Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (1 Viewer)

[mattCR]

Yeah, Starz has actually had a good run of interesting programming lately. If you missed it, I really recommend "Pillars of the Earth" which was also very good as a mini series.

 

[Kazz]

Originally Posted by mattCR

Yeah, the last 10 minutes... WOW. How cunning is she? She had planned it out two episodes it seems. I went back and started looking for when he started coughing, and it was present in the last episode, so it was before the death of Gaia... I had figured he was getting sick, I didn't figure he was being poisoned! And the look on her face at the first meeting of her and Crixus, in an attempt to begin to father a son.. such a change by the time she was done. The details of the backstory are damn interesting.. now the finale has to be the rise of Crixus as champion.. I am looking forward to it.

I began to have my suspicions about the honeyed wine back when she wouldn't let Quintus drink it. I was still shocked about the other results that came about due to "Tullius's honeyed wine" though.

 

[ryan-w]

Originally Posted by ChadMcCallum




I don't know what episode it was, either 2 or 3 but there was a scene where where everyone was on the balcony and Batiatus went to drink some of the honeyed wine and Lucretia suddenly became worried and talked him out of drinking it. It was subtle but if you're paying attention it become clear she was poisoning the wine. Very clever writing.

I noticed that too but let it go after they didn't talk about it or even hint at it for awhile so it all makes sense now, good stuff. After the first 2 or so episodes of Season 1 I was going to shut this show off, I'm sure glad I didn't. I love it, I wish they'd make some more ancient Roman shows, it's such a great genre to use....

 

[Greg_S_H]

I guess we'll be seeing
Gannicus

during the revolution.

 

[Patrick Sun]

The last half hour was quite insane. Good solid finale, plus setting up the next season, totally whetting my appetite.

 

[mattCR]

They went a direction I didn't expect at all, with some characters living I had thought were sure goners. The way they showed the scene with Asher, you get the understanding of why everyone else had that opinion from the get go. Loved it.

 

[Vaughan Odendaal]

Unbelievable finale. Okay, so knowing what we know now, based on fighting skill, who do you guys think would win if faced in the arena 1) Spartacus at the top of his game when he was champion, Crixus or Gannicus ? I would pick Spartacus.

 

[Jeremiah]

First, great Season and awesome Finale, Spartacus might be one of my top 5 shows of all time. Also, I just love the way Batiatis always gets screwed whenever he makes a power play with regards to his slaves. Excellent way to give Salonius his Lutis and be at odds with Batiatus, Salonius has a point. I was impressed how they delt with the same Lutis fighting each other by knocking some of them out of the ring of fire. Extremely well written show.


So Gannicus is mentioned in S1? Did he have a bust made of his face like the other great Gladiators when Batiatus was showing Spartacus the other great Gladiators from his Lutis?


I haven't seen S1 for awhile now so my memory might be fuzzy, but I think Crixus might be the best. He was almost as good as Gannicus by the end of this season so extra training would put him over the top. I think everything worked out perfect for Spartacus to become Champion when Crixus was injured and then drugged once he was regaining his form. Gannicus second and Spartacus thrid.


Too bad we have to wait till 2012.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

So Gannicus is mentioned in S1? Did he have a bust made of his face like the other great Gladiators when Batiatus was showing Spartacus the other great Gladiators from his Lutis?

I don't think so. Didn't Batty say his name was never to be mentioned again?

 

[Vaughan Odendaal]

"I think everything worked out perfect for Spartacus to become Champion when Crixus was injured and then drugged once he was regaining his form. Gannicus second and Spartacus thrid."


Spartacus faced more noteworthy opponents and prevailed. He defeated several gladiators by himself all at once on more than one occasion. He managed to soundly and easily incapacitate several Roman soldiers (Glabbers soldiers) who tried to kill him at the same time (with real weapons I might add) while Spartacus used a wooden sword. This was well after he became champion. I don't think Spartacus climbed up the rankings due to pulled strings. His confidence in his own abilities was extraordinary high at this point. Although Crixus was drugged towards the end, wasn't that just a formality at the end of the day ? Would Crixus really have won had he not been drugged ?


Spartacus and Gannacus both wielded dual swords.

 

[Jeremiah]

I forgot about Spartacus' battle vs the Roman Soldiers, that was epic.


Greg, you are right, Batty did say never to speak his name inside his walls again.


I am gonna have to rent S1 and watch it again.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Hey, did a mod edit my post to add spoiler tags? I don't care, but I was just making sure the name didn't show up if someone mouseovered my post when it was the latest. Jeremiah, I can kind of see why he'd give that command, since Gannicus now represents everything bad that has happened, but it feels a little like the show coming up with a reason why we never heard of him. Maybe they'll Lucas in some references in future pressings of season 1.

 

[ryan-w]

I think it was cool that they left Gannicus's character an open end. Maybe we'll see him join up with the rebellion and maybe Onemeyis will find out about him sleeping with his wife and Gannicus will finally meet his match and meet his death? Just a thought on a cool story line. Kinda star wars-ish, with teacher meeting student (Vader/Obi-Wan).

Anyways, I loved the finale. It was action packed and I love how they had Salonius's character pull the 180 with being the door-mat the whole time and finally getting his way, it was all very well done. I LOVED how they buried Tullius in the wall of the arena, that was such an awesome thought on their end. Much easier to get rid of a body that way, I'm sure there won't be any smell or anything behind concrete.

As for the whole "who's better Spartacus or Crixus" question, I think the directors left it to the imagination with the whole drugging of Crixus and with him getting injured during the fight against Theokoles allowing Spartacus to strike the eventual final blow and bring the rain....With the history of the tale of Spartacus, they both led the revolt equally until they had a disagreement and split up and thus both met their demise shortly after Crassus's army showed up. I think they are doing such a great job of telling a story while staying somewhat true to the history of the story. I really enjoy it and wish they find a way to draw it out for like 25 more seasons cause I LOVE IT!!

 

[ryan-w]

I did some more reading about this original tale and................SPOILER ALERT............


We will see Gannicus again, he will join the rebels at some point in the revolt. I can't wait to see that, should be a cool reunion.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I haven't had a chance to watch this off the DVR yet, but Amazon has it up for preorder already. BD is currently 50% off

 

[mattCR]

I am there. Spartacus is one of the better Bluray disc sets I have, visually beautiful.