No, I'm Spartacus!

Alright, not the movie, but the Showtime series, Blood and Sand. This show really has it all: sex, violence, drama, gore. And honestly, despite some overly stylized and "fake" looking green screen, this show is quite compelling. I just finished watching the seventh episode and feel it safe to say I'm a fan of the show. The sale wasn't quite there for the first few, but the show is proving itself worth the watch. If not for anything else, then for the sex and violence.

In fact, what spurred me into writing about this was watching a gladiatorial bout and seeing a blade go through a knee. In typical movie fashion, the scene would flash quickly to the next cut, but no, not here. We see it, we see the turmoil, the brutality of it all. This show knows no shame: women in the stands are cheering, ripping off their shirts. Men are drinking from giant goblets. And they are digitally cloned to fill a stadium showcasing a truly wicked crowd: there is no way I would have survived a day in that universe.

With the star being treated for cancer, the second season is being delayed and I fear it will never see the light of day. Apparently there's a bit of a prequel series coming out that should fill the void. In the meantime I would advise everyone, including myself, to watch the original movie. I remember it being good, but my experience with it is foggy.