# Spartacus: Gods of the Arena **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192 "2011-01-19T13:31:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/81 "2011-02-19T15:04:53Z")
Wow, last nite’s episode was incredible. I knew Titus wasn’t gonna make it out alive, and I figured he’d die pretty much the way it happened, but I was blindsided by how Melitta bought it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/82 "2011-02-19T20:30:39Z")
Loved the orgy! The way the slaves were used as decoration. They way the one slave being furred was kind of a sideshow entertainment in the background while the noble Romans got on with the business of conspiring against one another and generally being flat-out evil! I guess I enjoyed it from a technical POV more than as simple entertainment, but technically … nicely done! ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/83 "2011-02-20T04:02:23Z")
I meant accidental suicide, without the murder! So close… ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/84 "2011-02-20T10:03:49Z")
FYI there was a Gannicus who was a leader of Sparty’s rebellion in real life. Who knows he might survive to be in season 3. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/85 "2011-02-20T23:06:13Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > FYI there was a Gannicus who was a leader of Sparty’s rebellion in real life. Who knows he might survive to be in season 3. Interesting. Given that, I think it is almost a guarantee he shows up again. It will be a nice way to tie the prequel back into the current story. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/86 "2011-02-21T02:46:36Z")
I thought episode 5 was much better than 3 or 4. I loved Lucretia’s answer to Batiatus, Sr.'s deathbed question. When does Crixus get his hair cut? It appears that Jr. will still sell Ganicus. ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/87 "2011-02-26T06:42:54Z")
Man, these guys who do this show sure know how to make a season finale. Not quite as good as the first season’s finale, but still pretty epic. (I did cringe a little at the obvious retcon, “Let us never speak the name of Gannicus or Tulius again within this house.” Minor criticism though). It seems that we now have a direction for the next season, if/when it happens. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/88 "2011-02-26T22:36:25Z")
Still waiting for it to hit Netflix… ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/89 "2011-02-27T00:39:10Z")
Holy shit, the death of that last gladiator! Wow was that graphically brutal. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/90 "2011-02-27T09:33:00Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Holy shit, the death of that last gladiator! Wow was that graphically brutal. :eek: Lucretia agreed with you. As it is a magnificent season finale. And a great lead up to season 3. Two things Was there a couple fucking in the crowd as we saw? And did the last scene hint that Batiatus is not dead. Lucretia is not ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/91 "2011-02-27T09:47:50Z")
Still waiting. ☹ They aren’t going to pull some bullshit move like not offering the finale on streaming, are they? ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/92 "2011-02-28T15:12:54Z")
I watched the finale on Netflix. It took a bit longer to reach Instant Watch than usual, but it’s up now. I watched the first five episodes again in preparation for the finale and I think that as a whole the season (mini-season?) was fantastic. For me, Spartacus is one show where knowing how things turn out hardly diminishes my enjoyment at all, since the “how” is so much fun. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/93 "2011-02-28T16:29:22Z")
Enjoyed the finale but did anyone else get a Return of the King vibe with the ending(s)? During the Onemaus/Gannicus sunlit goodbye I half expected four hobbits to come roiling out from the rocks for a slow-mo celebration. **quixotic78** - agree with you 100% I cringed big time. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/94 "2011-02-28T23:36:32Z")
I would love for Batiatus to have survived somehow. The show will diminish greatly without John Hannah in season 3. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/95 "2011-03-01T01:58:38Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > I would love for Batiatus to have survived somehow. The show will diminish greatly without John Hannah in season 3. The Roman general made a hell of a bad guy too though. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/96 "2011-03-01T02:35:08Z")
I’m just as happy with this shorter mini-story as I was with the original, and I still want more. I also just re-watched Season 1 over a few days as well, which was nice. The political intrigue, manipulation and back-stabbing I find particularly compelling as a) believable and b) insightful commentary on various facets of current corporate culture. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/97 "2011-03-01T05:48:38Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > The Roman general made a hell of a bad guy too though. Eh, the Roman General kinda seems like a generic bad guy. Presumably we’ll see more of him in the next season though. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/98 "2015-01-22T21:29:12Z")
I’m reviving this zombie for a question: I finally caught up with the first season of this show (it was on my to-do list), and loved it. I generally watch series in order of broadcast, but I’m so anxious to go ahead with Spartacus’s rebellion that I’m not overeager to go back to a prequel. How important is it that I see “Gods of the Arena”? If I skip ahead to season 2, will I miss anything important? ---
**Author:** ![tsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tsm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/99 "2015-01-22T21:41:49Z")
I’d watch the prequel episodes. They do give some good background on Batistus and Solonius’s relationship, Batiatus’s relationship with his father, as well as a few other relationships from the first season. And personally, I thought the prequel season was better than the two following seasons (YMMV). That said, I can’t remember that there is anything you’ll miss by skipping it, but there might be. It’s only six episodes, though, so I’d recommend watching it. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192/100 "2015-01-22T22:23:38Z")
Gannicus becomes a fairly important character in the rebellion, getting his story is definitely worth while. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spartacus-gods-of-the-arena/568192.md?page=6)