Five Torches (Out of Five)

Here at TheTorchOnline.com, we’ve long made our feelings known about Starz Spartacus: Blood and Sand, which we thought was easily one of the best TV shows of the season — and just as easily one of the best, most satisfying fantasy TV shows all time.

The first season is now out on DVD, in Spartacus: Blood and Sand: The Complete First Season (also available on Blu-ray), and this isn’t a review of the show itself, but rather this entire DVD package, which includes the whole season, but also plenty of other special features.

So how is it?

Andy Whitfield and Jai Courtney in "edible" mud

In a word: terrific. This is a DVD that is absolutely worthy of the accomplishment that is this show itself.

Clearly, Starz was hoping from the start that the show would be the break-out hit that it became, because cameras were there from the very beginning, documenting everything for the “special features” on the DVD.

As a result, we get to see the “gladiator boot camp” where the cast was sent a month before filming began, to get in shape for the shoot (Andy Whitfield apparently buffed up fast!). We get to see various behind-the-scenes elements, like when Andy Whitfield gets an entire body cast, to preserve the location of his “scars.” And we see Andy Whitfield and Jai Courtney submerged in sewage, after they’re punished (interestingly, the muck is edible!).

Not surprisingly, we see a lot Whitfield, all pre-stardom, and he comes across as a fun, funny, humble, shockingly decent guy — and it’s pretty damn bittersweet, knowing that he’s since been diagnosed with cancer and the initial treatments were not successful, so he’s had to withdraw from the show and have his part recast.

Since the entire show was famously shot on “CGI” sets — a little bit of “real” set mixed in with a lot of computer imagery — the behind-the-scenes shots are particularly interesting. What was real? Not a lot, and it’s absolutely fascinating to see.

The DVD also features video interviews with creators Rob Tapert and Steven DeKnight, and audio commentary for all the episodes from key talent, including Andy Whitfield and Lucy Lawless (who is her usual hilarious and ribald self).

Admittedly, the featurettes are short and punchy — not the hour-long slogs in the Lord of the Rings DVD (maybe this means I’m not as much of a geek as I thought, but still haven’t made it all the way through some of those more obscure Rings featurettes). But I have a hard time imagining that anyone except maybe a scholar writing a masters thesis on the show will come away from this DVD thinking they want more information.

In short, this DVD package is a masterpiece befitting the show itself.

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EW.com is reporting that the producers of Spartacus are recasting the role of Spartacus, previously played by Andy Whitfield, who was forced to bow out last month after his treatment for state 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma turned out to be unsuccessful.

The Spartacus casting notice calls for a male in his 30s to play the “smart, intense, passionate” title role with a British accent, and that they be prepared to sign a three-year contract.

The cancer of Andy Whitfield, star of the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, has returned, and he has been advised by his doctors to resume “aggressive treatment.” Whitfield, diagnosed with stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in March, was thought to be in remission.

The network announced today that he will not be returning to star in the second season of the series, which had been scheduled for September 2011.

Here is the full statement from the network:

It’s with a deep sense of disappointment that I must step aside from such an exceptional project as Spartacus and all the wonderful people involved. It seems that it is time for myself and my family to embark on another extraordinary journey. Thank you sincerely for the support so far,” said Whitfield.

“Our hearts and prayers are with Andy and his family during this difficult time,” said Starz President and CEO Chris Albrecht. “Andy is not only an incredible actor whose portrayal of Spartacus made an indelible impression on Starz audiences, he is also an amazing human being whose courage, strength, and grace in the face of adversity have inspired all of us.”

No decisions have yet been made about the future of the series. “Right now, we just want to extend our concern and support to Andy and his family,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director, Starz Media. “We will address our programming plans at some later date.”

Starz still plans to air the prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand in January 2011. Entitled Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, it focuses on the House of Batiatus before Spartacus arrives in Capua and stars returning cast members John Hannah, Lucy Lawless, Peter Mensah and Manu Bennett, along with newcomer Dustin Clare.

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Q: Oh Oracle! [genuflects]. Many posts here at TheTorchOnline.com have reflected on what constitutes “fantasy.” And you have, thankfully, taken the broadest view. I like that you’ve challenged us to consider, for example, that Star Wars is actually fantasy in disguise as sci-fi (and I agree).  But I wonder if the reverse can be true, and some other stories are only disguised as fantasy, but actually are not. Case in point:  A Game of Thrones, the first of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice series, which has been getting a lot of press lately because of the series in production. But the few fantasy elements in this book are so embryonic and unexplored in comparison to the rest of the tale, that they seemed to play no real role. I ended up hypothesizing that Martin had used the fantasy elements to entice an audience he might not otherwise get to read what is actually a work of medieval fiction: actually not fantasy at all. The book was mostly about kings, lords, courts, alliances, betrayals, city-states, battles, and so on. I have not yet read book 2, A Clash of Kings, but I gather it’s more of the same: just a few incidental turns of fantasy amidst great and lengthy medieval machinations. Does the series ever step into the fantasy realm whole-heartedly? Do you think individual books or the series as a whole really qualify as fantasy? – Bob, Durham, NC

The Oracle Speaks:

It’s a fair question.

First, yes, all the books (so far) are like that: mostly medieval character studies and political maneuverings, with the occasional reference to magic and legendary creatures.

That said, there are dragons, kracken, manticores, zombie-like wights, ape-like giants, mammoths, and dire wolves.

And there’s plenty of magic too: in the Guild of Faceless Men (who can change their appearances), the witch Melisandre, and The Others north of The Wall, who clearly command much power.

I’d say this is all more than enough to classify the books as “fantasy.”

Here’s what I think is confusing you (and, it should be noted, many other readers who make the same complaint): it’s not the books’ lack of fantasy elements that make them different from most other works of fantasy — it’s their shocking realism.

Unlike most fantasy, these stories of “yore” are not romanticizing the past in any way — they’re stories told as if magic and monsters, not to mention all the shocking brutality of medieval kingdoms, are absolutely real.

(Indeed, mammoths and dire wolves really did exist on Earth and are, of course, extinct now.)

And what if magic was real? It would surely inspire enormous panic and superstition (as in the books). But at the same, it might require great effort, and would be used only sparingly.

It would basically be very, very mysterious.

The threat of monsters, meanwhile, would be omnipresent and overwhelming. But at the same time, for humans to exist, those monsters would have to have been dealt with in some respect, shunted off to one side, at least in most parts of the world.

That’s the whole point of The Wall, I think: “We gotta block that magic and those monsters out completely!”

This all strikes me as perfectly plausible, given Martin’s realistic take on things.

Martin is also practicing subtly, understanding that sometimes “less is more.” When used sparingly, these fantastical elements have more of an impact when they do appear.

The one very compelling argument in your favor that these are not true works of fantasy is that, in addition to being so realistic, Martin chooses not to have any of his main or POV characters be magic-users (which is another bold break from fantasy convention). This makes magic seem even less “significant” in this world than it already is.

I can’t speak for Martin, but I suspect he’s doing two thing here: (1) deliberately breaking from fantasy conventions (which, let’s face it, need breaking!), and (2) subtly trying to create that “realistic” sense of magic and monsters that his characters feel, by deliberately using these elements sparingly and keeping them at arm’s length.

Q: How is Andy Whitfield doing anyway? — Megan, San Diego, CA

The Oracle Speaks:

In March, Spartacus star Andy Whitfield was, of course, diagnosed with with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which can rapidly become fatal if untreated.

But Whitfield was treated, and reportedly responded well and has been
given “a clean bill of health.”

“Andy looks better than I have ever seen in my entire life,” says Spartacus executive producer Steven DeKnight. ” He looks fantastic. He’s in great spirits. He’s recovered, he’s training. He’s actually talking about bulking up bigger this year. So yeah, he’s doing great.”

Q:With all the attention being paid to the new Comedy Central show MAD, I can’t help but wonder why anyone cares about MAD Magazine. Does anyone even read it anymore? — Ed, Trenton, NJ

The Oracle Speaks:

You didn’t give your age, but I’m assuming you’re under the age of, say, 35.

For better or for worse, I believe the major influences on comedy over the last thirty years were (1) Saturday Night Live, (2) David Letterman, (3) Jerry Seinfeld, (4) The Simpsons, and (5) Judd Apatow. They’ve shaped the crude but ironic and cynical modern comedy sensibility we now all recognize.

But preceding (and influencing) all of the above was MAD Magazine, founded in 1952 and directly influencing most of today’s top humorists, especially at the peak of their influence in the early 70s, when circulation topped 2 million. Basically, they were ironic, openly cynical, seemingly dumb, but often deceptively smart back in the days of Sid Ceasar and Carol Burnett (who were funny, but irony-free).

Their sensibility became modern humor.

Of course, the magazine and its influence has long since been eclipsed by the work of all the writers and comedians who were inspired by it, which makes the new Comedy Central TV show an homage, at best.

And why is this a fantasy-themed question? Eh, it’s not, except that plenty of fantasy geeks were also devoted readers of MAD and saw both as major antidote to simple-minded provincialism. Me, for example.

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Well, one thing we’ve learned over the past few weeks is that when we ask you to chime in on what fantasy characters you think are sexiest, you don’t hold back!

When the polls opened, your votes poured in, as well as quite a few comments.

First things first, I have to offer a mea culpa. I always thought I kept a pretty good ear to the ground when it came to finding the hotties of the male persuasion that inhabited fantasy entertainment, but it turns out I missed three major studs, according to quite a number of comments we received:

Darken Rahl from Legend of the Seeker …

… and the Winchester brothers from Supernatural.

Forgive me, you ravenous fans of man meat. I’ll do better next year!

And now, on to the winner!

You voted for him …

You wanted him …

You appreciated his bravery and strength …

You watched in awe at his studly heroism …

You asked for it …

And now you’re getting it …

The winner of the Sexiest Man of Fantasy is …

… drum roll please …

Zeddicus Z’ul Zorander

From his first appearance in the pilot of Legend of the Seeker wearing nothing more than a well-placed chicken, fans worldwide swooned the moment this virile wizard took the stage. Who could compete with that cunning and mischievous grin, those flashing eyes, and that long, flowing silver hair?

Once this strapping sorcerer entered the world of genre entertainment, we all knew it would be a long while before he was dethroned as the Sexiest Man of Fantasy.

Okay, fine. Here’s the real winner:

Come on, was there ever any doubt? He got 70% of the vote!

If there’s one thing we learned from Legend of the Seeker fans, it’s that they know how to galvanize and get their online presence known. But lest you think Richard Rahl, as portrayed by the ab-licious Craig Horner,  took home the prize simply because fans are trying to save the series, I challenge you to look at that earnest, heroic visage, that Harlequin-romance-novel-cover head of hair, and all two and a half percent of that body fat.

The guy is, quite frankly, sex on a stick, but the best part is he puts all of that lean muscle to work defending the honor of his true love, Kahlan (who just happened to win Sexiest Woman of Fantasy this year), and conquering anyone who would bring destruction to the Midlands.

So congrats, Richie! You earned it.

There’s no two ways about it — Richard won by a landslide. In fact the only other guy on the list to even come close to giving him a run for his money is my boy Spartacus, played so bad-assly (Yeah, that’s an adverb. Look it up!) by Andy Whitfield on Spartacus: Blood and Sand (at 17% of the vote).

Coming in a distant third (at 5%) was True Blood’s Eric (Alexander Skarsgard).

So what have we learned about fantasy fans this week? You all like your men muscly, oiled-up, and ready to hack and slash. And hey, who can blame ya?

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Andy Whitfield, the star of the Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand who was undergoing treatment for Stage 1 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, has been given a clean bill of health and is training to return to work on the TV show, Deadline.com reports.

His hair, which was shaved for the cancer treatment, has already begun to grow back.

In light of Whitfield’s cancer, Starz had begun work on a six-episode “prequel” series. Whitfield will now appear in two of those episodes.

“After the initial shock – I was a healthy young man and had no idea that this could happen – it was frustrating that the first season was ending on such a high note and we could’ve been rolling into season 2,” Whitfield told the publication by phone from New Zealand.

“I’m [now] raring to go,” he said.

With Andy Whitfield, the star of Spartacus: Blood and Sand, recovering from cancer, the Starz channel has okayed a six-episode “prequel” series that will concentrate on characters played by Lucy Lawless and John Hannah.

The series will show the house of Batiatus (Hannah) before the arrival of Spartacus. Most of the rest of the first season cast will return as well, and the series will also include new characters, including the gladiator who was the champion of the House of Batiatus before Spartacus or even Crixus, a character who will “help fill in the story about the people and politics in the House of Batiatus and ancient Capua as a whole,” according to a press release from the Starz network.

The series will begin production this summer and will air in January 2011.

According to the network, Whitfield is responding well to his treatment for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Five Torches (Out of Five)

A few years ago, I shivered with anticipation when I started seeing video of stuntmen and actors training for 300, which looked to be the most epically awesome movie I’d ever see.

Then the trailers came out, and I was blown away by the visuals, this comic book aesthetic set to heavy metal, featuring roided up man-gods running around gutting each other. My bloodthirst was whetted, and I could barely contain myself.

Then I saw the movie. Meh.

After that disappointing episode, I didn’t let myself get too worked up when previews began appearing for the very 300-esque-looking new series, Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Oh, sure, this would push television to a whole new level, bringing eviscerating violence and nigh-pornographic sex to the forefront in a way never seen before.

“Whatever, Starz,” I said. “See if I believe your hype. I’ve been hurt before. Check out how thick my skin is.”

I was cynical. I had lost my ability to believe. And I was wrong.

From the very first episode (which some fans of the show call the worst episode, but I personally loved), it was clear that this truly was going to be a show like no other. There was a clearly-established and unique graphic novel feel to the show, with its CGI blood-spurting and green-screen backgrounds. The fight choreography included some of the best stunt work ever seen on television, much of which was performed by the actors themselves. Characters were written to be scenery-chewers, and inhabited by actors like John Hannah, Craig Parker, and genre goddess Lucy Lawless, they were just that.

As the series went on, it introduced us to a wide array of characters, some of whom quickly became dear to the audience. Characters like Varro and Pietros, who seemed like such good-hearted men in the midst of unbearable violence, were showcased and given enough screen time for us to really care about them, just to watch, mouths agape, as they died horrible deaths.

The show challenged the straight-washing of history that almost every Roman epic is guilty of by showing what is probably the first gay couple to ever exist in a filmed story about gladiators, the aforementioned Pietros and the alpha male, Barca. It showed that women could be unbelievably powerful in this male-dominated world if they were clever enough, as seen in the characters of Lucretia and Illyithia.

But more than anything, it was a damn good story, one the writers carefully and meticulously plotted out to advance with every installment of the 13-episode season, culminating in a climactic finale the likes of which have never been seen on television before.

Part horror movie, part revenge fantasy, the last third of the season finale, accurately titled “Kill Them All,” was an unbelievable, 20-minute-long orgy of blood and beheadings that your average Tarantino fan would feel quite at home watching. After three months of shocking us, they upped their game once more, with an open-ended conclusion that leaves us frenzied for more.

Sadly, the last few episodes were punctuated with the very real fact that Andy Whitfield, the handsome, charismatic, and utterly bad-ass lead actor, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Needless to say, his fan base is enormous after this season, and a lot of good will is being sent his way.

We love you here at TheTorchOnline.com, Andy, and we wish you the speediest recovery.

While his treatment has caused a delay in the filming of the second season, there is the possibility of a prequel season being aired in the interim. With the plethora of characters in the ensemble, they could focus on pretty much any one of them. But my advice would be to either follow Crixus or Barca (or preferably both), who begin the first season as established kings of the gladiator arena. It would be fun to see how they got there.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand did that rare thing in the world of television: it lived up to its hype. It certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it achieves all its goals as a down-and-dirty genre show.

It’s just damn good television.

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Five Bajillion Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Kill Them All” episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Wow. Wow! WOW!

Where to begin … for those fans who, along the way, had any doubts that the writers of Spartacus were prepping for a huge finale, let it be known their doubts were in (a huge heaping pile of) vain.

This was, without a doubt, the single most gruesome, barbaric, bloody, violent, and insanely game-changing season finale I have ever seen. For a show as grandiose as Blood and Sand, they knew they had to go big, and holy crap, did they ever.

The previous episode was all set-up for what was to come, in which basically all the back-stabbings were revealed, and characters began to pick sides. As tensions grew, the one character who remained on the fence was Crisco, who began the season as a fairly standard bully and morphed into a tragic hero.

The use of time-switching and flashbacks was a surprise, since the show hasn’t ever told a non-linear story before, but the surprise was more than welcome. What better way to send off the show by mixing it up a little?

Oh, wait, I know. By mixing it up a lot.

Beginning with the revelation that Doctore’s real name was, in fact, Oenomaus (who history buffs will know was an ally of the rebel Spartacus), the show played like a game of “Let’s up the ante with each scene,” culminating in one of the most electrifying (and merciless) climaxes in recent memory.

There was blood. Oh, there was blood, drawn in ways we would never expect. Remember how shocking it was when Illyithia killed her rival? Multiply that by a thousand and you have this episode.

It takes a lot to shock me — I grew up in the internet age, after all — but I literally found myself holding my breath as Crixus stabbed Lucretia’s belly, intent on killing a child that may very well be his. I’ve never seen something so viscerally terrifying, and while the show unexpectedly displayednuance by not focusing on the actual stab, the effect was still chilling.

Varro’s wife, Aurelia, a relatively new character, shocked us all when she went all Norman Bates on the young boy Numerius out of revenge for his decision to have her husband killed. I don’t think I’m going to get that image out of my mind for a long time.

The show brilliantly weaved together all its loose ends, such as Doctore finally seeking revenge on Ashur for Barca’s death, and the eventual friendship of Spartacus and Crixus — although, if I have one gripe with the episode, it was that Crixus seemed to make that huge switch too easily. However, it’s all forgiven for the insanely awesome moment when he calls Spartacus to use his shield as a launching point, just as they did in their fight against Theocles.

Quite simply, I was blown away. This is not a show that has potential, this is a show that reached its potential and then blasts right past it. I’m aware it’s not for everyone, but for those who are into this kind of thing, this is hands-down the best show on television.

All the best wishes to Andy Whitfield for a full, speedy recovery. I’m sure he’s just eager to strap on the armor again, and I, and the world, cannot wait for him to do so.

The Vulture blog is reporting that the cable channel Starz is developing a six-episode “prequel” series for Spartacus: Blood and Sand, to deal with the fact that star Andy Whitfield is undergoing treatment for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The show has been a break-out hit for Starz, and a second season was to begin filming this month, although Whitfield’s illness put an end to that. Vulture speculates, probably correctly, that the prequel series is seen as one way to maintain the show’s current momentum, as well as a way to take advantage of the writers and actors all “expensively standing by.”

Such a series is not definite, as the network is reportedly also looking at other options.

TheTorchOnline.com is pursuing the story.

Five Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Revelations” episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

One thing you can never accuse Spartacus: Blood and Sand of is false advertising. The show certainly gives us plenty of Spartacus, plenty of blood, and plenty of sand, and in the most recent episode, entitled “Revelations,” a whole butt-load of info was revealed.

Not to us, mind you. The writers generously kept us, the audience, in the know for the most part as to who was backstabbing who. But what made this episode such a Five-Torcher was the fact that secrets were finally exposed (I got tired of saying revealed) to the characters, and watching the you-know-what hit the fan was a pleasure that was twelve weeks in the making.

Similar to last week’s hallucination-inspired deductions on the part of Spartacus, in which he pieced together that Batiatus is actually working against him and killed his wife, this week also uses threads we may have forgotten about to push the plot forward, proving to any doubters that the writers know what they’re doing.

The show was easy to call “plot-lite” in its earlier life, as much of the story seemed centered on CGI blood and naughty body parts. But it turns out that the writing team was much craftier than many of us (myself included) realized, and that even in these earlier episodes they were laying down groundwork for the season-ending payoff.

For example, characters seem as disposable as old loincloths at first, only to be important later. Remember Barca, that bad-ass gay gladiator who was secretly killed by Batiatus for disobeying orders? At the time it seemed such a waste on the writers’ part, creating this unique character only to kill him off. Insult to injury was that Doctore seemed determined to get to the bottom of his death for all of five seconds, only to decide he had better things to do. The world moved on, and Barca was forgotten.

But he wasn’t! The slave girl, Naevia, knew the reality of his death, and kept it to herself for six episodes (months upon months in the ludus). After her affair with Crixus is exposed, she is beaten savagely by Lucretia while Batiatus orders Crixus to be whipped. Afterward, the lovers hold each other, and Crixus vows to get his freedom. This sets off Naevia’s panic, because she knows what happened when Barca desired his freedom, and finally tells Doctore the truth, something Batiatus had been hiding from him.

If this sounds complex and operatic, that’s because it is. But Spartacus has always teetered on the edge of melodrama, and after so much time, it’s extremely satisfying to witness. Formerly ambiguous characters like Ashur, Doctore, even Batiatus (remember when we liked him?) have clearly fallen on the side of either good or evil, and with one episode to go, the show is at its absolute season best.

I have little doubt it will climb to its creative zenith next week, and I for one cannot wait.

Four and a half Torches (Out of Five)

Warning: The following review contains spoilers for the “Old Wounds” episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

After last week’s devastating episode, fans of Starz’ epic gladiator series were starting to squirm, wondering just how long we could take this. Week after week, something unbelievably awful happens to Spartacus and the rest of the gladiator’s in Batiatus’ ludus, which, given the body count, is the last place on earth you would ever want to be.

And week after week, the cunning and wicked Batiatus, as well as his equally cunning and wicked wife Lucretia and servant Ashur, always come out on top, with Spartacus believing his master to be a good, caring, and helpful man.

So how satisfying that finally — finally – we get a bit of a turnaround. Spartacus finally catches wind of what’s going on, and ironically he does this in an episode where he is the least proactive, at least physically. Spartacus spends much of the ep in a fever-induced dream, which allows his subconscious to piece together clues and deduce Batiatus’ treachery.

With our hero sidelined, the action is played out by Crixus, who regains some of his former self when battling an opponent in the arena, and Batiatus, whose plot of revenge against the Magistrate who insulted him and his rival Solonius finally comes to fruition.

The show has certainly moved away from insane, 300-style action sequences in favor of palace intrigue, and I’m okay with that, especially when the plot becomes as riveting as it was in “Old Wounds.” Having definitively proven that no character is safe, the writers keep you on the edge of your seat, because the audience knows the plot can spin in a whole new direction in seconds.

For example, the moment where Lucretia starts to swoon while watching Crixus fight in the arena was captivating because we know it can mean any number of things. Is she moved at seeing Crixus in fighting form again? Could she, at long last, be pregnant? At this point in the series, I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone had poisoned her wine and she dropped dead right there. The entire show is swiftly becoming the final scene in Hamlet.

While I applaud the writers for daring once again to tread where few other shows will in their gleeful dispatching of beloved characters, I do wonder if we’re supposed to get attached to anyone, since they all live their lives in a crosshairs. I miss those who have died: Barca, Pietros, Sura, Varro … and while I enjoy the new batch of characters, I just don’t know if I can open myself up to them emotionally.

I’ve been hurt before, you see.

All in all, “Old Wounds” was an engaging episode, with perhaps the most exciting denouement the show has had yet. I can’t wait to see what happens next.