With no shortage of blood and lust, ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ is exactly what fans expect

by

Everyone has different preferences, and most people quickly figure out what they enjoy. If you haven’t already started watching “Spartacus,” with “Spartacus: House of Ashur” being the fifth episode and the first in ten years, you’ll soon realize if its combination of sensual content, intense violence, and political maneuvering appeals to you.

Okay, so the new season kicks off with a really wild twist! They brought back Ashur – you remember him, the villain Spartacus took down on Vesuvius? – but this time he’s in the underworld, and Lucy Lawless makes a quick appearance as Lucretia to fill us in. Basically, she sends him back to Earth, but to a timeline where he actually killed Spartacus – and honestly, they don’t bother explaining how any of that happened! Suddenly, Ashur wakes up running the gladiator school – the ‘ludus’ – and he’s got those two women, Hilara and Messia, under his control. Apparently, he used to work for Lucretia’s husband, and wasn’t exactly a nice guy to be around. It’s a total shake-up of everything we knew!

The Spartacus rebellion is now in the past. While there’s some political maneuvering happening with figures like Pompey and Crassus, and a self-absorbed Julius Caesar making appearances, the first five episodes of “House of Ashur” largely focus on the world of entertainment. It’s essentially a story about Ashur trying to elevate his performing group and a gamble on a new talent. Think of it as a historical version of “Gold Diggers,” but with more sex and violence.

The series introduces Achillia (Tenika Davis), a Nubian woman recently enslaved who impressively defeats her captors at the docks. She’s a powerful force for freedom, reminiscent of Spartacus himself. However, the gladiators at the training school, including the honorable Celadus (Dan Hamill) and his impulsive son Tarchon (Jordi Webber), are resentful of a woman quickly rising to prominence among them. Achillia has a steep learning curve, but trainer Korris (Graham McTavish), a valuable ally, could provide the guidance she needs. The story echoes the classic tale of a newcomer transforming into a star, much like Ruby Keeler’s journey as portrayed by Warner Baxter.

Ashur’s attempt to perform at Capua’s main arena introduces him to the city’s common people, who mostly see him as someone to be avoided. Being a former slave and a Syrian – known simply as “the Syrian” – doesn’t improve his reception. Among those he encounters are his competitor, Proculus (played by Simon Arblaster), along with his three dangerous companions; Senator Gabinius (Andrew McFarlane); Cossutia (Claudia Black), a prominent socialite in Capua; and their daughter, Viridia (India Shaw-Smith), who has been in mourning at home since her husband died fighting in the Spartacus rebellion.

The characters in this show swear… a lot. It feels like they’re trying to break a record for using the same strong adjective over and over. Surprisingly, despite all the cursing, the dialogue often has a poetic rhythm, even falling into the traditional pattern of iambic pentameter. The writers also experimented with a unique style, intentionally leaving out words like “a,” “an,” and possessive pronouns – like saying “We stray from point” instead of “We stray from the point.” It’s a clever idea, but it mostly makes the characters sound funny. While Russian doesn’t use articles, translators add them when translating plays like Chekhov because without them, the characters would sound cartoonish. The earlier series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, didn’t use this technique, but it did have characters using formal language like saying “gratitude” instead of “thanks” or “apologies” instead of “sorry.”

The show fully commits to its dramatic, over-the-top nature. It clearly puts a lot of effort into everything – the elaborate fight choreography, impressive sets, costumes, and special effects, especially the copious amounts of fake blood. The attention to detail in recreating ancient Roman homes is remarkable, though understandably lacking the expensive wall paintings. Despite all this, the sheer level of violence and scandalous behavior is surprisingly funny. My own personal associations don’t help – I can’t hear ‘Spartacus’ without thinking of the movie ‘That Thing You Do!’ or the children’s show ‘LazyTown.’ But that’s just a me problem.

Read More

2025-12-05 14:31