Rome. Season One

The first episode of the first season opens with a shot straight out of an Asterix comic book. To date, this is HBO’s most expensive series, and the costumes and props alone would verify that. Fans of historical accuracy would probably cringe at the many, many alterations the creators have taken the liberty of doing, but watching the picture in its wholeness will pardon the crimes of the genius that is Bruno Heller. It is the tag team of Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson that carry the epic, but everyone is outshone by the splendid performance of Polly “I-deserved-that-Emmy” Walker. Be prepared also for believable performances by James Purefoy as the detestable Mark Antony, Ciáran Hinds as the tyrant Julius, and Tobias Menzies as a Brutus more believable than Shakespeare’s.

originally posted in stinglacson.multiply.com, May 10, '07 6:01 AM.