Accuracy of HBO Series: Rome (would like opinions before buy

[M. Demetrius]

Ignorance? Not bothering to check? Um, having a good price on renting them from some stock warehouse from the Ben Hur era? Maybe they thought we wouldn't know the difference?

[Astiryu1]

Just found this topic! I rented seasons 1 & 2 from my library. I liked this series alot. I tend not to look at just how accurate TV is. That can make one angry. :wink: Overall they did a good job with the show. There was alot of new stuff in there that just isn't really dealt with. The biggest thing that comes to mind is Pullo's "Brain Surgery". Ouch... hock: There are just so many things to research I would love to watch it again to make a list.
I have liked Ray Stevenson since "King Arthur" and I have to admit he is the reason I was interested in "Rome" in the first place. Like previously said "Rome" grows on you. I was disappointed that there was no more after season 2 but if they at least make a movie all is well.

[Lunico]

The look of the Legionarys just bugged all the time. I really enjoyed the series for the atmosphere, characters and the overall feel. But everytime a Legionary stepped into the picture it was like turning it into LARP or something....I dunno, maybe I'm just a little pedantic. :roll:

[Phaichtos]

Aside from goofy stuff like Simpsons and Futurama, ROME is definitely my favourite TV show of all time. It is just the perfect mix of everything! I agree it isn't perfect, but as mentioned, a 100% accurate portrayal of events just isn't possible. I didn't really mind the problems with the soldiers' appearance if I'm honest, because I've always felt that stuff was variable enough anyway that seeing it "wrong" isn't that big of a deal for me. I mean, WE notice, but 90% of the people who watch the show didn't, I'm sure. Maybe if they were wearing extras' costumes from "Band of Brothers" then we'd have a problem :lol:

[Dithrambus]

Aside from goofy stuff like Simpsons and Futurama, ROME is definitely my favourite TV show of all time. It is just the perfect mix of everything! I agree it isn't perfect, but as mentioned, a 100% accurate portrayal of events just isn't possible. I didn't really mind the problems with the soldiers' appearance if I'm honest, because I've always felt that stuff was variable enough anyway that seeing it "wrong" isn't that big of a deal for me. I mean, WE notice, but 90% of the people who watch the show didn't, I'm sure. Maybe if they were wearing extras' costumes from "Band of Brothers" then we'd have a problem :lol:

Agreed, I wish HBO would restart the series, two seasons was simply not enough.

[Phaichtos]

Aside from goofy stuff like Simpsons and Futurama, ROME is definitely my favourite TV show of all time. It is just the perfect mix of everything! I agree it isn't perfect, but as mentioned, a 100% accurate portrayal of events just isn't possible. I didn't really mind the problems with the soldiers' appearance if I'm honest, because I've always felt that stuff was variable enough anyway that seeing it "wrong" isn't that big of a deal for me. I mean, WE notice, but 90% of the people who watch the show didn't, I'm sure. Maybe if they were wearing extras' costumes from "Band of Brothers" then we'd have a problem :lol:

Agreed, I wish HBO would restart the series, two seasons was simply not enough.

Absolutely! Though once I heard they were trying to tie the storyline into the whole Christ saga or whatever I got a little scared about these guys' ability to keep on with it. Still, since most people don't really know the history of these things anyway, I don't see why they couldn't have shown more on Caesar's Gallic campaign or something, and the machinations back at Rome... the only thing holding this back I think is the money issue since battles are really expensive to shoot

[M. Demetrius]

trying to tie the storyline into the whole Christ saga or whatever I got a little scared about these guys' ability to keep on with it. Still, since most people don't really know the history of these things anyway

I see a couple of flaws here....
* Most people don't know the history of the Battle of Pharsalus, or why that was important, so perhaps they ought not to show that event?
* Even fewer people perhaps know the history, say, of Caesar's having been captured by pirates, ransomed back from them and exacting revenge on them later on, so...?
**For the reason that people DON'T know is exactly the reason that historical events ought to be presented: to educate the readers/watchers.
Maybe I'm just confused in thinking that education is how we overcome ignorance?

A few years back, after the second Rome: HBO season, there was a fire on the set, reportedly, and part of the town was destroyed, so rebuilding and making a third season became impossibly expensive. I doubt they made much of paid any attention to the history. Odds are, many of the males were more interested in the, er, other things to see.

[Dithrambus]

Aside from goofy stuff like Simpsons and Futurama, ROME is definitely my favourite TV show of all time. It is just the perfect mix of everything! I agree it isn't perfect, but as mentioned, a 100% accurate portrayal of events just isn't possible. I didn't really mind the problems with the soldiers' appearance if I'm honest, because I've always felt that stuff was variable enough anyway that seeing it "wrong" isn't that big of a deal for me. I mean, WE notice, but 90% of the people who watch the show didn't, I'm sure. Maybe if they were wearing extras' costumes from "Band of Brothers" then we'd have a problem :lol:

Agreed, I wish HBO would restart the series, two seasons was simply not enough.

Absolutely! Though once I heard they were trying to tie the storyline into the whole Christ saga or whatever I got a little scared about these guys' ability to keep on with it. Still, since most people don't really know the history of these things anyway, I don't see why they couldn't have shown more on Caesar's Gallic campaign or something, and the machinations back at Rome... the only thing holding this back I think is the money issue since battles are really expensive to shoot

If the producers should decide to continue the series, they should probably avoid the issue of the Crucifixion, they would almost certainly botch the story anyway. There is plenty of political intrigue, corruption and war in Roman history to maintain the series for years to come, without running the risk of becoming overly controversial and or offensive.

My .02 danari worth.

[M. Demetrius]

they should probably avoid the issue of the Crucifixion, they would almost certainly botch the story

Agreed. They couldn't make more of a mess of it than Mel Gibson did in The Passion. Don't want to start an off topic argument here, though.

[Dithrambus]

they should probably avoid the issue of the Crucifixion, they would almost certainly botch the story

Agreed. They couldn't make more of a mess of it than Mel Gibson did in The Passion. Don't want to start an off topic argument here, though.

I doubt if anyone would argue with you on that point.

[Narukami]

Another consideration for a Third Season is running into I, Claudius.

Some have voiced the opinion that Rome is far superior to I, Claudius in every respect. (I actually head this opinion spoken by a US Army General and a Colonel as they discussed Rome with another passenger on the Metro Train here in LA.)

Not surprisingly, I do not agree. In fact I find the exact opposite to be the case.

Now of course, this is just my opinion, and while I would like to see a 3rd Season of Rome I do think it would be better not to travel too deeply into the reign of Augustus and thus void unfavorable comparisons to I, Claudius.

What might be even more interesting would be a feature film that went back and focused on Caesar's campaigns in Gaul and the political intrigue with both Pompey and Crassus (among others). For my money Ciaran Hinds' portrayal of Julius Caesar was one of the best aspects of the entire Rome series. I would enjoy seeing more of that, and there is certainly more of Caesar's story to tell.

:wink:

Narukami

[Lunico]

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... K:MEWNX:IT

D D

[Virilis]

Am I really only one here who was not impressed with "Rome" hock: ?

[Phaichtos]

trying to tie the storyline into the whole Christ saga or whatever I got a little scared about these guys' ability to keep on with it. Still, since most people don't really know the history of these things anyway

I see a couple of flaws here....
* Most people don't know the history of the Battle of Pharsalus, or why that was important, so perhaps they ought not to show that event?
* Even fewer people perhaps know the history, say, of Caesar's having been captured by pirates, ransomed back from them and exacting revenge on them later on, so...?
**For the reason that people DON'T know is exactly the reason that historical events ought to be presented: to educate the readers/watchers.
Maybe I'm just confused in thinking that education is how we overcome ignorance?

I know what you mean, and I completely agree. Problem is, we are not television producers, whose job it is to cherrypick the "sexiest" aspects from history to present to a general audience in an easily digestible fashion. As long as the idea is to turn a profit, I tend to think producers--who themselves probably aren't history majors, or perhaps don't even care about the subject matter to begin with--are going to go with something that they think will make the most amount of cash. Since the logic indicates this will be the things the most amount of people will have heard of in some way (assassination of Caesar, rise of Octavian), I just don't see how they would rationalize making a 3rd season "prequel" with Caesar's wars in Gaul...

Even though it would be amazing!!! The times when they actually showed battle scenes were among my favourite in Rome for the obvious reasons. But as I mentioned above, these are often some of the most expensive bits to put together, so there is yet another reason where I'm afraid it would never happen that they would make a 3rd season just about the Gallic Wars.

Unfortunately.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Am I really only one here who was not impressed with "Rome" hock: ?

Boooo, hisss boooo....off to the colleseum with you!!! Guards! Theeth him wuffly and thwow him to the fwoar!!!