Television

The Persistence of Vision and Rear-View Mirror of ‘Spartacus’

The Persistence of Vision and Rear-View Mirror of ‘Spartacus’

By Ross Crawford

Published Online: Fickle Fascinations (2013)

Spartacus, the perennially misunderstood television series, has just completed its consistently spectacular run with a triumphant finale. Widely and wrongly maligned by many critics for what they regard as its obsession with sex and gore, dedicated fans were last week ‘rewarded’ with a heart-rending conclusion. Rest assured, tears were shed. More accurately, gross sobbing ensued.



But now that my shattered psyche has returned to a relatively stable, functional level, I have begun to reflect upon the series as a whole. Spartacus began somewhat inauspiciously with the pilot, ‘The Red Serpent’, which aped the visual style of Zack Synder’s 300, with little obvious originality or flair. However, within a handful of episodes, Spartacus found its own unique groove: many fans cite episodes four and five (‘The Thing in the Pit’ and ‘Shadow Games’) as definite turning points in quality. Ultimately, the pilot misrepresented the series, which raised the stakes and upended the status quo so frequently, one could barely pause for breath.

However, what is fascinating about the final series of Spartacus, particularly the final three episodes, ‘Separate Paths’, ‘The Dead and the Dying’ and ‘Victory’, is how much it engages with, and even embraces the flawed opening moments of the show.

Click here to read this article from Fickle Fascinations

Sponsored Content