tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post8104053871521707735..comments2024-01-13T08:49:14.041-08:00Comments on Myrhaf: RomeMyrhafhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-32564903506266208462007-04-18T05:07:00.000-07:002007-04-18T05:07:00.000-07:00I have not seen the show, but your description of ...I have not seen the show, but your description of it makes me believe that it is probably pretty acurate from what I've read. Rome, as Durant says in "Ceaser and Christ," self-distructed long before it was conquered from without. And the parallels with today's US are truly horrific, with the barbarians already at the gate and the Christians ready to pounce on the carcass.Thomas Rowlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02936086526966725798noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-61309428280372534622007-04-17T09:22:00.000-07:002007-04-17T09:22:00.000-07:00I agree with Billy Beck's comment about the young ...I agree with Billy Beck's comment about the young Octavian in the first season. He clearly displayed the characteristics that the later Augustus Caesar would have. I was not happy at all with the new actor who played Octavian in the second season, nor many of the new actors who appeared in his retinue.<BR/><BR/>As for the set, I loved it. Rome's streets were very narrow, just like the old Roman streets that still exist today. The Senate looked like the still standing Roman Senate, albeit it seemed a little larger.Galileo Blogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02592692929747610846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-28381168494837930092007-04-17T08:45:00.000-07:002007-04-17T08:45:00.000-07:00I enjoyed the naturalism in the show. I recently s...I enjoyed the naturalism in the show. I recently started reading <I>Cesar’s Messiah</I> by Joe Atwill about the Roman conspiracy to invent Christianity and the show Rome provided an excellent general context for the time period. Especially after watching the show it’s not hard to imagine such ruthless cunning from Rome’s leaders. What an amazing and horrible time.The Gregorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13290237567186809131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-16327143053099294692007-04-17T07:26:00.000-07:002007-04-17T07:26:00.000-07:00Well, it was a fairly good-looking stage set.Well, it <I>was</I> a fairly good-looking stage set.Billy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13406609611276200667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-664754878684273052007-04-16T23:52:00.000-07:002007-04-16T23:52:00.000-07:00Yeah, about real history, I wonder how many viewer...Yeah, about real history, I wonder how many viewers were surprised when the the Senators assassinated Julius Caesar?Myrhafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-31208002782566526192007-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:002007-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:00I enjoyed the first season, all while realizing it...I enjoyed the first season, all while realizing its failures. And I don't mind the naturalism: I think that if a twenty-first century American were somehow transported to the time of Caesar's reign, it would very likely be the first overwhelming sensation they would experience: <I>"Look</I> at this place!" I thought Hinds' Caesar was well done, and so was the young Octavian, which is a not-bad glimpse of the personal character that would emerge in the forty-two year reign of Augustus.<BR/><BR/>We all know that Pullo and Vorenus are real characters taken from Caesar's "Commentaries", right? They've been dramatically extrapolated for the series, but I don't have a problem with that.<BR/><BR/>Personally, when I look back at Cicero, I think he was a bit of a worm, but not nearly so flagrant as they've played him, and I don't have too much of a problem with with Cato as a "crotchety old man" at that point in his life.<BR/><BR/>The second season wasn't nearly so good. Phillipi and Actium are throw-away accessories. Only the broadest outlines of the Octavian/Antony facedown are present, and that whole swathe of the struggle is not much more than a vehicle for female fretting (Atia and Octavia) over domestic tranquility and sexual security. "Soap opera", for sure.<BR/><BR/>Still -- and you can call me a cloud-headed dreamer -- I could hold out the hope that a worthwile number of casual viewers might take enough interest to read some real history.Billy Beckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13406609611276200667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-64147664523592159912007-04-16T14:09:00.000-07:002007-04-16T14:09:00.000-07:00I watched that in the early '80s. Derek Jacobi is...I watched that in the early '80s. Derek Jacobi is excellent as the stuttering Claudius.Myrhafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-9205960043317802102007-04-16T13:34:00.000-07:002007-04-16T13:34:00.000-07:00Myrhaf,For a good show on ancient Rome, I recommen...Myrhaf,<BR/>For a good show on ancient Rome, I recommend "I, Claudius" if you haven't already seen it. While it concentrates on the lives of the Roman royalty, it is still fun to watch, even if it is 30 years old. ;)EdMcGonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05892046331126818396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-12399718275513458852007-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:002007-04-15T21:40:00.000-07:00Good points, Galileo. I'm sorry to hear that seas...Good points, Galileo. I'm sorry to hear that season two goes downhill. I was looking forward to seeing Cassius and Brutus meet their fate at Philippi and then seeing Octavius outwit Antony in the scramble for power. Now that Niobe is dead I was hoping for less soap opera and more adventure.Myrhafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16340507405537605164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19129587.post-41090079901780209442007-04-15T19:46:00.000-07:002007-04-15T19:46:00.000-07:00I enjoyed Rome, although I agree with your descrip...I enjoyed Rome, although I agree with your description. For me, the details of Roman life alone made the first season quite enjoyable. Ancient Rome was so different, it was so *alien* compared to our world today that all the gritty details simply made it more interesting.<BR/><BR/>The aspect of Rome that was so interesting to me was how non-Christian it was. There is no hint of Christian altruism anywhere. Yes, the Romans are bloodthirsty and hedonistic, but they do believe pursuit of material pleasure is a good thing. How refreshing to see that.<BR/><BR/>My two favorite characters were Titus Pullo and Julius Caesar. In particular, Julius Caesar was a great character. The actor who played him, Ciaran Hinds, captured the majesty, cunning and intelligence of the man. His character seemed larger-than-life.<BR/><BR/>All in all, I really enjoyed Rome, being mindful of the shortcomings you point out.<BR/><BR/>By the way, I emphatically do *not* recommend the second season. Whatever plot integrity and drama was present in the first season is completely missing in the second. It had the feel of a daily soap opera, and seems like it was made by a different write/director team. I recommend not watching it.Galileo Blogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02592692929747610846noreply@blogger.com