Spartacus: Blood and Sand

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Season 1
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 22
  3. Negative: 5 out of 22

Critic Reviews

  1. Variety
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    30
    To be fair, the program does improve marginally after the premiere, but by then the bar's set so low a three-legged horse could clear it.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Barry Garron
    30
    So, one gets an episode about Spartacus' lessons at gladiator school and another episode about his fights in "the pit," a place brutal enough to make professional wrestling look like ballet. With such thin stories each week, it's small wonder that sex and violence are used to take up the slack.
  3. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Alan Sepinwall
    30
    If you're a teenage boy who loved "300"--or any other demographic who loved "300"--you may well dig all the digitized, slow-motion blood splurts, the abundant nudity (albeit with some of the full frontal coming from male characters as well as female) and the stylized, computer-generated backgrounds. But stay far away if none of those things make you say "Hells yeah!"
  5. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    30
    This attempt to milk the success of the 2008 movie “300’’ is a major dud, from the C-level production values and shoddy green-screen technology to the horrible makeup that turns star Lucy Lawless into a Raggedy Ann doll.
  6. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    0
    Spartacus is an exercise in some of the worst writing, acting and directing you'll ever see (or not).

Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Best TV Season of 2010
5
#5 Most Discussed TV Season of 2010
8
#8 Most Shared TV Season of 2010

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 474 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 406 out of 474
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 474
  3. Negative: 49 out of 474
  1. JDnator
    Oct 4, 2011
    10
    the series starts of SLOW and on a VERY small budget but the story just gets better and better. so some of the actors may not be "hollywood"the series starts of SLOW and on a VERY small budget but the story just gets better and better. so some of the actors may not be "hollywood" (whatever that is) level, but they never are in these things and to be honest i have no issues with it anyway as i have bonded to many of the characters in it with no probs. the ONE proper grumble i have is that they do need to tone down the nudity and bad language. i know i sound like a 90 year old there but its all a little overdone to the respect it losses its meaning SOMETIMES, a lot of the time its good though. its a crying shame one of the lady's (no spoiler) has to die so soon because she was HOT. any way the main reason i give this a 9 is because i have never felt so much about characters in a series, this has to be good because im engaged in the story. a story which gets very good later in the series. the episode "party favors" shocked me so much to the core i was just left speechless. no other tv series has had that effect on me so for that i think this is a WIN and i cant wait for the next one.… Full Review »
  2. Gio86
    Sep 27, 2011
    10
    Highly entertaining, well acted, controversial, bloody TV Viagra. The stories and the characters who portray them get more and moreHighly entertaining, well acted, controversial, bloody TV Viagra. The stories and the characters who portray them get more and more enticing, as the show goes on and on it thrills and makes you get down on your knees and beg for more.… Full Review »
  3. dj_stevie_c
    Aug 23, 2010
    8
    After watching the first episode I wasn't sure what I was getting into. The second and third episodes didn't help much but I really foundAfter watching the first episode I wasn't sure what I was getting into. The second and third episodes didn't help much but I really found myself getting into the series and the characters as the series went along. I think some may have been a bit over-sensitive about the nudity and blood, yes they are a bit over done sure but some of it IS plot worthy, for example showing how the slaves were treated by those above them, and how the Romans viewed anyone who wasn't one of them as something to be poked, prodded and laughed at (or cheered as they are killed), the plots towards the end of the series are woven together strongly and the seriously evil Batiatus and Asher pull off some stunning moves. Perhaps some who want to compare this to gladiator and 300 should watch those and then watch again, style wise I can't argue, but overall they are very different beasts. I found myself caught up in the sorrow of the minor characters like Crixus and Barca, the sad Mira who is just abused over and over again, and the sad Varro and his wife who, in my opinion, has the best 'kill' scene ever put down on film. I hope they learn plenty from what they did with the first season and I look forwards to more. It's not perfect, but it's very enjoyable.… Full Review »
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