Spartacus: Gods of the Arena | B+

The highly anticipated prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand returns with a mighty battle cry in the mini-series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena. The abundance of pulse-pounding violence, oceans of blood and sexual content that is the trademark of the series is quite present in Gods of the Arena. While the titular character of Spartacus is not in the prequel, many of the main characters of Blood and Sand make a return as their stories are explored and further elaborated.

What is interesting about Gods of the Arena is that the characters the audience has grown to know in Blood and Sand are introduced in a new light. The viewer gets to witness their evolution from the personas highlighted in the first series.

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is set in the city of Capua during the time of ancient Rome and follows Batiatus, (John Hannah, The Mummy) a "lanista" (manager) of a "ludus" (collection) of gladiators. The plot tracks Batiatus's rise to power, and his ambitious undertakings of getting his gladiators to perform in the primus. With his wife Lucretia (Lucy Lawless, Xena: Warrior Princess) by his side, nothing will stop Batiatus from climbing the ranks of influence.

Gods of the Arena does not hold back when it comes to depicting an almost overwhelming amount of adult content. While the squeamish may wince when witnessing a man's jugular being ripped out or a gladiator disemboweled in the arena, those who do enjoy stylized violence and intense action sequences will find this show a delight. What set the series apart from being just a mindless bombardment of gore is the enticing storyline. The plot and performances from the cast draw viewers in and submerge them into the drama.

Newcomers to the series can watch Gods of the Arena without ever having seen its companion piece; the story of the prequel stands strong by itself and is far from confusing. The show suffers in that it is a mini-series — certain key plot elements may be summed up too quickly, and a few supporting characters might not be developed enough in six episodes.

Spartacus: Gods of the Arena is a high-powered, thrilling ride that will have viewers eagerly anticipating every strike of the sword and roar of the crowd. It fuses a compelling storyline with solid acting and more than satisfying action to bring to the screen a wild and breathtaking television experience.