TV at its Best in Rome

Focusing on the Fall

Running from 2005 to 2007 the television series Rome, a joint collaboration between Italian, US and UK networks, remains one of the most expensive shows ever produced. The storyline details the fall of the Roman Republic, focusing on a number of historically important characters along with original creations for dramatic purposes. Created by John Milius, William J. MacDonald, and Bruno Heller, the series intended not only to tell the story of the republics’ downfall, but also give as realistic a portrayal of Ancient Rome as had yet been put on screen. In doing so, the creators treated viewers to a far murkier world than previously seen and made characters conform to contemporary culture and morals rather than applying modern belief systems upon them (to a point at least, as they still spoke English).

It was this realistic portrayal of Rome which proved to be one of the shows strong points, helping to immerse the viewer into an alien world. The city is depicted not as a form of marble utopia, but a three dimensional character in its own right, with slums and markets as commonly seen as the senate or military camps. Walls are covered in graffiti and the streets are littered with the waste of city life. The sets and design are a massive achievement and it is clear that a lot of work has gone into recreating Rome as the characters real life counterparts would have seen it.

The characters themselves also indulge in cultural past times which appear slightly more shocking in modern eyes, from indulging in contemporary cuisine to having sex in front their slaves. Perhaps the most visually arresting scene is Caesar’s triumph towards the end of the first season which paints a picture so grand it’s not difficult to see just how large a budget the series had bequeathed upon it. The fact that the show was shot on location in Italy also adds an extra layer to its air of authenticity.

Soap Opera Storylines

The writers of Rome were lucky to have one of the most exciting tales in history at their hands when it came to scripting the series.  Beginning with Caesar’s (Ciaran Hinds) victory in Gaul, the first season tracked the civil war between the future tyrant and his former friend Pompey (Kenneth Cranham) through to the Caesar’s assassination on the senate floor. The second season instead depicted Augustus’ (Max Pirkis/Simon Woods) rise to power and his eventual struggle against Mark Antony (James Purefoy). Most of the major events are represented, as are the debates in the senate and politics of the city’s people. Many of the major battles however take place off screen, but it is the verbal dueling, particularly between Caesar and Pompey in earlier episodes, which is actually more striking. While at times the writing can come across as a tad clunky, it is often rather well crafted and does a good job of conveying these characters’ intelligence and arrogance. This is often helped however by the strong performances in the lead historical roles, in particular Hind’s gravitational depiction of Caesar. 
 

The series is brought down to earth by its more fictional characters Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Pullo (Ray Stevenson) two soldiers through whom we witness the majority of this period’s events. The stoic and honorable Vorenus and brutish yet loyal Pullo make for a very entertaining duo and allow a greater deal of emotional investment, while the actors have a strong chemistry which helps sell their characters. They also help raise the tension and drama of the show; after all we already know what is going to happy to Caesar, Brutus, Antony and all. These original characters however make the storyline far more engaging than would have been otherwise possible. While the series takes most of its historical liberties with these two (suggesting that one may be the biological father to Caesar’s illegitimate son), they are often for the best and can easily been seen as for dramatic necessity. Both act very well and truly are the heart and sole of the show, although it does feel like the writers didn’t quite know what to do with them for much of the second season and Vorenus’ character arc perhaps lingers for too long in slow, depressing territory.
               
Indeed despite its lavish production and solid acting (I’ve yet to highlight Polly Walker’s brilliant portrayal as the scheming Atia which is beautifully snake like from start to finish) the show is not without its flaws, particularly in the second season. Pacing is frequently off, making some events seem to pass too quickly while other less relevant scenes seem to linger. It also does a poor job of informing the viewer how much time is passing to the point where one is left wondering whether a few weeks or even a few years have past. In particular the re-appearance of Octavian mid-way through the second season, having seemingly aged about ten years in two episodes, is very jarring. They also miss out a few key moments, in particular Brutus’ and Antony’s speeches after Caesar’s death is sorely missed and it would have been good to see the actors in question get a good shot at them.

Rome is a solidly made program, not perfect, but very watchable, particularly if you have any interest in the time period. Its production design is second to none and the acting is often of a very high quality indeed. While the writing is occasionally shaky, the strength of the story as a whole helps it stride through. Both seasons can now be picked up pretty cheap and provide a solid twenty hours of entertainment for anyone with even the slightest interest in decent television.

Reviewer: Craig Wilson

All images courtesy of HBO