Unlike John from Cincinnati’s exodus from the cable line-up (for which I did not shed a tear), I’m still bumming about HBO’s premature cancellation of Rome. I’ll admit, with all the Sopranos series finale drama and Big Love madness of the last couple of months, the show I got hooked on pretty much in one OnDemand sitting sort of slipped my mind. Then last week, I went to an event at Barney’s in Beverly Hills celebrating the Rome season 2 DVD, where they displayed many of the costumes from the show. Upon seeing Mark Antony, Caesar, Lucius Verenus and Atia all in one room again (well, not really them, but the fabulous actors who brought them to life), those feelings of Sunday night emptiness came back with a vengeance.
Why, oh HBO, why?! So Rome was a pricey production, but was there no way to fudge it? Say, shoot in the desert surrounding Joshua Tree rather than Italy? That’s what they did back when westerns got made on a dime. I guess with all those wars and hostile takeovers, you still need an awful lot of extras. Wonder what the fake blood budget was for the average episode? But I digress…
Fortunately, I wasn’t alone in bemoaning the show’s loss. In between checking out Caesar’s super comfy-looking white robe and, on the opposite end, Antony’s chunky everyday armor, I chatted with Polly Walker (right, with James Purefoy), who played Atia, about her feelings on the series’ end. "On the night we finished, we all went out to dinner and I remember having this sort of stomach-ache and heartache like I’d been dumped," she said. "And I supposed it was saying goodbye to Atia, who I’d become very attached to." Though one thing she won’t be missing? The heavy (and beautiful) dresses. "They were all major," says Polly. "The wigs were major, the big heels I walked around in everyday were major…" Funny, I thought the Romans were all about wearing flats, I said. "Most of them did," she replied. "But I needed some height."
Of course she did. Every one of Rome’s main characters was looking down on somebody,after all. And most intimidating — in a very sexy way — of the bunchwas Antony, played by Purefoy. Here’s what he had to say: "Whatsaddened me was that we weren’t able to fully explore theCleopatra-Antony relationship, because that’s kind of what I signed upfor." Purefoy went on to explain, in a hypnotizing British accent, thatto close out the show meant combining two seasons into one. "The ideawas that were were gonna take it up to Brutus’s death at the end of thesecond season, then Rome into Egypt on the next, so we jammed it allinto one. Having said that, we had such a great time filming. And fortwo and a half years, it was more than I could have hoped for."
As for those super-steamy sex scenes with the queen of the Nile(played by Lyndsey Marshal)? Those were easy, he says. "They were twopeople who were passionately in love, hugely powerful, sexy, angrysoulmates and lovers. Plus, they were out of it and having these greatparties… Rock ‘n’ roll!"
Well, at least we’ll always have the DVDs…
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I could not agree more. I never post on these things, but I think I am still grieving for the end of this series. It was the first show in a long time that I made “appointment TV”.
With Rome gone can i have the f—–g deadwood movie
I could not agree more. Why does HBO do this to us? I hate to get attached to their series because they just pull them out from under us. At least the Sopranos had a good, long ride. I’m afraid they’re going to yank Big Love next. I don’t know what I’ll do.
I really loved this show. It was one of the most ambitious shows in the history of television. I’m amazed by how richly drawn the characters were and how complex yet traditional the drama was while it was on such a massive scale. I miss this show so much. (Even though I liked the first season better because Ciaran Hinds was awesome as Julius Caesar)
Thanks for this, Shirley. I was completely hooked on Rome as well, and its premature yanking still both saddens and annoys me. Silly, silly HBO.
And yes, can we have those Deadwood movies, please? Don’t screw us out of a proper ending for that as well…
Season 2 of “Rome” was one of the most ambitious and beautifully shot programs on TV in over a decade. I especially loved the performance of Vorenus & Servilia. I will never forget the scene where Servilia kills herself in front of Atia, after the death of her son. In the funny and poetic words of Mark Anthony…”Now that is an exit!!!”
I loved this show! Lush, smart and exciting. Why do all the good ones have to go away?
I loved Rome – what a great show. The writing and acting were excellent, the production value was lush and exciting so naturally it was ‘too expensive’ for HBO to continue. Such a loss for us – the intelligent masses. I too keep hope alive for the Deadwood movies to be made especially now that they’ve canceled that crap JFC show. Bring back Deadwood you C*&$suckers!!
Couldn’t agree more – nothing comes even close. And did they really bypass Purefoy for an Emmy? Or Lindsay Duncan? Polly Walker? And just about any other cast member? It’s a crime.
Rome was top notch television and it was sad to see it only last two seasons. The acting/writing was as good as in any Oscar winning motion picture.
Oh how I love that show! Everyone was so wonderful but Pullo and Vorenus were the heart and soul of the show. It was such a brilliant telling of a fictional story within a very famous real time. Basing it around the lives of those two and how they got involved in everything was brilliant. Silly HBO.
There are millions of us out here that are still bitter about the abrupt cancellation of “Carnivale”. Why does HBO have such major commitment issues?
First The Comeback, and now Rome. Damn you HBO execs for always canceling the only shows I actually like on your farkakte network!
I didn’t think it was canceled rather since it is a BBC show it was only ever scheduled to have a 2 Season run.
Preach it, sister! Rome was not just my favorite HBO series, but one of my favorite shows on television PERIOD during its 2-season run. I loved the humor and poignancy of the Titus Pullo-Lucius Vorenus friendship. And James Purefoy as Mark Antony really stepped up his already-good work and it it out of the park in season two. I could go on–I really don’t think there was a bad actor among the whole cast.
Oh, yes I LOVED ROME!! It makes me crazy that it’s gone, I’ve developed a maddening crush on James Purefoy!
At least it looks like we may see Pullo starring as “The Punisher” and Vorenus starring as “Thor” (according to early casting rumors).
I started watching Rome late in the season. I really enjoyed watching something other than “hitman shows and 1 husband and many wives shows.” I’m truly sad that it was cancelled. I guest I can lose HBO and go back to watching DVD’s.
At last you get a very enjoyble program to follow and when you are deep into the the show, they cancel it. There is enough junk on the air, at least keep a good program going.
Rome, in addition to being one of the best television shows of all time (literally), was responsible for arguably one of my, if not THE best scenes I’ve ever seen. Pullo, arrested and sentenced to death in the arena, refuses to fight despite insults to him, his mother, his dog, everything. Finally, he is goaded into battle by insults to his beloved 13th Legion, and proceeds clean house (thus showing what a true bada$$ Pullo really is), after each kill shouting out “THIRTEEN!!!” while Vorenus watches in tears, unable to intervene to save his friend. It’s funny, my wife and I were totally convinced while watching this scene that Pullo was going to die, I literally jumped off my couch like “get your a$$ in there, Vorenus!!!” LOL I can’t remember another show that I had such emotional investment in….oh yeah, and Vorenus jumps in the arena at the very last possible second with a shout of “THIRTEEN!!” and saves Pullo. Best……scene……..EVER!
Hutchy – couldn’t agree more! Rome was BRILLIANT, and that is the scene I use to tell people to get the DVDs and watch it because it was SO well done!
It’s nice to see that others feel the way I do about this series. Quite simply, it’s the best TV’s ever had to offer. It made me sick that it was over after two seasons, but I do understand the financial burden involved (between HBO and the BBC). The fact that the Emmys snubbed this series (in all major categories) makes me sicker still. To not honor this drama nor its actors with nods is absolute heresy. I’ll not pay them any attention again for their obvious stupidity.
In the midst of watching Season 2 on DVD now (hello Must List) Must say rather bummed out that Rome got cancelled.
I had decided to hate this show based on all the fictionalizing, plus the first season’s visible lack of battles, all fought off-screen. But Atia was always glorious, for all that the real Atia is probably turning in her long-lost grave, and dang, Servilia, man. Anyhoo, by the time season 2 rolled around, I was hooked, plus season 2 gave me a fantastic battle scene up to the fate of Brutus, who is now, like, a major sympathetic character to me. Octavian rules, too. Now THAT’s how you invent a position that didn’t exist yet (emperor). Ooh, and the chick playing Cleopatra was everything I wanted from that character. Just spectacular. I really like the ending, too. Wistful thinking Caesarion lived, but it was awesome. Pullo’s and Vorenus’ arcs over the 2 seasons were just beautiful. Sigh. OK, DVDs.
I just finished watching S2 for the first time this week. Brilliant, especially Ray Stevenson. I always thought I was a Lucius Vorenus type of a girl, but now I am all about some Pullo. And talk about hypnotizing British accent — listening to Purefoy’s DVD commentary is soooo hot. Even listening to the directors and producers, you can still hear their enthusiasm. It’s tragic that they couldn’t get one more season.
Between Rome, the UK Office, and Arrested Development, I feel like the black widow of great television.
I have a love/hate relationship with this show. The love part comes in the form of male nudity that this show so liberaly displayed. I mean, how long can a camera stay focused on an uncircumsized p*nis – only on Rome.
The hate comes in when I think that HBO canceled The Comeback to finance this very expensive production. If HBO had let The Comeback continue, it would have been very pricey for them to keep Lisa Kudrow.
Oh well, an earlier post mentioned that Big Love is next to get the ax. I wouldn’t doubt it, when a show gets moved to Mondays, it’s not a good thing.
Here, here! Rome was the best show on TV for the past 10 years. So much quality… Just insane. Why can’t some rich guy fan of the show like we are just spend some million to keep it going?
I, too, mourn the premature losses of both Rome and Deadwood. I’m particularly angry at David Milch for helping expedite the end of Deadwood just so that he can explore the surfing culture of that David Lynch-lite piece of garbage, John From Cincinatti. I felt these two shows, along with The Sopranos, The Wire and Curb Your Enthusiasm, made HBO into a creative force to be dealt with, but alas, stupid me, for one quick moment I forgot it’s all about the bottom line. Oh, and Comeback fans, I don’t want to sound like a hater, but please please please don’t mention your kitschy/campy aquired taste of a show in the same breath as these monolithic landmarks of television.
Joe – The Comeback is a national treasure, it should be revisited.
I doo want to hear that!
Thinking of the “THIRTEEN!!” scene got me to thinking, whats everyone’s favorite scene from the series? Tough choice, I know……possibly the Brutus death scene? Or Vorenus FINALLY telling off Cleopatra with that classic “SHUT THE HELL UP, B*TCH!!” moment? Vorenus’s “I am a son of HADES!!!!!” speech? So many classic moments to choose from……