Rome - Season II - On HBO - Page 2

Antony is great. "I'm not getting out of bed until I've ****ed someone." haha

Great season 2 opener! I loved that it picked right up where the last episode of season 1 left. So many times a new season puts some time in between the final ep of one season and the first ep of the next. Such a shame that this 10 episode season is Rome's last.

Really good, as expected. Sorry that's it's only on for 10 episodes and then gone. I'm sure the main reason HBO is killing it is expense vs. ratings. They have stuck with other shows (The Wire) due to extraordinary reviews and press, but that is much cheaper to produce. Rome costs a fortune - but it's worth it! I'll be sorry to see it end.

Nothing says "badass" like walking through the street with your enemy's head in hand.

Loved it.

Can't wait to use Antony's wakeup line this weekend on the wife.

Vorenus sure has some major guilt, huh?

His act of leaving Caesar left Caesar unprotected and murdered.

His act of threatening Nadia led to her suicide and death.

His act of cursing his children (in his mind) led to their kidnapping and (we are led to assume) death.

Theres allot more revenge to go around too!

Awesome, Awesome episode 1. Just tremendous ..

Ain't that the truth.

Great episode.

I had high hopes for the season two premiere and HBO exceeded my expectations.

The red headed bitch, forget her name at the moment, packed on more than a few pounds between seasons.

You talking about Polly Walker(Atia), or Caesar's widow? Polly Walker is looking a lot worse for wear this season.

They're going to be sorry eventually. Just my gut feeling, no math or science behind this opinion: I honestly believe 'The Buzz' of HBO is made up of things like Rome, Deadwood, Sopranos, Carnivale, The Wire--almost like a situation where the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. The ratings don't tell the whole story. Up till recently there was always a sense that you had to have HBO--it's where all the big action is, the prestige channel, even if you don't currently watch some/all of these shows.

As these shows drop away and aren't replaced by something similar in scope, so does that elite status of HBO. I was going to drop it after Deadwood, but decided to keep it until I see the end of Rome and The Sopranos. I'll catch the Deadwood movies (if they ever come out) some other way, plus I'll check out Milch's new show later and see if it's something I absolutely have to see immediately, in HD, or if I can just wait for DVD sets.

Re: the episode.

I can't help but think the underworld boss was lying to Vorenus. He knew he was going to die regardless of what he said or did, so he may as well make it as painful for Vorenus as possible. I'm guessing that he sold them as slaves and we'll see them pop up toward the end of the season so Vorenus can redeem himself.

Apparently I need to brush up on the actual history from that period. I couldn't remember what happened at the funeral and had to rely on the pleb to describe it.

I agree, but I also think he wanted be killed quickly instead of being tortured.

Oh, no doubt the mafioso was lying about the children. He surely knew he was going to die and wanted to inflict as much pain on Vorenus as possible before he went.

Vorenus only *thinks* his "curse" on his children came to fruition.

Regarding the actors' appearance, Attia is not the only one that looked markedly different. Octavius is obviously a little older and less boyish this time around too. Interesting to hear that the actor that plays him will be replaced later in the series. Too bad, I think he's excellent as a know-it-all little snot.

Very well put. I agree completely with your assessment. These "larger than life" series getting replaced by lesser ones will be the network's eventual downfall ..

This is my current plan as well. No Sopranos, No Deadwood, No Rome... Then I'll have NO HBO! Without these shows, HBO is just a junket for old movies that I've seen a dozen times in other venues.

Attia is still hot, just not smoking hot.

I completely agree with cavalierlwt regarding HBO. I miss Carnivale.

Late, but have to add my me too on the premiere of Rome.

What a stunning episode. Vorenus is a truly classic, tragic character. He reminds me of Russell Crowe's character in L.A. Confidential. Don't piss him off!

Attia does look like she's aged a bit. Still attractive, though, at least to me...

Another good episode I thought. Octavious finally stood up.

Tough having to wait a week until the next one though.

This has become a great show. I'm really enjoying season 2 so far. I wish HBO would rethink pulling the plug on this series.

They've already struck the sets and released the cast and crew. It's done. BTW, I agree with you; it is/was a great show and terribly unappreciated. This is the kind of thing that makes you want to subscribe to HBO, not 'Lucky Louie'.

I thought last night was the best episode of the series so far. Things are REALLY starting to heat up. I think the first season was good (not great) but these first two episodes this season have been fantastic.

-Dave

Agreed.

Now, what did Atia whisper to Cleopatra? I got "...trollop" at the end, but missed the rest. It seemed to be some sort of warning, as in "Don't f*** with me!"

I'd love to see the two of them get into it!

"Die screaming, you pig-spawned trollop"

I re-watched all of season 1 as HBO played the episodes leading up to the start of season 2 and I've watched the first two shows of this season. Like many of you have stated, the first couple of shows last season seemed slow and just didn't click. I think all the hype combined with the disappointing slow start to the series drove off a lot of viewers - something I think happened with Carnivale, too. By the end of the season, I think the show had hit it's stride and was living up to the hype that preceded it. The final episodes of season 1, in my opinion, were approaching the quality of the shows from Deadwood's last season. I'm not quite sure where the line is on giving away plot points to season 1 in this thread, so I'll just say that the increasing intensity, emotion, and inter-connectedness of the various plot-lines resulted in a spectacular end to the first season.

Season 2 has started off on the same level as season 1 ended. By this point, we know the characters fairly well and, even better, the actors/actresses know their characters even better. Ray Stevenson's Pullo and Kevin McKidd's Vorenus get better and better and better every episode. Polly Walker's Atia and Lindsey Duncan's Servilia are also fantastic characters and antagonists. The one performer who's really step forward this season is James Purefoy who plays Marc Antony. Now that Ceaser has been killed, Antony has stepped out from the shadows and it's been fun to watch the combination of guile, brutality, charm, boorishness, and bored disinterest in governance which he's been putting on display.

I would suggest that anyone who just didn't get into the show in the first season to rent the first season DVDs and push through the first few episodes and watch the entire season. Rome is good show, a very good show, and it gets better and better each and every episode. I would not, though, suggest watching Rome for the first time at this point in the show. The ever increasing pace, intensity, and emotion of Rome is a cumulative effect resulting from each episode feeding upon all the previous episodes. Without seeing those previous episodes, it's going to be hard to understand what's happening and there's more chance Rome will come off as overly populated with characters with an overly convoluted plot.

Anyway, that's my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.

oh, wait........I forget to tell you what I think of Concordia. Do you want to know what I think of Concordia?

dr

OMG, that's even better than I had imagined!

zeitgeistdr, great analysis. Also, as the characters and their relationships get more fleshed out in the second season, the intensity and momentum will naturally come out of that rather than just the historical narrative. I always find it remarkable to be reminded that all aspects of human nature, good or bad, are seemingly constant, regardless of time period. And that's the hook: these characters are real, in spite of setting or time, because we recognize their traits, whether they be noble or despicable. As long as the writing, acting and direction continue at this level, the show will become richer and richer and, hopefully, avoid the pitfalls of melodrama.

Caesar's widow oughta be playing bass for Rush.

That out of the way, weren't Vorenus' kids in the slave-wagon at the end of the 2nd episode?

Yes, his kids and his sister-in-law, I believe.

Its not clear whether they were with Octavious or just heading the same way. Don't suppose it really matters though. Octavious or Pullo (who I suspect will end up down there) will probably recognize them. Octavious may hear their name.

Can't wait until the next one.