We’re a 2000s Podcast: Mike Duncan joined us to look at HBO’s ROME–which was the most expensive TV show ever made, at the time. Mike’s expert take on how it portrays Roman life, and how the politics of Roman Decline don’t always match up with our desire to compare to American decline, politically.
Such a good show cut down too early. I wanted the full story plans. I wanted to see Timon go to occupied Judea and meet Jesus. I wanted the ending where an older Lucius Vorenus commits suicide at Ceasar’s grave. So much potential squashed by ballooning costs and Italian fuckery regarding the use of Cinecittá for filming.
A good podcast about HBO’s Rome is called Raising Standards. One of the hosts is a classical scholar and they frequently have actors, directors, and producers from the show on as guests. They even got the news reader to record the opening. A true Roman podcast for true Romans!
Yes, considering how much Game of Thrones would later cost, it’s seems feasible for it to have continued considering the sets they had already built. They were planning for season 5 to be the Judea one IIRC, really shows you how much they had to sprint through the 2nd season…including the weird Zionism plotline they threw in there without an ending. Thanks for the rec!