Mmm. Good episode again last night. I think this showed so clearly what that Salon article I linked to earlier was talking about, in terms of how violence was culturally accepted during the period--Cicero going quietly and with dignity into his death, Pullo more concerned about peaches than killing a guy. I think it take a lot of depth for the show and its characters for that not to be played as, mm, gratuitous, to make the audience understand that it wasn't (always) a huge moral quandry, it was expected and it happened, frequently.

I loved seeing the dichotomy with Vorenus being intractable and commanding and distant, when he told his daughter to take off the makeup or yelled at Lucius to stay away from the road; versus quite caring and loving father Vorenus, juggling fruit or carrying around Lucius or thinking about finding someone for his daughter to marry. Again, Keven McKidd knocks it out of the park. I'm kind of confused by what's going on with Sleazy Guy in the Forum, whether he's supposed to marry the daughter to bind Vorenus' allegiance or just sleep with her, which would have less affect given that her virtue had already been compromised. Any ideas?

Loved Pullo and wanting still to be a soldier (I thought for a brief moment there Vorenus would be all, fuck it, let's go to Phillipi) and then having that ridiculous smile on his face when he found out he was going to be a father. Bless him.

It was nice to see less of the harshness in Octavia; she finally found love again, and it's much less likely Attia will have Agrippa killed. Agrippa and Octavia were cute and young and stupid together.

Brutus was magnificent. And the initial scenes of the battle, with the two forces marching towards each other, took my breath away. I'm so impressed that they brought that expansiveness from the big screen to the smaller one. Also, the little touches, from the way the phalanx moved/crawled forward, to how the chains of soldiers were an unending, impenetrable force, to the readiness of the shields coming up to protect Crassus--just fantastic. I am constantly amazed at how deeply everything was researched and portrayed.

And Mark Antony shaved. And all was well.

Matt Fraction has a few observations about the pilot script for "John From Cincinatti."

Were I a betting man, I'd bet that as that first end-title card rises up, there'll be a collective WHAT THE FUCK that maybe TV hasn't seen since Dale Cooper carved his wooden whistle.

The sample stage direction just kills me.

Mmm, pie.

Cicero going quietly and with dignity into his death, Pullo more concerned about peaches than killing a guy.

Cicero's death scene is one of my favorite things on TV ever. It was just perfect.

Cicero's death scene is one of my favorite things on TV ever. It was just perfect.

It was sort of shocking to me. The quiet acceptance, Pullo's grim but calm professionalism then all the blood. Gah. Too perfect.

The quiet acceptance, Pullo's grim but calm professionalism then all the blood.

All of that plus Pullo's "Ooh, peaches!" moment. I mean, could I love this show any more? Could I?

Great episode of Rome!

Random thought: is cinnamon making Cassius sneeze a Deadwood shoutout? Especially with peaches featuring so prominently.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I heard a snippet of the Deadwood theme on Morning Edition while I was getting ready to take my shower this morning but couldn't hear what it was connected to and, as far I can tell from the npr site, there was no Deadwood-centric story this morning. It's driving me a little crzy!

I heard a snippet of the Deadwood theme on Morning Edition while I was getting ready to take my shower this morning but couldn't hear what it was connected to and, as far I can tell from the npr site, there was no Deadwood-centric story this morning.

I heard the same thing - it was the lead-out on a story about internment camps for undocumented immigrants. I was all NOT THAT KIND OF CAMP which may have been a little violent for that hour of the morning... Or not, for the subject matter.