HBO/BBC Rome

[Rurik]

Seems a bit slow around here lately so I figured I'd bring up this series. I have actually been enjoying it quite a bit.

And to keep it on topic: At first I was a bit disapointed by it, I was expecting an Epic and got at first what seemed to be a soap opera (I really wanted big battles - though we did finally get Pharsalus half way through season two). Then about halfway through season one I realized it most resembled an RPG in which Vorenus and Pullo are the PC's. I describe it as that (at least to people who know what RPG's are).

And it has given some good ideas on how to integrate PC's with major world events.

Any thoughts by others?

 

[simonh]

It's great television, and of course Pullo and Vorenus are the PCs. The combats are very RuneQuest too. There's even effective magic. Have you noticed how the curses always turn out to be pretty accurate in the end?

Other top nominations for PC status are Posca and Timon. You could freeze the story just before Vorenus goes to Egypt with Mark Anthony and Timon leaves for Jerusalem, and run those four characters as PCs and have a great game. Timon and Posca would be great assets for the Collegium.

The series also shows how to run continuity breaks, such as when Vorenus goes off and joins Mark Anthony up north, leaving Pullo in Rome for a few months. Just skip over the dull stuff, run a few small, key scenes and get them back together again quickly in narrative time.

 

[Rurik]

Hell, it even has that guy who left the gaming group, so someone else had to take over his character.

I must say I preferred the old, err, young I mean, Octavian.

 

[brother omar]

rome is only okay when compared to other HBO shows such as deadwood and the wire. the character development is a bit lacking, imho.

Rome is worth watching.