HBO's Rome S2 Ep 1
SPOILERS as usual.
But before I get to that, a fun link on terrible student excuses.
A tip to those who wish to take over 20 credits with overlapping classes--clear things with your professor before signing up, and make sure you actually do all the work. Otherwise, you're the reason the rest of us have to fight with our schools to be allowed to do this! Yes, I had to sign a waiver saying that if I failed any of my classes, it would be my own fault. I thought that was already a given.
On to Rome! I can agree to some extent with this reviewer on the look of Rome (not enough colour), but I'm not convinced the episode was that poorly done. There are actually good scenes with the common people--a couple mob shots at the funeral (thankfully not unending, though) and actual discussion of the funeral itself amongst the common people at the end. If they weren't portrayed as a loud mob before that, it was so Antony could point out that the streets were silent and without boisterous cheering for a tyrant's death.
I'm also loving the continuing Atia and Servilia rivalry and Calpurnia finally getting to confront Servilia.
Some choice quotations:
Octavian convincing his mother to stay in Rome with him to get Caesar's will ratified: "If the will stands, and it might, you are mother to the richest man in Rome. If it the will is broken, Servilia has that honour."
Antony is clearly peeved, and Octavian is really coming in to his own.
Antony trying to convince the senators to go along with Octavian's plan, thus explains Caesar's status: "It will be as if he was struck by lightening."
Antony explaining what he'll do if they agree: "I will retire quietly to the provinces, where I will plow my fields and fuck my slaves--just like old Cincinnatus."
Brutus on not killing Antony after he's just stepped out to let them talk: "He is a guest in my house." Servilia: "He is not in the house; he's on the street."
Also wonderfully done was the continued juxtaposition of the funerals of Niobe and Caesar. But I must say, I prefered the funerals done in BBC's Ancient Rome.
Eirene also agrees to marry Pullo. Vorenus curses his children but then spends the rest of the episode regretting it. Pullo helps him when he discovers Erastes Fulmen took them. They clean the place out, killing his men before Vorenus confronts Erastes. Erastes says he took them as payment (raped, murdered, and thrown into the river), so Vorenus chops his head off and walks away with it.
Most of the important points can be found in the earlier linked review, though. I do really love how they show and talk out with witty lines the political situation. It is a lot of talk though, and I can see how that could be disappointing to some. But it'a balanced by lots of bloodshed and Antony sex--as per usual.
But before I get to that, a fun link on terrible student excuses.
A tip to those who wish to take over 20 credits with overlapping classes--clear things with your professor before signing up, and make sure you actually do all the work. Otherwise, you're the reason the rest of us have to fight with our schools to be allowed to do this! Yes, I had to sign a waiver saying that if I failed any of my classes, it would be my own fault. I thought that was already a given.
On to Rome! I can agree to some extent with this reviewer on the look of Rome (not enough colour), but I'm not convinced the episode was that poorly done. There are actually good scenes with the common people--a couple mob shots at the funeral (thankfully not unending, though) and actual discussion of the funeral itself amongst the common people at the end. If they weren't portrayed as a loud mob before that, it was so Antony could point out that the streets were silent and without boisterous cheering for a tyrant's death.
I'm also loving the continuing Atia and Servilia rivalry and Calpurnia finally getting to confront Servilia.
Some choice quotations:
Octavian convincing his mother to stay in Rome with him to get Caesar's will ratified: "If the will stands, and it might, you are mother to the richest man in Rome. If it the will is broken, Servilia has that honour."
Antony is clearly peeved, and Octavian is really coming in to his own.
Antony trying to convince the senators to go along with Octavian's plan, thus explains Caesar's status: "It will be as if he was struck by lightening."
Antony explaining what he'll do if they agree: "I will retire quietly to the provinces, where I will plow my fields and fuck my slaves--just like old Cincinnatus."
Brutus on not killing Antony after he's just stepped out to let them talk: "He is a guest in my house." Servilia: "He is not in the house; he's on the street."
Also wonderfully done was the continued juxtaposition of the funerals of Niobe and Caesar. But I must say, I prefered the funerals done in BBC's Ancient Rome.
Eirene also agrees to marry Pullo. Vorenus curses his children but then spends the rest of the episode regretting it. Pullo helps him when he discovers Erastes Fulmen took them. They clean the place out, killing his men before Vorenus confronts Erastes. Erastes says he took them as payment (raped, murdered, and thrown into the river), so Vorenus chops his head off and walks away with it.
Most of the important points can be found in the earlier linked review, though. I do really love how they show and talk out with witty lines the political situation. It is a lot of talk though, and I can see how that could be disappointing to some. But it'a balanced by lots of bloodshed and Antony sex--as per usual.
posted by Glaukôpis at 1:47 PM
2 Comments:
I thought the episode was done quite well. I suppose here and there they sacrifice historical accuracy for drama (The portrayal of Atia comes to mind) - but overall a fantastic series. Cool blog, by the way!
Thanks!!
And this series is pretty good with not pulling stuff out of thin air. When it makes stuff up, it does so for a pretty good reason and generally got it from something ancient (generally).
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