Roman Mysteries: The Colossus of Rhodes

[Flavia Gemina]

Salvete, omnes!

 

Some of you might like to know that you can watch an episode of the new series based on my books online:

The Colosssus of Rhodes (part 1)

 

 

It will be up for five days, until Wednesday 6 August.

 

Enjoy!

 

Flavia Gemina (AKA Caroline Lawrence)

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I wish I could, but everytime I try watch BBC online, it says something is wrong with my videoplayer.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

I've just watched the first two episodes 'The Trials of Flavia Gemina' with my two girls. As you know Caroline, my eldest is already a dedicated Flavia fan, she's got the books and the first series DVD box set. I think they've done a good job with the TV series and kept it as close to the book as possible and also kept it entertaining too, even my 3yr old managed to keep still through the two episodes ( that in itself is an achievement!!) She particularly enjoyed the 'scary' bits with the lion. But given the choice between Fifi and the Flower tots, Peppa Pig or the Roman Mysteries, I think Flavia and Co would be disappointed.

 

What do you think about the TV series, Caroline? Are you happy with the way they've transferred it from the pages on to the screen?

[Flavia Gemina]

I've just watched the first two episodes 'The Trials of Flavia Gemina' with my two girls. As you know Caroline, my eldest is already a dedicated Flavia fan, she's got the books and the first series DVD box set. I think they've done a good job with the TV series and kept it as close to the book as possible and also kept it entertaining too, even my 3yr old managed to keep still through the two episodes ( that in itself is an achievement!!) She particularly enjoyed the 'scary' bits with the lion. But given the choice between Fifi and the Flower tots, Peppa Pig or the Roman Mysteries, I think Flavia and Co would be disappointed.

 

What do you think about the TV series, Caroline? Are you happy with the way they've transferred it from the pages on to the screen?

 

The TV series isn't too bad. They have drastically changed some of the storylines, some writers more than others, and sometimes by necessity. For example, The Gladiators from Capua documents the opening of the Colosseum in Rome, with 50K spectators, tightrope-walking elephants, beast fights (or maybe 'massacre' is more appropriate), criminal execution, and carefully refereed gladiator bouts. The BBC did not have the budget for all that so they dumbed it down a lot. Also, the actor playing Titus was not available, so they used Domitian instead.

 

Mostly they have got the look right, though in season two Flavia and her friends seem to live in a temple, and all the prisons have iron bars. The costume people were the worst offenders, not bothering to consult me about anything. That's why you get 'Smurf hats' during the Saturnalia, instead of the conical freedmen's hats... If only they'd asked me. But no; they knew best.

 

For viewing clips and excerpts, try this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/watch/romanmysteries/

 

Vale!

 

Caroline

[Nephele]

Thanks for the link to the clips, Caroline! I finished watching the DVD of the first season episodes, and enjoyed them immensely. There was an especially nice scene in which we catch a glimpse of the Colosseum still under construction, in keeping with the proper timeframe of the earlier Roman Mysteries stories.

 

It'll be interesting to see the second season episodes, and the newly constructed Colosseum. Even though the BBC had to cheap out and do the scaled-down version of the opening games, folks can always read your books -- and Martial!

 

-- Nephele