor of his wife? Today, he’d be crucified by every feminist in the USA. But back then they were heroes, honorable men. They fit in. Just sayin’.
Our new favourite saying? “Pack the household gods!”
Recently, I picked up a cheap DVD, a filmed adaptation of the Thomas Hardy story: “The Mayor of Casterbridge”. And guess what: Ciaran Hinds (Ceasar), Purfoy (Anthony) played the lead characters together! Just as well acted but totally different roles from “Rome”. The actress playing Atia also had a major role. I kept mistrusting her character, afraid she’d come up with some psychopathic scheme. 
For those of you who’d like to read a detective novel with the same drama and realistic feel as " Rome" has, check out the novels fom Stephen Saylor, starring Giordianus.
I just read the first one of that series, and I really liked it. Have you read the mystery series by Lindsey Davis? I’ve heard that one is good also.
I loved Rome, particularly every minute that Antony was on-screen.
I didn’t care for the Servilia/Octavia relationship either. And while I liked Timon in the first season, in the second season I begrudged him screen time.
One of my favorite scenes might be the one where Vorenus turns Cleopatra down - and Pullo doesn’t. Also when Vorenus brings his children home and “introduces” them to his cronies.
I recently got into Rome on DVD as well, after devouring Deadwood, Dexter, and Carnivale. I have four episodes left to go, but I need to take a break for a while for unrelated reasons. I love it! I admit to not being an expert on Roman history, but from what I understand, they strove for historical accuracy on the show.
I especially love Pullo and Vorenus’ tempestuous friendship so far, and how Pullo can go from being a bloodthirsty brute to a big softie in moments. I can’t wait to see Ray Stevenson play the Punisher in the next movie! The scene where Pullo won his freedom in the arena after killing almost all the gladiators, followed by Vorenus jumping out of the audience to protect his friend and finish the battle, was cooler than anything in Gladiator. And I also loved how Vorenus completely cowed the crowd of murderers and cutthroats at the collegia by smashing the statue of Concordia and declaring himself a relative of Hades. Kevin McKidd was absolutely intense and terrifying and awesome there.
Also, as much as I have come to hate the character of Atia, Polly Walker is one of the most stunningly beautiful women I have ever seen. It’s her eyes, or something about her face in general – I cannot take my eyes off her any time she’s on the screen. Completely smoldering.
I’ve been holding off buying the DVDs, in hope that they would issue a boxed set with extras. A forlorn hope? I still have a few episodes stashed on Tivo, but I’d really like to own the show.
A large penis is always welcome.