Rome on HBO [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

MostlyHarmless

2007-02-13, 01:04 PM

I know not everyone gets HBO, but are there any Rome fans out there? Man is this show ever addictive. OK, HBO apparently has the formula for "gripping original series" as they seem to continue to roll them out with the likes of the Sopranos, Deadwood, etc. but Rome is right up my alley.

Anyone else out there digging Octavian's rise to power?

slapdash

2007-02-13, 01:10 PM

HBO Original Series are pretty much soap operas made with the male demographic in mind. Not that I don't love Deadwood and Rome, they're fun to watch, but they're much more style than substance.

sktarq

2007-02-13, 04:26 PM

I have to admit having studied this part of history I find it great to watch and without the wincing that normally goes allong with such work.

Chunklets

2007-02-13, 04:47 PM

I've enjoyed it, although I've only seen the first few episodes of season 1. It does seem to do a good job combining the "solid" history of the period with a bit of sense of what life was like during the late Roman Republic for those outside the elite. Admittedly, much of that remains speculation, but I think they've speculated wisely, in the case of the series.

Matthew

2007-02-13, 05:55 PM

I watched Season One on BBC1 and am waiting for Season Two. I thought it was very good. It wasn't without its inaccuracies, but it didn't do a bad job at all. I also enjoyed the acting, script and costume, which is saying a lot considering the number of bad shows out there. Probably a bit too much nudity, but it doesn't detract from the show.

I really enjoyed Deadwood, Sopranos not so much, but it has some good episodes. Along with Battle Star Galactica, Rome and Deadwood have pretty much been the best things on television over the last few years.

Robberbaron

2007-02-13, 10:50 PM

I've enjoyed Rome so far, missed the two most recent episodes, but will watch them when I get a chance on HBO On Demand.

My favourite HBO series was their mini-series Band of Brothers, excellent show.

MostlyHarmless

2007-02-14, 02:02 AM

I have to admit having studied this part of history I find it great to watch and without the wincing that normally goes allong with such work.

Howdy outside of ToB sktarq! I know bits of it are quite fictionalized but I've also looked up in the wiki about other parts that seem to provide good drama for the series and discover that they fit historical accounts accurately.

I guess it's not planned to last more than this season, which would be a shame. Have you seen I, Claudius? Based on what I know from that move, it only gets MORE crazy after Augustus.

Season 2 is shaping up quite well in my opinion for those of you who've lost touch.

Ashildr_the_Bard

2007-02-14, 02:15 AM

I LOVE Rome. I watch it religiously. It's actually just about the only thing I ever use my tv for. And I'm green with envy over their costuming.

And season two is awesome so far. Is season one out on DVD yet, does anyone know?

ray53208

2007-02-14, 04:28 AM

love rome. watch it every week. along with lost, medium, bsg, weeds, sopranos, and deadwood (even though its over with). looking forward to the shield and jericho coming back.

Robberbaron

2007-02-14, 12:03 PM

Rome season 1 is on DVD, usually it's $90 and up. Christmas Eve Best Buy ran a 50% off sale on all HBO DVDs, too bad I hadn't seen Rome yet, or I would have bought it.

sktarq

2007-02-14, 12:57 PM

Howdy outside of ToB sktarq! I know bits of it are quite fictionalized but I've also looked up in the wiki about other parts that seem to provide good drama for the series and discover that they fit historical accounts accurately.
Yes some parts are drawn from thin air-but in an educated way and often by filling in gaps in historical records. But because those parts fit the patterns of what is known I don't need to wince-which is really nice. And as for seeing me outside of ToB what did you think I ONLY spend time there :smallwink: ?

I guess it's not planned to last more than this season, which would be a shame. Have you seen I, Claudius? Based on what I know from that move, it only gets MORE crazy after Augustus.
Hehehe-oh it does get ever more nutty

purple gelatinous cube o' Doom

2007-02-14, 06:52 PM

ray53208

2007-02-15, 05:51 AM

gratuitous sex and violence! yippie kai yai yay! sign me up.

morality, piety, and modesty in ancient rome was a very different animal from our rather puritanical understanding these things today. i think the show illustrates this brilliantly. if thats all you are seeing then look harder.

WampaX

2007-02-15, 11:42 AM

well, I've not seen the show yet. But, I hear it's basically just a bunch of gratuitous sex and violence. Seems to me that's the theme with most of the HBO shows. I just hope they don't turn A Song of Ice and Fire into that.

But . . . isn't that what it is? Plus some compelling characters (which Rome also has), court intrigue (also in Rome) and some fantasy mixed in (Rome substitutes history instead or historical fantasy)?

Plus, Titus Pullo . . . don't know why, but I'm drawn to his character more than any of the others. Best character arc of the 1st season.

MostlyHarmless

2007-02-15, 04:38 PM

Plus, Titus Pullo . . . don't know why, but I'm drawn to his character more than any of the others. Best character arc of the 1st season.

Oh yeah! Tell me about it. Survivor of shipwrecks, finder of Caesar's stolen gold, courtesan of Cleopatra, champion gladiator, what's not to love!?!?

I tell you what, you do not want to mess with the combo of Pullo and Vorenus, nosirree. Man, that gladiator battle in Season 1 was excellent. Gratuitous? I didn't think so.

And sktarq, I did not mean to imply that you're never out and away from ToB, more like I am rarely out here in public. Eek! People! *hides*

Robberbaron

2007-02-15, 04:38 PM

I'd almost bet that they had to downplay the sex and violence, Rome was a very different time period. Titus is an interesting chap, still not seen most recent episodes, but Vorenus was having an interesting start to season two.

bosssmiley

2007-02-15, 05:00 PM

ray53208

2007-02-17, 11:54 PM

MostlyHarmless

2007-02-23, 12:57 PM

"Rome"? *Meh* "I Claudius (http://www.historyinfilm.com/claudius/)" did the Roman grand guignol soap opera first and best.
Name me one line in "Rome" that matches Livia's immortal: "Don't touch the figs."

I can't do it justice verbatim but how about Vorenus:
"These are my children stolen from me and enslaved, my daughter prostituted and this is the son of my wife and another man. You will treat them with respect and kindness or answer to me."

and how about
Pullo to Octavian : "Is that you young master ?".
Octavian: "They call me Caeser now"

In response to Brutus' drunken bragging/rationalizing regarding his part in Caesar's assassination: "Perhaps I should find a fresh corpse to stab, so that I too may become great."

And Servilia: "Address me by my first name again and I will have your tongue nailed to a wagon wheel."

Ah, but the best ones are...alas, too vulgar for this forum.

cucchulainnn

2007-02-23, 08:14 PM

Oooohhh, it gets way crazier after Augustus. Lets see, Augustus was the actually the nice ceaser. During his rise to power Augustus was a cut throat but once he was secure in power he turned into almost a nice guy. I might be wrong but I believe Augustus ruled for 50 or 60 years. After him there was Tiberius then Caligula then Claudius then Nero. How’s that for a troop of wacko’s. Even with only lightly touching on things HBO would have 50- 100 seasons right there.

Titus Pullo is the man. he is my favorite character.

thorgrim29

2007-02-23, 10:21 PM

That series looks cool, got to get the dvd,s somewhere. There doing a screen adaptation of a song of ice and fire?!?

Thelion

2007-02-25, 12:56 PM

Great show, I personally think it's a good thing they used British actors instead of Americans (no offense!), the accent gives the whole a nice extra touch.

And I think I'm not the only one who thinks Atia is a beautiful woman?

thorgrim29

2007-02-25, 01:19 PM

No fair, I want HBO too

BrokenButterfly

2007-02-25, 02:11 PM

Started watching it ages ago on BBC2, got about halfway into the series then lost interest.

Not really my type of drama to be honest. Didn't like the characters that much either if I remember correctly.

ray53208

2007-03-25, 09:24 PM

sadly, the totally awesome series rome came to an end tonight. i just finished watching the series finale and im not going to spoil anything, but when titus pollo fought off that alien invasion force with nothing but a gladius and his swinging cod i was impressed.

seriously though, the show rocked and im sad its over.

Weirdlet

2007-03-25, 10:09 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by bosssmiley
"Rome"? *Meh* "I Claudius" did the Roman grand guignol soap opera first and best.
Name me one line in "Rome" that matches Livia's immortal: "Don't touch the figs."

"THIRTEENTH!"
~ Titus Pullo in the arena

"About your father..."

Daze

2007-03-26, 08:58 PM

"About your father..."
that was a great way to end it.. had me chuckling to myself. I'm gonna miss Pullo.. and Voreenus :smallfrown: Was seriously the best series on television. Some historical inaccuracies, but thats to be expected... it was to be a drama afterall. I highly reccomend to anyone who appreciates historical "fiction" as I do...

PS cant wait til HBO does song of fire and ice! I cant think of a more perfect place for it!

ray53208

2007-03-27, 05:01 AM

you know, we only have what Titus Pullo said to Augustus about Lucius Vorenus. he as already keeping certain truths to himself. Vorenus is a tough son of mars.

Daze

2007-03-27, 06:08 PM

you know, we only have what Titus Pullo said to Augustus about Lucius Vorenus. he as already keeping certain truths to himself. Vorenus is a tough son of mars.

The same thought crossed my mind too. They never actually showed vorenus die.. and he had held on a whole month travelling from Egypt to Rome (not an easy trek by any means, especially considering they had to avoid checkpoints and such). Perhaps they let it hang like that so you could make your own assumptions... or even better, perhaps they left it open just in case they decided on a season three somewhere down the road... historically, I'm not sure when vorenus died anyways (he was an actual figure, as was pullo)

ray53208

2007-03-27, 11:59 PM

it isnt as if there isnt enough history to take the show into its 30th season.
the entire series spans from about 52 bce to about 30 bce. from the conquest of gaul to the death of mark antony.

Daze

2007-03-28, 01:40 PM

it isnt as if there isnt enough history to take the show into its 30th season.
the entire series spans from about 52 bce to about 30 bce. from the conquest of gaul to the death of mark antony.

Supposedly there's no more episodes because the show is too expensive to produce... I find that hard to believe, considering some of their other "on location" type shows... I think its more because the writers had a story to tell and thats all they wanted to do.. *shrugs* A shame though, I'll miss it

WampaX

2007-03-28, 01:55 PM

Supposedly there's no more episodes because the show is too expensive to produce... I find that hard to believe, considering some of their other "on location" type shows... I think its more because the writers had a story to tell and thats all they wanted to do.. *shrugs* A shame though, I'll miss it

Well,
Big, Well Made Sets + Extras + Costuming + Italy + really good CGI shots = Expensive (for a TV series), especially given the fact that they have no sponsors/adverts/product placement to offset the costs.

Daze

2007-03-28, 02:11 PM

Well,
Big, Well Made Sets + Extras + Costuming + Italy + really good CGI shots = Expensive (for a TV series), especially given the fact that they have no sponsors/adverts/product placement to offset the costs.

Oh absolutely, I'm not saying it was cheap by any means. Those sets in particular were quite over the top (excellent). But HBO does offset their costs with subscription fees and DVD sales, most of their series sell for $75 plus on disc. It still might have been a losing formula though, true.... But its not like something say The Sopranos is cheap either.. most of that is shot on location in NY/NJ.. and I can tell you first hand, there's nothing more expensive than shooting on location.

ray53208

2007-03-29, 06:04 PM

i remember when deadwood came out on dvd. it was very very expensive. definitely worth it, but more than i have to spend. i expect that rome will be similarly costly and equally well worth it.

Robberbaron

2007-03-30, 02:20 PM

Rome is usually $80+ depending on where you buy it, Band of Brothers was like $90 for 2 straight years, now it's around $60, from what little I pay attention to their stuff it usually starts $75+ and people pay it. In two or three years when Rome's cheaper, or if I can get it on sale, I'll buy it, but too expensive as it is now.

soozenw

2007-04-11, 06:25 PM

I have recently become a fan of ROME, downloading the episodes and voraciously watching them. The sex, the violence, the CHARACTERS! Ah god I love it. I actually like the characters. They did a great job casting this show.

Matthew

2007-04-11, 06:45 PM

It's all being repeated on UKTV Drama over the next three weekends, if you have access. Sadly, not in Widescreen.

Daze

2007-04-11, 06:46 PM

soozenw

2007-04-12, 07:33 PM

*sigh* I just finished watching season 1. I laughed, I cried, I raged, I felt the suspense.

WHY DID THEY CANCEL THIS SHOW?!?!? oh, maybe the $100 million/season price tag...but it was still really good!

my thoughts ~~~>
~when ceasar lay dying on the senate floor, the look that he gave brutus right before brutus stabbed him--i got teary.

~when pullo was in the arena and shouting "thirteen!" yeah, i got teary then too. and i had to cover my eyes a bit...the suspense was too much.

~niobe throwing herself off the balcony---totally unexpected.

~speaking of niobe, she's GORGEOUS! why isn't she in mainstream tv, or even better--movies?

~the lesbianism between servilia and octavia--ew. that was totally unnecessary.

~and speaking of octavia--she seduced her brother???!?!?!? sick!

~why can i not help but love atia? she's so deliciously evil!

~why do i like ceasar so much? he was a tyrant! oh yeah, because he did a good job and the people loved him. i am people. ;-)

~seriously, what's up with the over abundance of sex and nakedness? i mean, yes, i know it's HBO, but really...i don't need to see that many heaving bosoms and floppy man parts.

~although, the servant that atia sent to servilia with the turtle...very impressive...

~i really like pullo. he's like a big dumb oaf. but what was up with killing that poor slave? oh yeah, he was in love.

~cleopatra--totally ugly and shaped like a boy. and what was she supposed to be? 12, 13? ew.