Stars: Kevin McKidd, Polly Walker, Ciaran Hinds, James Purefoy, Kenneth Cranham

Summary: A generously budgeted show jointly produced by HBO and the BBC, ROME takes viewers back to 52 BC for a chance to relive the reign of Julius Caesar. The first season revolves around the lives of two Roman soldiers, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson), who win favour with Caesar (Ciaran Hinds) by defeating a mutinous plot from the devious Pompey Magnus (Kenneth Cranham). This affords the two men a gateway into the lives of Rome's ruling classes, and so the season unfolds, with intricately woven plots, fine acting, and stunning recreations of the ancient city, to provide a thoroughly engrossing television show. Details have been painstakingly pored over to ensure accuracy, so both history buffs and viewers less versed in the ways of Caesar should find something to enjoy here. This release contains the entire first season of the show.

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Family dysfunction. Treachery. Betrayal. Coarse profanity. Brutal violence. Graphic (and sometimes brutal) sex. No, it's not The Sopranos, it's Rome, HBO's madly ambitious series that bloodily splatters the glory of Rome just as savagely as Monty Python and the Holy Grail soiled the good name of Camelot (but with far fewer laughs; very few funny things happen on the way to this forum). Set in 52 B.C. (Before Cable), Rome charts the dramatic shifts in the balance of power between former friends Pompey Magnus (Kenneth Cranham), leader of the Senate, and Julius Caesar (Ciaran Hinds), whose imminent return after eight years to Rome after conquering the Gauls, has the ruling class up in arms. At the heart of Rome is the odd couple friendship between two soldiers who fortuitously become heroes of the people. Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) is married, honorable, and steadfast. Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) is an amoral rogue whose philosophy is best summed up, "I kill my enemies, take their gold, and enjoy their women". Among Rome's most compelling subplots is Lucius's strained relationship with his wife, Niobe (Indira Varma), who is surprised to see her husband alive (but not as surprised as he is to find her upon his homecoming with a newborn baby in her arms!) Any viewer befuddlement over Rome's intrigues and machinations, and determining who is hero and who is foe, disappears the minute Golden Globe-nominee Polly Walker appears as Atia, Caesar's formidable niece and a villainess for the ages. In the first hour alone, she offers her already married daughter as a bride to the recently widowed Pompey. One eagerly awaits to see what (or who) she'll do next as much as we anticipate her comeuppance in the final episode.

Rome is a painstakingly mounted production that earned eight well-deserved Emmy nominations in such categories as costumes, set design, and art direction. Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter) was honored with a Director's Guild Award for the first episode, "The Stolen Eagle." But artistic considerations aside, instantly addicted viewers will agree with Atia, who notes at one point, "I adore the secrecy, the intrigue. It's most thrilling." --Donald Liebenson

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	2005
Release Date:	July 24, 2006
Runtime:	691 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	D 082171
Keywords:	English, Series, Rome, Tv, Drama, Complete, Period
Genre:	Drama