I think I'm turning into my father.

Who was a great, big, giant history buff. I blame The History of Rome podcast for leading me down the dark path of becoming obsessed with dedicated to learning more about Roman History. I've even started teaching myself Latin, which should tell you what a sad, sad creature with no life I am. :P

I've been watching Rome's first season lately as well, you can really tell on a second viewing which parts you didn't like by how hard they are to watch a second time. In general, I like the gritty take they took on it. In theory, I like that they concentrated on some "ordinary" characters instead of just focusing on the major historical figures, but in practice, this had mixed results at best. The problem is that the two guys they chose to focus on weren't all that sympathetic a lot of the time, for various reason (and I did have my "different time, different morality" hat on), plus they had to shoehorn them rather improbably at times into plot lines that did have major historical figures so that they could eat their cake and have it too and tell both stories at once. Which turned out to be a bit implausible at times. Like, a random nobody from one of Caesar's legions fathered Caesarion. Sure. And Caesar refuses to execute a soldier who let Pompey escape just because he happened to be a main character he had powerful gods on his side. *eyeroll* Really guys.

But it was enjoyable, in a trashy sort of way. Oh and there was way too much sex. I don't mind a sex scene, but if it's not outright porn that I'm watching, then I want it to be serving the plot in some way and not just feel like it was shoved in (heh) gratuitously. A lot of sex in this was pretty damn gratuitous. I mean, come on. Not every Roman emperor had sex with his sister. No, really. It's true!

I know it sounds like I'm bashing it, but I really did enjoy it in spite of its many flaws.