| Rome (tv Series) |
Article Index for Rome |
Website Links For Rome |
Information AboutRome (tv Series) |
''Rome'' is a multiple Emmy Award -winning Historical Drama , produced in Italy for television by the BBC ( UK ), HBO ( USA ), and RAI ( Italy ). The show's first season originally aired on HBO between August 28 and November 20 , 2005 , subsequently broadcast on BBC One between November 2 , 2005 and January 4 , 2006 , and on Rai Due between March 17 and April 28 , 2006 . The show's second and final season opened on January 14 , 2007 and ended on March 25 , 2007 in the USA. In the UK the second season started on June 20 , 2007 , on BBC Two and ended on July 24 , 2007 . ''Rome'' second season - bbc.co.uk SERIES OVERVIEW The series is a Historical Drama depicting the period of history surrounding the violent transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire ; a change driven by civil warfare between Populists and Conservatives , the decay of political institutions, and the actions of ambitious men and women. The HBO website provides the following introduction: Half a century before the dawn of Christianity , Rome has become the wealthiest city in the world, a cosmopolitan metropolis of one million people — epicenter of a sprawling empire. Founded on principles of shared power and fierce personal competition, the Republic was created to prevent any one man from seizing absolute control. It is a society where soldiers can rise up from provincial commoners to become national heroes, even leaders of the Republic. But as the ruling class became extravagantly wealthy, the foundations have crumbled, eaten away by corruption and excess, and the old values of Spartan discipline and social unity have given way to a great chasm between the classes. HBO.com ~ About ''Rome'' While chronicling the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful and "historically significant," the series also focuses on the lives, fortunes, families and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo , two Roman soldiers mentioned historically in Caesar's '' Commentarii De Bello Gallico ''. The fictionalized Vorenus and Pullo manage to witness and often influence many of the historical events presented in the series. Season 1 depicts Julius Caesar 's Civil War Of 49 BC against the traditionalist conservative faction in the Roman Senate , his subsequent rise to absolute Dictatorship over Rome and his eventual fall, spanning the time period from the end of his Gallic Wars ( 52 BC or 701 '' Ab Urbe Condita '') until his assassination on March 15 , 44 BC (the infamous Ides Of March ). Against the backdrop of these cataclysmic events, we also see the early years of the young Octavian , who is destined to become the first Emperor of Rome, Augustus. Season 2 chronicles the power struggle between Octavian and Mark Antony following Caesar's assassination, spanning the period from Caesar's death in 44 BC to Octavian's final defeat of Antony at Actium in 31 BC . SERIES HISTORY Production ''See also Production Credits .'' studios, Rome]] In 2002, HBO and the BBC agreed to co-produce a new series based on the events of the "Roman Revolution". Towards that end, the two networks committed a US$ 100 million budget to the production of twelve 1-hour episodes, with HBO contributing US$ 85 million, and the BBC contributing US$ 15 million. BBC News ~ "Small screen hits and misses" Between . It was a massive undertaking, with an international crew of 350, and more than 50 local Italian interns. The production is regarded as one of the most expensive in the history of TV series. Funding was generously employed to recreate an impressively detailed set featuring a number of Roman Villas, the forum and a vast slum area of the ancient city of Rome. Unfortunately, a significant part of this set was later destroyed by a fire that burned down a portion of the Cinecittà Studios on August 10, 2007. The Hollywood Reporter ~ "Fire hits Rome studios" First season The series was launched in the United States on August 24 , 2005 , at Wadsworth Theatre in Los Angeles, California . HBO broadcast the series pilot ('' The Stolen Eagle '') four days later on August 28 . as Titus Pullo (left) and Kevin McKidd as Lucius Vorenus (right), seen in the episode '' Pharsalus ''.]] According to the Nielsen Ratings System , the pilot attracted more than 8.9 million viewers over eleven broadcasts, and achieved a 9.1 household rating for Sunday primetime. BBC Two premiered ''Rome'' in the United Kingdom on November 2 , 2005 , attracting 6.6 million viewers (27%), only to have the viewing figures decline in future episodes with the finale only attracting 3 million viewers (13%). The season has also gone into international syndication, being broadcast in many countries around the globe, in several languages (see Broadcasting ). The series' first season garnered critical acclaim, with Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Dramatic Series and Best Performance by an Actress in a Dramatic Television Series for Polly Walker 's portrayal of Atia Of The Julii . ''Rome'' is also cited by some for its more historically accurate portrayal of Roman society, but historians point out that the events and personalities portrayed in this series bear little more than a passing resemblance to the facts. Second season After the broadcast of only three first season episodes, HBO announced plans to produce a second season of ''Rome'' in 2006 for release in March 2007 HBO ''Rome'' News ~ "HBO renews the epic drama series ''Rome''" representative will comment on this speculation. The second season premiered January 14 , 2007 and the final episode was broadcast on March 25 , 2007 in the U.S. The first episode of the second season aired on BBC 2 on June 20 2007 . The first episode of season 2 attracted 1.5 million viewers. Fire on the set |
|
|