Spartacus: Blood and Sand (Excellent show, despite rough beginning!) [Archive]

Lilaena De'Ville

Aug 1st, 2009, 02:21:08 PM

Aurelias Kazaar

Aug 1st, 2009, 03:11:30 PM

Looks like a cross between 300 and Spartacus. Interesting...

Lilaena De'Ville

Aug 1st, 2009, 03:17:19 PM

Yeah, stylistically its very 300, but thematically it seems more like Gladiator.

Captain Untouchable

Aug 1st, 2009, 03:19:07 PM

Oh, c'mon. When has Lucy Lawless ever been in a show and not eventually wound up naked?

Not that I'm complaining. But that's like saying "John Barrowman has confirmed that he will be gay". :rolleyes

Charley

Aug 1st, 2009, 03:37:07 PM

Yay, Sam Raimi attached to a sword & sandal epic? I'm down like a clown.

Wonder if they'll call Spartacus "Thracian", that would be a nice touch. Too bad when it's all said and done he'll be dead on a cross along the Via Appia >D

Wonder how big the scope of this is. I would figure it would be vast if the keep it historical. In that case, I wonder who they have to play Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Publius Licinius Crassus, especially the latter.

I like the touches on the character names though. Doctore, which if they keep to the forumla, should probably be the head honcho in Spartacus's gladiatorial school. Other names which suggest origin including Sura (Parthia, perhaps) and Barca (Remnants of Carthage & North Africa)

Crusader

Feb 21st, 2010, 10:40:30 AM

So who is watching this?
I was pretty undecided on this show if it justed a big splatter fest or a show that has got more than blood and tits.
Well the show has got a lot of blood and tits but after watching episode 5 I am pretty happy with the way this show is developing. The pictures are epic and the art design is like nothing else that you have seen on TV. Sure some city shots are ugly but the scenes in the arena are beautiful in a disturbing way.
So is there more to the show than blood and sand? Yes there is but it is not so much the background story line but the way the characters interact with each other.
Lucy Lawless character and her husband(John Hannah) show a lot of great chemistry. Crixus and Spartacus privat battle against each other is well executed and Peter Mensah as Doctore is just awesome.
I am pretty sure not everyone is going to enjoy this show but I had a great time watching the last show.

Droo

Feb 21st, 2010, 10:46:34 AM

I really like John Hannah and Lucy Lawless but having seen most of the first couple of episodes, I have to admit I found it quite tacky.

Dasquian Belargic

Feb 21st, 2010, 10:51:23 AM

I haven't seen any of this at all :confused which channel is it on?

Crusader

Feb 21st, 2010, 11:31:49 AM

STARZ US pay tv

Crusader

Feb 21st, 2010, 11:36:33 AM

I really like John Hannah and Lucy Lawless but having seen most of the first couple of episodes, I have to admit I found it quite tacky.

Until episode 4 I was pretty much undecided but the final fight in friday's episode blew me away. You don't watch this show for great drama anyway.

Lilaena De'Ville

Feb 21st, 2010, 01:50:19 PM

We're watching it - its a guilty pleasure. The first few episodes were way overboard on the CGI blood. They were trying to out-300 300 I think. The last two, however, have scaled that down and made the blood a little more realistic.

The Pits were gut wrenching, I couldn't watch. :x But I'm enjoying the story as it unfolds. Until this week I found Batiatus (sp?) a sympathetic character but after he murdered a whole family in front of a child and then had the kid killed too I hope he gets whats coming to him. :shakefist

Crusader

Feb 23rd, 2010, 02:49:02 PM

Until this week I found Batiatus (sp?) a sympathetic character but after he murdered a whole family in front of a child and then had the kid killed too I hope he gets whats coming to him. :shakefist

We have just seen his other face here but I think the kid is still alive. I think a so fucked up show in the violence department would even show the death of a kid if there was not a twist about the kids fate. The dialog in the arena suggests that the kid is burried somewhere in the ruins of this house but has not been found yet. Batiatus is still one of my favorite characters in this show especially after the last episode where he showed that he is not as weak as you might think. Infact he is even more badass than most of the people around him but he keeps calm and then makes a move.

I love Lucretia as a character. Lucy Lawless does an excellent job on portraying a woman who you want to believe that she is capable of loving two men at the same time. Batiatus and Lucretia's relationship is really great in the way they treat each other as equals and how they try to overcome these difficulties together and then there is her love for Crixus that is not only of physical nature as you might think at first. She really cares about this man's life but she does not treat him as an equal.

I guess I will get flamed for this at some point but Lucretia is a modern emancipated woman trying to have the best of both worlds: A loving husband and a toy boy!

Lykaios

Feb 23rd, 2010, 07:25:31 PM

I'm undecided, granted I've only watched up to the third episode, so I've still got some catching up to do but I don't know.

I like the story and the development but it tries to be too 300ish at times. Imitation is not a bad thing when done right, but doing it right isn't easy. I guess I'll watch the next two episodes and see how I feel, it seems to be the general consensus that 4 and 5 are vastly better, or get you more hooked.

Lilaena De'Ville

Feb 24th, 2010, 01:59:06 AM

Crusader - I don't agree it is really not cool to show kids being killed and I highly doubt this show would 'go there' so to speak. You never know, but anyway if the kid is still alive, then its not because of Batiatus, its because the gladiator didn't do it when he was ordered to.

We'll see I guess!

Crusader

Feb 24th, 2010, 10:26:16 AM

Crusader - I don't agree it is really not cool to show kids being killed

I did not say that it is cool. It just would not surprise me to see something like that since this show has crossed more than once the line of what is tastefull to depict on screen...at least in my opinion.

Crusader

Feb 27th, 2010, 02:25:42 PM

OK Lil you were right and I was worng...I just wanted to buy this red hering as much as the magistrate wanted to believe that his nephew was still alive. Batiatus seems to be a very dangerous man indeed. One has to wonder what role he played in the ending of this episode. BTW I loved those dream sequences in episode 6!

This show and Caprica have become a real pleasure to me lately. Both shows had a rocky start for me but now they really improve from episode to episode.

Lilaena De'Ville

Feb 27th, 2010, 02:42:36 PM

Well you were right too - they didn't show it because they wanted the viewer to have doubts about who was telling the truth. :)

Batiatus is evil! He had Spartacus' wife's cart attacked so that he could 'keep his word' yet still have control over the new Champion of Capua. Evil!!!

Crusader

Feb 27th, 2010, 02:53:07 PM

Batiatus is like Udo Waltz in Inglorious Basterds. Once you realize that he is a bad guy you just love watch him doing his thing. Not that I ever doubted that a guy in a SS uniform was not a villain.

Like I said above. This show is all about the characters and let's be honest we all know that they won't leave this place for a very long time.

Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta

Feb 27th, 2010, 03:02:30 PM

lol an Inglourious Basterds spoiler hidden under a tag in the Spartacus thread! >_<

Tear

Feb 27th, 2010, 03:08:47 PM

lol an Inglourious Basterds spoiler hidden under a tag in the Spartacus thread! >_<

Its not reeeeally an Inglorious Bastard spoiler. Its pretty obvious Nazi = bad guy.:lol

Lilaena De'Ville

Feb 27th, 2010, 03:19:23 PM

Well, I haven't seen it yet, so I don't know. The good news is that I forget things rather quickly. :uhoh

Crusader

Feb 27th, 2010, 03:20:21 PM

Southern accent: "We like our Nazis in uniforms. That way, you can spot ‘em just like that. But you hide a nazi under spoiler tags, ain’t nobody gonna know that there is a Nazi. And that don’t sit well with us. So I’m gonna give ya a little somethin, you can’t spoiler tag."

Pulls out light sabre!

Crusader

Mar 21st, 2010, 06:40:46 PM

So who is still watching...the last episode was very slow up until the end where it became very exciting...ok the mature content in this episode had some nice eye candy...
...but WTF happened at the end. First the revelation that Spartacus was fucking Olivia and then she is bashing in the other woman's head in a split second just like that.
One thing is for sure now you should neither bring Batiatus or Domina against you because you will regret it sooner than you think.

Crusader

Mar 29th, 2010, 07:09:11 AM

Lilaena, are you still watching this with your husband?
S01E10
This show is getting more and more fucked up. Spartacus killed his own best friend...and I thought that last episodes WTF moment was horrible
Oh and I am now completly your opinion. I hope Batiatus gets what he deserves. All in all I don't want to have a single Roman to survive this show. Even the magistrates son deserves to die now...

Lilaena De'Ville

Mar 29th, 2010, 01:55:01 PM

Yes, we're still watching it. We fell behind a little, but just caught up, watching ep 9 and 10 last night and the night before.

OH MY GOODNESS, this show is all sorts of messed up. But its also pretty good. It started off pretty rough and 'haha its a dumb show' but its really grown into itself. Or something.

Lucretia's relationship with Ilithyia is so disturbing. And the way that Ilithyia snapped and smashed the heck out of the other woman who's name escapes me's head was crazy!

Varro! I almost cried. That was so messed up. Ilithyia IS a HORRIBLE BITCH. You can't really blame Numerius, he just got laid for the first time so a lapse in judgment is understandable, but as soon as I saw her laying eyes on Spartacus and Varro sparring and saying "its so good to have a friend..." I knew he was in trouble. I just didn't know how much trouble.

Batiatus is going to lay down the law (by that I mean, HIS law) on the house of Crassus I think. I mean, he already murdered that whole family a few episodes ago because the father sent some hit-slaves against him, which was just business. Marcus Crassus has insulted his entire family line, and his son made him lose a valuable gladiator on a whim. And probably Spartacus too, at least for a while, because Spartacus is grieving. It is going to be epic, and in this show that really means EPIC.

EPIC even.

Next week's episode is called ~~~Old Wounds~~~ so I wonder if we'll be finding out more about Doctore's past as well?

Lykaios

Mar 29th, 2010, 06:03:52 PM

Ok, I've continued to watch this show and finally got all caught up and I can only say that this is definitely one fucked up show...and I love it!

I love John Hanna as Batiatus and his chemistry with Lucy Lawless as Lucretia is spot on!

Like my previous post states, I wasn't sure what to expect but the more fucked up it gets, the more I like it. Batiatus definitely knows how to play his strings and now that Ashur is playing both sides of the fence, the intrigue can only augment!

Even though I foresee Spartacus having a very hard time with the death of Varro, I can see Mira fulfilling his friend's spot and be even more of a twist, since she has "access" to what happens on the other side of the gladiators' cells.

All this drama and intrigue and betrayal! I love it, it's like a telenovela...with lots of nudity and blood! :lol

Lilaena De'Ville

Apr 8th, 2010, 12:00:42 AM

Ep 10, Old Wounds
I completely bought Ashur's betrayal of Batiatus to Selonius. I did NOT see the triple-cross coming.

Excellent episode! This show keeps getting better and better and better. Only two more episodes left! :ohno

Crusader

Apr 8th, 2010, 12:14:00 AM

The next episode looks badass!

Anna Fernandez

Apr 8th, 2010, 12:52:29 AM

delete please

Crusader

Apr 9th, 2010, 03:57:58 AM

Lykaios

Apr 10th, 2010, 11:36:18 AM

I did not see the triple cross either. I was completely sold on Ashur's betrayal of Batiatus.

Is there only one episode remaining then? I can't see how it all will end unless they come back for a second season and if that's the case I hope it doesn't drag.

I think this show took a turn for the best when they stopped focusing so much on the 300ish special FX and more on the story. Yeah, there are still some 300ish moments and fx but they are less and it's more story driven now, I think.

I'm so glad this is on Netflix and it automatically adds the new episode to my queue!

Anna Fernandez

Apr 10th, 2010, 02:08:24 PM

One episode left of this season. Unfortunately the second season has been put on hold because the main actor (can't recall his name off the top of my head, but Spartacus) is battling cancer. A form of lymphoma I believe, maybe the same sort that Dexter's actor had/has.

Revelations was great. And full of... revelations! The look on Doctore's face there at the end... chilling. I can't wait for Ep 13 titled Kill Them All

Crusader

Apr 10th, 2010, 07:03:28 PM

I think Lilaena put it the best by saying

- its a guilty pleasure.
Ever since the sixth episode this show has just gotten better and better.
Right now this show and Castle are my two favorite shows.

I have a theory concerning the FX blood:
I think the level of blood that is spilled is still used in the same way as it has been in the first few episodes. Acts of extreme violence and despair still end up in a real mess like this head that explodes like a water melon. On the other hand Spartacus fights less brutish now and a lot more precise and so he spills less blood.

Thoughts on the last episode:

-Solonius last stand was great since he was not simply removed from this show but got the chance to shine for the last time.
-the title was very fitting
-the choreography and the water effects were awesome. The slowmo shots never seemed to be out of place.
-The character development in this show is one of the best in my opinion. Crixus seems to have finally understood that there is more than Blood and Sand
-I am looking forward to: Kill them all
-Now the big question is: Once the uprising starts where will Doctore be standing?

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Crusader

Apr 16th, 2010, 03:29:28 AM

Lilaena De'Ville

Apr 18th, 2010, 10:10:50 PM

Finale: Batiatus! :(:(:(

I know the title is "Kill them all" but did they have to take it so literally? I'm glad Ashur made it out, that was a great showdown between him and Doctore. But I can't believe they killed off Batiatus! He was such a great, great character. I think that Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) is still alive, however, they showed her still breathing after Batty was dead.

Crixus - cold m-fer stabbing her in the uterus. Wow. I mean, I can't really blame him, but...

Great show. Great end to the season.

Crusader

Apr 19th, 2010, 02:59:03 AM

Finale: Batiatus! :(:(:(

I know the title is "Kill them all" but did they have to take it so literally? But I can't believe they killed off Batiatus! He was such a great, great character.

I guess no one expected that John Hanna would sell us Batiatus in such a way but it made totaly sense to kill him the way he died. Like Solonius he went down on a high note.
I have to admit that I loved the writting in this scene. The repetition of Batiatus' speech from the second episode was so fitting at this point.

Crixus - cold m-fer stabbing her in the uterus. Wow. I mean, I can't really blame him, but...

This is the point where I thought WTF they did not stab a pregnant woman on TV. I guess this is my softspot. It made sense from a story writer's perspective but I wouldn't have minded to find out about it offscreen

Great show. Great end to the season.
Yeah the show had a rocky start since not all of the first 4 episodes were great but the season as a whole was just awesome.

Crusader

May 17th, 2010, 11:57:48 AM

Good News!!!

Fans of Spartacus on Starz can now rejoice. The racey period piece about the Roman Empire is coming back in a six episode prequel early next year, and production is expected to resume soon on season two.
The show was delayed when star Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with early-state non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Sources at the network say Whitfield is recoving and he will be in season two.
On the Red Carpet's Chris Balish caught up with one of the stars of the show, actress Lesley-Ann Brandt, and asked about Whitfield's health. "He’s great. I just got an email from him and he’s doing really good. He’s just about finished his treatment."
 Brandt went on to say that fans of the show can expect plenty more of the show, "We’re ready to give you guys another couple of great seasons of Spartacus for sure.”
Spartacus will air a six episode prequel this summer, followed by season two, next year on Starz.

Lilaena De'Ville

May 17th, 2010, 02:57:20 PM

The best part of this is we get to see more Batiatus and Lucretia!

Crusader

May 18th, 2010, 11:33:05 AM

Yeah and you can't get enough of them. I hope that we will see some more Solonius as well.

Rutabaga

May 19th, 2010, 03:04:25 PM

I just added Starz to my system today, when making preparations with Comcast to upgrade me to an HD DVR. (I'm finally going HD with my TV next week.) I know quite a few people who've been watching Spartacus, and that's one of the reasons why I signed up for the channel...I'm gonna have to start catching up with it, I would assume it's on On Demand :).

Lilaena De'Ville

May 19th, 2010, 07:16:42 PM

Also if you have Netflix you can watch all of Starz's shows on demand. I think Spartacus is still on there, haven't checked in a while.

Just power through the pilot and the first few episodes. They're not great, but they set up a lot of things that pay off hugely later on. Basically the show gets exponentially better with each episode. ;)

Rutabaga

May 19th, 2010, 10:26:44 PM

I just checked On Demand, and all 13 episodes are there. I'll probably start watching it over the next few days. :)

Crusader

May 20th, 2010, 07:31:32 AM

Have fun but keep in mind what Holly said: The show starts with a bang and then it will calm down for a few episodes. Especially the third and the fourth episode are not as good as they could have been but they are needed as exposition for the fun that comes after that.

Rutabaga

May 21st, 2010, 03:25:04 PM

I watched the first episode last night...I thought it was a little slow but fun. Definitely inspired by 300 without a doubt. I'll probably watch one episode tonight and then some more over the weekend.

Lilaena De'Ville

May 22nd, 2010, 04:55:36 PM

They tone down those 'gallons of CGI blood' shots quite a bit. Well, mostly anyway. A little.

Occasionally. :uhoh

Rutabaga

May 22nd, 2010, 08:22:24 PM

Up through the 4th episode now. I'm going to attempt to watch the 5th and 6th episodes tomorrow before the Lostapalooza begins.

The pits were...well, they were the pits. :lol :x :shootin

Rutabaga

May 26th, 2010, 06:57:10 AM

After the adventure of getting the HD TV set up yesterday, I was able to watch more episodes. Have to finish by the end of the day tomorrow, because the On Demand menus say the episodes are only available through tomorrow. Shouldn't be a problem, I have only 3 episodes left to go.

I finished up last night with the 10th episode, and that was the point where I became totally and completely hooked. And enraged. At Numerius, that easily manipulated little bastard. And at Ilythia, what a complete and utter bitch. I adored Varru, and although I figured he'd die at some point, I had no idea that it would be at Spartacus' own hand. It's bad enough that Spartacus has lost his wife (Batiatus will burn in hell for that), but now that it was his own sword that killed his only friend...I won't be surprised if he goes completely cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs by the end of this first season.

This series is prime pulp, without a doubt. Nothing award-worthy about it for sure. But it does suck you in and keep you interested...it is the epitome of a guilty pleasure. :cool

Crusader

May 26th, 2010, 01:48:13 PM

This series is prime pulp, without a doubt. Nothing award-worthy about it for sure. But it does suck you in and keep you interested...it is the epitome of a guilty pleasure. :cool

Yup that is why we like this show!

Kill them all!

Rutabaga

May 27th, 2010, 05:06:26 PM

Done!

Holy crap, that final episode totally and completely kicked major ass! I must admit that I clapped out loud at certain points, like when Aurelia killed Numerius. I know he was only 15 years old, but they went to great pains to point out that made him a man in Roman society, so he was fair game :evil. And you just had to love it when Spartacus took Batiatus out for good, woohoo!

I just wonder what direction the second season will take, because it will obviously be a much different story from now on.

Bravo! :clap

Lilaena De'Ville

May 27th, 2010, 11:09:05 PM

HE WAS MIIIIIIINE! *crazy face*

I loved that part :D

Crusader

May 28th, 2010, 02:54:39 AM

The icing on the cake for me is Ilythia's final betrayal.

You are right Ruth that the show will be very different and it will be hard to find an actor that is able to portray a villain like John Hannah. But thanks to the green light of the prequel we will see more of him and it will give the writers and the casting department more time to fill the gap.

Rutabaga

May 28th, 2010, 07:08:20 AM

The icing on the cake for me is Ilythia's final betrayal.

Oh yeah, totally...bitch must die. If Spartacus is taking his newly formed army on toward Rome, they're going to have to run into her. And take care of her. I actually found Ilythia to be incredibly annoying earlier in the show, but as time went on, wow, she surprisingly became a major force to be reckoned with.

Crusader

Jun 8th, 2010, 10:22:54 AM

BEST NEWS OF THE DAY:
Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) is cancer free and ready to return for shooting in october.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/06/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-is-cancer-free-ready-to-return-to-the-starz-series/

Rutabaga

Jun 8th, 2010, 06:51:42 PM

Hooray! :dance

Lilaena De'Ville

Aug 22nd, 2010, 03:04:01 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKogQf9ooR8

Andy Whitfield in TIME CRISIS the video game....

Rutabaga

Sep 18th, 2010, 12:36:03 PM

Incredibly sad news...Andy Whitfield's lymphoma has recurred, and he has decided to quit Spartacus to concentrate on treatment. A completely understandable decision. I hope his treatment goes well and he lives a good, long, healthy life.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20427348,00.html

Will Starz cancel the show or recast? If they recast, the new fella will have some very big sandals to fill.

Crusader

Sep 18th, 2010, 01:37:00 PM

FUCK!

I am really sorry to hear that. I was so glad when I heard that his recovery went well.

STARZ is not very likely able to stop Spartacus season 2 so early since they already have put a lot of money into preproduction. I just hope they find the right actor to replace him.

I feared right from the start that I would feel about season 2 of Spartacus like I felt about season 2 of heros: same characters but an unnecessary expansion.

I hope Andy will eventually defeat his cancer.