Rome 2: Obesa Cantavit

Remember last summer, dear reader, when I was waxing lyrical about the BBC/HBO series "Rome"? Well, I've just finished watching Season 2 and if anything it's even BETTER (my italics) than the first. First of all, we get to see a LOT more of the hunktastic James Purefoy, as his character Marc Anthony takes centre stage. And once he gets to Egypt, things really hot up as he starts wearing eyeliner and taking part in orgies (the summum of debauchery for the suburban creature that I am). In fact, there's a lot more nookie in Season 2 overall which, let's face it, is the main reason we're all watching in the first place. Who's interested in an accurate depiction of some boring old Senate debate (Cicero, what a pompous ass!) when we can watch two good-looking people - one of whom happens to be James Purefoy - going at it hammer 'n' tongs? PLUS, as if that weren't enough, this season, we can see several new characters in flagrante delicto (nice Roman touch there, note). My fave is Marcus Agrippa, played by Allen Leech. Yes, yes I KNOW he looks a bit like an Eastern European twink porn actor, but that is, I'm sure, merely a coincidence (ahem). With a bonus in the shape of Alex Wyndham ("The Line of Beauty") as the decadent Maecenas. But sadly, to use a common Roman expression, Obesa cantavit. Opinion seems to be divided - on the viewer bulletin boards at least - as to whether it was disappointing viewing figures, high production costs, or "artistic differences" between the BBC and HBO, that led to the plug being pulled. Anyway, I got through a whole box of Kleenex watching the last episode (wiping away the tears, I hasten to add). Now I've only got "Heroes" to brighten my televisual week ::sigh::

"The Tudors"

Dear reader, did I ever mention what a sucker I am for a ruff and a pair of well-fill'd (N.B. slightly Elizabethan spelling there) britches? As a child, I was completely obsessed with the Tudors and Henry VIII in particular. There's even an embarrassing story about how I once - to my parents' horror - tried to force our local barber to name the six wives IN ORDER. I think I was about eight at the time. I kept notebooks on them, that's how bad it was. Why did no-one point out to me that they were just a bunch of ginger Welsh people? No wonder I'm psychologically scarred. But I digress. Imagine my delight, nevertheless, to discover this rather fabulous mini-series, featuring the comely Jonathan Rhys-Wassisface. He's definitely my kind of Henry VIII - nice pecs, brooding eyes and not even the slightest whiff of ginger or Welshness about him ::swoon:: He's also about 4 feet tall, but people WERE smaller in those days, it's an acknowledged historical fact. Anyway, if you click on the pic, you can go to their site and watch the first two episodes for free (my italics). Enjoy.