Those About to Die

Matt Roush says...

The philosophy of this lurid melodrama set in 1st Century Rome in a nutshell: “Enough is good. More is better. Too much is perfect.” This from Tenax (Game of Thrones’ Iwan Rheon), an expert at excess who revels in his anti-hero antics as a street-smart hustler working his way up Roman society through his connection to the chariot races and gladiator fights that are designed to quench the mob’s bloodlust. And blood flows throughout the 10 episodes, from the derivative credits onward. Anthony Hopkins, as ailing Emperor Vespasian, is the cast’s biggest name, with Victoria’s Tom Hughes as his warrior son and Jojo Macari as the sniveling spare heir waging a ruthless battle for succession. More engaging are scrappy characters like Sara Martins’ Cala, a cunning mother who’ll do anything to free her abducted children from slavery and the gladiator ring, and Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus, a boastful charioteer who’s a pawn in the elite’s power games. Launches with all 10 episodes.

What's Worth Watching (Jul 18)