Spartacus is dead

[homerdog]

http://news-briefs.ew.com/2011/09/11/spartacus-star-andy-whitfield-39-dies-of-lymphoma/?hpt=hp_t2

I've only ever seen a few episodes of the show. Not really my thing but lots of my friends are into it.

This is super sad.

 

[Dresden]

Ah, shit. This sucks. The dude was fucking BEAST in Blood and Sand.

 

[John Reynolds]

I think this is on Netflix now. Is the first season worth watching, or even necessary? I've heard the show got much better in season 2.

Sucks about the actor, he was way too young.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

I think this is on Netflix now. Is the first season worth watching, or even necessary? I've heard the show got much better in season 2.

Season 1 was actually the main story. When Whitfield got sick, they made the second season into a prequel, so Whitfield's character isn't in it. There's a new series coming that is a proper follow-on from series 1, with a new actor to replace Whitfield as Spartacus.

I've only seen a few of them, but there is a lot of sex, violence and gore, along with political and social machinations.

 

[John Reynolds]

I've only seen a few of them, but there is a lot of sex, violence and gore, along with political and social machinations.

Sounds right up my alley.

 

[homerdog]

It is completely brutal and at times is basically softcore porn. If you're into that sort of thing then yeah it's right up your alley. I never could get into it but my brother never misses an episode.

 

[John Reynolds]

It is completely brutal and at times is basically softcore porn. If you're into that sort of thing then yeah it's right up your alley. I never could get into it but my brother never misses an episode.

No, again, sounds good. I'm down with low culture fare.

 

[Laa-Yosh]

Actually the second half of the first season got quite good, with all the intrigue and backstabbing and a proper resolution in the final episode. The violence is so over the top it's actually cartoonish IMHO, and the nudity, well, I don't really mind it either way.

As for Andy Whitfield, I can only wish that none of you have to lose anyone like that.

 

[Malo]

Such a sad loss. This has raised my interest in the show which I never managed to see. Since Season 2 is a prequel, which would you folks recommend I watch first? Do I read Belgarath and Polgara before The Belgariad and The Mallorean? (If you get my meaning)

 

[homerdog]

I think you should watch it in order. Season 2 has some tidbits that tie into S1 and you wouldn't get them if you hadn't seen the first season.

 

[Mariner]

I caught part of one episode which saw a slave girl being forcefully DP'd by a sneering Roman slave-owner and one of his other slaves (black, naturally). Not particularly pleasant viewing, not to mention rather gratuitous, so I didn't bother to watch any more.

 

[homerdog]

From what I've seen that's pretty par for the course in this show.

 

[John Reynolds]

Well, Netflix only has episodes 2-4 of season 2 available for streaming. Which makes a lot of sense.

 

[homerdog]

Of course.

 

[John Reynolds]

Heh, and since writing that episodes 4-6 are now available, not 1-3. Watched 4 and 5 last night. My god, the dialogue is f'n wretched.