This was excellent and I cannot wait to watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand (which actually makes me think of a Blasco Ibanez novel of the same name, about bullfighting). I haven't had a TV obsession in a while, and a Western TV obsession in a long long time...
The conversation between Oenomaus and Gannicus after Melitta's death really gets me - when Oenomaus tells Gannicus that Melitta loved him like a sister - ohhhhh.
I just like all the Gannicus-Crixus interactions because the mixture of competiveness and odd camaraderie is totally addicting.
I hate Lucretia with the fire of a thousand suns, but that is one smart, ruthless, terrifying woman.
Of course, Gannicus believes it was Tullius who killed Melitta, and he offers to kill Tullius. And Batiatus asks him - "You would sacrifice your life in the memory of hers?" And he answers - "I would give a thousand if but I had them." Oh my heart. It reminds me of when he told Oenomaus he wished he died instead of her. Ah, the irony - he is 100 times the man Batiatus could ever be, but Batiatus owns him the same way he does a chair or table.
OK, it's official, the Lucretia-Crixus scenes freak me the fuck out as they are beyond creepy. Also, perhaps her rants about wanting to ensure her husband's legacy would be more believable if she wasn't raping the help so she could have a kid and pass it off as hubby's. I get the sense Batiatus wouldn't really find that part of her wifely duties.
The scene with Naevia and the girl whose name I cannot remember broke my heart. It's interesting, she replaces Melitta as Lucretia's body slave, something Lucretia treats as a huge honor (as Naevia is getting tattooed like some sort of sheep or cow). But while Melitta occasionally doubted her duty/place, she was overall obedient and close to Lucretia. I get the sense that Naevia is not like that in the least, now when she sees the effects of her childhood friend and others treated like cattle (And she was the one who gave her money to escape - something that would have never occurred to Melitta. I get the sense Naevia is not much of a status quo gal). Also, I found it bleakly humorous when Lucretia promised Naevia she won't be whored out but like Melitta be bestowed on someone worthy, the way Melitta was bestowed on Oenomaus - I wanted to point out the whole 'yeah, right, except when it was convenient, you made her have sex with Gannicus against both their wills. Some promise!"
"There are many things I would die for. Many things I deserve to die for. Yet this house is no longer one of them." Oh, yes, Gannicus! YES! Throw off the shackles of oppression, mentally. And then go kill Romans, kthnks!
And so he fights for Melitta instead. In case she is watching from the afterlife. My heart! And it's a total melee but he beats everyone...
His face when he realizes he's been granted his freedom. It kills me.
I totally love all the Crixus-Gannicus interactions. He gives him his champion necklace. They have a weirdly homicidally affectionate relationship going. Crixus would love to take him down, but would totally kill anyone else who tries to. (On the Crixus front, I am going to miss Aragorn hair. Booo!)
Speaking of bromances...
