Spartacus: War of the Damned (1 Viewer)

[Lou Sytsma]

For a second, I thought Dannicus was dead, relieved to see him back from the unconscious soon his row with Crixus.

Never thought it myself. The foreshadowing of a rematch between him and Caesar makes it pretty clear such a moment is coming. Can't wait to see it!

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Blood Brothers - much like last season's 5th episode - was brilliance. Spartacus and the Roman Military Leader Crassus have been engaged in a mental chess game match all season. In this one Spartacus made all the right moves and yet he was still out manuveured by Crassus. Then on the action front this show continues to set the high bar on action sequences with swordtacular battle scenes. Again and again. And like last season's show shifting 5th episode which saw the gladiators leave the arena behind forever, Spartacus has lost the city, just as he was poised to draw out and divide Crassus's forces. To the hills they must flee! Crassus has gained the upper hand in battle while at the same time the rift between he and his son, Tiberius has now become permanently unmendable. The irony of Caesar stabbing Spartacus in the back was most delicious indeed. Brilliant, brilliant writing.

 

[Patrick Sun]

This show has always been pretty good at using events, circumstances and motivations to drive the actions of characters, so it does make for compelling story-telling, even with its stylistic violence and gore ramping up the action.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

It's amazing how a hair cut and shave can change a character. For the first time Caesar looked like Caesar.

 

[mattCR]

Yeah. This show really has turned into a great chess match and changed up characters a lot this season. Quite a roller coaster

 

[mattCR]

Ok, building a bridge of corpses counts as one of the creepiest things I've ever seen in a TV show. Still, it was brilliantly done and it completely turned the tables on Crassus that finally gave Spartacus a chance to move the battle back to where he can recover.

 

[mattCR]

Ah, what an end for a favorite character. This show, knowing that it ends this season has really pulled out all the stops with nothing held back. Loved the retribution on all angles, and you can see Ceaser plotting for some vengeance on his own.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Finally caught up on the past 2 episodes, both solid installments with Spartacus' allies being dispatched with each engagement with Crassus. Tiberius's treatment of Caesar was eye-opening.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Yes it was.
Is this the Tiberius that James T. Kirk was named after? What a despicable little crap he is!
Crassus asking why Caesar was not a horse was priceless.
Brilliant and bloody battle scenes.
8 episodes in. Only 2 left. Characters are starting to fall now. Two of the bigger ones were taken down. Time runs out on the remainder.

 

[Matt Hough]

I'm not convinced Agron is dead. He went down, but I'm thinking he'll be injured. That was too inconsequential a death for such a major character, so I'm thinking we haven't seen the last of him. But maybe that's just wishful thinking. Hate to see any of the main ones go even though we know most of them must die.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Yes, I would agree that Agron isn't dead (at least yet).

I guess Caesar is rethinking his comments about the size of Tiberius' (ahem) member.

As others have noted, Crassus asking Caesar why he wasn't on horseback caught me unawares. Just so wrong.

- Walter.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Good catch. Agron could be very well the one to tell Spartacus the bad news.

 

[Josh Dial]

Good catch. Agron could be very well the one to tell Spartacus the bad news.

Precisely what I was thinking.

Stellar episode: some of the best acting by the male leads all series.

 

[mattCR]

This show for me has regained a lot of the drive that propelled season 1 to the kind of thing that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved everything about tonight's episode. From the trick by pretending to be Pompeii, to the games to honor Crixus. I loved it, loved everything about this episode.

The fight scenes were fantastic in their choreography, and both sides of the story - with the Romans and the Slaves propelled themselves forward in a breakneck fashion that kept you wondering what was going to happen.

We still aren't sure of what happens with Pompeii coming up, but I loved the setup.

 

[Patrick Sun]

For some reason I thought this episode was the series finale. Glad it's not. Another solid episode was we wrap up this entertaining show. I still enjoy the dialogue, especially when juxtaposed against the brutal violence and actions by the characters.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Agreed Patrick. A true measure of a show's success is how much it engages one emotionally. This one stirred many such feelings. An emotional and poignant send off before the finale next week.

 

[mattCR]

Fantastic. Every bit fantastic. I loved the element of Spartacus as a sort of bloody Moses, with the battle and assured death providing time for the slaves to flee across the mountain to find freedom.
There were elements of this that I found absolutely fantastic, a real high point once that rivaled the finale of season 1. But this was some great action here.

I also loved the speech to the troops; in some ways it reminded me of Braveheart, but even more effective for me.

The speech about dying as a free man.. also fantastic. And damn did they bring the score with this one; loved it. Sounded great in the theater.

One last note: I loved the callback of all the characters through the seasons, and Andy Whitfield in the closing credits screaming "I AM SPARTACUS!"

 

[Patrick Sun]

Very solid, and befitting series finale. Kudos!

 

[Lou Sytsma]

To all involved with Spartacus I only have one word - GRATITUDE!

What a great end to an outstanding series. The nod to the original Spartacus - Andy Whitfield - at the end was well done too.

I shed a few tears as this one played out. This series entertained with the best of them.

To Die A Free Man Is A Noble Thing.

 

[mattCR]

I loved the imagery of Gannicus on the cross envisioning an afterlife of the arena; I thought that as a great touch.

The battle scene in this between the two armies is - outside of the Black Harbor battle on GoT last year one of the finest battles in large scale I've ever seen on TV, with tons of truly unique moments.

So many great touches in this finale:
The opening of everyone pretending to be Spartacus to confuse Crassus and Pompey, the conclusion where Spartacus acknowledges that Spartacus is not his real name, and he waits to go to the afterlife and hear that name again in his wife's voice...

And even though his battle with Crassus didn't end with him surviving, Crassus open respect for him played out very well by watching him take down all of his men first.