• Inside Entertainment,  Media Rants

    Spartacus

    The television series Spartacus is an underrated gem. It didn’t get the acclaim or fandom it deserved. Perhaps it was overshadowed by similar shows, such as the seemingly sexier and grander Game of Thrones. But if you give Spartacus a chance, you’ll find it superior storytelling. I understand the financial realities of making television. Usually, a series will run as long as possible – or at least until ratings decline. But surely many people switch off – if not physically, then at least mentally – well before that happens. Characters grow stagnant. The same things keep happening. Look at The Walking Dead. Although the show was engaging early as the…

  • Inside Entertainment,  Reviews

    Star Trekking: Part 3 of 3

    Writing prequels can’t be easy. You have to fit into established canon where people know the outcome(s), yet introduce something new, and keep the storytelling compelling. One of my favourite prequels is Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, which takes place right before the events of Spartacus: Blood and Sand (aka season 1). In Blood and Sand, lanistas’ Batiatus (John Hannah) and Solonius (Craig Walsh-Wrightson) are mortal enemies. In Gods of the Arena, the opening scene is of Batiatus and Solonius together as close friends at gladiatorial games. What? Immediately, we have questions. How did these two fall out? Even if we’re not aware of the existing canon, we meet two…