Thirty Days of TV: Day Sixteen

[selenak]

Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure show

Right now, it's Spartacus. The violence is off the charts, the Zack Snyder style aesthetics for fight scenes are completely over the top, and there's just a vague nod to history now and then... but. The characters (female and male) are really memorable. As depictions of slavery go, from the slaves' pov, it's actually better than several more artistic books and tv shows I've watched. As befits a show where the central issue is a slave rebellion. And when I say "better", I mean both more honest about what it's like to not own your own body and how, once you're free, this has long term after effects instead of leaving you just fine and dandy. Even the odd nomen using English Steven DeKnight and friends came up with for dialogue has grown on me. ( "Gratitude" for "Thank you", or sentences like "Words were spoken in haste to trusted friend".) There is complete male nudity to go with the female nudity (unlike, say, Game of Thrones), and same sex relationships to go with the het ones. And they're unafraid to change their format with every season instead of, as I expected them to at first, dragging out the gladiator plot endlessly in order to have an excuse for arena scenes.

All this being said, it's still the type of show that makes you, or rather, me, feel a bit guilty for liking it. And thus: a guilty pleasure. :)




Day 01 - A show that should never have been canceled
Day 02 - A show that you wish more people were watching
Day 03 - Your favorite new show (aired this TV season)
Day 04 - Your favorite show ever
Day 05 - A show you hate
Day 06 - Favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 07 - Least favorite episode of your favorite TV show
Day 08 - A show everyone should watch
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A show you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A show that disappointed you
Day 12 - An episode you've watched more than 5 times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood show
Day 14 – Favorite male character
Day 15 - Favorite female character

Day 17 - Favorite mini series
Day 18 - Favorite title sequence
Day 19 - Best TV show cast
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite ship
Day 22 - Favorite series finale
Day 23 - Most annoying character
Day 24 - Best quote
Day 25 - A show you plan on watching (old or new)
Day 26 - OMG WTF? Season finale
Day 27 - Best pilot episode
Day 28 - First TV show obsession
Day 29 - Current TV show obsession
Day 30 - Saddest character death.

Comments

[vaysh]

*lol* If I wasn't already procrastinating too much in front of the computer, this post would totally convince me to watch Spartakus. :)

[selenak]

I wouldn't put it on top of anyone's watching list, no. :) But if you do have the time and have no violence squick (because this is really basically filmed dark fic; whatever fangirls over generations have inflicted on their favourites, it happens)...

[vaysh]

No violence squick here (as long as the violence stays on the silver screen). "Filmed dark fic" sounds even more tempting. I totally have to give it a try.

[lonelywalker]

Game of Thrones has had some full-frontal guys... but I think Spartacus still has them beat on that score.

[rembrandtswife]

I tried to watch Spartacus once, given everything I had heard about the homoeroticism. The violence was too much. I don't think I got past the first 15 minutes of Epic Slo Mo Battle! ! !.

[selenak]

I can understand that. One reasn why I got past the first 15 minutes was that I was promised great Lucy Lawless later. :) (Which I did get.)