Romulus

First off, you can't imagine how pleased i was to find out this was not a Netflix production. Another complete desecration of culture and history was averted. Secondly, if you have the attention span of a bird and not really interested in mythology or history then you're better off watching the awful "Barbarians" on Netflix. Some people seem to complain about the low budget on this production, however this show holds up better than most cash laden soulless US productions. It's very unique, immersive and has charm.

The show is based on Roman mythology and the period preceding the foundation of Rome or "Ruma" around the 8th century BC. So don't expect to see Roman legions or the Colosseum. It's a different approach to the mythological story of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Ancient Rome.

It was interesting to see an Italian production tackle its own history/mythology. You need to give it an episode or two before you get invested in the story but it eventually pays off. The quality of the acting, the visuals, the use of old latin, the gritty and ominous tone all combine to immerse you in an archaic time most of us know very little about. The story is based on a myth but never delves into the supernatural. There is no magic and the old roman gods never reveal themselves on screen but are interpreted by the main characters through dreams, which kind of grounds the story.

I regret they did not show more day to day life aspects of that period and the last episode was a little anti-climactic but it seems like there will be a second season so i hope to change my rating to an 8 or 9 in future. Not as good as Rome, different of course but overall better than most garbage on TV at the moment. Well done Italy.

Were should I start? They speak old Latin, not English or Italian. It's based more on history than myth, despite the name. Throughout the story you are given little bits and pieces to help understand the origin of the myth. There's no magic stuff. Things that happen might be interpreted by the characters as divine or as a sign from the gods but aren't really. And as some critical reviews have stated, the story is a bit "shallow", or rather not filled with uninteresting love affairs and other Hollywood-esce side stories. It's straight to the point. Oh, and I almost forgot, the acting is great. No over acting what so ever.

Having watched first two episodes.....(there are 8 more to come) I have to say I was hooked by this series which were a surprise to me as they were serious about re-telling the legend of the twins in a different light thru the eyes of three different people who lived in that era. the acting was good and serious and u get action scenes and the story before the twins are born. we get to see at first how ammulius becomes the king and tries to kill the sons of his blinded brother and former king of alba longa. there are also some naked beautiful sex scenes and beautiful women too in the mix. we only have two episodes but I think the rest will follow the story in the same captivating way. at some point ilia (rhea) the daughter of the former king will give birth to the twins and from there we will go on...... if u are a fan of ancient rome's history - mythology then u should watch this series which are ages better than the atrocious and boring "Britanica" tv series. on the plus is that even the audio is not in English nor in Italian BUT in archaic latin so to be more...realistic.

For starters I give this a grade between B- and B (7,5) and i'm excited for next week's episodes 3 and 4. there are two episodes each week. as it seems this is a worthy series about the twins so check it out.

This is an excellent series. I have just watched all the episodes and have to say, it is the best historical series TV has seen for a long time.

I will list some of the positives for this show:

1 - The language is Latin ! The producers actually went to the effort of bringing in experts to teach the entire cast the correct pronunciation of the words etc ! That is some dedication !

2 - The story of Romulus and Remus is fictional yet ingrained n the history of Rome. So it allows a lot of freedom with the storyline as it is a ledged, not historical fact. As such the series could explore many angles without leaving you puzzled as to whether they are altering a historical timeline for dramatic effect.

3 - It doesn't hold back. Like Game of Thrones, there is blood and sex, but it is not as gratuitous as Game of Thrones. It actually fits into the storyline. Their is mud, mess and blood. It actually looks and feels as though you are in historic Italy, rather than on a Hollywood set or seeing a Hollywood ideal of history (where everyone is in full makeup etc).

4 - It has action and intrigue. It isn't predictable. You don't know who is going to die when, or how. You are not sure how the storyline will play out until you get there. I can get very easily bored with a lot of movies and programmes - but this kept me focussed throughput !

5 - It is just good TV !

Yes, I admit, for me it is one of the best series from the last decade. I am subjective, off course. But Romulus is just brilliant. For the wise use of the bricks of legends and myths. For the courage ad full virtue to use archaic Latin , giving high credibility to storytelling nd seducing generations of people for who this language represents a part of life and memories. For impecable acting - and I remind, again and again, the admirable job of Francesco Di Napoli and Marianna Fontana. Not the last for the escape from the circle of cliches. No doubts, a great series.