View Full Version : New UK 11-episode TV series: Rome !!!
Hello everyone ~:wave:
Not sure if this is the best forum so moderators feel free to move ~:)
This Wednesday at 9pm on UK BBC2 sees the start of a 11-episode lavish drama series based on Rome. The series is co-produced by HBO and the BBC and charts the birth of the Roman Empire through the lives of towering historical figures and lesser lights.
:charge:
Hi everyone ~:wave:
Just a gentle reminder for those living in the UK.
I'm just off for a long soak in the bath before it starts.
:charge:
10 minutes! Best be good...
Kekvit Irae
11-02-2005, 22:11
Unless it deals with the game itself, or uses the RTW engine (such as Time Commanders or Decisive Battles) the place for these announcements is the Monastery.
Well that was good, if horrifically bloodthirsty and full of sex scenes...
There's also a thread on this in the frontroom, although to be honest, it's on topic in both places. I gave the first episode a big ~:thumb:
Geoffrey S
11-02-2005, 23:09
It was entertaining, and painted a good view of Rome in those days to my knowledge. What was disappointing was the editing, the plot really needed more time to develop; they fit in a large amount of the necessary information in 45 minutes, but it felt too rushed. They could probably have dropped a couple of the sex scenes for such development.
I've seen the first 9 episdoes on HBO in the US. It's a fabulous series and one that I actively look forward to each week. Octavian in particular is extremely well written and I look forward to watching them turn him into an emperor. Don't expect any battle sequences though, they literally ignore them and explain away the major battles with a few words on the side.
Oh, and FYI it has already been renewed for a second season and will likely get a third beyond that.
Hi everyone ~:wave:
I quite enjoyed it but it was difficult fitting everything in to 50 minutes. I really enjoyed the initial battle scene even though it was quite small. It looks like it may be setting the scene with a few characters that may be around for the full 13 episodes. There was also quite a few enjoyable one-liners, but as usual I have forgotten them within 10 minutes ~:confused: . It's also handy to see that it will be repeated on Sundays as I may not be able to commit to every Wednesday.
:charge:
Octavian in particular is extremely well written and I look forward to watching them turn him into an emperor.
Yes, he was the stand-out character for me in the first episode. The scene where he was rescued was excellent - when he started explaining why Caesar did not really want his eagle back and why Pompey would mistake symbolic weakness for real weakness.
When friends go away....
to join the arned police at Sellafield......
you hope they don't come back on a Wednesday and get everyone out for a few pints.
If I can't find a recording of this it'll be police on toast!
Prodigal
11-03-2005, 08:13
It was good fun, the sets won it for me, as far as the acting goes, gotta plump for Octavian he seemed to have the best developed character, looking forward to Pomp, & Julius being developed more as they're both exceptional actors. *Wishes Brian Blessed was young enough to play the future Augustus* :burnout:
Geoffrey S
11-03-2005, 08:18
Octavian in particular is extremely well written and I look forward to watching them turn him into an emperor.
He was certainly interesting, I could really imagine him being the future emperor.
This is indeed a good TV-show.
I have seen 8 episodes and will see the 9th tonight.
I am not able to judge the authenticity of the costumes, places or people but somehow I get the feeling that it is all somewhat authentic.
If I can't find a recording of this it'll be police on toast!
I think they said it would be repeated late night on Sunday.
If you guys think Octavian was great in the first episode, you will love what is to come. The kid is a breath of fresh air in all of convoluted corruption that the rest of Rome is. They have written him with intelligence and wisdom far beyond his years and it really works well. By halfway through the season you'll be rooting for the Ides just so that he can be unleashed on the rest of the scum.
If I can't find a recording of this it'll be police on toast!
I should probably adhere to org. policies and not mention this...
but a clue would be something starting with tor and ending with rent
~:cheers:
Octavian reminded me of the kid from "Master and Commander" that gets his arm broken and then sawn off. There were a few characters that you really notice, Julius Ceasars wife, the knucklehead soldier etc. I thought it was really good but was dissapointed with the lack of battle scenes. I was impressed by the portrayal of the fighting but as soon as the front row retired and the second row picked up the fighting the fight was kinda over. I hope there are more battle scenes depicted in later episodes since, you know, its a series about Rome and Rome wasnt founded on milk & cookies.
And Rome without the sex wouldnt be Rome at all!
A question for those that say they have seen it already in the US, is it only 25mins long each episode you get? Since they wouldnt be allowed to show the sex scenes. I thought showing flesh was was banned in the US. All the violence and crime = okay : some bare flesh = good god! no way!! ;)
Grey_Fox
11-03-2005, 15:05
Porn with a Roman backdrop and some talky bits. While good, it's not as good as some other stuff out there. Will still watch though.
Grey_Fox - Porn with a Roman backdrop and some talky bits.
Wow, I'm certainly going to catch the repeat on Sunday now!
Thanks for pointing that out, Simon.
I hope there are more battle scenes depicted in later episodes since, you know, its a series about Rome and Rome wasnt founded on milk & cookies.
And Rome without the sex wouldnt be Rome at all!
A question for those that say they have seen it already in the US, is it only 25mins long each episode you get? Since they wouldnt be allowed to show the sex scenes. I thought showing flesh was was banned in the US. All the violence and crime = okay : some bare flesh = good god! no way!! ;)
You will get NO battle scenes at all, at least not any of a military nature. There's plenty of fighting, but it's more street brawling and Lucius and Titus kicking other peoples' asses. The major battles that have been covered so far by the time period have no been shown at all. I mean nothing, not even a shot. Yes, it's disappointing... but then again it's a show about Roman politics and not a war movie.
In the US it is a full hour show (minus breaks) and since it is not shown on broadcast tv, they can show pretty much anything they want. While not as risque as European tv, US cable doesn't have anywhere near as many restrictions as broadcast channels.
Oh no, without those edges it will be another lame soap! Eastenders BC, pah!
Thanks for the warning.
I forgot to ask, why is the character called Marc Antony and not Marcus Antonious since Marcus Antonious is his actual name? (though maybe not spelt right here!)
Episode one was broadcasted monday already on Belgian T.V. Well, at least the first half of episode one, since it didn't progress quite so far into the plot as the BBC. It seems the British are broadcasting a cut edition: several scenes (e.g. Julia's death) were missing. Not that this bothered me: the lost part were mostly small and unimportant and certainly not the best bits.
I rather liked it: the atmosphere and background are very well done, the acting is good and the scenario writers know their history (though I was a bit surprised when Pompey boasted of defeating the Parthians, AFAIK he never met them in the field). Pity that Attia's intrigues did not match up to those of Livia in "I, Claudius".
I forgot to ask, why is the character called Marc Antony and not Marcus Antonious since Marcus Antonious is his actual name? (though maybe not spelt right here!)
For the same reason they say Pompey instead of Pompeus: the anglised version is better known. I have even been told that Julius Ceasar is pronounced I-ulius Kaiser. Don't know if this is true, though.
The Grand Inquisitor
11-06-2005, 00:32
I have even been told that Julius Ceasar is pronounced I-ulius Kaiser. Don't know if this is true, though.
'C's are hard - like in 'coffee'. 'ae' is pronounced like the word 'eye'. So 'Kai-sar' (Oh and the name means 'hairy'.)
My favourite though is 'Cicero' - sissy sounding if anglicised, kick-ass in classical latin. (Name means 'chick pea' BTW)
Alexanderofmacedon
11-06-2005, 01:17
Do any of you guys know if the TV series will come out DVD? I would much like to see it...
Is this the same one that comes on HBO in the United States?
'C's are hard - like in 'coffee'. 'ae' is pronounced like the word 'eye'. So 'Kai-sar' (Oh and the name means 'hairy'.)
That is quite ironic, considering it bothered him immensely that he was going bald. ~D
Craterus
11-06-2005, 22:08
I taped it, but now my VCR is broken... :furious:
Byzantine Prince
11-06-2005, 22:41
I like the show a lot. My only critisizm is that there are some really forced one-liners that even the actors couldn't say properly(and rightly so, because they sound ridiculous). I have excused this in my mind because maybe people really spoke that way sometimes.
English assassin
11-07-2005, 13:54
I was very entertained, but, to be picky, and judging from the first episode only, you had to know a certain amount of republican history already to make sense of it. In particular the absolutely crucial importance to Caesar of not being without a public office or governorship at the expiry of his command in Gaul wasn't explained, which is going to make the whole civil war seem rather arbitrary.
On the other hand little things it brought home very well. Eg I knew very well a roman girl would expect to be married and probably a mother at 14, but the centurion coming home to find he was now a grandfather really brought that accross. I also liked the little details, like the legionary making a quick obeisance to (what I assumed was) a statue of Mithras, on his way to the brothel.
I also especially liked the way they haven't overly modernised the characters values, by which I mean, for instance, that nobles treat slaves and even low born free men as scum, that it obviously would never cross the legionaries mind that raping captive women was a bad thing to do, and so on. Not that I approve of those views, you understand, but its refreshing that they have made an attempt to put Romans as they were in the drama, rather than modern day people pretending to be Romans.
All in all, very good.
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