All Episodes Talk: S01 Blood And Sand

[maraleia]

 

The Romans, in an effort to protect their homeland, seek the help of Thracian warrior Spartacus and his team of fighters. After a violent incident, Spartacus must enter the gladiator ring to face his punishment from the Romans.

 

Our first episode of the re-watch party. We will be re-watching Blood and Sand, then Gods of the Arena, then Vengeance and finally War of the Dammed. I will be posting new episode threads the day before they air on SyFy. Can't wait to read everyone's take on the show both new and returning viewers. Discuss away.

[ElleryAnne]

Okay, that was interesting...  

 

I'm a first-time viewer, and I guess my first thought is that as introductory episodes of shows go, this was a tough one.  I spent a lot of time just trying to figure out who people were and who was fighting whom and why.  So if it's okay, I'm going to list what I figured out and what I didn't, and please, someone feel free to correct as needed and fill in the blanks for me.

 

So: the Thracians joined with the Romans to fight the Getae, but then the Romans wanted to send the Thracians to fight Mithridates(?) off to the East somewhere.  This didn't sit well with Spartacus, so he and some of the other Thracian fighters ended up doing a little impromptu rebellion that left the Legatus dead.

 

About the guy who turns out to be Spartacus (and thanks, show, for finally confirming that at the end of the episode!) and his wife Sura:  because he was involved in the rebellion,  the Romans punished him with an old-fashioned pillage-and-burn.  So Spartacus and Sura were planning to go somewhere South (I thought they were planning to go to Capua anyway?) but then were captured by Glaber's men.  She was dragged off to be a slave, and he was taken to be fodder for entertainment in the gladiator's arena, where Glaber assumed he'd be killed but thought he'd make sure of it by outnumbering him.  And I'll admit it - I was booing and cheering with the crowd over Glaber's poor sportsmanship and subsequent loss of face.  Take that, Glaber!

 

Glaber's wife is the daughter of the Governor of Capua.  Governor's name is Albinius.  I didn't hear them give the daughter's name.  

 

A couple of other guys brought men to fight in the arena.  Batiatus (or something like that) brought two guys - Barca and Crixus?  I don't know why he brought them (for instance, were they being punished, as with Glaber bringing Spartacus, or was there another reason?)  The other guy - Solonius? - brought six men.  We didn't hear their names and I don't know why they were there.  Batiatus thinks Solonius is a douchebag.  So do I.

 

Batiatus' wife is named Lucretia.  She, her husband and Solonius were all invited to sit with the Governor.   I got the impression Lucretia worked to get those invitations for herself and her husband, but I'm not sure.  She seems to be a woman-behind-the-man sort of woman, but again, that's just on first impression and not anything she actually did.  She just seems the stronger one in that couple.

 

Did Glaber have another woman in his room, or was that also his wife?  

 

Drenis (?) is a fellow Thracian warrior and maybe a friend of Spartacus'.  Was Drenis also the guy that Spartacus got into a fight with early in the episode, between battles and before Glaber showed up?  Also, I think that was Drenis who was killed in the arena?  In which case, I should be using past tense for him, I guess.  I should probably know the answer to my own question there, but a couple of guys in some of those scenes looked kind of interchangeable thanks to the unshowered look they were working.

 

Okay, I think that's all the details I picked up from this episode.  I'd like to hope Spartacus finds Sura and they live happily ever after, but something tells me I shouldn't pin my hopes on that. 

 

Visually, I found the show interesting.  I'd heard the show was bloody, but I was still surprised by how much blood - especially the over-the-top slo-mo massive amounts of it - there was.  I don't think it needs so much blood, but if it doesn't get worse than that, it wouldn't stop me from watching.  I did think some of the visual effects were really interesting, like the petals and then snow when Spartacus was heading off to war.  In general, I liked the slo-mo.  I can see how some people wouldn't, but I think it lent something to the story-telling.

 

Overall, I'd give the episode a 7 out of 10.  Once I figured out who the people were, I found most of them interesting.  But it was a lot of work to figure out who they were!  

Edited June 27, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[ybrik]

ElleryAnne , the first episode is a lot to take in. As a fan from when this show originally aired on Starz, I can attest these first 3 episodes are a lot of world building. Most fans usually agree the show really starts taking off in ep 4-5 but it is very much worth it.

 

Glaber is the Legatus. He made a promise to Spartacus and the Thracians to stay till the Getae were destroyed. However, the Getae move their army in the direction of the Thracians homeland. Glaber with help from his wife decide to go after Mithridates in Greece because defeating him would garner more prestige. His wife is the woman in the camp. Her name is Illythia and her father is actually a Senator. So basically Glaber goes back on his word to destroy the Getae when he orders the Thracians to abandon protecting their homeland and go fight against Mithridates. So basically the Thracians rebel going and leaving their homes unprotected.

 

Yes Drenis is the friend Spartacus fights with earlier. He also tries to kill Glaber/the Legatus however Spartacus stops him from killing him and just left him knocked out. Spartacus and the rest of the Thracians go off to try to save their homes. He is able to save his wife but basically most of their village is destroyed so they try to run. Thrace is basically in south east Europe and Capua is in Italy.

 

Batiatus and Solonius are gladiator trainers basically so having men fighting in these events are a sign of prestige. So Solonius having more men fighting is basically a sign that he is better than Batiatus. The gladiators are supposed to be highly trained fighters/killers so they should have an easy time killing the prisoners who have been locked up, beaten and probably starved for days/weeks. In a one on one fight the gladiator should easily handle the prisoners so Glaber stacking the deck was considered complete overkill.

 

The show is over the top with the blood. However, it is more comic book style with it. I don't know if it gets more bloody but it does remain pretty bloody. Of course I am not sure how much will get edited/censored by SciFy.

[Meushell]

Aww, the beginning of it all. I was a bit worried about how Sci Fi would edit it. I thought they did a good job.

 

The acting seemed a bit weak at some points. I didn't notice the first time watching it way back when. I think I only notice it now because they improved.

 

A few scenes have more meaning when you watch it again. When Spartacus goes off to say by to Sura, he passes a man crouching near a woman and young boy. It's sad knowing they are all doomed.

 

ElleryAnne, I'll try to answer your questions. Since you comment on things I want to bring up, I'll just bring it up here. :)

 

Thracian fighters ended up doing a little impromptu rebellion that left the Legatus dead

He is Glaber, the guy who captured Spartacus, so he didn't die (unless you meant he was left for dead.

 

the Romans punished him with an old-fashioned pillage-and-burn.  So Spartacus and Sura were planning to go somewhere South (I thought they were planning to go to Capua anyway?)

I'm pretty sure the Getae were attacking the town. At least, that's how I always interpreted the scene. Interesting idea though. Maybe the characters assumed it was the Getae, and it was the Romans, attacking a whole lot closer than Spartacus realized. Spartacus and Sura weren't planning on going anywhere until their town was destroyed.

 

A couple of other guys brought men to fight in the arena.  Batiatus (or something like that) brought two guys - Barca and Crixus?  I don't know why he brought them (for instance, were they being punished, as with Glaber bringing Spartacus, or was there another reason?)  The other guy - Solonius? - brought six men.  We didn't hear their names and I don't know why they were there.  Batiatus thinks Solonius is a douchebag.  So do I.

Barca, Crixus, and Solonius' men weren't being punished. They are Gladiators versus Spartacus (and company) being prisoners. Solonius was trying to get glory for his men (which in turn gets him more glory and money) and probably figured it killing the prisoners was a low risk.

 

Did Glaber have another woman in his room, or was that also his wife?

Ilithyia. Same woman in both scenes. You missed out on quite the view of her with the Sci Fi version.

 

Drenis (?) is a fellow Thracian warrior and maybe a friend of Spartacus'.

I actually don't remember his name. Lol. I guess that answers your question. Yeah, he was the one killed, fighting right before Spartacus was sent out. I like the editing in how they did this. He's a nobody in the start (in the arena). By the time he's reintroduced during the war itself, I had forgotten about his earlier scene. I thought he'd be a friend to Spartacus in the series, becoming a fellow gladiator. Then when they get back to the arena, he's fighting for his life, and then he dies.

 

ETA: I posted, and I see ybrik beat me too the answers. Lol.

Edited June 27, 2014 by Meushell

[ElleryAnne]

Thanks, @ybrik and @Meushell!   It really is a lot of world-building that's happening there.  Fair warning,  I'll probably have other questions over the next few episodes.  

 

I didn't even realize that Glaber was the Legatus.  That casts a different light on a couple of scenes.

 

He also tries to kill Glaber/the Legatus however Spartacus stops him from killing him and just left him knocked out.

 

 

Ooh, I didn't catch that part.  So Glaber kinda-sorta owes his life to Spartacus and doesn't realize it?  Although he might just feel that if Spartacus hadn't rebelled to begin with, he wouldn't have been left there to begin with.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the Getae were attacking the town.

 

 

 

That would make more sense.  When I thought it was the Romans, it seemed like terribly harsh retaliation for what had been a situation between a small group of individuals.

 

 

So the other gladiators and their trainers are similar to boxers today?  At least, inasmuch as they're professional fighters and their trainers try to arrange gigs for them so they can all become more famous entertaining the masses (although more barbaric)?  Or is it only the trainers who become famous, and the gladiators don't get much out of it?

[ybrik]

The closest parallel would be like Don King and his boxers. The gladiators can get famous. As the series goes on that will be shown what they get out of it. Since they are slaves they don't get money out of it. Batiatus and Solonious gain wealth and get in the good graces of the wealthy and political leaders in Rome. So basically the more men they have fighting and the better place on the card, they more money and prestige they get. Usually these events are being presented by a wealthy citizen/politician or in honor of someone or something famous. So they hire the fighters from Batiatus and others like him. They want the best fighters to get the best reaction from the crowds. The more the crowd likes it, the better it looks on the person who sponsored the event who in turn will look on favorable on the people who provide the fighters. So everyone gets something out it but the gladiators are still the low man in the totem pole.

 

Lucretia and Batiatus are probably one of the most interesting couples that I have ever watched on TV. I leave it at that for now.

[ElleryAnne]

Thanks, @ybrik .  That makes sense.  And I hadn't realized the professional gladiators were slaves, so there's another piece to add to this show's universe.  

Edited June 27, 2014 by ElleryAnne

[Badger]

The gladiators do get paid if they win although not always in "coin."  

[HunterHunted]

One of the things that struck me upon rewatching was how long it took the writers to really get the language and dialogue patterns down. I even heard a couple of "the's."

[Meushell]

Enslaved in gladiatorial school, the newly christened Spartacus must try to suppress his desire for vengeance when his new master promises to reunite him with his wife.

[Meushell]

This is a fun show to watch again. I notice things I didn't the first time.

Like Pietros cleaning Barca in the baths. Varro standing next to Spartacus in the lineup.

Then there is what I don't remember, like the recruit Marcus.

"Hmm, I forgot about him. I wonder what happened to him."

Marcus: *Dies at the end of the episode* (He was the recruit who charged at Barca during the test, and was instantly killed.)

"Oh, that's why."

They made a good show of this how good these gladiators are. Compare Spartacus' fight against the four last episode against the two fights with Crixus in this episode.

The treatment of the recruits by the gladiators is almost amusing in a morbid way. The way they laugh when one dies is a good show of the relationship with death and their arrogance. Yet I like the instant welcome as soon as a recruit is considered a gladiator. When Varro wins, his opponent (Gnaeus) grins and takes his hand.

Hope to read other posts in here soon.

[maraleia]

 

Though Spartacus proved himself during training and now wears the attire of a gladiator, his coarse attitude and relentless quest to see his wife isolates him from his fellow gladiators and Doctore.

 

[Meushell]

Nice Spartacus and Varro bonding.

Good thing Gnaeus is really really stupid.

It's a good thing that Crixus added that "three months ago" bit. Otherwise it looks like he noticed her breasts before anything else.

Poor Varro and nameless slave girl. Forced to "entertained." I imagine Varro didn't have that in mind when he signed up to be a gladiator.

Ilithyia is so entertaining.

I enjoyed the buildup of just how good the gladiators are at fighting. Spartacus has finally learned that lesson himself.

[maraleia]

Having performed shamefully in the arena against Crixus, Spartacus is forced to fight in the Pits. Batiatus, determined to profit from Spartacus, may be at risk if his debts aren't repaid.

[ElleryAnne]

Okay, I'm already behind on the rewatch because we were on vacation last week and the show didn't record.  But I did manage to catch tonight's episode. (I gather that in the episode I missed, Spartacus lost a gladiator fight against Crixus.)

 

I think the character I'm finding most interesting so far is Batiatus.  He's a good antagonist against Spartacus, since he isn't all bad and they seem to be building some trust in spite of their relative positions.  And I liked the arrangement/bet.

 

I can't make up my mind about Illythia.  I want to hate her, but she almost makes me laugh.  She's certainly seems used to getting whatever she wants, though.

 

I want to feel bad for the guys in the Pits.  It's a horrible circumstance they're in.  It still feels weird watching it and seeing how everyone in all classes takes it all as completely normal.  It's just a mindset that's so outside anything I can imagine.

 

These guys are gruesome, though.  Cutting off and carrying around the face?  Yikes.  

[Meushell]

I am surprised by the amount of violence sci-fi channel shows. This episode in particular. (Not complaining. I saw the original version. Just surprised.)

I continue to enjoy the Spartacus/Varro friendship. I wonder what would have become of the threatening gladiator (don't remember his name or if he has one) if he had killed Spartacus in his sleep. He probably would have been due for a very unpleasant death, to put it mildly.

The Barca/Pietros scene amuses me. Barca looks so pissed. I realize he is probably glaring at Spartacus but it really comes off as a "he should be enjoying himself, not looking pissed off" scene.

Love Batiatus using a random person as a shield during the attack. With all the chaos during that moment, I actually did not notice that before.

Lol Crixus. I admit it took me a while to like him. He criticizes Naevia with that "mind of a woman" crap, only for her to explain what he really should have already known. Still, he was right to be a little annoyed at the question. Once Lucretia noticed that he was holding something, he really had no choice but to give it to her.

It also amuses me that Lucretia and Batiatus both put their pride before their finances. No wonder they are having money problems.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Meushell

[green]

New to the series and posted it in the re-watch thread.  Nice to have a new to me series to get into about everyone's favorite Bulgarian.   (Well more of ancient Thrace corresponds with modern day Bulgaria then any other current country so I'm just sayin', heh).

 

The negative:  I'm not a big fan of over the top comic style "300" historical fictions so there is that "minor" (hah) problem.  But since this is a long series I will have to set that aside and just go on the ride and take this for what it is because there is no escaping that genre here.

 

The positive: History, in any form, is my drug of choice.  And Roman history is an especially favorite era for me.  So I'm hooked.

 

Interesting to see the writers worked in the historical bit about Spartacus being a Roman auxiliary.  They didn't use that in the Howard Fast novel / Stanley Kubrick film back in the day.  But one interesting parallel to the film is that this series had the Roman commander named Glaber.  In the 1960 film they had a character named Glabrus.  That version had him as a rather inept commander who owes his position to the fact that he is the son-in-law of Crassus.  Here it looks like he is trying to ride the coat tails of his non-Crassus but still a senator father-in-law. 

 

Of course film Glabrus doesn't figure into the "commanding" bit until the rebellion since the film starts -- except for a brief prelude where Spartacus is introduced as being punished for attacking a guard in the mines where he is already a slave -- right off in the gladiator school at Capua.  A TV series has so much more space to operate in.

Edited July 22, 2014 by green

[green]

New to the series person again.  Introduction and fleshing out of Crixus which is our other historical gladiator.  The rest are new characters to me.  Writers have a lot of leeway the more ancient the history and the less real names and characters known as such.  Look forward to seeing what they do with them.

 

I like the actor that plays Batiatus.  Worthy to be Peter Ustenov's successor which is a tall order.  And in both cases he seems written into a gray area of neither being good nor bad (given the times) but shows some of both (no matter the times making a profit on people killing each other is not cool) from what I've seen so far.

 

And I actually had no idea Lucy Lawless was his wife until I caught the credits the first time.  So she is doing her job well that I didn't even recognize a "name" but just saw her character.

 

Right now I find them the two most interesting characters.  Yes, sympathies towards Spartacus and so forth but they have a nice, complex, interesting relationship and political / social climbing scenario starting already which bodes well for many an intrigue and self-inflicted trouble ahead.

[green]

Okay, I'm already behind on the rewatch because we were on vacation last week and the show didn't record.  But I did manage to catch tonight's episode. (I gather that in the episode I missed, Spartacus lost a gladiator fight against Crixus.)

 

I think the character I'm finding most interesting so far is Batiatus.  He's a good antagonist against Spartacus, since he isn't all bad and they seem to be building some trust in spite of their relative positions.  And I liked the arrangement/bet.

 

I can't make up my mind about Illythia.  I want to hate her, but she almost makes me laugh.  She's certainly seems used to getting whatever she wants, though.

 

I want to feel bad for the guys in the Pits.  It's a horrible circumstance they're in.  It still feels weird watching it and seeing how everyone in all classes takes it all as completely normal.  It's just a mindset that's so outside anything I can imagine.

 

These guys are gruesome, though.  Cutting off and carrying around the face?  Yikes.  

 

I just posted something similar in the episode 2 thread.  And since Peter Ustenov played him in the 1960 film I am impressed they found someone who can also hold his own by neither copying NOR running away from the Ustenov interpretation. 

 

So many actors playing a role -- even if written in a different format like this one from the 1960 film -- would still try TOO hard to run away from the first actor's interpretation.  Those actors usually are so on an ego trip to prove themselves better then a previous actor that they screw up things totally and show themselves pretty bad actors.  This actor has the confidence to neither copy nor run away from the film's version.  That bodes well for him making the role his own. 

 

Anyway, kudos to him.  Still liking him the best in the cast so far.  Not that I dislike any of the other cast.  Just that this guy really stands out to me.

[Meushell]

Batiatus is presented with a gladiatorial opportunity of a lifetime. Spartacus and Crixus must overcome their mutual hostility to fight as a team against a legendary and unbeaten opponent.

(Description from TheTVDB.com)

Edited July 25, 2014 by Meushell

[ElleryAnne]

When other people watch the big gladiator scene at the end, do they also yell at TV, "Don't turn your back on him!"   When Theokoles was down and Spartacus and Crixus were enjoying the cheers, it was obvious Theokoles would end up standing again.  If Spartacus hadn't cut the guy's head off, I still wouldn't have trusted him.  (And yes, I'm ignoring some really bad special effects there.)  

 

Okay, so last week I think I said that Batiatus didn't seem to be all bad.  This week, after that scene with Ovidius' son, I should probably take that back.  That scene was downright disturbing.  But the scene later with Batiatus, Solonius and the others in the box talking about what happened to Ovidius' family was the highlight of the episode.  Those two actors (playing Batiatus and Solonius) totally sold it without overplaying it.  I'm very curious to see how things unfold between them. 

 

Illythia cracks me up.  

[Meushell]

The Juno scene was a little shorter in the SyFy version. They removed a couple of good Ilithyia moments.

Nice job getting Lucretia to back off for a night, Crixus...and a horrible night (for her) to get her to back off. Lucretia, you have other slaves to order around. Not that I agree with such an order, but she did have other options.

I love the way Crixus plays to the crowd. It makes it that much better when Theokoles gets up and uses Crixus' own "Shall I begin?" to the crowd.

Speaking of the first initial takedown, I love how everyone is celebrating except for Doctore. He just knows something's up.

Poor Solonius. He thought he had a sure thing with that one, and he can't even celebrate the rain.

Okay, so last week I think I said that Batiatus didn't seem to be all bad. This week, after that scene with Ovidius' son, I should probably take that back. That scene was downright disturbing. But the scene later with Batiatus, Solonius and the others in the box talking about what happened to Ovidius' family was the highlight of the episode. Those two actors (playing Batiatus and Solonius) totally sold it without overplaying it. I'm very curious to see how things unfold between them.

The scene was disturbing. Nice acting on the part of the boy actor, being so young.

Poor Barca. He clearly was not happy with that order.

Great scene between Batiatus and Solonius. The reactions to the news and the small exchanges between each other. Love how Lucretia is clueless and sort of making things worse for her husband by bringing up the boy. I can picture Batiatus quietly wishing she would keep quiet.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Meushell

[maraleia]

 

Overcome by the pressure of Batiatus's control, Spartacus must make a choice: leave his past behind and assume the mantle of a champion gladiator, or die.

 

[Meushell]

Lies, distrust and duplicity plague the house of Batiatus and impact the hopes of both Barca and Spartacus, who have benefited from good fortune and envision a future away from the grounds. Barca expects to buy his and his male lover's way out, while Spartacus anticipates his promised reunion with his enslaved wife, part of his reward for a monumental victory in the arena. But just in case things go wrong, Spartacus dreams and schemes an escape plan.

[green]

I have to admit I've downloaded part of the series and am 3/4 the way through Season 2 (the Spartacus one - not the prequel which I'll look at last probably).  But I am watching it too on TV and the contrast between the version on the download and on TV was -- how should be put it delicately -- the difference between R rated and soft porn maybe.  I might be the only one online not into porn so I don't really know it's grades all that well. 

 

So it was interesting to see how edited the "gladiators gone wild" scene was.  I mean really REALLY edited.  And the Batiatus has a conversation with Lucretia in the bath while "multi-tasking" shall we call it?  In that case it looked like they somehow cropped and magnified the action above the waist whilst deleting the action below it. 

 

I guess all these scenes are Hollyoodizing to get ratings (yeah okay, New Zealandizing then).  The late Roman republic wasn't full of prudes but it wasn't at this level either.  Leave that for a little under a hundred years later when some of the Caesars prove pretty kinky.

 

Also I got to say it was strange to switch back to the original Spartacus actor after watching the second one over the last week.  Got to agree the original has more camera presence.  Second one is okay but first one is better to me.  He is slightly older, more muscled and seems more of a leader on screen.  Can't fault the second guy.  He is doing the best he can in a difficult situation but my vote is for actor number one.

 

Loved how Batiatus (really got to look up the spelling of this guy's name sometime.  I always misspell it no doubt).  Anyway, loved how the actor playing Mr B delivered on the scene where he finds out Barca actually was loyal and he got tricked into killing him.  Some sort of "well that was a bit unfortunate" line and general annoyance about being tricked and delivery to match.  Like when you accidentally spill a drink on your couch cause someone tripped you or something.  Nothing more important then he got outfoxed and lost a valuable asset.  No regret for killing him, no feeling towards his loyal guy.  That actor (looked him up - John Hannah) remains my favorite.  He really delivers in his performance.  There are villains then there are multilayer, interesting villains.  He is one of them thanks in large part to Hannah.  And I'm not the type that gets into villains.

 

Glad they got the Surya (sp?) storyline over as far as the endless hope of a real reunion.  The way she has been written she is more an obvious plot point and motivating force then a fleshed out character unfortunately.  They could have done better with this character but she ended up something out of freshman Writing 101 alas.

 

Got to say one thing here for the whole series so far.  Am I the only one that every time someone gets punched in the mouth and a gallon of blood comes flying out in slo-mo  -- who knew the people back then carried that much blood in their mouths -- that I'm really disappointed not to see teeth flying too?  And a quick cut to the next scene where all the surviving gladiators are sitting around back at Mr B's gumming their gruel?  Heh, just asking.

Edited August 2, 2014 by green

[ElleryAnne]

That actor (looked him up - John Hannah) remains my favorite.

 

 

I've got to give a lot of credit to him for making Batiatus interesting rather than just villainous.  Over the past couple of weeks, any redeeming traits Batiatus may have had have been erased, yet his scenes are still the most interesting in the show.

 

I can't say I'm sorry Barca is dead, because dude killed a little boy.  And he really brought about his own demise, even if it was through a convoluted chain of events.  I'm sorry for Pietros, though.  Poor kid was played, and it cost him his lover and probably his freedom.

 

I wasn't sorry for Spartacus, and i'm not sure why.  I've wanted him to get Sura back since the first episode, yet I didn't care when she actually died.  I guess I just want Spartacus to kill Batiatus now (or anybody to kill Batiatus now), and Sura's death is just the impetus for him to do so.  I'm also guessing it won't happen too soon though (if at all), because the show is spending so much time on Batiatus that I doubt they'd kill him off yet.  (I'm not spoilered about future episodes, so just speculating.)

 

 

And the Batiatus has a conversation with Lucretia in the bath while "multi-tasking" shall we call it?  In that case it looked like they somehow cropped and magnified the action above the waist whilst deleting the action below it.

I guess all these scenes are Hollyoodizing to get ratings (yeah okay, New Zealandizing then).  The late Roman republic wasn't full of prudes but it wasn't at this level either.  Leave that for a little under a hundred years later when some of the Caesars prove pretty kinky.

 

 

Yeah, I suppose they're going for kinky. I wondered if servants/slaves had to serve as the Viagara of their day because Batiatus couldn't do anything without their help getting started.  Which also helps explain Lucretia's interest in Crixus.  ( And maybe in Illithyia, though I get the impression Illithyia is a lot more adventurous, shall we say,  than Lucretia.)  

[Meushell]

Loved how Batiatus (really got to look up the spelling of this guy's name sometime.  I always misspell it no doubt).  Anyway, loved how the actor playing Mr B delivered on the scene where he finds out Barca actually was loyal and he got tricked into killing him.  Some sort of "well that was a bit unfortunate" line and general annoyance about being tricked and delivery to match.  Like when you accidentally spill a drink on your couch cause someone tripped you or something.  Nothing more important then he got outfoxed and lost a valuable asset.  No regret for killing him, no feeling towards his loyal guy.  That actor (looked him up - John Hannah) remains my favorite.  He really delivers in his performance.  There are villains then there are multilayer, interesting villains.  He is one of them thanks in large part to Hannah.  And I'm not the type that gets into villains.

 

@green, yeah, it's a nice way of showing how little they really care for these people. They even immedieately begin to justfy their actions with the "Well, he wanted freedom, so he wasn't really loyal" bit.

 

 

Glad they got the Surya (sp?) storyline over as far as the endless hope of a real reunion.  The way she has been written she is more an obvious plot point and motivating force then a fleshed out character unfortunately.  They could have done better with this character but she ended up something out of freshman Writing 101 alas.

When the show first aired, I remember that I and many others had hoped for a reunion. Some people even speculated, based on known history, that Spartacus would later go looking for her.

 

We didn't see much of her. It was enough of a tease to see she could have been a very interesting character.

 

Lucretia reaction to Sura dying and the "They're reunited" bit was good. Even she seems to feel a bit sorry for Spartacus at first. Her husband surprises her, and then she slowly shows her approval of his actions.

 

I can't say I'm sorry Barca is dead, because dude killed a little boy.  And he really brought about his own demise, even if it was through a convoluted chain of events.  I'm sorry for Pietros, though.  Poor kid was played, and it cost him his lover and probably his freedom.

@ElleryAnne, Barca certainly had his flaws, but I can't blame him for this one. Just the idea of this kid surviving got him killed. He's out looking for himself and Pietros.

 

This episode was really the episode where I hated Ashur. He took way too much joy tormenting Pietros. He had already gotten revenge on (and out of his debt to) Barca at this point, and I know he has to tell Pietros that Barca bought his freedom, but he clearly just enjoyed hurting the boy.

 

On to other random thoughts...

 

Numerius in that huge belt looked rediculous (as he was supposed to). I think the belt wore him more than he wore the belt. Lol.

 

It's fun watching Lucretia and Batiatus pretend to react to the various news about Ovidius son.

Spartacus seemed to feel just a little bad about using Doctore's late wife to get him to drink.

 

Varro really took a big risk in confroting Doctore in the end there, though he didn't do anything to slow the other man down. For his own sake, it really would have been better to sit in some shade and play drunk/hungover.

 

I wonder if Sura had any idea of what was giong on. She seemed surprised to see Spartacus, so it seems she wasn't told anything. She was probably really confused before dying. Given that she has visions (or at least, thinks she does), she might have even thought she wasn't really seeing Spartacus.

[Meushell]

Everyone is rightfully sad at the funeral. Then there is Ashur, who looks on with amusement, even seems to be eating something, like he watching a tv show.

 

Poor Pietros. His death was quite a shock to me when I first saw this episode, even more so than Sura's. Die, Gnaeus, die! Yea, he did! No glory in his death either. He's just thrown over a cliff and spent the last moments of his life terrified.

 

Varro. Varro. Varro. You learned something from Sura's death, but you didn't learn enough. Janus is just adorable. Love the curly blonde hair, just like his daddy. I do like Varro's comment to Spartacus how the prisoners he (Spartacus) is supposed to kill are probably rapists and murderers. Still, I feel sorry for the prisoners as they face Spartacus. Honestly, we have no idea what their crimes are, and Rome calling them criminals doesn't mean much of anything.

[Meushell]

 

Batiatus purchases a fresh batch of slaves during an auction to be trained as gladiators and ponders the idea of selling Crixus.

Description from TheTVDB.com.

 

Ah, the introduction of Agron and Duro. Duro got my attention right away, being weaker than the other gladiators.

 

Poor Segovax. He really was screwed over. He does kill a fellow recruit in training though, and not only does he not feel any sort of remorse, he looks to Spartacus for approval. Love how Spartacus basically just walked off after that. Still, he hopes for freedom, and the only one he sees as a chance for freedom just cares about her own wants. Sad to see that he looks to Illithyia for maybe some hope of a rescue, but she just walks away.

 

Poor Crixus, thinking Navia is angry at him. Glad she's not, but being jealous at what he's ordered to do comes off as a little creepy. I like how their relationship is developing. He shows another side of himself when he's around her, like worrying about her when she calls him over with urgent news. At first, I couldn't see what she saw in him.

 

Speaking of Crixus, it was nice to see just how dedicated he is the the brotherhood. He came off as cold with the Pietros issue, especially since Barca seemed to be his best friend. However, it becomes understandable when you see him willing to save a man he hates from a fellow Gaul. Maybe he was motivated by not being sold, but I really don't think that was the case.

 

I like Varro, but this episode does make me want to reach through the TV and slap him. Aside from punishing his wife and son for her being attacked, he really comes off as incredibly insensitive when he's complaining to Spartacus. Granted, Spartacus probably didn't share what Glaber's soldiers did to her, but Varro should have an idea of what Sura, being made a slave, went through before being killed.

[Meushell]

Batiatus breaks the news that Spartacus is to service the richest woman in Rome.

Description from TheTVDB.com.

Who knew Illithyia had that in her? She certainly didn't! Lol.

Poor Licinia. Granted, she was a bitch, but she certainly didn't deserve to die like that.

On to the other points of the episode...

I was wondering at first why Duro was punished for Agron's actions, but then I realized that it was probably Doctore's way of keeping Agron from acting out in the future.

I like how when Illithyia gets angry at Spartacus, saying he should be crucified, her friends all look at her like she's crazy. Early warning, Licinia, stay far far away from Illithyia.

I also like how when Varro complains about a lack of response from his wife, Spartacus is pretty much "Duh." Sadly though, it was a warning that something was wrong.

Naevia and Crixus won't be a very fun romance to watch if they take turns getting jealous of each other. Nice move on Naevia's part though, getting the key.

Lastly, Mira! Finally, welcome to the show. Sad that she's at such a state where she's sent to a gladiator, and she's afraid of not being used like a sex object.

Edited August 15, 2014 by Meushell

[HunterHunted]

I just noticed that Agron was the only guy in the line up to take a look at Segovax's generous endowment. It's only with a rewatch that you notice little details like that. Foreshadowing.

[green]

I just noticed that Agron was the only guy in the line up to take a look at Segovax's generous endowment. It's only with a rewatch that you notice little details like that. Foreshadowing.

 

Good point.  I had thought there was no foreshadowing and everything just came out of nowhere on first view.  Good pick-up.

 

Having just watched the series downloading the Starz version I could also add that you notice the "little details" like "suggested" endowment on Syfy  as opposed to the "literally seen" endowment shown on Starz.  I actually like the Syfy editing so far.  Enough to get the point across is better then lazy writing porn scenes.  And there is more then enough porn-style stuff to edit out without losing the good scenes to the tighter time constraints.  So the stuff edited is just porn-style fluff and you don't lose anything remotely important from the episodes this way.

 

This episode and the next really has Spartacus all ego tripping over a weakened Crixus showing the road Spartacus has started down and where he could have ended up if not awakened to what he was becoming in time.

[green]

Is it wrong to wish for an alternate universe comedy spin-off of Batiatus and Lucretia and their mixed up / messed up attempts at social climbing and hob-nobbling with the snooty upper crust?   Kind of Lucy and Ethel and Basil Fawlty along with brothers Frazier and Niles meet ancient Rome.  You know.  Beds get swapped, people get killed, hilarity ensues.

 

Mira's intro is a little like Varinia's (Jean Simmons) in the 1960 movie.  And it kind of parallel's hers a bit briefly.

[Meushell]

Numerius is honored with an exhibition match for his birthday celebration at the ludus. Ilithyia gives Numerius a surprising gift, but asks for something in return.

[Meushell]

Spartacus hovers on the brink. Meanwhile, Batiatus plots revenge against his enemies.

[green]

This was the punched in the gut episode with Varro's demise.  Wish he had survived cause his character was more rounded then most and having a Roman slave, his wife and kid on the run would have been a good, diverse presence in the future slave army.  But, alas, he was only created as the plot point to get Spartacus back on track from wanting to be the greatest star of the arena to his original "slavery really sucks" mode.

 

Before that it was funny to see Batianus and Spartacus becoming all best gaming buddies and Asher all pissed off that he got pushed aside.  So hard to get respect when you are the evil betrayer guy on a series.

 

Ilithyia -- I call her "ill" for short.  Numerius calls her "hot."  I think I'm the one that is right.

[Chicago Redshirt]

I would say she's both ill and hot. 

[Meushell]

Spartacus really was losing his old self. He stopped questioning his orders. He seemed to even enjoy being a gladiator. He needed something to snap out of it. At least Varro got to make up with his wife first. Too bad he didn't get to see his son one last time.

Boy did my view of Numerius change after this. Even though he enjoyed the gladiator games, he seemed so innocent. Watching the Crixus/Duro fight almost seemed like it might be too much for him. At the very least, the intensity surprised him.

Before that it was funny to see Batianus and Spartacus becoming all best gaming buddies and Asher all pissed off that he got pushed aside. So hard to get respect when you are the evil betrayer guy on a series.

Nice show of Spartacus being a good strategist. Watching Ashur's mood turn sour is also always fun to watch.

Ilithyia is hot. Evil, but hot. :-)

Edited August 30, 2014 by Meushell

[green]

I love Batiatus' convoluted revenge plots against the patrician class.  Weirdly funny this one actually worked.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTzw0Mg8zYo is a 5 second video on one of Batiatus' quotes.

 

This lead to a few other youtube videos including the behind the scenes view of Spartacus and Varro in "the hole"  The two actors were given some cockroaches to throw into the mix at one point, hah.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMTZYx1fENM. 

 

Anyway this episode was Batiatus at his best ... errr, worst ... whatever.  And Asher selling it all.  Or did he?  Did Asher actually keep his options open in case he had to bail on Batiatus somewhere along the way to save his neck or was he as "loyal" as Batiatus assumed?  With Asher I assume he had a Plan B in place to jump ship if Batiatus' plans hit the fan.

 

I love how Baitiatus and Lucretia are such a team.  And weirdly, they actually do love each other.  Which keeps this Boris and Natasha team from becoming just that.  A one dimensional cartoon.

 

Meanwhile it was good to see Crixus back up to speed.  Guy is not the sharpest knife in the drawer but if you get him pointed in a worthwhile direction there is no more fierce and loyal a companion.

 

Guess next week the first season ends.  Looking forward to seeing the prequeal "Gods of the Arena" in proper sequence with this viewing on SiFi (SyFy ??? I always forget) since I didn't get around to watching it until the end when I downloaded the episodes online.  I thought it was a very early prequeal like Barco back in Carthage etc.  That's why I skipped it.  Had I known it wasn't but instead featured more Batiatus and Lucretia evil goodness, the arrival of both Crixus and Asher plus

the intro of a very major character that I didn't meet as a result of said skipping until a few episodes into the third (shooting-wise) season,

I would have watched it right after like it should be broadcast here.

 

(Hope I did the spoiler tag right.  I considered the rest of the info more "previews" and "trailers" stuff then spoilers since it all is basically episode 1 previews material so only tagged the one part.  But mods please edit if not).

 

But next week first with the season one big "payoff" episode.

Edited August 30, 2014 by green

[Badger]

There were 13 episodes in "Blood and Sand" so Episode 12 will not be the finale.  Of course, it's possible they managed to merge the last two episodes or they are showing both next week.

[green]

There were 13 episodes in "Blood and Sand" so Episode 12 will not be the finale.  Of course, it's possible they managed to merge the last two episodes or they are showing both next week.

 

Okay thanks.  But I thought they said in the previews that this was the big season ending.  Seem to recall the Spartacus/Batiatus final showdown in the previews.

 

Couple of weeks ago they showed two episodes in a row.  Wonder if they are again.  I guess I better check before I might possibly miss a 9 PM episode.

Edited August 31, 2014 by green

[ElleryAnne]

Poor Pietros. His death was quite a shock to me when I first saw this episode

 

 

I did not see that coming.  I felt so sad for the poor kid. 

[Badger]

To me, Barca and Pietros's deaths were the saddest although obviously not the most important. In a way, they each died thinking the other had betrayed him.

[Meushell]

To me, Barca and Pietros's deaths were the saddest although obviously not the most important. In a way, they each died thinking the other had betrayed him.

Sadly, true.

I kind of wonder how Pietros would have answered if he knew what answer Batiatus really wanted. The way Batiatus questioned him was a bit odd.

"Tell me he didn't kill the boy."

"He did not kill the boy."

Then again, Pietros does not strike me as someone who lies well, especially when drunk.

[Meushell]

Batiatus is so great at spinning things. I wonder if stayed up practicing what he was going to say to Spartacus about Varro's death. Okay, not actually practicing, but he certainly had to think that one through. "How do I turn this, so Spartacus is not mad at me?"

Aurelia, I know you are upset, but your husband was a gladiator.

Duro, I like you, but shut up. At least Aurelia has a reason to be upset. You are just being an idiot. I am glad that Agron apologized for his behavior.

Poor Solonius. He's certainly not innocent in all of this, but boy did he get played. Then he sees Ashur come back after Batiatus just to drive the point home.

Spartacus is back! Yea! Dream Sura and Dream Varro have united to guide him back to his old self.

[Meushell]

Lucretia and Batiatus await the arrival of Glaber with the intentions to receive his patronage, while Spartacus focuses his attention on his plan for revenge.

TheTVDB

[Meushell]

In the season finale, Spartacus enlists the help of an accomplice in order to get his revenge.

Description from TheTVDB

Edited September 4, 2014 by Meushell

[green]

Cool, it is two episodes tonight!  Everyone tune in at 9 PM (8 Central) or miss this episode.

[Chicago Redshirt]

I don't think Barca thought Pietros betrayed him. Barca did in fact tell Pietros that he hadn't killed the boy. 

 

I think it's unfortunate that we didn't really get a "Barca kicks ass in the arena" moment other than the flashback where he kills his dad. Most everyone else got to show their stuff more. 

Edited September 4, 2014 by Chicago Redshirt

[green]

I don't think Barca thought Pietros betrayed him. Barca did in fact tell Pietros that he hadn't killed the boy. 

 

I think it's unfortunate that we didn't really get a "Barca kicks ass in the arena" moment other than the flashback where he kills his dad. Most everyone else got to show their stuff more. 

 

Well after the double episode season ender tonight next week we should start on the prequel season "Gods of the Arena" and Barca is in that.