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[Lotis]

Hey, where is everyone? I can't believe no one's posted yet! Were you overwhelmed, underwhelmed? 

I was pleased with the season opener. There's so much to take it that it'll require viewing a few times, catching more details each time. Some things:

The awkwardness among the different pockets of players which I thought did well at conveying the sense of disruption and scrambling that would occur among people who suddenly found both their personal lives and society itself suddenly turned upside down.

What was going on in Rome juxtaposed to Pullo and Eirene in the countryside. I thought the rural setting was almost a Maxfield Parrish painting, which was jarring and made the city appear that much dirtier and the atmosphere even more grim.

I really liked Haydn Gwynn's mourning Calpurnia. I thought she had a strong combination of grief but personal strength without overdoing either. When Servilia arrived at the villa, I thought she was going to save Atia the trouble of going after her later. The hatred she radiated should've uncurled Servilia's hair. LOL

The loss in/of Vorenus' family: utterly devastating. Not being able to properly grieve for their mother while having to fear their father, only to be killed (presumably) by someone else altogether. The sight of little Lucius cleaning up his mother's blood ...

Pullo stepping up and taking care of things for a change. I like how he took charge but willing to abide by what Vorenus needed to do.

The contrast between Caesar's and Niobe's deaths. Posca weeping over Caesar's body, Vorenus over Niobe's. Niobe's sparse and quiet funeral versus the riotous public one of Caesar's.

Antony slitting Quintus' throat ...

Octavian -whoa, major growth spurt! LOL Max plays Octavian so well as someone savvy well beyond his years. You can see the leader in him emerging. Brilliant how he not only thought of the legal loopholes, but got Antony to be his messenger.

Octavia - Yay! So glad to see she was livid at Servilia's manipulations.

Brutus - poor bastard. Too bad there were no psychiatrists back then, he could use the couch time (talk about someone who could unload about his mother! LOL)

Erastes Fulmen - big question mark. Did he really take the kids (and Lyde)? I thought the scene when Vorenus confronts him could be taken two ways. Either he lied initially when he told Vorenus that he hadn't taken the kids or was lying when he said he had and what he'd done to them. I'll have to think on it, but I felt it was the latter. He didn't know his men had just been slaughtered by V&P and if he took the kids because Caesar was dead (thus Vorenus was no longer protected) then he could've been bolder. When he sees he's cornered by V&P and his men are dead, I think he knew he was not getting out alive, regardless. He wasn't the sort to grovel, so he said what he did to get it over with.

Much more, but that's just off the top of my head. What did others think?

[Halloweenqueen]

I've watched the episode twice now.  All I can say is wow, how can HBO let a brilliant piece of work end???!!!

James Purefoy was incredible.  This was his episode. 

I'm so pleased that the women and their roles are considered as much as the men.  The writing is superb.

Can't wait until next week with my gal Cleo!

[fuzzybunny]

Ep was awesome!

The scenes between V & P were so moving.  Damn, those two are good actors.

I felt for those girls.  As far as they know Vorenus killed Niobe.  If the spoilers are true and

Spoiler (Highlight to read)

they were sold into slavery, Vorenus is going to have a lot to do to rebuild his relationship with them.  It'll be interesting to see how he is able to handle his honor, when discovers what was done to them.

  I really worry about Lyde and the boy, too.

I still wasn't sure how Vorenus felt about Niobe even during the funeral.  Couldn't tell if he was really mourning her or if he was still feeling so much anger toward her, he wasn't able to mourn her, yet.

Clarissa disappointed me.  Niobe considered her a best friend.  I can understand her being scared, but she should have been at the funeral or, if she was scared of Vorenus, at least telling Pullo what happened to the girls.  Instead, she was rummaging through the house for things she lent.

Last season Calpurnia really didn't have much to do, but I loved her this time around.  Can't wait to see more of her.

Octavian grew, Octavia doesn't seem to be such a ninny, and Atia is still Atia.  MA was great, too.  Purefoy does such a great job of portraying dangerous charm.

So glad to see Erastes and Quintus gone.  Once Erastes saw that his men were dead and he would be too, he committed suicide.  As he took that last swig of wine, you could tell he was waiting for the blow.

Can't wait until next week!