Those About to Die Failed, but There's a Perfect Gladiator Show to Watch Instead

A $140 million budget and commercially successful names among the creators are not always a recipe for success. Those About to Die, based on the book by Daniel P. Mannix, the television debut of Roland Emmerich turned out to be rather disheartening — with a mediocre script and not-so-brilliant acting.

Those tempted by posters featuring Anthony Hopkins were disappointed: his probably well-paid presence in the series is minimal. And those lured by the promise of gladiatorial combat will have to wait until the middle of the season to see it.

If Those About to Die did not live up to your expectations and you have already watched Rome, do not despair. 14 years ago, a series about gladiators and the Roman Empire was released, which, although did not gain a cult status like an HBO project, became a worthy representative of the genre — Spartacus.

What Is Spartacus About?

Spartacus tells the violent story of Rome's most well-known gladiator. Separated from the love of his life, he is forced to enter the arena, where dying is the ultimate show for the crowd.

Now he must fight to survive, befriend his enemies, and learn the politics of a new world of brutality and glory. There will be battles on the outskirts of the Republic and gladiatorial fights in Capua, the misadventures of slaves and the intrigues of the nobility.

Spartacus Is 4 Seasons Filled with Historical Events and Impressive Action

The Spartacus series consists of four seasons — Blood and Sand, Gods of the Arena (prequel), Vengeance and War of the Damned. The last two seasons were filmed with a different lead actor due to the illness and tragic death of the actor who played Spartacus, Andy Whitfield.

Spartacus is filmed in the best traditions of Rome and even Game of Thrones — over its four seasons, it managed to make a splash with the amount of violence and sex on screen. Spartacus often featured fully nude men and women, and the percentage of each was roughly equal. Eventually, nudity became an absolute norm for the show, while the writers consciously avoided any sexism or objectification.

Despite the comic book style in the spirit of 300, with an emphasis on the abundance of gore, violence and explicit scenes, Spartacus tried not to deviate from a consistent retelling of famous historical events.

So Spartacus is literally bread and circuses.

Where to Stream Spartacus?

Spartacus is available to watch on Apple TV.