Rome is available on HBO Now and HBO Go.
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Before Game of Thrones debuted on HBO with its lavish sets, movie-quality special effects and stellar character development, the premium cable channel had another sword and shield epic that was just as spectacular on every level… Rome! This historical drama ran for two seasons from 2005-2007 and centered on Ancient Rome’s violent transformation from a Republic to an Empire during the 1st century BC.
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Like Game of Thrones, Rome had an enormous budget (for the time) of over $9 million per episode or around $100-$110 million per season. In terms of how the series looked, it’s easy to see where that money was spent. Filmed in Italy, the production designers and builders recreated Rome’s ancient city streets and filled them with hundreds of extras, which really makes you feel like you’re watching a bustling metropolitan area. There is so much attention to detail packed into every frame that it’s easy to get distracted by all of the visual splendor.
On the character front, Rome boasts an impressive list of character actors including Kevin McKidd (Star Wars Rebels), Ray Stevenson (Thor), Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones), Tobias Menzies (Outlander), and many more. Season 1 focuses on Julius Caesar’s rise to power with a memorable performance from Hinds. While not actual historical figures like Caesar, Roman soldiers Lucius Vorenus (McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Stevenson) are the protagonists you’ll be spending the most time with. McKidd and Stevenson have amazing chemistry that can easily make you laugh or cry at any given moment. Think of them as the Forrest Gumps of this two-season narrative, as they get entangled with prominent historical figures and events throughout.
Other noteworthy players include Tobias Menzies as Brutus, James Purefoy (Altered Carbon) as the boisterous and extremely entertaining Marc Antony, and Polly Walker as Caesar’s niece, Atia. When you’re not spending time with Pullo or Vorenus, the series also highlights Rome’s power families, which feels very similar to the houses found in Game of Thrones or even powerful mafia families. Atia’s relationship with Lindsay Duncan’s Servilla (Brutus’ mother) is particularly enjoyable as their rivalry escalates from pesky squabbles to something way more severe.
Sadly, due to the show’s high cost, HBO decided not to renew Rome for a third season so the Season 2 finale does feel a bit abrupt, though still worth binging. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Bruno Heller (Gotham) shared his plan for season 3-5:
“Third and fourth season would be set in Egypt,” Heller told THR. “Fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine. But because we got the heads-up that the second season would be it, I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which accounts for the blazing speed we go through history near the end. There’s certainly more than enough history to go around.”
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Binge It! is IGN’s recommendation series. Movies, TV shows, books, comics, music… if you can binge it, we’re here to talk about it. In each installment of Binge It!, we’ll discuss a piece of content we’re passionate about — and why you should check it out.
Source: IGN.com Binge It! HBO's Rome Was Big-Budget TV Before Game of Thrones