Zarinkarim

The story takes place during the Vespasian rule of Rome. Sadly this show lacks depth. It has poor CGI resembling a video game and shallow characters with trivial plots.

Whenever there was a moment on the show where I felt like there might be some promise after all, the scene abruptly ended and cut to the next one. Very disappointing.

And what was the need to bring Anthony Hopkins into this? This is nowhere near as good or well written as the show Spartacus.

The main protagonists are boring, I found myself rooting for what are supposed to be the "bad guys" instead. At least they offer a somewhat interesting take on the story compared the other dull characters.

Emperor Titus offers nothing to the story and ironically, feels very irrelevant. He looks like a mere decoration on the wall at the very best on his "curule chair". His cunning brother on the other hand is much more intriguing of a character but still not good enough for me to continue watching.

The show "Domina" is even better than this tedious show.

Don't waste your time.

Being a huge fan of ancient Rome, I was starved of shows set in the Roman era, so when I heard of Domina I was ecstatic but also wary of the fact that this could be a potential let down. After the departure HBO/BBC co-production Rome (2005) which was superb, I was afraid to get my hopes up.

However, this series has proven to be quite entertaining although it's not the same as the show Rome (2005).

The story centers around our main character Livia Drusilla and those in her inner circle. Sometimes it gets a bit too soapy.

The adult version of Augustus is depicted as a man who seems oblivious to the schemes of his wife which often results in him being a mere puppet in the scene because of it. I find this portrayal quite strange as he is known to be one of history's most clever politicians, surely he knew well how to handle the politics within his very own household.

I must say I am very impressed with the second season which is far better than the first, it has redeeming qualities as the characters are better written and I found myself even getting upset when they died.

Moreover, I applaud the costume department and the set designers for transporting us back to ancient Rome. These small, intricate details give us a glimpse into the daily life and habits of a Roman citizen.

Season 2 is better than season 1, until the final episode which ends up being the weakest episode.

Summary: If you're bored or just curious, give it a watch.