ORBzine - Rome TV Review
Special
S- 1 11 Aug 05 Making Rome (Special Promo Show)
Season 1
This is the start of a 12-episode extravaganza co-produced by BBC2 and an American Cable TV company, HBO [Sopranos, Deadwod, Oz]. As a result it brings the best of both worlds. John Milius is credited as being the brains of the operation! Set in 52 BCE, it starts with Julius Caesar [Ciaran Hinds] winning victory in battle over the Gauls. Back home in Rome, his manipulative bitch of a niece, Atia [Polly Walker - Patriot Games] handles the politics side of things. The protagonists in all this are a couple of Roman soldiers. One's a hard-drinking whoremonger, the other a loyal family-man. They're well written and acted, tough guys with a human side - typical of HBO shows. They save Caesar's nephew, Octavian. Then they are ordered to accompany Mark Anthony back to Rome, to represent Caesar in the Senate.
On leave in Rome, Pullo starts a brawl. This ends up sparking a riot between Anthony's men and Pompey's followers. . . .
Pompey's double-dealing in the Senate means Mark Anthony and our 2 heroes are driven out of Rome. This is Caesar's excuse to cross the Rubicon - the start of the inevitable Civil War. . .
Pompey wants his gold back, and sends a hit squad to find it. Pullo is as subtle as ... well, Pullo. It doesn't take anyone long to realise who has the treasure! . .
Pullo, flat broke after last ep, is hired as Octavian's sword-tutor. He and Octavian get involved in the adultery subplot. Meanwhile, the ex-Centurion must decide how to earn a living. Become a gangster, or rejoin the 13th Legion? .
Mark Anthony manipulates the Senate into supporting Caesar's wishes. He also has to sort out his relationship with Atia. Veronus and Pullo are back in uniform together, one serving Anthony and the other Octavian. .
Atia gets her daughter to play along with her rival. The relationship takes an incredible twist! Veronus and Pullo are shipwrecked. In an astonishing turn of events they get yet another chance to become millionaires! Will Pompey escape? Will Caesar be merciful?
Caesar and his men arrive in Egypt. Dismayed by Pompey's fate, he decides to play at local poitics. The Nubians are sent to kill Cleo. However, Caesar has sent his best men to save her. Yes, Veronus and Pullo are on the job. In more ways than one! We don't get to see much of Rome itself. Atia is nowhere to be seen, though Octavia and Servilia are still together. And Mark Anthony gets to deal with his political rival, Cicero. This is an average ep. The banter between the 2 plebs is good, but the script squeezes about year of events into 45 minutes!
After three years campaigning, our heroes return home. Well, 3 years encapsulated in the previous episode! Caesar's Ex gets Octavia to apply pressure to Octavian. And when Atia finds out, it's bad news for all concerned! .
Caesar finally gets his Triumph. Yes, he was so busy sorting out the Civil War and Egypt he never got his great parade. Verenus gets the nice clean toga, but isn't happy about the politics. Pullo can't adjust to civilian life. He decides to free the slave-girl and marry her, but even that leads to bad things. Brutus' mother plots. Pompey's son and a fellow named Cassius are staying at her house, while Brutus himself does well in the Senate.
Pullo descends into a career in organised crime. But, like everything else, he fails at it. As a result he ends up on trial for his life. Verenus, on the other hand, is so good at his job that he might even get promoted. .
Everything seems to be going right for everyone. And as in all good dramas, this is justr the calm before the storm. The plotters do what they do best - they plot. And the climax, as historically unavoidable as it is, pulls together all the story threads that have been woven throughout the series. . |
Rome
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