ROME: PASSOVER {SECOND SEASON PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The second season premiere in this drama series about ancient Rome during the first century B.C., focusing on its transition from Republic to Empire. In this episode, Antony narrowly evades an attack as he leaves the Senate immediately after Caesar's murder, and a deeply shaken Brutus returns home to his mother, who praises his actions. Posca grieves over Caesar's body as Vorenus weeps over Niobe's, and when the children return home and witness the scene, he furiously curses them all to Hades. He then hears that Caesar is dead, distraught that he was not there to protect him. Atia mourns Caesar, also assuming that Antony is dead, and Octavia curses Servilia's duplicity, though Octavian argues that they should not flee the city. Antony then arrives and rages against the conspirators, deciding to head north to amass an army to defeat them. A near-catatonic Vorenus is robbed in the street, though elsewhere Pullo and Eirene enjoy a picnic, unaware of the tumult in Rome, and Pullo is elated when she accepts his proposal of marriage. Atia and Antony arrive at Caesar's home to pay their respects, though Calpurnia refuses to flee with them. She commands them to stay long enough for the will to be read, and everyone is surprised when Octavian is named Caesar's heir and Antony receives nothing.
Octavian states that they must now stay in Rome after all, pointing out that Brutus and the others cannot now justify their actions by declaring Caesar a tyrant, as that would invalidate all of his official actions and thus nullify their own government positions. He pushes Antony to declare a general amnesty, meaning that the killers cannot be punished for Caesar's death. Pullo hears the news and immediately rides back to Rome, where Vorenus' children are interrupted in preparing Niobe's body for burial by the arrival of Erastes. Cicero praises Brutus' actions, surprised that he was left out of the plot, and suggests that they should kill Antony as well, though Brutus refuses and Antony arrives in their midst moments later. He notes that the people loved Caesar and will object to his death, adding that there must now be elections, as their Senate positions are invalid if Caesar was really a tyrant. Alarmed at this thought, they accept his proposal of amnesty, meaning that Caesar's will stands. Cassius agrees with Cicero's idea of killing Antony, but Brutus declares them "friends," and Antony kills Cassius' thug who made an attempt on his life before departing.
Pullo finds Vorenus, who struggles to tell him of Niobe's death and his cursing of the children, and Pullo tends to his devastated friend. Servilia comes to Caesar's home, and Calpurnia spits in her face, knowing of her part in his death. Octavian updates Pullo, explaining how Servilia used the secret about Niobe's child to lure Vorenus away, and Pullo offers his services in avenging Caesar's death. Antony lounges in bed on the day of the funeral, while elsewhere Vorenus frets over his still-absent children and Pullo gently urges him to bury Niobe to appease the gods. She is cremated in a small, sad ceremony while Caesar is laid to rest in a much more lavish affair, with both Brutus and Antony giving speeches. Antony then urges Brutus to take the position of "grain monitor" as an excuse to flee Rome, announcing that Servilia will be his "guest" while the conspirators escape the angry mob. Elsewhere, Erastes grows angry when his men joke about Caesar's lurid funeral, declaring that decency must be upheld. Vorenus and Pullo track him down, however, having learned from Clarissa that he has the children, and slaughter all of his men. Caught, Erastes mockingly states that he murdered the children as revenge for Vorenus' "many slights," and Vorenus, enraged, beheads him.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: January 14, 2007 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:47
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91280
- GENRE: Drama, historical
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, historical
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 2005-2007
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Anne Thomopoulos … Executive Producer
- John Melfi … Executive Producer
- William J. MacDonald … Executive Producer, Created by
- John Milius … Executive Producer, Created by
- Bruno Heller … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Scott Buck … Co-Executive Producer
- Marco Valerio Pugini … Co-Executive Producer
- Jim Dyer … Co-Executive Producer
- Eugene Kelly … Co-Executive Producer
- Todd Ellis Kessler … Supervising Producer
- Todd London … Producer
- Mere Smith … Producer
- Eleanor Moran … Producer
- Robert Papazian … Co-Producer
- James Hirsch … Co-Producer
- Frank Yablans … Co-Producer
- Fabiomassimo Dell 'Orco … Co-Producer
- Jonathan Stamp … Co-Producer
- Grace Naughton … Associate Producer
- April Nocifora … Associate Producer
- Barrie Hemsley … VFX Executive Producer
- Anna Panton … VFX Producer
- Tim Van Patten … Director
- Jeff Beal … Music by
- Kevin McKidd … Cast, Lucius Vorenus
- Ray Stevenson … Cast, Titus Pullo
- Polly Walker … Cast, Atia of the Julii
- Lindsay Duncan … Cast, Servilia of the Junii
- Tobias Menzies … Cast, Marcus Junius Brutus
- Kerry Condon … Cast, Octavia of the Julii
- Indira Varma … Cast, Niobe
- David Bamber … Cast, Marcus Tullius Cicero
- Haydn Gwynne … Cast, Calpurnia
- Guy Henry … Cast, Cassius
- Suzanne Bertish … Cast, Eleni
- Anna Francolini … Cast, Clarissa
- Chiara Mastalli … Cast, Eirene
- Lorcan Cranitch … Cast, Erastes Fulmen
- Esther Hall … Cast, Lyde
- Max Pirkis … Cast, Gaius Octavian
- Ian McNeice … Cast, Newsreader
- Rick Warden … Cast, Quintus Pompey
- Nicholas Woodeson … Cast, Posca
- Coral Amiga … Cast, Vorena the Elder
- Lee Boardman … Cast, Timon
- Ciaran Hinds … Cast, Gaius Julius Caesar
- James Purefoy … Cast, Mark Antony
- Manfredi Aliquo' … Cast, Castor
- Tim Barlow … Cast, Ancient Blind Oracle
- Lydia Biondi … Cast, Merula
- Alessio Cuna … Cast, Lucius
- Anna Fausta Primiano … Cast, Vorena the Younger
- Jay Simpson … Cast, Triolus
- Roberto Sgarbi … Cast, Horseman
- Dave Toole … Cast, Man with no legs