Rome - Season 2

Season 2 wraps up the series in satisfying manner. I wouldn't have minded the show covering a larger time period, or fleshing out the time it does cover, but there is something to be said for telling a story and then quitting while you're ahead. Rome is the kind of show that could easily get ridiculous in its debauchery if it went on too long, and one can argue it already started to by the end of this season.

There's a bit of a different feel to the show, as it covers a greater time period in a smaller number of episodes. The first season was a little more insular to the city of Rome, and more political. The second has a bit wider scope and has more true warfare happening, at least in the background if not on camera. They continue to avoid large scale battle scenes, as they're a bit difficult on a television show's budget, but they manage to work around it well and stay entertaining.

Rome should be credited for preventing stagnation. There's always something happening, characters change, move, age, and die regularly. Almost all of the featured cast is genuinely interesting, and there is always something significant happening. Lucius Vorenus' deteriorating ability to keep his anger in check and new role running the Aventine is always interesting, and his comrade Titus Pullo continues to be a very likable character. He usually has a friendly disposition, even when talking to an eminent assassination victim, and can keep Lucius in check, but when angered or in danger, he is prone to brutal, animalistic rages. Octavian comes into his role as the new ruler of Rome, and his development into someone much less kindhearted than he seemed initially is intriguing to watch. Mark Antony's descent into the decadence of Egypt continues to add to his already strange and attention-grabbing character. Women take less of a prominent role than they did in the first season, reserved more for fighting amongst themselves, although Cleopatra is still very important to the events leading up to the end.

There are a lot of creative liberties taken and historical inaccuracies, but I'll restate that that's not what the show is about. It's a general idea of what life was like at the time, with the major events intact, made to be entertaining as hell. It's well-acted, visually impressive, and often quite funny. It can get a little extreme with the violence and sexuality, but if you don't mind those things it's a really great watch.