Over the past decade, quite a few television shows have entertained audiences in so many different ways. The Sopranos brought the rough and tough Mafia genre back; Band of Brothers touched on the emotional side of war; Dexter offered an unusual look into the mind of a serial killer living a normal life; Sex and the City looked into the lives of classy, independent women; and True Blood brought the sexy and dangerous imaginations of a vampire book series to the TV screen. However, very few of those TV shows have captured the interest and attentions of its audiences more than the brand new and incredibly risqué Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which airs on Starz.
The first season, which has 13 episodes, tells the beginning story of the most famous gladiator in history, Spartacus. The season starts by showing how Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) is captured by Romans, sentenced to die in the arena, and then kills his opponents. His reward is his purchase and entrance into the most prestigious gladiator school in the city of Capua, run by the cunning and conniving Quintus Batiatus (John Hannah, The Mummy), and his wife Lucretia (Lucy Lawless). From there, he trains as a gladiator under the direction of the Doctore (Peter Mensah, 300) in order to win in the arena, and thus have his captured wife returned to him. Along the way, he battles against his rival, Crixus (Manu Bennett), befriends a man fighting by his own will, and suffers under the secret and consistently traitorous dealings of Batiatus. By the end of the season, he realizes his true destiny when he decides that no man should ever suffer as a slave under the control of Rome.
What makes this show stand out from every other show is the extreme portrayal of Roman society in every episode. The beginning of each episode warns its viewers that the show is intended to represent an accurate portrayal of society during this time period. During the first few episodes alone, your ears will fall off when you hear characters spewing out the most vulgar and offensive profanity ever heard on TV. The nudity and sex will also shock and amaze viewers, as it's much like watching a show that's one step away from being too explicit for TV. This, in effect, can be viewed negatively by audiences who are not used to seeing that sort of thing on premium TV channels.
But what entertains most audiences (which are mostly male) are the over-dramatic but incredibly realistic and vivid fight scenes, going from normal speed to slow motion and splashing blood everywhere. While much of this sounds like it wouldn't be enjoyable for others, one should find comfort that the show can also appeal to them as well. One example of this is the interactions between the women of the show, and the extent of their independence, as well as their beautiful fashions. During the show, there are several instances of very interesting drama and verbal maneuvering that even people today could relate to. Because of this, the greatest theme of the show is the ambition of each character, and what each person is willing to do to gain favor and/or glory.
If you haven't seen this show yet, it is highly recommended that you give it a chance, because even though the racy parts are unconventional, the story is compelling enough to watch the first season all the way through. In the end, it's worth the time to watch because the finale will blow your mind. Once you've finished watching the show, then go check out the brand new season, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which is a prequel season to the first season. This season chronicles the rise of characters like Batiatus, Crixus, and the Doctore, which shows an interesting view of the other side of the story. Once that's over, the sequel season will be airing next year, and all Spartacus fans can get their "gladiator" on once again.
The first season, which has 13 episodes, tells the beginning story of the most famous gladiator in history, Spartacus. The season starts by showing how Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) is captured by Romans, sentenced to die in the arena, and then kills his opponents. His reward is his purchase and entrance into the most prestigious gladiator school in the city of Capua, run by the cunning and conniving Quintus Batiatus (John Hannah, The Mummy), and his wife Lucretia (Lucy Lawless). From there, he trains as a gladiator under the direction of the Doctore (Peter Mensah, 300) in order to win in the arena, and thus have his captured wife returned to him. Along the way, he battles against his rival, Crixus (Manu Bennett), befriends a man fighting by his own will, and suffers under the secret and consistently traitorous dealings of Batiatus. By the end of the season, he realizes his true destiny when he decides that no man should ever suffer as a slave under the control of Rome.
What makes this show stand out from every other show is the extreme portrayal of Roman society in every episode. The beginning of each episode warns its viewers that the show is intended to represent an accurate portrayal of society during this time period. During the first few episodes alone, your ears will fall off when you hear characters spewing out the most vulgar and offensive profanity ever heard on TV. The nudity and sex will also shock and amaze viewers, as it's much like watching a show that's one step away from being too explicit for TV. This, in effect, can be viewed negatively by audiences who are not used to seeing that sort of thing on premium TV channels.
But what entertains most audiences (which are mostly male) are the over-dramatic but incredibly realistic and vivid fight scenes, going from normal speed to slow motion and splashing blood everywhere. While much of this sounds like it wouldn't be enjoyable for others, one should find comfort that the show can also appeal to them as well. One example of this is the interactions between the women of the show, and the extent of their independence, as well as their beautiful fashions. During the show, there are several instances of very interesting drama and verbal maneuvering that even people today could relate to. Because of this, the greatest theme of the show is the ambition of each character, and what each person is willing to do to gain favor and/or glory.
If you haven't seen this show yet, it is highly recommended that you give it a chance, because even though the racy parts are unconventional, the story is compelling enough to watch the first season all the way through. In the end, it's worth the time to watch because the finale will blow your mind. Once you've finished watching the show, then go check out the brand new season, Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which is a prequel season to the first season. This season chronicles the rise of characters like Batiatus, Crixus, and the Doctore, which shows an interesting view of the other side of the story. Once that's over, the sequel season will be airing next year, and all Spartacus fans can get their "gladiator" on once again.
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