Primus Pilus Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I must admit my concerns that the show rolls down a slope into a soap opera abyss, but I am not ready to give up yet. Where to begin... Octavian (new actor Simon Woods is introduced) claims victory (and the remaining legions of the deceased Hirtius and Pansa) after the defeat of Antony at Mutina. Atia avoids being poisoned... the assassin of Servilia is revealed and tortured while Servilia in turn is abducted and tortured by Atia's man, Timon. This is a fairly horrific sequence for those of us who care about the accuracy of the show, but I suppose it is a powerful scene. Timon ultimately betrays Atia, presumably leaving her open for vengeance (and her impending death within the next couple of months as historically she died in late summer 43 BC... Mutina was in April). Vorenus and Pullo are reunited and ride off to rescue the former's children. A predictably dead slave overseer later, and Vorenus' children are reunited with their father. Antony's role in this episode was unfortunately reduced to one small scene in the aftermath of his defeat to the combined forces of Octavian and the Senate. His character is as boisterous as ever despite the limited exposure and his defeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Porcius Cato Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 This episode was a real disappointment in an otherwise fabulous series. In terms of dramatic potential, the face-off between Decimus Brutus and Octavian could have been High Television. Our sources tell us that, having been liberated by "young Caesar", Caesar's assassin exited the town walls to give a very chilly thanks to Octavian--from across a large rampart (or was it a moat?). For his part, Octavian acknowledges the thanks, but makes it clear that his irae is undiminished. This could have been a fantastic tie-in to later episodes, and even a great cliff-hanger. But no...we get the reunion of Vorenus and his kids, just as we feared. Ugh! I'm also no great fan of this Timon sub-plot, which fails to indicate the nature of Jewish residence in Rome. With Caesar's patronage of the Jews in Rome, one would think that the writers might attempt some tie-in between the anger of Timon and Octavian, but there's not even a hint of it. Indeed, the both of them seem totally non-plussed that their benefactor has been killed. Double ugh! Anyway, I'm hoping that Rome hasn't jumped the shark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I agree, this last episode was rather disappointing. I still enjoyed it though. I am glad that Vorenus found his kids. Makes up for the disappointment in not seeing Erastes taken apart. I wish they woud have cut out the gratuitous tortures of Duro and Servillia and replaced them with even more gratuitous depictions of the slavers being done up. I was hoping the Atia/Servillia thing would finally end. I'm glad that Atia lived, though, I can oogle her for a few more episodes . I can live with the new Octavian but am rather diappointed to see Max Pirikis go. He is one hell of an actor. I loved Antony in this episode. He looks like he will be even more crazed in the next one. I am pleased with Agrippa. I still wonder what will become of the Agrippa-Octavia thing, knowing what historically happens. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I enjoyed this episode's bit of dark humor in Duro's torture scene, from the bit where Atia impatiently declares that Octavia's middle class friend Jocasta is "a bad influence" (after both girls have stumbled upon Timon torturing Duro under Atia's direction and Jocasta is visibly nauseated by the sight), to the bit where Atia explains that Duro had tried to poison her and Octavia replies in exasperation: "What have you been doing to the servants that they want to murder you?" -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia C Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I was glad to see M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I too was a little disappointed...There is still hope. Vorenus will be compelled by Antony to return to the colors and Pullo will side with Octavian...I wanted more of Octavian, and agree with MPC his snub of Decimus would have been great, to underline the impending civil war so to speak and to emphasize Octavian's mission to crush the assassins. The were all dead withing 3 years if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted February 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 The problem is the writer/director combinations (mainly writer I'd suspect) Episode 13 Directed by: Tim Van Patten Written by: Bruno Heller Episode 14 Directed by: Allen Coulter Written by: Bruno Heller Episode 15 Directed by: Alan Poul Written by: Scott Buck Episode 16 Directed by: Adam Davidson Written by: Todd Ellis Kessler In season 1 Bruno Heller (the show creator) wrote episodes 1 through 5 and 12, 13. Scott Buck and Todd Kessler were not the writers of any of the season 1 episodes not written by Heller. The remaining episodes not written by Heller were written by other members of the original creative/producer team (including co-exec producer John Milius). I can only hope that Heller or other season 1 writers are directly responsible for the writing later in season 2. Clearly he still has some right of show direction as executive producer, but his absence is obvious. I've been browsing the HBO site but I can't seem to locate the writers of the Season 2 remaining episodes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kieronus Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 (edited) EXACTLY!... Its the goddamn writers i blame for the sudden spiral of quality for the last two episodes. Bring back HELLER! Heres a list i found: Episode ................ ...... Director ............... ..... Writer 17 Heroes of the Republic..Alik Sakharov ....Mere Smith 18 Phillippi......... ....... .... Roger Young ... Eoghan Mahony 19 Death Mask ....... .. ...TBA ........... ... Scott Buck 20 A Necessary Fiction ..... TBA ... ...... Todd Ellis Kessler 21 Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus...TBA ...... Mere Smith 22 De Patre Vostro .... .. TBA .... ..... ...... ... Bruno Heller So its this Scott Buck fellow whos wrote the weakest episode yet imo (episode 15) and hes got another to go.. Bruno Heller is set for the Last episode. He wrote one and two of this season as well and it showed in their quality. Its becoming quite farcial, I just want the whole atia/servilia thing to stop. Its plain daft and is robbing far too much screen time. YET. I havent given up hope, I love the show in general but at the minute im starting to look back to series one as the good old days. Edited February 6, 2007 by Kieronus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia C Posted February 7, 2007 Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Phillippi is the 6th episode of this season, not the 10th? Well, that's good. Maybe we might get to Julia's birth in 39 after all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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