Rome, season 1
Aug. 19th, 2009 10:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osprey_archerI finished the first season of Rome! And it's great! And everyone who likes the Romans or excellent acting or exciting (if not entirely believable) plots, and doesn't mind a spot of gore, should watch it!
How much do I love Vorenus? He has more guts in his pinky finger than most people have in their entire right arm! He has a moral compass! Which is warped totally out of true because he's an ancient Roman, but you've got to give him credit for trying. Also, he has no sense of humor, and he gets massive kudos for being such a likable character without the easy shortcut of being witty.
I even came to like Pullo, which I didn't expect at all. I even felt bad for him at the season finale, although not nearly as bad as I did for Eirene and her late lover.
Much as I like Vorenus and Pullo, I was not impressed by their magical ability to be at the center of every major occurrence. It helps, some, that the other characters notice that this is uncanny, but...unless the writers are planning to go further along the "divine intervention" path, the coincidences really do strain my suspension of disbelief.
If anyone could pull off divine intervention as a plot point, it would be these writers, but I hope they don't go that route. I really enjoyed their treatment of religion this season, with the spectrum of belief they presented. Vorenus the true believer; Pullo who believes in propitiating gods but isn't particularly reverent towards them; the various upper class Romans who do their darndest to manipulate the gods to their will; and Octavian, who after much study rejects the Roman pantheon. It rings very true to life, and it's one of the most interesting and thoughtful representations of polytheism I've ever seen.
Thoughtful is a good description of the show as a whole. There's never any sense that the writers are sitting you down to talk to you about Big Issues, but they're clearly not just slapping things down because they think it'd be cool, and to hell with anything else. I particularly appreciated this with regard to the violence, which is never gratuitous. Sometimes it's graphic, but only necessarily so.
The sex scenes are occasionally gratuitous, but at least the writers have the sense to cut away during the rapes.
Speaking of sex: I am a little confused about Octavia's weirdly Oedipal relationship with Servilia. Obviously Octavia is in love/desperately in need of a Mommy figure who isn't psychotic, but it's never clear whether Servilia loves her, or spends two years stringing her along in the hopes that Octavia might possibly one day furnish her a way to make Caesar suffer. This strikes me as rather a long shot on Servilia's part.
It's possible, indeed likely, that Servilia is confused about her own motivations; but it would be nice if the writers offered more insight into her psyche.
But perhaps I missed it, because I spent most of the scenes Servilia spent with Brutus being disappointed in how not totally awesome Brutus was. He's too young and easily swayed, and it's going to be tragic in entirely the wrong way when he helps assassinate Caesar.
Also: I'm disappointed in Marc Antony. He practically disappeared in the later episodes! It was distressing. But surely in season two he'll be back to kick ass and take names again. Also, I can't wait for his tragic love affair with Cleopatra.
How much do I love Vorenus? He has more guts in his pinky finger than most people have in their entire right arm! He has a moral compass! Which is warped totally out of true because he's an ancient Roman, but you've got to give him credit for trying. Also, he has no sense of humor, and he gets massive kudos for being such a likable character without the easy shortcut of being witty.
I even came to like Pullo, which I didn't expect at all. I even felt bad for him at the season finale, although not nearly as bad as I did for Eirene and her late lover.
Much as I like Vorenus and Pullo, I was not impressed by their magical ability to be at the center of every major occurrence. It helps, some, that the other characters notice that this is uncanny, but...unless the writers are planning to go further along the "divine intervention" path, the coincidences really do strain my suspension of disbelief.
If anyone could pull off divine intervention as a plot point, it would be these writers, but I hope they don't go that route. I really enjoyed their treatment of religion this season, with the spectrum of belief they presented. Vorenus the true believer; Pullo who believes in propitiating gods but isn't particularly reverent towards them; the various upper class Romans who do their darndest to manipulate the gods to their will; and Octavian, who after much study rejects the Roman pantheon. It rings very true to life, and it's one of the most interesting and thoughtful representations of polytheism I've ever seen.
Thoughtful is a good description of the show as a whole. There's never any sense that the writers are sitting you down to talk to you about Big Issues, but they're clearly not just slapping things down because they think it'd be cool, and to hell with anything else. I particularly appreciated this with regard to the violence, which is never gratuitous. Sometimes it's graphic, but only necessarily so.
The sex scenes are occasionally gratuitous, but at least the writers have the sense to cut away during the rapes.
Speaking of sex: I am a little confused about Octavia's weirdly Oedipal relationship with Servilia. Obviously Octavia is in love/desperately in need of a Mommy figure who isn't psychotic, but it's never clear whether Servilia loves her, or spends two years stringing her along in the hopes that Octavia might possibly one day furnish her a way to make Caesar suffer. This strikes me as rather a long shot on Servilia's part.
It's possible, indeed likely, that Servilia is confused about her own motivations; but it would be nice if the writers offered more insight into her psyche.
But perhaps I missed it, because I spent most of the scenes Servilia spent with Brutus being disappointed in how not totally awesome Brutus was. He's too young and easily swayed, and it's going to be tragic in entirely the wrong way when he helps assassinate Caesar.
Also: I'm disappointed in Marc Antony. He practically disappeared in the later episodes! It was distressing. But surely in season two he'll be back to kick ass and take names again. Also, I can't wait for his tragic love affair with Cleopatra.
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no subject
Date: 2009-08-20 08:55 pm (UTC)I hated Marc Antony SO MUCH. I mean, in a good way? He was really enjoyable to hate, and he had his moments, but still. I was so pumped to watch more episodes so I could get to see him and the stupid ho Cleopatra ded ded ded.
The saddest thing, I think, is that when Caesar is killed, he is dead! Being like... he isn't in the show anymore. :( He was such a good actor. Did you finish Season 1? Because I thought the Caesar assassination was the season finale... Also, I heart Brutus. He's not as awesome as he should have been and it's a little heartbreaking but I love him anyway.
I also like that the writers made the other characters remark about how lucky Vorenus and Pullo are. It does get old in some ways that they're so in-the-middle-of-things, but it also spirals, you know? They get closer to Caesar because they are the lucky ones, and then have these connections to the Important People that tie them back.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on season two!! I think it covers too much time over one season but oh wellll. <3
no subject
Date: 2009-08-20 11:07 pm (UTC)This does mean that Brutus has only two episodes to become awesome enough to slay Caesar. Somehow I don't think he's up to the task - he's just much too young. (My theory on his youth is that the writers are hinting he's the offspring of Caesar and Servilia's affair, just to add extra sting to "Et tu, Brute?" I think this plan is backfiring.)
I did squeal insanely when Brutus met Cassius, though. Is it embarrassing that I'm a fangirl for a Shakespeare play?
I think Servilia needs a better follow-through if she wants to get back at Atia by seducing Octavia. Servilia's plotting skills have not impressed me generally.
And oh yes, I am right with you on hating Marc Antony - he's such a terrible person - but he makes things happen, so I'm always excited when he has screen time.
I think you're being a bit hard on Cleopatra, who was just trying to secure her throne. I thought the scene where she was like "Vorenus, sleep with me so I can pretend the resulting child is THE SPAWN OF CAESAR," and he's all "NO! I MUST PROTECT MY VIRTUE!" was great.
Although I was a little bit "Um?" about her opium addiction. Both its existence (I suppose it could be historical, but if it isn't I'm not sure why it's there) and the fact that she apparently got over instantaneously.