HBO's ROME

Wayside · Sep 11, 2005

Not primarily, but they knew it well enough.

Mark CMG · Sep 12, 2005

Looks like Pullo is in way over his head...

fett527 · Sep 12, 2005

Mark CMG said:
Looks like Pullo is in way over his head...

Surprised me that he took the treasure. I thought they'd have it end with him "returning" the wealth to Ceasar because he couldn't get the cart moving. Fun to see what he can do with all that wealth...

Mark CMG · Sep 13, 2005

fett527 said:
Surprised me that he took the treasure. I thought they'd have it end with him "returning" the wealth to Ceasar because he couldn't get the cart moving.

I thought as much, too. It would have been the second time he was recognized for greatness he didn't deserve. Maybe that seemed a bit much to the writers. I saw in the preview of next week's episode that he goes to talk to his new buddy about it, so maybe they'll both make hay out of the incident.

Tarrasque Wrangler · Sep 13, 2005

The more I watch this show, the more I realize that these guys are definitely the spiritual forefathers (if not the actual forefathers) of every character on "The Sopranos". Bit with Pullo and the ox-cart? Pure Sopranos. Mark Antony asking Caesar for X amount of gold to distribute to Pullo and Vorenus to find the gold eagle, and then turning around and pocketing half? Pure Sopranos. And if Livia Soprano wasn't a direct descendant of Atia, I'll eat my hat.

Shag · Sep 13, 2005

Well according to real History Caesar does get the Treasury that Pompeius Magnus left behind.

I really like the accuracy on this show...the fact that Cato has no Tunic on under his Toga just blows me away...perfect.

LightPhoenix · Sep 13, 2005

I must say, after seeing episodes two and three, the show has gotten much better. Pullo and Vorenus are by far and away the heart of the show, and I'm glad the writers are focusing on them. Octavian is a great character too; I don't know anything about the history, but I'm really hoping he and Octavia get to kill Atia. Other characters range from likable to blah... Cato in particular I can't stand. The stories seem to be much better paced... neither of the last two episodes dragged to me at all, let alone to the pace the intro did.

Mark CMG · Sep 15, 2005

LightPhoenix said:
Octavian is a great character too;

Well, he's our "Basil Exposition," isn't he?

But with a twist, in that some of the subtlties of the political maneuvering would actually be lost on the two buddy-soldiers, and even some of the others surrounding this young emperor-in-the-making, so it isn't jarring when he rattles off what happened, why, and possibly what might happen next. I like how whenever he is done we see the looks on other people's faces (the mist clearing) and they often glance toward one another with "why didn't we see that?" looks. I, too, like Octavian very much. They are definitely making good use of Octavian in many ways, i.e. exposition, foreshadowing, comic relief, etc.

fett527 · Sep 15, 2005

Mark CMG said:
Well, he's our "Basil Exposition," isn't he? But with a twist, in that some of the subtlties of the political maneuvering would actually be lost on the two buddy-soldiers, and even some of the others surrounding this young emperor-in-the-making, so it isn't jarring when he rattles off what happened, why, and possibly what might happen next. I like how whenever he is done we see the looks on other people's faces (the mist clearing) and they often glance toward one another with "why didn't we see that?" looks. I, too, like Octavian very much. They are definitely making good use of Octavian in many ways, i.e. exposition, foreshadowing, comic relief, etc.

I keep looking at him and can't get Doogie Howser out of my head.