Spartacus: Vengeance premiered last night on Starz, and creator, writer, and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight spoke with the media recently about working on a unique show like Spartacus.
Many of the questions focused on character deaths, story arcs, and the unfortunate passing of the original Spartacus Andy Whitfield, but I wanted to know about the creation of the dialogue. Though you may initially be distracted by all of the blood splatter and nudity, if you listen to the characters speak, you will find it unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. I’ve always tried to describe it as sort of British and proper, but not quite. As it turns out, DeKnight answers, “For me, I studied as a playwright so I was deeply steeped in Shakespeare, which is really my main influence in the dialogue. Not to say that it’s Shakespearean. I think this is – I call this Shakespeare extra, extra light.”
He continues explaining: “It’s – it is absolutely not historically accurate. Much the way – when – and when people bring that up to me about, well, they didn’t speak this way in Latin, I always point out, well, in Shakespearean times they didn’t speak in iambic pentameter, but that’s an affectation to give it a style, which is exactly what we wanted to do on this show. And again, you know, we – about five scripts in after we had done this I realized holy shit, I got to write – I got to keep writing this way for the rest of the series, which is extremely challenging.”
If you were a fan of the first season, however, the dialogue may be familiar but many things will feel very new. Fan reaction may be a bit divided on the choice of Liam McIntyre as Spartacus. While watching the premiere episode, I couldn’t help but think that he didn’t seem as physically imposing as Whitfield. And he’s a bit too pretty boy for the role, as if he should be modeling underwear instead of fighting in a gladiatorial arena.
After viewing the second episode, however, I believe he’s a good fit. There may be an adjustment period, but he portrays Spartacus with intensity and compassion. And some disorientation should be expected. The characters have left the ludus where they massacred the House of Batiatus, and many of the locales are now unfamiliar. Glaber and his wife Ilythia will likely play more prominent roles in the storyline this season, and Doctore Oenomaus is struggling to find his place in the world now that his home has been destroyed. Siblings Seppius and Seppia are also introduced, but their place in the world of Capua is not yet clear.
Everything that you loved about the show in the beginning remains in this new season: the epic battle scenes, the sex, political intrigues, the sense that no character is safe . . . it’s all still there.
In short, Spartacus is back. With a Vengeance.
Related: Spartacus: Swords & Ashes