"Empire" (2005) TV mini-series

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Directors:

John Gray
Kim Manners

Writers:

Sara B. Cooper (writer)
Chip Johannessen (writer)

Release Date:

28 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History

Plot:

Epic four-hour series about the rise of Octavius who succeeds Julius Caesar and tangles with Marc Anthony for control of the Roman empire and finally went on to become the emperor Augustus.

Plot Keywords:

Julius Caesar | Assassination | Emperor | Roman Empire | Betrayal

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Santiago Cabrera	...	Octavius
Vincent Regan	...	Marc Antony
Emily Blunt	...	Camane
James Frain	...	Brutus
Jonathan Cake	...	Tyrannus
Christopher Egan	...	Agrippa
Michael Maloney	...	Cassius
Fiona Shaw	...	Fulvia
Colm Feore	...	Caesar
Michael Byrne	...	Cicero
Orla Brady	...	Atia
Trudie Styler	...	Servilia
Graham McTavish	...	General Rapax
Dennis Haysbert	...	Magonius
Amanda Root	...	Noella

Runtime:

360 min (including commercials) (6 parts)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | USA:TV-14 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Storyline Entertainment

Trivia:

Victor Garber was the original casting choice for the role of Julius Caesar, but had to bow out, shortly before the show went into production.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final battle between Antony's and Octavius's armies, Tyranus removes two silver emblems from his chest to denounce Antony and fight for Octavius. In the next shot, they are there again. Later, they disappear once more.

Quotes:

Agrippa: Following orders is one thing. Killing Caesar is another.

Movie Connections:

Version of Imperium: Augustus (2003) (TV)

Beautiful sights and sounds of an imagined Rome

Like that other gladiator asked of the crowd, "Are you entertained?" Regarding Empire? Heck yeah! Screw history lessons. If I want to learn Roman history then I'll do it the old fashion way and read library books, or take the new fashion route and read the cliffnotes on the internet or watch the Hitler Chan....er, I mean the History Channel. ABC's Empire is gloriously bereft of CGI and instead we are treated to beautiful sights of the Italian countryside and forests and the lively cities caught in the crossfire of a power struggle, even the stones seem to breathe. The Roman pageantry allows the viewers to feel that they are part of an ancient civilization on the cusp of greatness. The beautiful soundtrack and singing helps too.

I found myself easily forgiving the many historical liberties taken with Empire, probably because it is not difficult to explain away the discrepancies: Octavius present in Rome during Creaser's assassination and funeral? He was shown hiding in the shadows and out of the mobs' eyes. Tyrannus the recently freed gladiator turned bodyguard? Rarely shown publicly with Caesar and so far never with Octavius, thus one of the many background characters that history does not record. Fictional bodyguard for Octavius? History cliffnotes said the family begged Octavius to renounce the adoption and the inheritance in fear he would be target for possible assassinations. Octavius' status as the unfavored nephew of Caeser? History claimed people were genuinely surprised that Octavius turned out to be Caesar's heir and historians are constantly combing for clues of when Ceaser decided that Octavius was the real deal.

And folks, stop advertising HBO's Rome already, some of us don't get HBO and have no plans to fork over the $$$ to do so.