Spartacus ( TV Show )

[Hemingway]

In a desperate fit of boredom, I decided to see the first episode of Spartacus, since everyone's been talking about it. I have to say, I understand why everyone loves it. I mean, there are some great characters, lovely women, intrigue ...

Oh, yeah, and in between some guy gets beaten up far more than is humanly possible. Occasionally there are some fight scenes with gladiators who would last about five seconds in a real fight.

I mean, seriously! I understand that this is fiction, and that it doesn't exactly aim for a realistic art style, but come on! You don't fight a guy with a shield by repeatedly bashing your sword against his shield. That's how you break your sword! I have only limited experience with swords, but, man! Even I could've killed most of these guys, swinging blindly and jumping around like they have some sort of death wish!

And what's with the plot development here? I'm several episodes in, like five, and the plot has developed not one bit. It's exactly back to square one. Where it was more or less the entire time in between, too.

Dammit, this makes no sense!

Ahh, but back to the women and the scheming.

I do like Illythia, and not just for her looks. She's a great character. Mischievious, spoiled, deceitful, manipulative and lustful. Not too bright, but clever in a mean sort of way. I like her! She has personality.

Unlike Spartacus, whose personality seems to consist mainly of getting bashed repeatedly in the face.

[SinXAzgard21]

In a desperate fit of boredom, I decided to see the first episode of Spartacus, since everyone's been talking about it. I have to say, I understand why everyone loves it. I mean, there are some great characters, lovely women, intrigue ...

Oh, yeah, and in between some guy gets beaten up far more than is humanly possible. Occasionally there are some fight scenes with gladiators who would last about five seconds in a real fight.

I mean, seriously! I understand that this is fiction, and that it doesn't exactly aim for a realistic art style, but come on! You don't fight a guy with a shield by repeatedly bashing your sword against his shield. That's how you break your sword! I have only limited experience with swords, but, man! Even I could've killed most of these guys, swinging blindly and jumping around like they have some sort of death wish!

And what's with the plot development here? I'm several episodes in, like five, and the plot has developed not one bit. It's exactly back to square one. Where it was more or less the entire time in between, too.

Dammit, this makes no sense!

Ahh, but back to the women and the scheming.

I do like Illythia, and not just for her looks. She's a great character. Mischievious, spoiled, deceitful, manipulative and lustful. Not too bright, but clever in a mean sort of way. I like her! She has personality.

Unlike Spartacus, whose personality seems to consist mainly of getting bashed repeatedly in the face.

Spartacus in the first portion of the show has given up.   He has no actual will to do anything, so his character is perfect.  He gets a lot better.  Illythia is a great character but I can't stand the actress.

[Neysha]

It gets tiresome to watch episode after episode. But I felt when I could watch it, at the very least it was decent background noise and the like and didn't really pay much attention to the plot.

But the staggered speed fight scenes/love scenes and over stylized everything kinda doesn't work for me after awhile as anything but a very splashy and 300 esque action oriented television show, as opposed to some sort of intriguing, political drama filled with action like Rome or Game of Thrones was/is.

[Cold Heritage]

I enjoyed Batiatus. I tried to watch Season 3, but his absence contributed strongly to my inability to sustain interest.

The battle between Spartacus and Crixus vs. Theokeles was pretty great.

You'll never take Jupiter's Cock away from me.

[Hemingway]

Well, at least I'm not the only one, then.

I feel like I should go back and watch Gladiator, just to see if the fight scenes are any better.

[Goldmoon]

I enjoyed Batiatus. I tried to watch Season 3, but his absence contributed strongly to my inability to sustain interest.

The battle between Spartacus and Crixus vs. Theokeles was pretty great.

You'll never take Jupiter's Cock away from me.

I agree. I loved the first two seasons but couldn't get into the third. It wasnt really the change in the main actor it was the loss of Batiatus. Great two seasons though.

[Madriv]

I liked everything about Spartacus (the series) except Spartacus (the character). I've only seen season 1 & 1.5, though.

What I admired the most about it was the language. The word choice and order is used so skillfully, it gives the show more depth and atmosphere - in my opinion - than the costuming and stylized fight scenes alone could ever accomplish.

Lucretia & Quintus were the very best characters, though. I'm not *that* interested in what happens without them.