Rome - 2x01

[fembuck]

Goddaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn!

Just got through watching a screener copy for the first episode of the second season of Rome, and I was totally right to be an impatient bitch and not wait until it aired to watch it because that was some good watching right there.



Glad to see the action pick up exactly where it left off at the end of last season. Antony literally running through the streets of Rome for his life, Atia sobbing uncontrollably into the bossom of one of her slaves, Octavian (looking manly, Max Perkis sure grew up) trying to maintain some order, Octavia stewing with rage at the part she played and calling Servilia a "bitch pig", which cracked me up.

Everything with Vorenus in this episode was brutal, and it just got more and more brutal as we watched the aftermath of Niobe's death. When Kevin McKidd cries, you feel his pain dude. From Vorenus lashing out at his kids (he could give Servilia a run for her money in the ol' curse department), to him stumbling around Rome completely gonzo, to Pullo rushing to his side as soon as he hears of Caeser's death and taking care of him ("Brother Vorenus" awwww), to the ending with Erastes Foreman. Holy hell, that was intense.

Random interjection: in this episode all of the ladies hair was made of awesome. I think because they were supposed to be in mourning, they didn't get their 'did' the way the usually do, so it was all flowing, and vibrant and hella hot.

The political angle of the show was also excellently developed this episode, and easier to follow than a lot of the political mechanisations on the show. Octavian shows off his mad brain power and then gets Antony to basically do his bidding, which he does with style and pinash. It was a hell of a ride seeing the conspirators plans slowly begin to unravel as soon as they had carried them out, to their ultimate retreat at the end.

And there were just some really nice character moments like the scene between Servilia and Brutus, and Octavian and Pullo, Pullo and Vorenus, and Servilia and Calpurnia.

And despite the dark tone of the episode there were also some really hilarious lines, not to surprisingly mostly from Atia and Antony.

I can't really think to much right now, I'm still glowing in the wake of the episode. If this is the quality of the rest of the season, it's gonna be good, good times.

Comments

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

"Bitch pig", is definately a keeper. And I hope that they do have some kind of confrontation scene between Octavia and Servillia this season. I mean, despite her 'bitch pigs' and general death to Servilia attitude now, Octavia really loved her and I'd just like to see what Servilia's deal with the whole affair was. They can't get back together, but an apology from Servilia with an admission of having had actual feelings for Octavia would make me happy.

damn. i'm so pissed they're going to switch actors for the part of octavian.

Is this actually confirmed? I know there was a lot of speculation about it, because fans didn't think Max would be able to play an Octavian in his late twenties, but as of the a month or so ago there'd been no news of anyone else being cast as and older Octavian. I'm hopeing that means that Max will see out the season.

things just get worse and worse for vorenus! and i'd be lying if i said i won't miss niobe and the kids. i want them back dammit ;_;

I know. It was a brutal couple days for Vorenus. It's like things just kept on getting worse and worse. I was hoping he would get his kids back at the end but nooooo, misery parade had to continue. Anyways, I'm hoping that we actually will see the kids in the future. I think Foreman might have just been fucking with Vorenus because he knew that Vorenus was going to kill him no matter what and he wanted to get one over on him. I'm hoping later in the season we'll find out they've been sold into slavery or something (wow, I think the first time being sold into slavery ever would have been a plus).

atia and antony continue to crack me up!

Oh, I know. The bit with her trying to wake him up, and him taunting her old slave before Atia sent for "the young German slut from the kitchen" cracked me up.

[trufflehog.livejournal.com]

somebody posted a link in the rome community to the HBO website, so i guess its official. but it looks like he'll still be around for a few episodes at the very least. i mean, maybe things will change, but i doubt it. i love that kid. i don't want him to leave!! and he has cheekbones now. he could totally pull off the 20s range D:

i would like for octavia and servilia to talk too. just..anything. as dysfunctional as they were i was totally entranced by their short-lived relationship :/
and if i'm real lucky, a parting 'weaving' session. but thats probably pushing it.

i was thinking about the same kind of thing with vorenus...i'm holding out hope that we'll learn his family was just, you know, sold into slavery. beaten. thrown into the sewer. so long as they're alive!

and on a random note, i haven't watched the last couple of eps from the first season just yet so i may have missed something, but when did cicero become a simpering kiss-ass? i liked him at the beginning of season one and felt pretty sorry for him...now he's just kind skeezy. yeah, skeezy.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

somebody posted a link in the rome community to the HBO website, so i guess its official.

Boo, boo! I just did some searching and apparently Simon Woods (http://static.twoday.net/hothothot/images/simon.jpg) has been cast as an older Octavian. I was so hopeful we'd have Max for the whole run. Boo, I say, boo.

i would like for octavia and servilia to talk too. just..anything. as dysfunctional as they were i was totally entranced by their short-lived relationship :/

I'm totally with you there. I absolutely floved Octavia/Servilia together. I thought they were great and that Lindsay Duncan and Kerry Condon had mad chemistry together. And the whole forbiddeness of it was really romantic, and I loved them. And I mean, given all the events that went on while they were together, historically the affair had to have gone on for at least 2 years, so there had to be something real there!

and if i'm real lucky, a parting 'weaving' session. but thats probably pushing it.

lol. I'm kinda hoping for a 'good-bye and fuck you' romp. Like when Servilia is even more down on her luck Octavia goes to see her, and Octavia is like all "how could you have done this to me, I LOVED you", and Servilia's cool facade finally breaks and she confesses that she loved her too but hated Caeser more and was poisoned by that hate until it was all that was inside of her. And Octavia can like try to slap her or something and Servilia can catch her hand and hug her, and the hug turns into a kiss, which turns into a frantic, hurt, desperate shag, and then Octavia being like "I can't do this again" afterwards and leaving Servilia who watches her go and in her eyes we can see her understanding of what her obsession and hate cost her.

but when did cicero become a simpering kiss-ass? i liked him at the beginning of season one and felt pretty sorry for him...now he's just kind skeezy. yeah, skeezy.

lol. The way he turn coated and simpered when Antony showed up was truly embarassing. "Cicero, why so pale?" was one of my favorite lines. I think Cicero has always been like that, it was just that in the beginning he didn't really need to show a backbone because things were going the way he wanted. But whenever he's called upon to stand up for something, or defend his pretty words he folds quicker than a cake in the rain.

But yeah, David Bamber snivels well, lol.

[trufflehog.livejournal.com]

lol, i don't know if you check your friends page, but i mentioned that in my journal yesterday..about simon wood :)
i've never seen him in anything but pride & prejudice...and he seemed kind of incompetent in it...the character i mean. all naive and bright-eyed looking. kind of the -opposite- of our beloved octavian :/

yay!! the friends i watch it with think its kind of nasty, and its plain to see octavia's being manipulated (which, isn't difficult to do) but i was so drawn to their twisted relationship. the age factor was interesting too. haha, i like your version of their parting very very much. i think some fan fic is in order.

i guess you have a point about cicero. i just thought he had a TAD more integrity at the beginning of season one. david bamber is cute in a snivelling cowardly way...i didn't just say that.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

lol, i don't know if you check your friends page, but i mentioned that in my journal yesterday..about simon wood :)

Ahh, I was barely home yesterday and got behind of f-list checkage, lol. I guess I spared myself the disappointment for an extra 24 hours.

i've never seen him in anything but pride & prejudice...and he seemed kind of incompetent in it...the character i mean. all naive and bright-eyed looking. kind of the -opposite- of our beloved octavian :/

I'm sure Woods will do a fine job, it's just that we've all gotten so attached to Max that we don't want to consider anyone else in the role. However, I will probably rant and rave after Woods first performance out of loyalty, lol.

yay!! the friends i watch it with think its kind of nasty, and its plain to see octavia's being manipulated (which, isn't difficult to do) but i was so drawn to their twisted relationship. the age factor was interesting too.

I had already gotten invested in the hotness by the time the obvious manipulation came around (ex. Servilia being all 'you'll screw your brother if you love me'), but before Servilia got crazy jealous when Caesar came back to Rome they were actually really sweet together (Servilia kneeling in front of Octavia comforting her after Atia sent her to grovel and the ensuing hug is one of my favorite tv scenes ever).

And, the age factor is one of the reasons I found the pairing so hot. You don't usually see older/younger women pairings, and like you said their dynamic was just plain interesting.

*le sigh* We better get some Octvilia conversation, but if we don't there's sure to be a scene where Atia goes to visit Antony's 'hostage' and that scene will probably be comedy/dramatic gold, and also involve Atia standing way to close to Servilia and whispering menacingly and arrogantly in her ear, which is hot.

[trufflehog.livejournal.com]

oh, i'm sure he'll do just fine. i'm just bitter because i adore max as octavian. his mannerisms and pouting are perfect :)

the age factor is one of the reasons I found the pairing so hot.

okay. THANK YOU. that was one of the things that sucked me in. i do kind of have a thing for the younger/older pairings and this one is just fantastic in the worst ways.
octvilia. haha. but anyway, i have to agree about servilia and atia. they're so very adorable in torturing eachother.

we just finished watching 2x01 all together and noticed some strange little (and utterly useless) things. like the fact that brutus' eyebrows look just like the angry emoticon ---> >:(