Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena (Starz 2011, John Hannah, Lucy Lawless)

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena was a prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand, a move made necessary by the star of that show Andy Whitfield developing cancer and being unable to continue in the role. Gods focuses on the days of the arena before the arrival of Spartacus and the House of Batiatus as Batiatus finding himself in charge and desperate to make a name for himself. There is a new arena just built and Batiatus wants one his prize fighters in it. Meanwhile Lucretia is busy scheming and takes old friend Gaia under her wing, the thing is though Gaia definitely doesn’t need anyone showing her the ropes.

Like Blood and Sand this is extremely full on stuff, it’s brilliantly made but pulls no punches with graphic scenes of sex and violence with both Lucy Lawless and Jaime Murray really putting themselves out there in terms of what they are prepared to get up, not to mention many of the lesser known members of the cast. There is a tendency to mix in completely bone crunching fight scenes with the sex scenes which leaves one with a bad taste in the mouth.

It works well in setting things up for Blood and Sand and obviously the ideal situation would be watch this first and then move on to B and S.

Mostly filmed in New Zealand!

production details
USA / Starz Network / 6×50 minutes / Broadcast 21 January – 25 February 2011

Creator: Steven S. DeKnight

cast
JOHN HANNAH as Batiatus
LUCY LAWLESS as Lucretia
JAIME MURRAY as Gaia
MANU BENNETT as Crixus
PETER MENSAH as Oenomaus
DUSTIN CLARE as Gannicus
NICK E. TARABAY as Ashur
MARISA RAMIREZ as Melitta
CRAIG WALSH-WRIGHTSON as Solonius
LESLEY-ANN BRANDT as Naevia
TEMUERA MORRISON as Doctore
ANTONIO TE MAIOHA as Barca
STEPHEN LOVATT as Tullius
JOSEF BROWN as Auctus
SHANE RANGI as Dagan
JESSICA GRACE SMITH as Diona
IOANE KING as Rhaskos
WINHAM HAMMOND as Otho
DES WALLACE as Appius
ANDY WHITFIELD as Spartacus