MovieChat Forums > Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011) Discussion > Sad... Just sad.....

Sad... Just sad.....

posted 14 years ago by JackDnCoke
110 replies | jump to latest

The first season was great.. some of the best writing, acting and execution I have seen on television in ages..

But this crap?? Every episode I have seen, I have to click the 'info' button to make sure I'm not watching something on Skinemax. They have somewhat of a storyline, but fill each episode with softcore porn instead of the character derived plot of the first season. The characters have meaning and plot, but the show is more focused on the sexual acts of the house than the arena battles that allowed the first season to gain infamy.

I understand that they had to do what they could because the main character could not continue because of health reasons, but why sit loyal viewers through this type of trash? I want Spartacus worthy material, not big budget softcore porn.

[–] sewwolf 14 years ago

I agree to some degree. They are really pushing the envelope here and not in a good way. This isn't going to make any new fans of Spartacus. This past Friday's episode had me thinking WTF where are they going with this. This could have been a great show if they have left out some of the sex and violence.I know they are trying to show how harsh the times were and how slaves are treated but for entainment value went too far. This is beginning to look thrown together. And it's a shame cos a lot of very good actors in this. Will they be proud of this when it's all over?

[–] Allan-All-In 14 years ago

Spartacus.. both this season and the other.. is nothing but a overgrown teen show..

I love this show, sex, violence, epic shots.. but to say the writing and acting is some of the best you have seen on television in ages? well then you haven't watched anything else...

20 minutes of Deadwood will smack away an entire season of this when it comes to acting and dialogue..

Spartacus is the very essense of the word "cool"... everything about it is cool.. but thats where it ends, the only actor in it doing anything even worthy of mentioning is John Hannah... and the producers know that.. which is why he gets a lot more screentime than you would like (to answer your question)

What if Forrest Gump was just full of *beep* ?

[–] mikepyro 14 years ago

Deadwood, fringe, Dexter, wire, carnival, six feet under, terriers, justified, all have far better writing than Spartacus, plus many more, but the show is damn fun.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikepyro 14 years ago

Im talking about being able to understand quality? The second season fringe is incredible. The episode white tulip alone is prob the best time travel story created.

[–] Allan-All-In 14 years ago

I gotta agree in general Fringe isn't really a complex thing..

its typical J.J. Abrams.. we get a superior pretty easy to catch subject..

like "there is an evil Island.. the Island is like a gateway between hell and heaven... and it has a lot of energy on it".. now how do we fill in 7-8 seasons

and I think its the same with fringe.. they right away think of a start plot... thats simple.. "we have an alternate universe bla bla..".. now lets make it fill 7-8 seasons with monster episodes we won't ever address again.

What if Forrest Gump was just full of *beep* ?

[–] onlybabycakes 14 years ago

who gives a crap about fringe... i thought this was about spartacus... yes first season was great but sex scenes aside this answered alot if you watched the actual show not the sex... about asher krixus etc

[–] Scifi71 14 years ago

"The writing on Fringe is terrible. What are you even talking about? ":

Amen!

[–] Grant007 14 years ago

you Dexter fans are everywhere. Shut up already. Dexter sucks. I don't see the appeal...and yes I have seen the first season & half of the second (unfortunately)...

back on topic: this latest episode wasn't too bad with the sex....i did skip over a sex scene because it was unnecessary though....hope they didn't splice actual plot in with it...

but yeah.... i'm not really a fan of Gods of the Arena right now...hopefully it'll pick up and get actual plot going on....

the 4th ep doesn't seem promising though...
__________

Just the freedom was better than breathing, they said...

[–] daisyforever 14 years ago

I think they're trying too hard to be edgy, controversial, and shocking. They should have stuck with the formula they had going in Blood & Sand. Still enjoy the show though.

[–] mdkp 14 years ago

I didn't like all of the 300 style stuff from Sands.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] ColeWorld 14 years ago

Skip over a sex scene!?!?! All of you homos who think the show is worse off because of its overt sexuality are, in fact, homos... The writing hasn't changed, nor has the quality of the acting -- they are simply making the show VASTLY more entertaining by including naked super-models in every scene.

Enjoy the show for what it is and stop trying to act like you are smarter or more cultured than everyone else because you need a Academy Award winning plot to hold your interest. Witnessing Myra in a full-body shot should be more than enough to hold any self-respecting man's interest for at least the time it takes the plot to reach a point in which another character gets his head chopped off -- which is never long at all...

Peace homos

[–] asteriK 14 years ago

Typical, even though I do love the sex scenes and don't feel like skipping any of them (even though some of your "super models" are bloated with silicones, eeugh) they do cheapen the whole show to some extend. So do the obviously fake special effects with HRD lighting & slow motion (wich worked in 300 but gets kind of tedious in the show).

A lot of people like more than just simple action & sex in a show like this, you obviously do not. You refer to people acting smarter and more cultured than anyone else though you're a minority here... I hope you get my point.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] ravi02 14 years ago

I watched Season One and half of Season Two of Deadwood and I just couldn't get into it.

Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant were great, but the show was just boring to me. Nothing interesting ever happens and the rest of the characters failed to generate any reaction from me.

[–] xaverie 14 years ago

I felt the same. It's usually the kind of show I really get geared up for but it just felt boring

[–] naxself 14 years ago

Let's not overstate what Spartacus is: a soap opera with tons and tons of graphic sex and violence. It's fun and it's not meant to be serious.

On writing... the first two episodes of "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" were two of the worst hours of TV ever produced. Can we all agree on that? However, as the season went on, the show got better and found its stride.

"Gods of the Arena" is okay so far, but I get the impression that it's a challenge for the writers to do a prequel with all of the things they've already established. (And the clipped speaking style is really getting on my nerves - I don't remember that from "Blood and Sand.")

[–] willson_x 14 years ago

BY JUPITER'S COCK!!!! YOU'RE ALL WRONG YOU CINE-SNOBS. YOU ARE ALL DETRIEMENTAL NEW-WAVE FILTH!!!!!
SPARTACUS SIEZES TELEVISON BY THE BALLS WHILE LESSER SHOWS ARE LEFT HOLDING COCK.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
BATIATUS IS PROBABLY THE BEST FICTIONAL CHARACTER EVER WRITTEN: TRUTH.

[–] AbesOddysee 14 years ago

deadwoods dialogue bring only 1 word to my mind, F$@#CK !dialogue is good, but they went overboard with that word.

[–] rs-61 13 years ago

I don't agree, the new guy, Dustin Clare is a pretty charismatic actor.

[–] Grant007 14 years ago

i've seen and watch character pieces normally (e.g: six feet under) SFU is why i gave Dexter a chance. Dexter was not good.

Spartacus is the guilty pleasure.....hence me frequenting imdb.

__________

Just the freedom was better than breathing, they said...

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] coolcleangreen 14 years ago

i sorta agree. generally, i liked the first season because it was fun, dramatic, even shakespearean. but now i find myself cringing when i watch it. it wasn't supposed to make me cringe. that's not fun at all.

i'd love it if the next three episodes focused on more drama. still a Spartacus fan though.

---
"the whole world's on fire, isn't it?"

[–] mikepyro 14 years ago

Well as long as the highlight of Spartacus writing involves shouting jupitors cawk it won't be amazing writing in my eyes. And u need to learn that story and writing are 2 different things. But if ya dont like it no prob, I was just suggesting shows that have better writing than Spartacus and for the most part every suggestion was apt.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] hel7777 14 years ago

i'd love it if the next three episodes focused on more drama. still a Spartacus fan though.

I'd have to agree, coolcleangreen, I'm hoping there's at least some point to what will happen in the next episode. We'll see, last season had a few bum episodes, as well.

El horizonte sin luz/esta mordido de hogueras - Federico Garcia Lorca

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] mikepyro 14 years ago

Bas could afford to have 3 Meh episodes though as it had 12 episodes, not 6. And cursing has nothing to do with it, seeing as how I mentioned Dexter, the wire, and also love deadwood. Cursing doesn't mean mature, it can be used exquisitely like deadwood. And I love Spartacus, I'm just able to look Past my fandom and realize the show could improve.

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[–] ravi02 14 years ago

I don't know about everybody else, but I've loved each episode of Gods of the Arena so far - and this is coming from a huge fan of Blood and Sand.

I don't feel they're overdoing the sex anymore than in the first season. In fact, I like how they've introduced new characters, while weaving in Roman politics and an early, rougher Capua. It's very compelling TV, IMO.

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[–] mikepyro 14 years ago

I don't mind the sex I just think they need to focus on the story. Halfway through the season and it feels like it's just begun.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] ravi02 14 years ago

It's a show about the extravagant lifestyles of the rich and the dehumanization of gladiators and slaves in Ancient Rome. So of course there's going to be a lot of violence, explicit sex and profanity.

If you have a problem with that presentation, they why even bother with the show?

[–] KrAv3 14 years ago

Also I hear and read from the ads that Bambi is now on Blu-Ray, you should go watch that instead.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] KrAv3 14 years ago

Who has two thumbs and is giving the poster above 2 thumbs up?

<<--This guy!

[–] nodilettante 14 years ago

Jack, I totally agree.

It has become lame, idiotic and disgusting.

The writing is so lazy...they didn't talk in that extreme fashion ("I will put post on website to gather comments") last season. It's so contrived--every time someone opens their mouth, I cringe..

And this stupid plot? I don't care about any of them except for Lucy Lawless, who somehow manages to rise above this crappy material.

And the violence is utterly over-the top. Gross and grotesque.

" I can't figure out if you're a detective or a pervert."