SPARTACUS SEASON 1 CHARACTERS SERIES

The premiere also gives us plenty new to chew on with the arrival of several unfamiliar characters, most notably Hanna Mangan Lawrence and Tom HobbsвЂ™ aristocratic brother-and-sister pair Seppia and Seppius, though it remains too early to tell how theyвЂ™ll play into the season. LucretiaвЂ™s new role certainly makes for a fascinating wildcard in the new order as well, given her inherently duplicitous nature and the tense relationship she holds with Ilithyia after the events of last season, something Lucy Lawless plays with delicious ambiguity. Lucretia herself too makes a frightening re-appearance, seemingly driven mad by the slaughter of her household, but quickly settling into her new role as a public symbol of the rebellionвЂ™s fallibility. So too do we return both Ilithyia (Viva Bianca) and Gaius Cladius Glaber (Craig Parker) to Capua to begrudgingly augment the failed efforts of crushing SpartacusвЂ™rebellion, from the very Ludus where Batiatus and Lucretia once ruled. вЂFugitivusвЂ™doesnвЂ™t waste much time in establishing the new order for Spartacus: Vengeance either, almost immediately highlighting the slave revoltвЂ™s dangerously uncertain predicament, and the widening cracks of leadership within. Indeed, the transition between actors feels almost entirely organic of the series, given both McIntyre and the character himself enter Spartacus: Vengeance with such incredibly daunting burdens to bear. McIntyre also carries a warmth and range glimpsed less in Whitfield, whose Thracian gladiator carried more grief and cold determination than McIntyreвЂ™s newly-established leader. His hair less cropped, of smaller stature and less filled out musculature, McIntyreвЂ™s Spartacus feels inherently younger than WhitfieldвЂ™s, which in turn serves the role as Spartacus finds himself so woefully unprepared to lead a fledgling rebellion against the hordes of Rome. Though McIntyre certainly makes the role his own, from a physical standpoint one reacts to Spartacus differently in his new incarnation. Unfortunate as it may be, everyone tuning in to Spartacus: Vengeance will inevitably first look to Liam McIntyre in the role, and IвЂ™d be remiss if I didnвЂ™t make a few observations about the transition from Andy Whitfield. In fact, I recall a moment early on in вЂFugitivusвЂ™wherein Agron (Daniel Feuerriegel) expressed objection to the notion of Spartacus leaving one of his slain Romans face-up, a seemingly innocuous superstition that helps re-establish this bizarre world of honor and respect in maddening times. IвЂ™ve never partaken of Rome or any other quasi-historical series, but I find a great deal of brave authenticity in the willingness to highlight cultural values and sentiments of a forgotten time.

SPARTACUS SEASON 1 CHARACTERS SERIES

In spite of all its heightened reality and over-the-top adult content, I actually found plenty to love within the series itself, from its extraordinarily rich relationships to its near-Shakespearean dialogue, an impressive melding of vulgarity and cultural idiom. ItвЂ™s interesting to chart the course of SpartacusвЂreception even before its delayed and truncated sequel series, which debuted against heavy 300 comparisons and seemed almost overshadowed by its extreme sex and violence. However much time has elapsed since oneвЂ™s last partaking of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, comparisons between Liam McIntyre and Andy Whitfield will inevitably be drawn, and it seemed to me that the cleanest slate possible would do well in appreciating the long-awaited return of the series. All the basic story elements are well in place, with Batiatus dead, the ludus overthrown and SpartacusвЂ™rebellion out on the run, and we need only little refreshment going into Spartacus: Vengeance to follow the new tale.ДЄdditionally, I didnвЂ™t want the memory of Andy Whitfield looming over the series any more than the cast and crew did, that despite the tragedy of his loss the show must go on, and Andy had given his blessing for Starz to continue without him. I made a deliberate decision not to rewatch Spartacus: Blood and Sand or even Spartacus: Gods of the Arena before delving into Spartacus: Vengeance, for several reasons.ДЇor one, the amount of time that has elapsed between Vengeance and Blood and Sand because of Andy WhitfieldвЂ™s tragic illness makes the two series almost incomparable, even without the changes in cast and structure. With all the attention surrounding the showвЂ™s second (or technically third) season, fans will be thrilled that Spartacus returns bloodier, and more thrilling than ever. Spartacus: Vengeance rises out of the ashes of Spartacus: Blood and Sand with the long-awaited premiere of вЂњFugitivus,вЂќ as newcomer Liam McIntyre takes over the title role of the newly-freed Thracian gladiator leading a slave rebellion against the hordes of Rome.