Those About to Die

Those About to Die reminds me very much of a BBC historical drama wrapped up with a 2010s Prince of Persia style Hollywood movie.

Some of the acting and dialogue is a tad painful to watch and the CGI is very ropey. The scenery itself is quite stunning, but, as a soon and chariots start racing, the often used panning out shot has the riders looking like Duracell Bunnies with whips.

The giant white lion, although impressive in size, is again underwhelming in it's overall appearance.

I did enjoy parts of the story but in general was left frustrated and irritated by alot of the character interaction.

A series with a lower first season budget like Vikings did alot better of a job drawing the audience into a historical timeline. Whilst adding drama, humour and excitement.

Not bad but could have been alot better.

A very aggressive advertisement campaign were held in my city for this show, the ads, the posters were everywhere, and since I love the genre, I was pretty hyped.

The show did not particularly disappoint. I was suprised and a bit disheartened to see the negative reviews it had before starting to watch it.

I think it starts off very promising, but as the show develops, it fails to escape mediocrity. Surely, you can't expect the quality and the depth that comes with shows like game of thrones. There is a lot missing. Some questionable chocies were made, and some low effort events exist in the plot. But I'm a huge fan of Roman Empire content, I still loved it very much, despite I don't usually enjoy low quality TV. And that's probably among the best things that this show does, they were able to capture the essence of the era pretty well. They risked ruining this with horrible CGI in a few scenes though, it had to be better.

The show's attention to detail in set design and costumes immerses viewers in the era, making the brutal and often heart-wrenching scenes even more impactful. Plunges viewers into the gritty and intense world of ancient Rome. The performances are top-notch, with the cast delivering powerful portrayals that bring the historical figures to life. The narrative is gripping, filled with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat. Overall, "Those About To Die" is a show you should watch for fans of historical dramas and action-packed storytelling. It offers a raw and unflinching look at the lives of those who fought for survival and glory, leaving a lasting long impression on its viewers.

Well, I don't know what to tell you, maybe it was just the fact they Iwan Rheon played (one of) the protagonist(s) but this all reminded me a lot of Game of Thrones -- and frankly, I enjoyed it a lot. Apart from some unnecessary deaths and romance plots that had me surprised, devastated, and confused, Those About To Die is a really good watch. I love love love the subtle narration at the beginning and the end and I would have loved some more throughout the episodes but I'll take what I can get here honestly. I really appreciated how the last two, and especially the finale, pulled together so many strings and left a clear cut plan as a set up for the next season. I really hope we'll get one and I'm very much looking forward to it.

Is the show perfect? No. Is it entertaining? Heck yes!

I've seen complaints that 'it's not as good as hbo's Rome'. My brothers and sisters, nothing will ever be as good as Rome, simply because it was an era of terrific shows, masterpieces of golden age, with a gigantic budget that ultimately led to cancellation.

I've also seen complaints about the CGI. Yes, I agree, in a couple of scenes it was super clunky. But all the rest? Come on!!! Chariot races looked spectacular, the city looked spectacular, wide shots were beautiful. Even animals looked ok - the last rampage of a lion was terrifying, I don't care what you say, it looked and sounded real.

Interior design was masterful - those marbles! Colors! Burning lamps and flames! Emperor palace rooms! Gods, it looked amazing and DEFINITELY not cheap.

Some claim that 'it was all CGI'. Nah. There were beautiful sets built, houses, streets of Rome, and underbelly of Circus Maximus. From wide shots to little details, it was - dare I say - almost as immersive as 'Rome'.

Iwan Rheon is terrific as always. What a fascinating character Tenax is! Love love love. Sara Martin is excellent. Domician is a delightfully creepy guy, Scorpius is hilarious (up to a point), spanish horse carers are adorable.

Yes, the script is clunky here and there. Especially in the first episode. So please give 'Those about to die' a chance and stay for the second episode - and further. It gets better and better with each episode, with an excellent, excellent last one.

Maybe it's not for the highest of taste, but hey - it's a great, meta, plebeian entertainment for those who want to be entertained.