Some Random Thoughts About Television... [R]

I don't mind things being fabricated. That is part of the creative process.

But, to be just plain wrong with easily verifiable information is unforgiveable. I looked up the songs that sounded suspicious to me while watching the show.

 

I do not remember the scene, but did it take place on a day when there was a "real football game" being broadcast?
If so, I agree, although the costs of doing so might be higher than fabricating a game.
Also, was this scene somewhat random or integral to the show? Again, I do not remember the scene.

 

What show is it?

 

On a tangential note....

My wife and I have been watching Coach off and on the past half year.

There have been about five episodes where they have showed the fictitious Minnesota State Screamin' Eagles football games. And they are effing first rate. It's got to be real. [Edit: it is. All footage is from the 1993 Minnesota v Wisconsin game. Got a lot of mileage from that one game...]

Also, the show has the very best cameo I've seen.

Jerry van Dyke plays an assistant coach. It only takes about five seconds of watching the show to realize that, yes, this is Dick van Dyke's brother. Anyway, in the show, van Dyke plays a guy with no family. His father ran off when he was 10 and his mother died when he was 18. He gets into geneology and finds a family reunion of van Damme's and coach forces him to go. He's nervous, he won't know anyone, and he wonders "whether there is anyone there who will even look like me?" He repeats this line a couple of times, and then as they enter the reunion, who should walk across the frame, but Dick van Dyke? Doesn't say a word because he would of course own the rest of episode, but he just walks coolly by. First rate.

 

i am watching Department q.

Love it so far.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

There is no way they would allow an unvetted Akram Salim to be part of the "team," but I liked the character.

Leah Byrne was all sorts of adorable as plucking DC Rose Dickerson.

 

Watched: "Spartacus: The House of Ashur" which finished up this week. We watched the first four episodes before new Christmas, a the middle three in January and then watched the last three last night.



Ashur (Nick Tarabay from the original Spartacus show) a Syrian who turned on Spartacus in the first incarnation of the show is raised from the dead by Lucy Lawless (who was also dead, but this show was not made for historical, or even logical, accuracy) and given the House of Batiatus by Marcus Crassus in gratitude of betraying Spartacus.

Essentially, it is an alternate time line and Ashur wakes up as head of the House of Batiatus, complete with incredibly hot partner Hilara (Jamaica Vaughan) and her equally hot servant/friend/lover Messia (Ivana Baquero). He apparently killed Spartacus in this alternative time line, as well.

Nobody seems to be concerned that the has taken over the ludus, except that is "a Syrian" and not a Roman. I guess the alternate time line thing works. He runs the ludus with the help of his (mostly) trusty Doctore, Korris (Graham McTavish, who is contractually obligated to be in all historical series on Starz, I think).

Political intrigue abounds as Ashur tries to navigate both the games and political life in Capua. He is a supporter of Crassus, the rival of Pompey (who appears later in the show). At times, he is either taken under the wing or despised by Gabinius, a Roman Senator (and Crassus' rival in Capua) and defacto head of Capua. Gabinius lives with his wife, Cossutia (Claudia Black) and their hot daughter, Viridia (India Shaw-Smith), who's first husband was apparently killed by Spartacus. Upon meeting Ashur, she thanks Ashur for killing Spartacus (again, this is an alternative time line from the first series, where Ashur was killed at Mt. Vesuvius by Naevia).

As much as he tries, it is clear that he can never be an equal in society and he is ridiculed regularly by just about everyone in high society of Capua, except for the young widow Viridia, who is quickly smitten with him, for no apparent reason. He saves Cossutia and Viridia from certain death at the hands of some marauding Cilician pirates (or are they?). Of course, he is smitten with her, for every apparent reason. She is young, beautiful, well mannered, a member of the richest and one of the most powerful families in Capua. She is also incredibly nice and, really, the only pleasant character in the show. She is, basically, perfect in every way. Seriously, she is presented as flawless at everything.

If this is an alternative time line and Ashur has been running the Ludus for time, it is hard to believe that he had not met Gambinius and family previously. Gambinius runs the games, so it would be strange if they had never met in the years since the House of Batiatus fell and since Spartacus' uprising occurred and he was killed. Again, logic is not really a high point of the series. He is only offered a position in the games after saving Cossutia and Viridia.

Ashur's rival is Proculus, conveniently head of the House of Proculus. Ashur and Proculus battle throughout the series in a battle with wits, money (Proculus has it, Ashur does not), murder plots, and in the ring. Proculus is a smug little snot, but has some powerful friends (possibly including Gambinius and Cossutia) and powerful gladiators.

The coliseum had been destroyed by Spartacus and the rebels, so the games take place in a very, very small arena. Ashur takes a highly unusual approach in the ring, introducing Achillia (Tenika Davis), a female "nubian" warrior as his new Champion. He nicknames her "The Goddess of Death" and the nickname proves appropriate. Of course, the "brotherhood" of gladiators do not take very kindly to this interloper, especially little weasel Tarcon, son of former champion Celadus.

The plots, such as they are, appear to be less incoherent and more interesting than the original Spartacus. Political intrigue abounds, as Julius Caesar and his incredibly hot wife, Cornelia (Jaime Slater) are major characters, with Cornelia as the more prominent character. Pompey pops up with pomp and circumstances and some very bad behaviour. There are many subplots (the relationship between Korris and the very rich Opiter is pretty poignant) and murder plots, double crosses, etc.

Well, plenty of full frontal nudity (male and female), but less than the previous Spartacus shows from a decade ago. Plenty of softcore level sex occurs and some of the most stomach turning, but highly innovative, ways to kill people in the ring imaginable. A couple of truly mind boggling violent deaths happen in the arena.

If you want to see how ancient absolutely, positively was NOT back in the day, but want to see a blood soaked, boob and penis filled horror show, you could do worse than Spartacus: House of Ashur.

 

Definitely some odd decisions

Spoiler (open) Spoiler (close)

The militarisation of the Upside Down is one of the strangest things they did IMO.

In previous seasons it was always a scary place with danger. Then suddenly in this season they carry out routine patrols there. Lost most of the atmosphere IMO

Especially seeing early on in S5 a convoy is wiped out by demo dogs, but then the military seems not bothered by that?