OR

Email Address

Password

Forgot password?

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 6 Critic Reviews

See All

55

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 25 Ratings

See All

8.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.5	Your Score
8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 25 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena: Dressed To Kill

Now Playing: Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena: Dressed To Kill

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

Series Details & Credits

Starz | Release Date: January 21, 2011

Starring: Marisa Ramírez, Lucy Lawless, Jeffrey Thomas, Dustin Clare, Stephen Lovatt, Jaime Murray, John Hannah, David Woodley, Manu Bennett, Peter Mensah, Nick E Tarabay, Andy Whitfield, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Antonio Te Maioha, Raicho Vasilev, Craig Walsh Wrightson, Jessica Grace Smith, Gareth Williams (III)

Summary: A prequel to the popular series Spartacus: Blood And Sand, Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena tells the story of the rise of the House of Batiatus and its champions before Spartacus entered the picture. Basking in the glow of the newest champion of the house, Gannicus, a young Batiatus is ready to overthrow his father and assume control of theA prequel to the popular series Spartacus: Blood And Sand, Spartacus: Gods Of The Arena tells the story of the rise of the House of Batiatus and its champions before Spartacus entered the picture. Basking in the glow of the newest champion of the house, Gannicus, a young Batiatus is ready to overthrow his father and assume control of the ludus. With no qualms whatsoever about betraying or gracing whomever necessary to ensure his gladiators are in the highest demand, he will count on the help of his equally cunning and calculating wife Lucretia to put his schemes into plan. Together, they will stop at nothing to keep the favour of the masses in Capua and achieve power.… Expand

Creator: Steven S. DeKnight

Genre(s): Drama, Action & Adventure

Watch Now

Stream On

Stream On

Recent Episodes

tbd
S1:E6. The Bitter End
Air Date: February 25, 2011
tbd
S1:E5. Reckoning
Air Date: February 18, 2011
tbd
S1:E4. Beneath The Mask
Air Date: February 11, 2011

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

55

Positive:

3

Mixed:

2

Negative:

1

Critic Reviews

75

Entertainment Weekly

Darren Franich

Jan 18, 2011

Season 1 Review: Spartacus Minus Spartacus is an engrossing piece of wheel spinning. Read full review

75

Uncle Barky Ed Bark

Jan 21, 2011

Season 1 Review: It's obviously not for the squeamish, nor perhaps for the refined. But it's al-i-i-i-i-i-ve in so many ways. So what the hell, let's rock. Read full review

67

Boston Herald

Mark A. Perigard

Jan 21, 2011

Season 1 Review: Starz's Spartacus - Gods of the Arena is endlessly creative when it comes to all things stabby. It seems to have a bottomless bucket of fake blood in its production budget. Read full review

50

The New York Times

Ginia Bellafante

Jan 20, 2011

Season 1 Review: The result is a production even more fantastically soapy than the first, visually elevated by an apocalyptic video-game look in which the orgiastic sex and violence are presented with a studied, syncopated choreography. Read full review

40

Variety

Brian Lowry

Jan 18, 2011

Season 1 Review: Still, worrying overly much about plot misses the point. Spartacus is all about atmosphere, and even its cheesy "300"-type visual style (a little more polished than last time) and slow-motion action exist entirely to advance that aspect. Read full review

25

Newsday

Verne Gay

Jan 20, 2011

Season 1 Review: Unadulterated rubbish, and exactly what fans expect. Bravo, Starz. Read full review

Write a Review

8.5

Negative:

0

User Reviews

10

ty92

Jan 27, 2021

This season is incredible. Blood and Sand and this season are a 10/10. Both season's of Spartacus are incredible and underrated. The writing is just so good. Acting is great too!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

8

gabriscaff

Dec 31, 2020

The prequel of Spartacus is a solid representation of Gannicus and others Battiato's gladiators. There are few episodes, the presence of a lot of gladiators from the main show is interesting. Spartacus himself is not present, but this is not a problem. Great prequel.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

8

afm185

Feb 27, 2021

This season is basically just more of the high quality stuff from the first season, but as a prequel of course, and with all six episodes being very good rather than it having an exception or two. The only reason I wouldn’t call it straight up great is because aside from the finale itThis season is basically just more of the high quality stuff from the first season, but as a prequel of course, and with all six episodes being very good rather than it having an exception or two. The only reason I wouldn’t call it straight up great is because aside from the finale it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the first season. There just isn’t quite as much tension because for many of the characters we don’t get to know or care about them as much, and for the ones we do we kinda already know what happens to them. However it is interesting to see how they got where they were in the first season, and on top of this they provide a genuinely good new story that feels important rather than just an excuse to reuse actors and sets.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

6

brockcheese

May 20, 2019

The absence of Spartacus himself is not missing from this season although the sex and gore aspects are turned up to 11.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

More From Metacritic

What to Watch Right Now on Paramount+

Find a list of the best recent and upcoming film and TV titles added to...

What to Watch Right Now on Amazon's Prime Video

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Netflix

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

What to Watch Right Now on Hulu

Get a list of the best movie and TV titles recently added (and coming...

Current TV Shows

By MetascoreBy User Score

1 92 The Pitt: Season 2

2 87 Hacks: Season 5

3 87 Industry: Season 4

5 87 Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal:...

6 85 The Beatles Anthology

7 85 The Traitors [UK]: Season 4

8 85 Bait: Season 1

9 84 Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

10 83 Lord of the Flies

11 83 Riot Women: Season 1

12 83 For All Mankind: Season 5

13 81 The Muppet Show (2026)

14 80 Outlander (2014): Season 8

15 80 The Other Bennet Sister: Season 1

16 80 The Comeback: Season 3

17 80 One Piece (2023): Season 2

18 80 Dark Winds: Season 4

19 79 How to Get to Heaven From...

SEE ALL

Seasons & Episodes

55

Series Overview
Season 1

55
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: January 21, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Bitter End
  Air Date: February 25, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E5. Reckoning
  Air Date: February 18, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E4. Beneath The Mask
  Air Date: February 11, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E3. Paterfamilias
  Air Date: February 4, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E2. Missio
  Air Date: January 28, 2011
- tbd
  S1:E1. Past Transgressions
  Air Date: January 21, 2011