I am not sure how much time I have (and seriously, now that I have resolved to write this my time will almost certainly and suddenly expire), but I am going to attempt to write a reaction post for the first three episodes of the new season of Spartacus, 'Spartacus: Vengeance'. I have not seen episode four yet, I know it has aired, do not judge me or spoil me >:I

For anyone unfamiliar with Spartacus (yet for some reason still reading), it's a Starz original currently airing it's second season. There has also been a six episode prequel, necessitated by exterior circumstances but very valuable in its own right. Really, 'Gods of the Arena' was an absolute dream for me in regards to expansion of my favourite characters, but that is not what this is about.

Spartacus is graphic to the point of absurdity. It's that very intentional sort of outlandishness where you either have to accept the erupting intestines and hacked off faces or else back away - it is always going to be there. It's also pretty softcore in terms of how much nudity and sexuality is shown, and again, that is always going to be there. I can easily understand why people wouldn't want to watch (I can't really argue with anyone calling it gratuitous), and it is absolutely true that I first started watching it with mockery in mind. It looked (and still looks!) completely ridiculous, and I wanted to laugh at that. At first, I did! Sometimes I still do! But somewhere along the line the dialogue started getting through to me. And hell, to the credit of the writers, it didn't actually take very long.

The plot of this series is tight, and it plays the long game. It's not purely episodic, storylines carry over and over, ticking and evolving, just the way proper writing should. Okay, well, that is completely unfair to say ("proper writing" indeed), but episodic writing generally doesn't catch my heart the way this sort of storytelling does. Nothing is to be taken for granted, you never know what might come back to haunt any certain character. No action is wasted, it's all building into ongoing relations or building momentum. I'll admit that the fight scenes are where the show slows down for me, because that's the sort of fan I am - I've come to both accept and honestly enjoy the physicality of the programme, but it's the dialogue and interaction that gets my heart taut. This is probably why the new light-hearted fan division of Romans and Rebels has seen me quite firmly ensconced with the former.

The plot is tight. The characters are each their own person, with their own reasons. No one is just bad, no one is just an antagonist for the purpose of being an antagonist (possibly excluding Cossutius who is just plain not nice). Nothing is presented as wholly just or unjust, or at least not outside the gaze of those characters taking action. There are few characters I don't find engaging on some level, and those I'm less fond of have very dedicated fans proving that it's a matter of preference (yes I am talking about Crixus no one who knows me is surprised).

I did not intend this preamble (THIS IS STILL THE PREAMBLE) to get so long. Spartacus is a series of passions, whether that be through violent action, bitter deed or encapsulating love. Whether it be desire or venom that spurs one character toward another, it's a series laced through with complicated fantastic relationships. If the Bechdel Test is something you rate, it passes pretty smoothly.

So, 'Spartacus: Vengeance'! I am three episodes in, here are some feelings I have so far...! ( Thank god, she's finally inserting a cut. )



On that note, I stumbled on a shiny Spinarak in VDex, so I caught it & a regular (well, second-frame HGSS) Spinarak and named them for Seppia and Seppius, hahaha. AND THUS IT IS SO. And now this pointless post is done.