The Bloodiest & Spiciest Show in History Is Making a Comeback on Digital Streaming Ahead of New Sequel

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The popular and often shocking TV show Spartacus is returning to digital streaming with a new series, House of Ashur. Known for its intense violence and mature content, Spartacus originally pushed the boundaries of what was shown on television when it debuted around 15 years ago and quickly gained a dedicated fanbase. As anticipation builds for the new installment, many viewers are revisiting the original series to relive the story of Spartacus from the beginning.

You can watch Spartacus on Starz, but it’s also available to buy digitally from iTunes and other online platforms. In fact, digital sales have helped the show become popular again – it’s currently the second most-watched series on iTunes, only behind the PBS documentary The American Revolution (though watching both back-to-back would be an odd pairing!).

Steven S. DeKnight, the showrunner for the original Daredevil series, created this show. It initially starred Andy Whitfield as Spartacus, but sadly, Whitfield passed away in 2011. Liam McIntyre then took over the role for the final two seasons. The series also featured a fantastic ensemble cast, including Lucy Lawless (known for Xena: Warrior Princess), along with Manu Bennett, Peter Mensah, Nick E. Taraby, Daniel Feuerriegel, Dustin Clare, Viva Bianca, and John Hannah. Here’s what the show is about:

Uprooted from his home and separated from his love, Spartacus is enslaved and forced to fight as a gladiator in Rome. He quickly learns that survival depends on more than just winning in the arena – he must also contend with betrayal and desire. This version of the Spartacus story is extremely graphic, featuring intense violence, sex, and a hard-rock soundtrack, making it unsuitable for younger viewers.

‘Spartacus’ New Spin-Off Is Already Divisive


Starz

Fans are excited to hear that a new installment in the Spartacus saga will arrive this December. However, the upcoming series has also received some criticism. The new story, House of Ashur, will focus heavily on the character Ashur, played by Nick E. Tarabay, a character many viewers didn’t particularly like in the original series.

The show also faced criticism from those opposed to ‘woke’ culture for including female Gladiators. Many people, without checking historical facts, complained about ‘wokeness’ and ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ whenever new promotional material was released, often from online platforms. Recently, MovieWeb interviewed Tenika Davis, a new Gladiator on House of Ashur, who responded to the online negativity and backlash, stating:

Honestly, reading the comments blew me away. It was exactly the reaction we were hoping for! People were genuinely feeling things – even negative feelings about the character – and that’s fantastic. It proves the story is working because that’s precisely how the Romans in the show would have reacted. Their strong emotions, whether positive or negative, felt completely authentic to the world we’ve built, and that’s a huge win for us. It’s incredibly validating to see audiences mirroring the feelings of the characters and the society within the story.

Spartacus: House of Ashur premieres on Starz on December 5.

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2025-11-26 03:39