Those About To Die

Its plot is an unceasing, at times disorienting, torrent of schemes and romances and betrayals, but as it progresses, the series achieves striking emotional depth in its study of violence, subjugation, and ambition.

Those About to Die leans on big outrages because it’s not so good at small conflicts.

Ultimately, Those About to Die is not really for those people whose Roman Empire is the Roman Empire. It is for people who want the ancient world, where the stakes of sex and violence were far lower than the present day, to give licence to something primal, something carnal, in them. Emmerich doesn’t do subtle, and so Those About to Die is suitably, viscerally, bold.

It's not the worst show to watch about chariot racers, gladiators, emperors, and the vicious Roman Empire, but one that's certainly inferior to the multiple classics the genre had to offer in the last few decades.

Those About to Die was largely directed by Roland Emmerich, and although it has some of the Moonfall and 2012 director’s trademark lunacy, there’s ultimately not nearly enough of that to provide consistent entertainment. As drama, it’s generally bad, but it’s sometimes fun-bad, which I say as somebody who really likes Emmerich in “fun-bad” mode.

Hopkins is sadly underused, leaving viewers to instead spend tedious time with Vespasian’s two sons. .... Those About to Die may have cost a pretty penny to make, but all we’re left with is cheap thrills.

Peacock’s Roman epic Those About to Die is an overstuffed, underbaked slog that slumps when the action ends.

This is not for those who don't appreciate history. This discusses the late stages of the Flavian Dynasty of the Roman Empire, and gives you a visual of the brutality of central Rome and its Colosseum games (think "bread and circuses" - avid readers will understand). Rome was also known for its hedonism, so you can expect as much gratuitous sexuality as you'll get from an R-rated series. Some gay/lesbian stuff in there too, in case you're curious. Oh, and LOTS and LOTS of blood. If you haven't figured out yet, Rome had very few limits on human sexuality. None of this is a surprise, but what is surprising is that the writers actually wrote a very meaningful story. Please don't let the kids in the room when you watch it. This is definitely not for young audiences.

I found this entertaining enough. Kinda lije a lesser quality Galdiator but with more characters and intrigue spread out over a full season.

This is Peacock's attempt to match the spectacle of Game of Thrones, but it doesn't come close. Iwan Rheon (from GOT) leads this large cast in this epic drama set in the days of Roman emperors (Anthony Hopkins is it for the first few eps). To take the citizens' minds off their hunger, they launch spectacles; chariot races and gladiator fights. The series starts like a cheesy historical melodrama, but eventually gets more gripping. There's lots of treachery and unbearable cruelty, passion and drama. Sadly, the visual effects (esp. the races) are noticeably bad. Five of the eps are directed by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow), but the emotional heft doesn't materialize until the other director, Marco Kreuzpaintner, starts work. The ending episodes ramp up the evil to provide several shocks. Some of this uneven series is trite and some is trashy, but it ultimately provides a melodramatic look at violence and ambition.

i really wanted to watch a period piece series but i couldn't get past the first 20 minutes with inner dialogue narration like "but that was all about to change"

Game of Thrones it is not. A few very good acting performances were lost in a terrible script, predictable plotlines and bad CGI. Hope there's no season two. Anthony Hopkins totally mailed it in.