During the last couple of months, I’ve been watching Spartacus: Blood and Sand. For those of you who haven’t seen this program you can check out the plot here at Wikipedia. The show stars Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless and John Hannah among others.
Basically it’s a story about gladiators—the training, their daily lives and the fighting in the arena plus all the political maneuvering that took place behind the scenes. The show starts with a warning about sexual situations, bad language and violence. In New Zealand I have to enter a code before I can watch the show.
I’ve followed the show since it started on TV here, yet I spend much of the time looking away from the screen or hiding my face. I don’t have a problem with the sex/nudity because, after all, I write erotic romance. The bad language doesn’t bother me either. In fact some of the insults and the phrasing make me laugh.
No, it’s the gruesome blood and gore that makes me hide my face. The fight scenes are incredibly brutal and graphic. Murders and punishments are gory. Let’s just say there’s lots of the red stuff spraying in all directions. I wonder why the scenes have to be quite so realistic. I’m also watching Sharpe with Sean Bean at present. The fight scenes are awesome. They’re gritty and realistic yet the copious amounts of blood are absent. I enjoy them much better.
Many of you are probably saying – so why is she still watching the show? Primarily I started watching because the setting interested me. The actor who plays Spartacus is excellent in his role and he looks pretty good in his costume. The political wrangling behind the scenes also fascinates me so I continue to watch, hiding my face during the bloody bits.
Have you watched this show? If so do you like it? How graphic do you like your TV shows/movies in regard to violence?
I have an interview at Denise Agnew’s blog today. I’m also giving away a print copy of Tea for Two. If you have time to visit pop by and say hello.
