Rome: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 217 Ratings

See All

9.1

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9.1	Your Score
9.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 217 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: August 28, 2005

Starring: Lorcan Cranitch, Rick Warden (II), Esther Hall

Summary: "Rome" is the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers and their families. An intimate drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, and husbands and wives, it chronicles epic times that saw the fall of a republic and the creation of an empire. The series begins in 52 BC, as Gaius Julius Caesar has completed his masterful conquest of Gaul"Rome" is the saga of two ordinary Roman soldiers and their families. An intimate drama of love and betrayal, masters and slaves, and husbands and wives, it chronicles epic times that saw the fall of a republic and the creation of an empire. The series begins in 52 BC, as Gaius Julius Caesar has completed his masterful conquest of Gaul after eight years of war, and is preparing to return to Rome. He heads home with thousands of loyal battle-hardened men, huge amounts of loot in gold and slaves, and a populist agenda for radical social change. Terrified, the aristocracy threatens to prosecute Caesar for war crimes as soon as he sets foot in Rome. Caesar's old friend and mentor, Pompey Magnus, attempts to foment mutiny in order to maintain the balance of power. Two of Caesar's soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, thwart Pompey's plan and in the process, win the eternal gratitude of Caesar and the Julian clan, affording the two plebian officers an intimate view of the ruling class. The fates of Pullo and Vorenus become entwined with those of Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and the boy Octavian, a strange and awkward child who, by political guile and bloody force, will become the first emperor of Rome.(Source: HBO Press Release)… Expand

Creator: Bruno Heller and John Milius and John Milius

Genre(s): Drama

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E12. Kalends of February
Air Date: November 20, 2005
tbd
S1:E11. The Spoils
Air Date: November 13, 2005
tbd
S1:E10. Triumph
Air Date: November 6, 2005

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Tim Goodman

Jan 28, 2014

As good as Rome is -- and it's an epic, multilayered thing of beauty -- it's still not on the level of "The Sopranos" or "The Wire" or "Deadwood." That's almost an unfair comparison, but it's also true. On the other hand, "Rome" unfolds like a marvelously shot big-screen movie, each scene (filmed on location in Italy) dripping with money well spent and a meticulous grandeur that rewards you for paying extra for HBO. Read full review

Rob Owen

Jan 28, 2014

Rome wasn't built in a day, the saying goes, and that applies to this show, too. It's a slow build that requires some effort on the part of viewers, but after the first three episodes, I was hooked. [28 Aug 2005, p.TV-3]

Robert Bianco

Jan 28, 2014

As extravagant, enticing and chaotic as Rome itself, HBO's latest series boasts all the opulent pleasures that lavish expenditures of time and money can buy. Every detail in its re-creation of ancient Rome may not be correct, but the spirit and the overall picture ring true -- and the entertainment value resounds. Read full review

Gillian Flynn

Jun 18, 2013

Rome is most entertaining when it laces its wild, ancient antics with winks of the pedestrian. Read full review

Mark A. Perigard

Jan 28, 2014

Less perverse than ``I, Claudius,'' more entertaining than ABC's toga twister ``Empire,'' Rome gets off to an uneven start. [25 Aug 2005, p.47]

David Bianculli

Jan 28, 2014

After watching six episodes, I'm still not sold on the overall worth of this ambitious period drama. Read full review

Diane Werts

Jan 28, 2014

Calling Rome a crushing disappointment would be accurate but too forgiving of its sordidly cockamamy fixations. Brutality and nudity rise in direct proportion to unpersuasive storytelling. Finding someone, anyone, to care about amid all this shock-value Sturm und Drang swiftly becomes an enervating chore. [26 Aug 2005, p.B33]

SEE ALL 25 REVIEWS

User Score

Write a Review

9.1

User Reviews

Tipjar

Nov 14, 2011

Rome was completely thrilling to watch, their representation of the historic events was compelling and the story surrounding their characters Vorenus and Pullo were pretty capturing. Some of the sexual scenes felt like they were inserted for no real purpose but they were excusable. TheRome was completely thrilling to watch, their representation of the historic events was compelling and the story surrounding their characters Vorenus and Pullo were pretty capturing. Some of the sexual scenes felt like they were inserted for no real purpose but they were excusable. The finale was amazingly well done and it was really easy to get captured by the show and watch numerous episodes on end.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

OOngats

Feb 18, 2011

watching the back seasons now. one DVD at a time through netflix. can't wait for next 2 episodes. I love this show, and they did a fantastic job with it. Pulo is my favorite character. Was a bit disappointed with the change of actor for role of Octavian, I thought the first actor waswatching the back seasons now. one DVD at a time through netflix. can't wait for next 2 episodes. I love this show, and they did a fantastic job with it. Pulo is my favorite character. Was a bit disappointed with the change of actor for role of Octavian, I thought the first actor was developing tremendously, but when he goes off to fight Mark Anthony the new actor just seems a bit shallow. That's my only negative, and the rest of the story continues to fascinate. Big fan of gladiator arena stuff, and I love the fight scene with Titus Pulo and Lucius Vorenus defending the honor of XIII in the arena. If you like gladiator arena genre, try playing Gladiatus online game. It's free to play. Click link to try game. http://s4.gladiatus.us/game/c.php?uid=82727… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

jdogginess

Nov 28, 2011

This is my favorite TV show of all time. The acting is terrific and all of the characters have different strengths and flaws which make them as believable as the person sitting next to you. I have never been this attached to characters and am swept away by their ups, downs, and fatefulThis is my favorite TV show of all time. The acting is terrific and all of the characters have different strengths and flaws which make them as believable as the person sitting next to you. I have never been this attached to characters and am swept away by their ups, downs, and fateful ends in some cases. Even the death of some characters which were primarily cruel, deceitful, or cowards leaves you with a sense of remorse. It is rare that a period piece can completely immerse you in the time and hold your attention with such realistic costumes and sets. Simple minded folk that are looking for just sex and violence, while their is plenty of both, might get bored during the excellent dialogue and character development which gives meaning to those many instances. The only gripe I have is that in the second and final season they replace Attia's son with a slightly grown up actor that looks like a deer in the headlights and it completely contradicts the young actor that portrayed a clever and engaged character in the first season. I still have to give this show a 10 because of how moved I was by it and how I still am moved when I reflect upon it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Excellis

Jan 12, 2015

Don't know what the critics were thinking on this one, although the original score for Breaking Bad was 71, they don't know what they are doing. Personally this is one of the best series I have ever seen, the characters and scenes are incredibly well made and organised Enjoy!

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

GarethB

Oct 7, 2018

Compelling to watch and some of my favourite characters from history, Pullo and Caesar the standouts, so much so now when i read a historical novel i see the characters as the actors from this show!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GotTheseScars

Dec 16, 2012

I was leaning very close to giving this an 8, but dammit, this show is just too amazing to downgrade. The sets, costumes, and all other period pieces are just utterly fantastical. Plot is very interesting, acting is great, writing is very well done, and for being a show about history, thereI was leaning very close to giving this an 8, but dammit, this show is just too amazing to downgrade. The sets, costumes, and all other period pieces are just utterly fantastical. Plot is very interesting, acting is great, writing is very well done, and for being a show about history, there were several solid plot twists. My only issue with this season is that to a point, it does get slow, and I cant put my finger on it, but there is some missing element somewhere. Overall, amazing show, completely worth watching.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Tywin

Sep 10, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The series got off to such a great start, Caesar has a great actor and is a pleasure to watch and Octavian was interesting. All of the political intrigue was done quite well. The soldiers were carried along quite well, no problems. Then Caesar died and the whole series came crashing down
The two soldiers became a soap opera story and the series began to devote more and more time to their tiny tales of tiny people. The actually interesting part of the story, the intrigue, began to falter when Augustus Caesar was introduced. The actor just couldn't carry the man and he was no where near a replacement for Julius. Then they show the Egyptians as freeky deeky. I know they are a 3000 year old civilization by this stage but come on. Cleopatra is neither likable nor manipulative, at least in how the show portrays it. They simply say she is manipulative and cut to her getting what she wants, but as they say; the thrill is in the chase, never in the capture.
The faltering second season just soured the whole thing for me. It became so slow and monotonous, it was just unbearable, I had to skip most of the soldiers sections for being so irrelevant. I'm watching Rome here, I want to see the Senate and the great family's. I don't need the producers creating some plebeians to try and relate to me. I can relate to other human beings just fine thanks, I don't care what their social status is.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

SEE ALL 22 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

70

Series Overview
Season 2

68
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: January 14, 2007
Season 1

71
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: August 28, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E12. Kalends of February
  Air Date: November 20, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E11. The Spoils
  Air Date: November 13, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E10. Triumph
  Air Date: November 6, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E9. Utica
  Air Date: October 30, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E8. Caesarion
  Air Date: October 16, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E7. Pharsalus
  Air Date: October 9, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E6. Egeria
  Air Date: October 2, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E5. The Ram Has Touched The Wall
  Air Date: September 25, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E4. Stealing From Saturn
  Air Date: September 18, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E3. An Owl in a Thornbush
  Air Date: September 11, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E2. How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic
  Air Date: September 4, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E1. The Stolen Eagle
  Air Date: August 28, 2005
- tbd
  S1:E0. Making Rome (Special Promo Show)
  Air Date: August 11, 2005