The Unsung Greatness of Spartacus: Blood & Sand

[@CaptainPikeachu]

This series remains my favorite tv show of all time. And I know everyone loves Andy as Spartacus but I have to give credit to Liam for stepping into what must have been such a difficult situation and carrying that torch to the finish line. I think Andy would have been very proud of him.

[@BetterWithBob]

On a recent rewatch, 100% agreed. Liam was the best possible replacement we could ask for ^_^

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

Liam McIntyre was given a thankless task... following Andy Whitfield. He made it his own and not because he bore a strong resemblance to Andy.

[@michaelairton3723]

AGREED.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@michaelairton3723 yes, he was also a great Spartacus

[@gexay]

The greatest part of the subsequent seasons was seeing Andy at the very end of the final credits of the final episode yelling "I Am SPARTACUS". What a tribute

[@SRosenberg203]

I'm not crying, it's just really dusty in here and my eyes are watering.

[@BetterWithBob]

I was left a sobbing mess myself lol and I KNEW that was going to happen

[@Melodeath00]

That end credits "crawl" was just a masterclass of how to finish a series. The pictures of all the characters from all the seasons, major and minor. The music starting slow and mellow, then getting more and more intense with an almost constant crescendo, until at the end, when the music is going at full speed with this epic/heroic theme, you think they are going to finish it when the the picture of Liam as Spartacus is showing, but then they do the oh so glorious move of finishing the whole thing off with the s1 scene of Andy in the arena shouting "I AM SPARTACUS!". Much gratitude for this gift :)

[@desusda_god]

Love the analogy of the last episode being a heroic red wedding. R.I.P. to andy. Blessings to his family. He showed emotion so well with his eyes. Blood and sand was the best season obviously but the others weren't terrible

[@BetterWithBob]

Apologies I only saw your comment now

[@adansilveira2031]

This is the most underrated series ever! Was a masterpiece in the beginning to the end. Even with the two last seasons being more flawed than the first one, i think that deverves to be watched in it's entirety, specially because of Marcus Crassus in the last season, my favorite vilain in television ever.

[@BetterWithBob]

I recently rewatched War of the Damned and Vengeance and I can finally appreciate them more. Vengeance has a lot of flaws, but War of the Damned is near perfect

[@alexmontrose8004]

I love this show. It was a bit of a phenomenon given the restructure to accommodate Andy's health, and what they did with the limited budget.

[@BetterWithBob]

According to the interweb the first season's budget was $30 million 🤔

[@angelaholmes8888]

The final two episodes are great I absolutely loved the finale It was so epic it's sad that andy died so young he definitely would had gone on to be a big star 💝💯

[@GEMINIEARTHWALKER]

I agree that Blood and Sand is the strongest of the 4 Chapters. But, though Liam struggled to find the Character in Part 2, I think that he really owned the role by The War of The Damned. . I heard that DeKnight is currently working on a follow to Spartacus, Starz has given him the greenlight.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah looks like it's happening

[@writethepath8354]

I LOVED this show, it was one of the few times I caught a show while the first season was releasing, so I still carry the Andy Whitfield real-time loss. It blew my head to see Xena and John-Evey's-brother be so vicious! And Haldir. Varro dying still kills me remembering it!

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh Varro's death was a real punch in the gut to me too lol. I was not expecting it.

[@writethepath8354]

@@BetterWithBob I'm having serous reflection waves having finished your video. Like I definitely knew at the time the show was impacting me, like I said I was on it right from the start, but then it's also one of the first shows I remember looking for online when I no longer had access to Starz, following updates about new releases. All those familiar actors redefined character and acting to me, the open m/m relationships was a huge draw for me as a young writer, the depths of love that lead to betrayal I was just getting to be old enough to understand.... and I'm realizing how much a AuthorTube book series is really REALLY inspired by this show

[@bernadmanny]

​@@writethepath8354What book?

[@DBlock_11x]

That rat bastard Numerious…😤

[@yenh1144]

Show was def underrated, probably because of the network, like no one really talks about Starz

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah that's weird, because it's considered the third major premium network after HBO and Showtime

[@princeofallsayings166]

I will never stop re-watching Blood and Sand. I AM SPARTACUUUUS

[@BetterWithBob]

Never do 😉

[@dan-oe7yw]

This is actually one of my all time favorite shows, it's nice to see someone showing it some love, thanks

[@BetterWithBob]

Gratitude for watching 🙂

[@forrestredd2706]

My favorite show of all time: Not only are there buckets of blood, ample amounts of gratuitous nudity, and a whole lot of boing-boinging, but there is also an incredibly well-told story with fantastic characters - each possessing their own fleshed out and in-depth character arcs, realistic, passionate romance, fantastic cinematography, effects, and sets and some of the most well-written political drama in the history of TV. Spartacus does well what most shows don't know how to do at all. It reaches this perfect middle ground where all of the gratuity (whether it be sex or violence) never comes to overtake the characters or the storytelling, and in many situations even serves to increase the development of the characters and/or story. Andy Whitfield's death was tragic, but never felt as though it derailed the show. The showrunner's idea to do Gods of the Arena (after the first season), and focus on other characters while Andy worked his way into remission, was brilliant and gave a deeper backstory to so many great characters, which allowed Vengeance and War of the Damned to move away from Spartacus enough so that Andy's death didn't affect the pacing of the show. Because of Gods of the Arena, Vengance and War of the Damned felt more like an ensemble show than a singularly focused show, with characters like Gannicus, Crixus, and Oenomaus helping Liam McIntyre carry the weight of Andy's absence in a profound, well-designed, and well-written manner. But, beyond all of that, the thing Spartacus gets right, and I mean really, REALLY, right, are the villains. From the very first episode to the very last episode, the villains are just absolutely immaculate. Whether it's the relatable Quintus Batiatus, the slimy Marcus Solonius, the treacherous Ashur, the wily (and then crazy) Lucretia, the perfectly pompous Ilithya, Legatus Claudius "I may have an inferiority complex" Glaber, Vettius the bully, or my personal favorite villain in the history of television Marcus Crassus. Every single one of them adds their own moralities to the story, lending credence to their personal convictions (if they have any) and working as perfect foils for the heroes. Despite, technically, being one of the antagonists of the first season and (to a lesser extent) its prequel, Batiatus was so insanely likeable and relatable that there are many times within the episodes of which he was the villain that you can't help but think to yourself "Okay, this guy just wants position, and is doing the job necessary to get there. That doesn't make him evil. Good, because... I kind of like him." And until that one action (you know which one I'm talking about) and the extent of his ambition is revealed, you kind of hold out hope that he really will help Spartacus in some way. Gods of the Arena helped with this feeling TREMENDOUSLY because he was basically a grey-hero (not a hero, not an anti-hero, but somewhere in the middle) throughout the entire season. Which is why I usually tell people to watch Gods of the Arena first, because despite the spoilers contained therein, it is worth it just for how much you grow to like Batiatus over the time you spend with him. Only to see his eventual end point in all of its glory. But, the crowning achievement of this entire series rests on the shoulders of War of the Damned. My favorite season in the history of television, War of the Damned took every single thing that made all that came before it great, and cranked it up to a head-shattering, blood-curdling, bone-breaking 11. Coliseum battles became battlefields, gladiator corpses became mountains of innocent bodies, politics became war, and the best part of all of it, at times? The line between Heroes and Villains became so blurred that even the viewer began to wonder which side is right. I know that sounds crazy, but that was what was so great about Marcus Crassus as a ?villain?. Brutal, cunning, intelligent, tactful, charismatic, caring, compassionate, honorable - A villain who is all of these things and presents himself as the defender of a group of people? At the time of the third servile wars, Spartacus and his lot fought to free slaves, but many of those slaves were ripped from places they called home, relative safety, free food, care, all for the sake of "greater freedom". Those slaves were pushed into the mountains to escape the reach of Rome, given a sword or a spear - told to fight - and many died of starvation, cold, sword, and medical need. On top of that many Romans died on the tip of the slave army's blades, many even who were "innocent" at least in Rome's eyes, and Crassus would no longer stand for it. As you are watching, you begin to understand why. Crassus was one of the most well-respected men in Rome and he had no reason to join the battle against Spartacus. Unlike Batiatus he did not need position, unlike Glaber he had no inferiority complex, unlike Ashur he didn't need Denarii. Crassus sought Spartacus for only one reason: The defense and glory of Rome and her people. He was honorable, even to the point of a frigid heart in matters of war, and this led to proof of his power and justification of his glory. His actions were almost never self-serving, and even in anger his rage was almost always tempered. Because of Crassus and his immaculate performance, by the end of the show you begin to realize that every war, regardless of who is fighting for what, possesses men on both sides, willing to do whatever it takes to protect someone whoever that may be. Ultimately, the last few episodes of Spartacus: War of the Damned break my heart. They leave me with an emotional feeling that is hard to explain. Every time I watch it I am shattered with the realization that the story is over, my favorite characters are all dead, and the villain I have grown to love is just as brutal as the others when doing what 'needs to be done'. There are a series of farewell scenes that leave your heart feeling heavy, but with a slight tinge of hope that the freedom fighters fought for what they thought was right, and because of that there are many people free now who were not before them. As I said, the last few episodes of this show break my heart. And in art 'disturbing the comfortable' is a grand accomplishment. Crassus is one of my favorite villains in the history of television or cinema. Spartacus is my favorite show ever. And every time I watch it I am reminded of why it is so great. I was hooked from the dialogue in the first episode between Spartacus and Sura. Despite her making it obvious that she doesn't want him to go to war, she knows he must: "Kill them all." "For you." It was at that moment I knew that the show was going to be everything I wanted. And it always has been.

[@Dim-yz6wk]

Absolutely, love your reminiscence about one of best shows of all time! Like the series- the best. I hope House of Asher does well too.

[@ibtiago18]

A great series that deserves a lot more recognition.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you :)

[@ibtiago18]

@@BetterWithBob thank you for reminding me of why I loved Spartacus and Charmed so much.

[@andreaduarte8054]

Thank you for making this video! I adore this show and no one ever talks about it. I was very late to the show and binged all four seasons very quickly. I loved Andy Whitfield's performance as Spartacus in the first season and was very confused when I started the prequel season and then later saw he was recast, then found out the terrible news of what happened to Andy. Rip I'm sure he would have done so much more great work with the show and other projects. Spartacus is one of my top favorite shows and I'm definitely due for a rewatch, I agree that the show had an amazing way of making the most compelling heroes and villains. I've recommended it to friends before but it's a hard sell with all the violence and SA.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for watching. It was great to hear your experience with this underrated series. I hope your friends come around 😉

[@NikkiRen]

Your post depicted exactly how I watched it (late) and my feelings when watching the prequel and finding out about the recast. I, too, as due for a rewatch. I did feel some sort of way about Naevia’s recast and wished Leslie was able to keep the role, but it was an amazing show and I appreciate this video as well ♥️

[@BetterWithBob]

@@NikkiRen thanks for watching 😊

[@billyraycyree3785]

This show is so amazing! The drama had me on the edge of my seat! Lucretia and Ilithyia dynamic is next level!

[@BetterWithBob]

Isn't it just?

[@sweettt321]

I only came across your page the other day (your Underworld video) and really liked it so I checked out what other movies/shows you've covered and shrieked with joy when I saw this. I absolutely love spartacus, and when you say that you either get weird looks or people who have never heard of the show. Those who have often don't like it because of the gore and violence, the sex/nudity and the overdramatic moments. Too much gore? Yeah. Too much sex and nudity? Yup. Too overdramatic? Kinda. Do they work? ABSOLUTELY! The writing and acting is phenominal. The politics is fun as hell to watch, character arcs and growth are well written and captivating, and the more depressing and sad scenes are heartbreaking. Varro's death? Killed me. Aurelia talking to Spartacus after it? Gutwrenching. Sura dying in Spartacus' arms? Fuck. Naevia's treatment? Absolutely horrifying, not to mention watching her and Crixus being discovered unfold. Duro dying in his brother's arms after protecting Agron? Oh my fucking god. Even a minor character like Pietros being mistreated after being led to believe that Barca had left him? Heartbreaking. And the bad guys? I have never hated a fictional character more than I hate Ashur. Well written, well acted, and a great character. I hated him more than I hated any of the romans, even a piece of shit like Quintus and a bitch like Lucretia. Hell, even more than the bastard Glaber. They were all beyond rotten but a joy to watch, props to all the actors. Such an underrated and underappreciated show. It's not for everyone, no, but it's amazing.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you so much for your comment ^_^

[@kimanireid6111]

Andy Whitfield dying and not finishing his role as Spartacus was bad enough but man was I left disappointed again after realising they recasted the original actress for Naevia

[@BetterWithBob]

And that was something that didn't need to happen. From what I understand, Lesley Ann Brandt was a "local hire" in the first season, and Naevia was only going to have seven episodes before being killed off. But they liked her and expanded the role, but by the time of Vengeance she had now moved to LA and it was more expensive to live there, so she tried to negotiate for a new contract but the manager she hired botched the deal, and she already had commitments to other projects so thus the recasting. She still doesn't get residuals from it.

[@kimanireid6111]

​​@@BetterWithBob For me it not being the original actress made their reunion along Naevia's revenge feel hollow ( in short they were both meehs , nothing I was really excited about )

[@nagone11]

Yeah..they f'kd it up after, the replacement for Naveia was ..let's say..not a good one, and the ridiculous demise of Ashur at her hands, who was himself a former Gladiator was stupid. They missed big on that, but overall the series was not bad, just not up to Blood and Sand which was maybe one of the best done out of any show of that time.

[@kimanireid6111]

@@nagone11 rewatched the first season a month ago and felt they should've kept her the way she was in blood and sand or make her similar to how Mira was in vengeance , she was capable but you're not gonna see her winning against any of the gladiators in fight also my main pet peeve about the recast was that it killed any interest I had in the love story we saw in the first season that also goes for their reunion we saw in the mines

[@unbowedqueen]

Well you’re just gonna have to deal with it because shit happens.

[@1Fresh_Water]

This is my absolute favorite show. SO many good characters, the writing is incredible, I love all the maneuvering and backstabbing of the upper class contrasted against the actual fighting and backstabbing among the gladiators. I also enjoyed how the show gives so many characters extremely poetic deaths. Batiatus loved to talk, and people even commented on him as an orator - dies by having his throat cut. Lucretia wants a child more than anything - stabbed through the womb, killing her child. Glaber is obsessed with status and his station - dies on his knees before a slave. Ashur gets everything in life by lying and the ONE SINGLE TIME he tells the truth - he is sent to die. I love it!

[@belenbarria568]

Thank you for talking about this show! I watched it for the first time around a year ago and it so quickly became one of my favorites. The last episode of Blood & Sand is probably my top 5 season finales ever, it's amazing. And while I do enjoy the other seasons just as much as the first one, Andy's Spartacus defintely had something that made it different in a special way. I also have to say that an aspect I don't see people talk enough about in my opinion is the amazing quality (for the time and genre of the show) of the queer representation on the show, I mean just having it would've been cool but it being actually good?? Unexpected in the best way. I hope that this video inspires more talk around the show in general 🤞🏼😊

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh absolutely with the queer representation. It might have been the first show I saw that actually showed two men just being sexual and intimate with each other without playing it for comedy or downplaying it. And I felt as though Lucretia's bi leaning helped humanise her a little (since her and Gaia were obviously very close). And it’s funny that Agron/Nasir was the only couple to survive the series - since they were going to kill him off in the Blood and Sand finale and just switched to Duro instead.

[@KingVirgo16]

Great show, Season 2 was actually really good as well. It was a prequel so it didn’t bother me that Andy wasn’t in it and it did a great job setting up the conflicts on the 1st season

[@BetterWithBob]

It definitely had its strengths for examining how Quintus and Lucretia became so evil, and Jaime Murray was a real scene stealer as Gaia

[@Devestato72]

Spartacus was an awesome show in 2010, when I initially saw it. I watched it again in 2023 and it was still awesome to watch.

[@BetterWithBob]

Me too lol. I've rewatched it so many times and find new things to love each time

[@goddessofdesire]

Great video!! Gotta say tho that IMO Gods of the Arena was also GREAT! Especially for being „just“ a prequel season. Gaia is one of my all time favorite characters in all fiction.

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh I enjoyed it very much too. And I did love Gaia 🙂

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yeah gaia was a great character

[@DilutedH2SO4]

How could I forget of this show!!! Thank you so much for making this vid :))

[@thepeglarpapers4138]

Fantastic video! I so wish there were other intelligent discussions on Spartacus, I just watched it recently and it ended up being So much more than what I was expecting. I love what you said about the seasons finale being a the shows own “red wedding”, and I realized just how awesome Naevia was in the first season! The only thing that kinda bothers me still about S1 is that Crixius never found out about Barca’s death- his best friend’s brutal murder, the scene which IMO was a huge turning point in S1 and made me fall in love with the series. If you were to make more videos on the series I would happily watch them.

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh wow you're right 😯 I don't know if he ever acknowledged it in the remaining seasons 🤔

[@king__iopa6841]

Batiatus also never finds out how his father was murdered by his wife, and not the man he thinks did it lol. That's also pretty dark.

[@theshepherd6930]

@@BetterWithBob i rewatched the whole thing recently, and no crixius never learns about Barca

[@historicaltidbits]

This deserves more views.

[@BetterWithBob]

I got another Spartacus video on the way so fingers crossed XD

[@nagone11]

This show's first season was of the best I've seen anywhere..the cult following here on KZbin and being a part of the dialog was really fun. Great show and some great memories. Andy Whitfield went way too early, so sad because he was so promising. The season's finale "Kill Them All"..was epic bad-assery at it's finest.

[@BetterWithBob]

It's just such a perfect finale

[@Justitia_Nomen]

This is one of my favorite series to rewatch every other year or two. Very underrated, like OZ, the hit hbo series from the 90s.

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah I've had that recommended to me

[@Justitia_Nomen]

@@BetterWithBob Oh gosh, you’ve never seen OZ? There is so much content to make from that series.

[@ratulhasan165]

This show is really underrated

[@BetterWithBob]

I recommend it to everyone!

[@JacobTemplar]

RIP Andy he was so good in that role

[@Servaas]

Thank you for this video! Andy needs to be remembered.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for watching :)

[@Toguro45]

Got this vid right after i started Gods of the Arena again after almost a decade. Beautiful video. The show feels so deep even with 13 episodes. You can easily stay up all night just to read about all the gladiator fighting styles in the show or the types of slaves. Like Varro who was a Nexus/Nexi which were formerly free members of Roman society who sold themselves into slavery due to debt.

[@BetterWithBob]

There's so much depth. I'm glad they're bringing it back

[@Toguro45]

@@BetterWithBob The series creator just confirmed the new spin off series will focus on the Arena games like season 1. Perfect time to be a Spartacus fan again lmao.

[@miramorrigan5464]

What a wonderful video about a show I’ve only heard whispers of

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for watching all the same 🙂

[@angelaholmes8888]

You definitely should watch the series it's definitely great show

[@themilkywayuniverse6962]

I always wanted a video essay on this show It was awesome Great video God bless ya

[@BetterWithBob]

Well this was lovely to find :) Glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@zane3947]

Binging the uploads from this channel and they’re all awesome, absolutely love your thoughts on everything from Roman slaves to witch sisters

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you ^_^

[@PeggyHorinek-si9sd]

Just watched this series and love it! The writing and acting is incredible. Always love a historical epic piece with deep meaning. The Charleston Heston’s Ben Hur is my favorite and is still tied for most Academy Awards. Ben Hur was freeman, turned slave wrongly by Rome, turned gladiator and freeman again who went from goal of vengeance to love and life. In 2010, I did not have a Starz subscription but wanted to watch since big fan of Kirk Douglas’Spartacus. I have Star’s now to watch Outlander and stumbled across it again. Andy Whitfield was amazing. When I started watching Vengeance with the new actor, then I recalled seeing that he had died. I was heartbroken for him, his family and viewers a decade after his passing. Will try to watch his documentary but. I’m sure it will be difficult to watch. Thanks for your video!

[@BetterWithBob]

I finally watched the documentary earlier this year and it was tough

[@RammyDaBaddest]

This is my favorite show brings me joy! Shock! Laughter! And tears!❤

[@BetterWithBob]

All the same to me lol

[@paulsparkes7404]

Love this show, great review, thanks Bob-❤️🥊😊

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for watching :)

[@Flem100DK]

I loved the prequel too. It had the same environmental feeling as Blood and Sand.

[@BetterWithBob]

I recently rewatched it and forgot how good it was!

[@serin20]

Great review! The villains were great! I can't even explain on here how Ilithyia impacted me.

[@anekmajak2601]

Andy was a great actor and will always be an inspiration to his group members 👏 his absence broke my heart in the second season 💔 he will always be loved 😍

[@BetterWithBob]

100%

[@RPRJack21]

So good. I never knew you did this. Loved this show. Great video.

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah yeah a while ago lol

[@Catenfur]

Love this show. Just saw it’s on Tubi so watching it again.

[@BetterWithBob]

I hope you've enjoyed your rewatch :)

[@tytybaby06]

Love this & agree about Navia!! Hope you do the other seasons!

[@BetterWithBob]

One day sure lol. Charmed content takes up most of my time these days ^_^

[@tytybaby06]

@@BetterWithBob understood I never watched that & not enough channels cover Spartacus

[@Charliebeth]

Can you talk about Xena and the original V series?

[@BetterWithBob]

It's something I've always been intrigued to watch so perhaps I'll put a pin in that one 🤔

[@kimanireid6111]

Really enjoyed watching it alot

[@Senefer]

I loved the later seasons more, if only because I felt the story was grander and it showed more of the world... And it had Agron and Nasir, my favorite couple. It wasn't often I felt a same-sex couple got good development which felt human, often it is often just presented as they are gay and all the problems stems from that, but this show presented a gay couple and them being gay was the not even adressed. It felt refreshing.

[@BetterWithBob]

I do need to rewatch but I remember how incidental their relationship was

[@BetterWithBob]

I've since rewatched and my god I did not appreciate how grand War of the Damned is. Agron really came into his own for sure

[@CrozySpoN11]

Spartacus Blood and Sand was honestly the best show/season. Each character was introduced extremely well, Andy Whittfield managed to make you feel the emotions of the character through yourself... it was only him who could bring out true Spartacus and he did. The "I would kill them all" was Epic in itself and heck I was only 21 at the time going through emotions just as i was when i was 6 years old watching Mufasa die for the first time! Spartacus Blood and Sand is one of those shows that was Flawless and Epic!

[@BetterWithBob]

That scene is just amazing. I even did my own version of it earlier this year lol

[@ForageGardener]

That's actually the first season I watched and only season I've ever completed, and it was pretty great 😂

[@ReviewsWithAL_]

Only the best content from Bobby 💯💯💯

[@BetterWithBob]

You gent 🤗

[@ReviewsWithAL_]

@@BetterWithBob 😁😁

[@Urbrainongaming]

I don't care what anyone says. This series as a whole is the most underrated show of all time. To me

[@BetterWithBob]

No lies detected lol

[@SRosenberg203]

This is a really wonderful video, Spartacus as a show really is an understated gem. You say at the end, it's graphic and explicit, but so too was the world that the Romans lived in. The fact that it didn't shy away from the brutality of life and the exploitation of slaves, both sexual and otherwise, is really something unique, when you look at broader media depicting the Roman era. I don't mind Liam McIntyre either, he's fine, but I often imagine what this show could have been, if Andy Whitfield had recovered, because he was just so phenomenal and it was never quite the same after he was gone. Gods of the Arena is fun, but it wouldn't have been worth watching without the Blood and Sands season first. RIP Andy Whitfield

[@BetterWithBob]

Your comment made me smile. I wish I could have cited it in the video itself XD

[@Urbrainongaming]

15:50 I never noticed that. Spartacus really did a good job with that

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah when they were filming that Buffy/Spike scene, Marti Noxon thought it was gross and protested against it but Joss Whedon and David Fury pushed it through

[@majay]

Great video! While I agree Season 1 is the best, I still liked the rest. I'm especially partial to Gods of the Arena. Also, what's the movie at 17:48?

[@BetterWithBob]

That is The Wrecking Crew from 1968. Sharon Tate's second last film

[@majay]

@@BetterWithBob Thanks :)

[@nerdifymusic7322]

I finally watched the others in the series a few months ago, boy, it was not the same without Andy. It still hurts that he died.....(moment of silence). Recasting Nivea way a terrible choice. Lesley Ann-Brandt could not be topped. You were spot on in your assessment.

[@BetterWithBob]

I recently rewatched Vengeance and then War of the Damned. It seems to be they tried writing her the way she was but Cynthia Addai-Robinson just had a different interpretation and so they wrote her more in line with that

[@nerdifymusic7322]

@@BetterWithBob I can see that.

[@kimanireid6111]

Currently Rewatching season one right now and I kinda see what you mean when you talk about them dropping the ball on naevia's character in vengeance and war of the damned

[@BetterWithBob]

The actress really did have her work cut out for her, and not just having to follow Lesley Ann Brandt

[@lowkick22]

I avoided this show for years because of the cheesy 300 inspired elements. But I finally gave it a watch during the pandemic and absolutely loved it.

[@BetterWithBob]

I had no idea about those aspects when I watched. I actually saw this before 300

[@train834]

Bro, I like your stuff. If you like historical shows, the best in my estimation was HBO Rome. You will truly love it.

[@BetterWithBob]

I've had that recommended to me before 🙂

[@MasteringALLTERRAINS]

i SHALL one day upon the sands of my country become a man of honor and integrity as the so called Spartacus, as for now, i am but a mere reflection of Gannicus, as my promiscuity has taken a toll on my life. a man or a woman are never to weak or too wounded t0o fight if the cause is greater than himself (herself) but i willl forever embrace the love of my fallen brothers in my past like Doctore Onomeus, and one day pray t0 JESUS CHRIST i can find a BROTHER like the Undefeated GAUL "CriXus" and the romans of this modern day society shall feel the wrath of BARUJ -- yet another MASTER OF ALL TERRAINS. and give thanks to my God with meekness of speech and acts. Thank u for this show, i have seen it all season by season episode by episode 12 times. and never ever get bored, MY HEART only aches for such people to b e around me, from the tough gladiator men, to the sexy women. Greetings from -- A citizen of the world, descendant of the unworthy

[@Ravi9A]

It was godly.

[@dominiqueodom3099]

Spartacus is without a doubt my favorite Television series ever made. Something this series does thats unique is not only its brutal savage inhuman depiction of Slavery,but also the Slavery of the Gilded Cage that surrounds the Gladiators. Though they may be showered with Praise/Women/gold and Privilege the fact is they are still slaves without freedom or choice. Manu Bennett's Crixus is a standout for me,but John Hannah and Lucy Lawless go down as my favorite evil Couple in all of Fiction/Television history. I liked your breakdown of this show being the Dark twisted Reversal of Downton Abbey.

[@BetterWithBob]

It's one of my favourite series ever made too :) Thank you for your comment

[@angelaholmes8888]

Blood and sand is definitely the best season in the series andy was great in the role of Spartacus and john hannah was good in the season

[@BetterWithBob]

Yes on all three counts!

[@oliverrichardson7856]

The first episode was too silly for me and I didn’t watch the rest of the season for a while. But when I did watch it I loved it!

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah that first episode is a bit messy because I think they shot the whole season in one go rather than doing a pilot and shopping it around, so they got into the groove afterwards

[@TheoKoulouris]

Plus it produced one excellent boardgame (for some reason even that was excellent).

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah one of my best friends has it but I haven't had a chance to play it yet (he lives on a different continent)

[@maureenmn288]

I finished rewatching the wholes series not too long ago, and the first season as well as the prequel are my favorites. I don't often hear people talking about this show and qi really wonder why, since it was successful. I heard they're making a sequel, I hope it's true, O wonder what it will be about. It might be interesting to explore Caesar's story and possibly the fall of the roman empire

[@BetterWithBob]

There actually was supposed to be a Caesar spin-off that fell through for whatever reason

[@theflowerhead]

This show made me wanna cry sometimes knowing people really were abused. The emotions didn't feel gimmicky to me which I feel like could've been overlooked with over-the-top brutal and interesting fighting and/sex scenes being the focus.

[@BetterWithBob]

According to Viva Bianca, some history buffs told them that a lot of what they showed was very accurate, albeit with plenty of artistic license (Ilithyia wouldn't be able to buy a gladiator for herself for instance, since any property she owned would belong to her husband or father)

[@thephenome1462]

I really can't understand why people put such a chasm between S1 and the rest. Sure, Naevia 2.0 was a letdown as a character, but otherwise - it's an amazing experience as a whole. I find it to be a massive show of disrespect to Liam, who had such a huge pair of shoes to fill, and yet, he managed to make the character his own as well, with his more grounded, experienced, nuanced version of Spartacus being the perfect fit for a true leader of freedom fighters. Meanwhile, Andy had the raw charisma and power for a perfect portrayal of someone, who is fighting for what he believes, and is capable of drawing others to follow him, without truly, consciuosly leading them. TLDR - they were both amazing in their own right, and choosing to avoid any part of the series because of the lead changing just doesn't seem right.

[@BetterWithBob]

Well, would you believe since then I have rewatched Vengeance and come around to it massively. Although there are letdowns re: Naevia, her worst derailment comes in War of the Damned and although some of the arcs were definitely given to the wrong characters, it's a season with plenty to love. War of the Damned is as good as Blood & Sand though

[@skyuran9312]

I'll have to check credits but i feel the writing team changed from vengeance and war of the damned. The writing felt off in some scenes. I didn't mind Navia replacement actress herself but the replacement + her story shift felt like an entirely new person and i hated every second she was on screen. I also think some use of the slow motion killed the hype for some of the scenes. I think they overused slow motion at times where i think would had been better to be regular paced. Also is there a reason they avoided male nudity in the following seasons. Prequel/vengeance/war had a few nude scenes but definitely not as much of it compared to first.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yep my main problem with her characterization is that she was originally defined by her compassion and empathy for others, despite her situation - taking care of Pietros's birds out of guilt that she knew the truth about Barca's death, giving Diona money to help her escape, hell even her "you said love drains a man" line is checking to see if being with her will affect Crixus's performance in the arena. Even after being tortured by Lucretia, she’s the one that's reassuring Crixus and giving Oenomaus the information he needs, warning him what might happen. And then she just becomes a bloodthirsty killer who sometimes feels worse than Lucretia! It just felt like a betrayal of the character, kind of like what the writers did to Sansa in GOT.

[@blacksailsfan4life]

raimi/tapert shows are def. underrated, imo

[@BetterWithBob]

I haven't seen any of their others unfortunately but I probably should lol

[@NIGHTFALLDROP]

In actuality, I believe "Blood and Sand" is an almost "Paint by Numbers" precursor to GoT. In that the first few seasons were well acted, well written, and well deserved of praise and accolades. And just like GoT, the endings seasons were bad because the writers and studios were so fixated on getting to the pop, that they left out what was great about the show in the first place. A great story and nuanced characters. What makes the characters in "Blood and Sand" so fascinating, is that no character is either wholly good or evil. But normal people inside the cauldron that is Rome and its tiered system wherein all live within guilded cages. Just some, slightly shinier than others. At its core, "Blood and Sand" is a beautiful tapestry of the human condition on a downhill slope. Some have brakes and chains to slow their descent. While others scream head long into utter destruction.

[@BetterWithBob]

I mean, I think War of the Damned is close to Blood & Sand's quality. Only reason I'd rank Blood & Sand ahead is because it has Andy Whitfield and Lesley Ann Brandt

[@Right_Direction_]

I won't say it's an underrated show, because it was very successful, but it doesn't get the props it deserves. I thought it was brilliant, even with some incredibly cheesy lines that would have me howling. Lucy Lawless in my opinion plays the best evil villain on TV of all time, and yet I loved and rooted for her no matter how horrid she got, played to utter perfection by Lucy. I was gutted as everyone else was when Andy had to step away from the role and then passed away, he did however give Liam his blessing and seemed very supportive of his successor, which could not of been easy. Liam had an impossible job to do, brave man for stepping into that role and it took him a while to settle, but I liked him, I thought he did a good job and put his own spin on the character instead of trying to be like Andy playing it. I wish they had done one more season but we did get a brilliant season finale, shame none of the spin offs went ahead.

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh did you hear? Steven DeKnight is bringing it back :D

[@Right_Direction_]

@Better With Bob? Oh yes I remember that hitting the news earlier on in the year, hoping it does actually happen. No idea why the spin offs got binned back then.

[@Romezguide]

Idk if the statement was true that it was supposed to continue, The writer said they wanted to end it because they already stretched it out enough he said he stretched out season 2 long enough but I love the series as a whole I will agree they dropped the ball on some female character arcs but I love this show favorite all time show

[@pbh9195]

You should cover the remaining seasons

[@BetterWithBob]

There are plans lol

[@Ninja_Tude]

It's too bad you didn't cover gods of the Arena as well here. It's obvious blood and Sand sticks out more, but I actually really love our sword and board boys having watched it chronologically it adds so much more depth to those characters and the tragedy of them on a rewatch. We're watching blood and Sand alone they can come across as being diluted or having just surrendered to the system

[@BetterWithBob]

I haven't rewatched it in years but might do a separate video on it one day

[@gideonhorwitz9434]

I’d always seen Spartacus as a spiritual successor to 300

[@BetterWithBob]

Fair assessment lol. Second the best though of course ;)

[@ThierryVerhoeven]

Maybe visually, but not in terms of story or character. I'd say it's more of an inverted Gladiator: where Maximus goes from general to gladiator, Spartacus is about a gladiator becoming a general.

[@jordanford9320]

I also have to say as far as character progression Asher comes out best as far as full series

[@grahamparr3933]

Agree, Blood and Sand was the best.

[@chrismeandyou]

The final season with the war against Rome was so good I have kept the season. It's funny it has nudity since like a real American, I like it for fighting/blood/action and don't even want the nudity or fake sex like a stupid HBO show likes to do. haha

[@BetterWithBob]

Part of the show's charm lol

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

Following series weren't a patch on this,no Whitaker,no Hannah,no naevia

[@dammygold4138]

Spartacus is not so bad it’s good, I was still arguing with one of my friend less than a month ago at our rewatch… I even went as far as saying some of the movies today needs to bring back the “bad cgi” it’s so expressive, the story is so compelling that a gritty cgi does not take me out of terrible this reality must have been for them!

[@BetterWithBob]

I love it

[@king__iopa6841]

Yeah, the replacement of Andy after season 1 is brutal. I personally wasn't able to fully get used to Liam and legit accept him as Spartacus in my head. Liam tries to mimic some of Andy's face expressions sometimes, which in some moments slightly "works", but other than that it's just not there. What Andy brought to the character in season 1 is too rich and unique to just let go and be satisfied with something brutally different and inferior (even if there's no choice basically) And the same also goes to Naevia's actress replacement, along with her character "re imagining", which also didn't work for me at all. And on top of these brutal actor replacements, it also doesn't help how season 2 doesn't quite reach the same quality plank as season 1, often descending into cliches, self repeats and some straight up dumbass scenes and plot twists (Like Naevia fighting and killing Ashur in front of the other gladiators, for example). That's really just as dumb as fuck as it is epic. (Or should I talk about Ceaser getting raped in season 3? I guess not, cause the very sentence describing this should be self explanatory lol) Overall, seasons 2 and 3 are still a very good show obviously, but something about them is just off compared to season 1 and prequel. The idea is there, the spirit is there, but the quality plank isn't quite fully there anymore. Which makes season 1 come off as this unique and standalone masterpiece that didn't really get the proper continuation (due to a number of unfortunate reasons) Sad. But we have what we have :)

[@BetterWithBob]

Excellently put :)

[@Romezguide]

Season 3 was amazing too can you do videos on that too

[@BetterWithBob]

One day perhaps lol. I could do a whole video about Sibyl in particular

[@Romezguide]

@@BetterWithBob ooh man I’m here for it ooh love your channel too keep at it 🙌🏽

[@BetterWithBob]

@@Romezguide Thank you ^_^

[@petermulenga4252]

It's definitely the obvious reason. Blood and sand was well done

[@BetterWithBob]

War of the Damned was just as good all things considered

[@angelaholmes8888]

Yeah Lesley ann Brandt was great as Navia sucks she decided to leave the show I really hated what the writer's did with her character in the other seasons

[@BetterWithBob]

It's actually sad to hear her detail how it happened. She was originally a 'local hire' because she was on her second job when she was cast (her first was a sitcom that Craig Parker also starred in). Thanks to the profile from the first season and Gods of the Arena, she moved to LA and discovered that she was getting paid more doing guest spots on shows like Chuck or NCIS. So by the time Vengeance came around, she wanted to negotiate for a SAG contract. But the manager she hired botched the deal, and she fired him. So by that time, there were commitments to other projects she was being paid more on, so she chose to do them instead.

[@guidokreeuseler9566]

This series did a really good job. A history buff must look past the sometimes inaccurate costuming but can be mighty pleased with the portrayal of Gladitorial combat as peak entertainment of the time period, the ruthless conniving and ambitions of the (lower) upper class and a convincing progression to the start of the 3d servile war. After the 1st season it's still okay, but I found especially Naevia's character to become incredibly grating and frustrating to watch during the later seasons. She basically turns into a bloodthirsty idiot who can't work with others after being a somewhat wise and intelligent character in season 1.

[@BetterWithBob]

I've come to the conclusion that Naevia's arc in Vengeance onward would make much more sense if it had been given to Aurelia. She'd already shown herself to be quite brutal in taking revenge on those who'd hurt her and she had a spiteful streak, so it would be a natural progression for her

[@jordanford9320]

This show has such interesting dialogue I've loved it since it came out and it was dope because at the time they would release the episodes on Netflix like weekly But for some reason the " 5. Dinare won't last another 20 strokes" line always stuck with me because it epitomizes everything gross about this culture and why someone would rebel. Idk it's weird 🤷

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh I completely understand you there lol

[@angelaholmes8888]

You definitely should watch james dean final movie giant it's really good 😊

[@arbur4746]

The first season was the best and second was great as well, but then it got really bad!

[@catalandustin51]

We are getting house of ashur from the same creator's

[@BetterWithBob]

Yep that'll be interesting

[@paulthebarbarian7115]

You better talk about Gabriel

[@BetterWithBob]

Haha one day

[@TCt83067695]

Hmmm this video has piqued my interest

[@BetterWithBob]

Good to know

[@inganorden1816]

The Kirk Douglas film and much later "Gladiator" did just fine without all that sex and nudity. This version is too close to soft porn.

[@someguy9471]

There was no one who could’ve filled that role like Andy Whitfield. What a great actor he was made for that role. Liam did ok, he seemed to nail it down better in war of the damned. Still, Andy was miles better in that role and I feel like the show would’ve been a lot better off had he lived

[@BetterWithBob]

I've really warmed to Liam's performance since. If the role had to be recast, he was the best possible choice