Spartacus: War of the Damned (2010– )
"Spartacus: Blood and Sand" (original title)

Watch the story of history's greatest gladiator unfold with graphic violence and explicit sex. This is Spartacus.

Creator:

Steven S. DeKnight

Stars:

Manu Bennett, Daniel Feuerriegel, Lucy Lawless

1 win & 8 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Manu Bennett	...	Crixus (33 episodes, 2010-2013)
Daniel Feuerriegel	...	Agron (26 episodes, 2010-2013)
Peter Mensah	...	Doctore (23 episodes, 2010-2013)
Lucy Lawless	...	Lucretia (23 episodes, 2010-2012)
Nick Tarabay	...	Ashur (21 episodes, 2010-2012)
Viva Bianca	...	Ilithyia (21 episodes, 2010-2012)
Liam McIntyre	...	Spartacus (20 episodes, 2012-2013)
Pana Hema Taylor	...	Nasir (19 episodes, 2012-2013)
Cynthia Addai-Robinson	...	Naevia (18 episodes, 2012-2013)
Heath Jones	...	Donar (17 episodes, 2012-2013)
Dustin Clare	...	Gannicus (16 episodes, 2012-2013)
Katrina Law	...	Mira (15 episodes, 2010-2012)
Ellen Hollman	...	Saxa (14 episodes, 2012-2013)
Barry Duffield	...	Lugo (14 episodes, 2012-2013)

Storyline

The inspiration behind this series is the Thracian Gladiator Spartacus, who led a slave uprising against the Roman Republic. The Thracians had been persuaded by Claudius Glaber to serve as auxiliaries in the Roman legions in a campaign against the Getae, who had often plundered Thracian lands. However after Glaber reneges on the deal and switches his attentions from the Getae to attack Mithridates in Asia Minor, the Thracians feel betrayed and mutiny. Captured by Glaber, Spartacus is condemned to death as a Gladiator, whilst his wife Sura is condemned to slavery. Spartacus, however, proves to be a formidable gladiator, and defeats the four gladiators tasked with executing him. He becomes a favorite of the crowd, leading Senator Albinius to commute his death sentence to a life of slavery. Spartacus is purchased by Batiatus for gladiator training, who promises to help him find Sura if he proves himself in training. As the series develops, the story follows the betrayals and machinations...

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Plot Keywords:

gladiator | roman | training | slavery | death | 

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Taglines:

This Season, The Fight For Freedom Is Fueled By Vengeance (Season 2)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook [uk]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Spartacus

Filming Locations:

Auckland, New Zealand

Company Credits

Production Co:

Starz Media, Starz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) has stated numerous times that the reason his on screen friendship with Jai Courtney (Varro) felt genuine was because it was- they were inseparable on set.

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Quotes

Doctore: [referring to Melitta] Is it true? Did you lay with her?
Gannicus: ...Oenomaus.
[they fight]
Gannicus: I never wanted to feel the things I felt for her!

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Connections

Version of Spartacus (1960)

User Reviews

An imperfect pilot, but an epic show so far, if you manage look past the blood and nudity.

For me the pilot was something of a mix between the graphic violence of 300(it even includes somewhat similar battle sequences), the sex of 300, the idea of Gladiator and a bit of Rome. I almost stopped watching it and I'm glad I didn't do it. People would see the first episode and dismiss it as "gore and sex" time-wasting perversity. And they would be mistaken. The plot, filled with at first glance one-dimensional characters, is so varied, so deep, full of plot twists and unpredictable outcomes that you may find yourself glued to the screen.The sex is still there, the sexy images as well(muscular men and beautiful women), but the characters have gained so much depth and perspective, that you can't say someone is just white or black(with two exceptions). There are so many shades of gray in between, that most of the times even if you want to hate a character for plotting against the protagonist, you find yourself siding with him on another level. The protagonist is not a saint, the "bad guys" show they can love and cherish, and you see the other side of mighty Rome, the one not shown in "Rome". This show, even after the less than spectacular pilot, can be and for the moment is great and it's not the gore or sex that make it so.

In 300, Rome and even Gladiator, to which Spartacus: Blood and Sand is usually compared, the main characters are free men and women, people who act on their generally free will(yes, even in Gladiator). This show is different. Spartacus: Blood and Sand displays the Roman world through the eyes of the downtrodden, the helpless and the people without rights - the enslaved, THE underdogs, who eventually tried to defy the might of Rome, who lost and lost in an epic and tragic way and in their fall still achieved greatness and immortality. Among the nudity, spilling blood and duel sequences, Spartacus: Blood and Sand shows the viewer why freedom is such a cherished thing, what happens when we lose it and why people throughout time have risen to regain it and died pursuing it or defending it.

Some people mock the characters for being "one-dimensional" and demand more complexity. Others have voiced their contempt of the less than accurate representation of "the complex social system of Rome". Spartacus: Blood and Sand does not seek to represent the social system. For the people at the bottom of the ladder it was irrelevant whether Sulla was killing senators or Pompeus was gaining power. As for the one-dimensional characters, let me pound the obvious and say this - when you have to kill a friend at the command of your master, or be killed as well, there's no possibility for inner struggle or soul searching. You can't really disobey your master when humiliation, rape, torture and death lie just a whim away.

It's early to say definitely whether Spartacus: Blood and Sand will be a great TV show. It certainly is for now and gets better and better. Unless the creators manage to screw up gigantically, which they have avoided so far, this child of Starz can become epic.