Thoughts on Spartacus:Blood and Sand

Recently I began to watch a new show airing on Starz. Entitled Spartacus: Blood and Sand, I found my intial impression of the show less than cordial. Based upon clips and previews it had seemed to me that all this show amounted to was nothing more than a pitiful attempted remake of Frank Miller's 300 with regards to the cinematography as well as computer generated graphics. I wasn't really wrong though. However, I began to watch this show and become rapidly engrossed. After some thinking I believe I now know why and I would like to share with you some of my thoughts:

• Plot. Enough said. The plot of Spartacus is ridiculously engaging. I found  myself quite suddenly up to the ankles in sand and a large, overly muscular man brandishing a sword at me. In only an episode or two I discovered that the story line that makes up for almost every other fault the show might possess. Like a decadent macabre soup of death, the story flows almost as freely as the blood split within it, enhanced  to bedazzle the senses with plot twists of pepper and oregano. The resulting aroma and tastes are simply intoxicating and massively addicting.

•  The aroma and taste the soup produces are equally seductive and take shape in the characters of Spartacus. The ethos generated by the situations, actions and dialogue of the characters sneaks up on the watcher quietly and swiftly until they reach the episode which ends with (!!spoiler alert!!) Spartacus, finally reunited with his long last wife, cradles her dead body in his massive arms while his dominus looks on with satisfaction. The audience careens wildly back and forth on a roller coaster of emotion: one moment sympathizing with the aristocratic Roman gentry the next astonished by their reactionary courses of action. All the while, they grow increasingly more sympathetic to Spartacus and his plight. Never does the audience feel more pity towards Spartacus and more hatred toward the Romans as when (!!spoiler alert!!) Spartacus is tricked in to taking Varo's life, his best and only friend. Betrayed at every turn, and even the slightest bit of happiness and contentment ripped from him in a swirl of fury and crimson blood, Spartacus is the most dynamic of characters shifting and evolving constantly.

I encourage anyone mature enough to stomach massive amounts of blood and the more than occasional sex scene to give this program a chance and remove their initial preconceptions.