--- title: "Spartacus" year: 2010 kind: "series" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/spartacus-2010" fi1m_id: "spartacus-2010" imdb_id: "tt1442449" tmdb_id: 46296 wikidata_id: "Q1249642" fi1m_score: 63 critics_score: 51 critics_reviews: 6 published: "2026-09-23T11:28:04.826496+00:00" updated: "2026-09-23T11:28:05.340300+00:00" region: "CO" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Spartacus (2010) Created by Steven S. DeKnight · 53m · Drama ## Identity Spartacus - **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/spartacus-2010 - **Type:** Series - **Fi1m ID:** spartacus-2010 - **IMDb ID:** tt1442449 - **TMDB ID:** 46296 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1249642 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442449/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/46296, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1249642 **Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 51 from 6 reviews *In a sentence:* John Hannah makes owning people look more appalling than all the flying blood does > Strong performances and enjoyable scheming make *Spartacus* worth considering for devotees of lurid historical drama. Repetitive violence and thin plotting mean the blood is often doing work the writing should have done. ## Synopsis In ancient Rome, Spartacus (Andy Whitfield) wants his freedom. Batiatus (John Hannah) and Lucretia (Lucy Lawless), the owners whose schemes surround him, have their own interests to protect. Fighting brings physical danger, while their manoeuvring makes survival depend on more than strength. Sex and violence are routine parts of this society, where the people who own others determine how those bodies are used. Spartacus has to contend with those who claim authority over his life as he struggles against a system that treats human beings as property. ## Review *Spartacus* is decent, unruly television for viewers prepared to tolerate repetitive graphic violence for the sake of some strong performances. Created by Steven S. DeKnight, it takes the brutality of ancient Rome as permission to be noisy, lewd and determinedly unsubtle. We have no objection to that approach: a drama about people owning other people has good reason to be unpleasant. The problem is how often another bout of excess has to cover for a story that has barely advanced. Andy Whitfield gives Spartacus enough conviction to keep the central struggle for freedom from disappearing beneath the blood. He has the presence this material needs, even when the dialogue gives him little help. John Hannah as Batiatus and Lucy Lawless as Lucretia are more entertaining, largely because scheming gives them something to play beyond determination. Their owners make the business of controlling other lives unpleasantly enjoyable to watch. We wanted more time with these two whenever the series returned to another demonstration of how graphically it could injure someone. The fights have a peculiar problem: the more insistently the slow motion asks us to inspect the violence, the less convincing the wounds become. We laughed at the bloodshed because its cartoonish exaggeration makes the effort to shock so obvious. There is pleasure in that ridiculousness, and the programme sometimes seems quite willing to share it. As the fights accumulate, however, the emphasis on each impact becomes tiring, and the programme keeps using a device whose effects have already worn off. The artificial-looking settings are less of a problem in themselves. A Roman drama need not convince us that somebody has rebuilt Rome, and the enclosed spaces can suit a story dominated by owners and their schemes. What weakens the effect is the combination of that conspicuous unreality with violence so keen to impress us with its physical detail. Joseph LoDuca provides the music, but the accompaniment cannot supply the restraint the staging lacks. Too much of the presentation insists on attention at once. The writing is where patience becomes harder to justify. Thin individual stories are stretched around sex and injury, and too many characters remain simple enough to grasp before they have finished speaking. The series has a compelling subject in the fight for freedom, but it does not always find enough for its people to do between the displays of flesh. The sexual explicitness is not an objection in itself. It becomes one when another encounter delays rather than deepens our understanding of the people having it. Against the demands of a sword-and-sandals drama, *Spartacus* delivers force, appetite and enough forward movement to make another episode tempting. It is less reliable at giving the violence consequences we can feel, which matters in a story built around human suffering. The performances keep it watchable, particularly when John Hannah and Lucy Lawless are allowed to scheme, but they cannot make every delay worthwhile. Try it for those two if lurid historical television is already a pleasure; a low tolerance for slow-motion blood will not improve with practice. *Fi1m score 63, published 23 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews are evenly divided on Spartacus, with agreement about its excesses but little agreement about their value. Graphic violence, abundant sex and stylised action dominate the discussion. Admirers find an entertaining willingness to be ridiculous, while some reviews also credit the cast with giving the spectacle momentum. Praise for the performances centres on Andy Whitfield’s commanding lead and the scheming owners played by Lucy Lawless and John Hannah, though enthusiasm for the acting is not universal. Reservations cluster around thin plotting, weak dialogue and artificial-looking production, with detractors finding too little substance to sustain a series. The spread is wide: Variety dismisses the sex and slow-motion violence as unconvincing imitation, whereas Paste’s later assessment praises a forceful story of rebellion that survives its lead’s departure. The central disagreement is whether the excess supplies sufficient entertainment or merely pads out underwritten stories. ## Straight answers **Is Spartacus worth watching?** *Spartacus* is worth considering for devotees of lurid historical drama, though its strong performances and enjoyable scheming only take it to our score of 63. We find John Hannah and Lucy Lawless particularly watchable, but thin plotting, repetitive graphic violence and sexual encounters that delay the story make it harder to recommend beyond that audience. **How long is Spartacus, and what is it rated?** *Spartacus* has episodes of about 53m. It is a drama series. **Where can I watch Spartacus in Colombia?** *Spartacus* is streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV in Colombia. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Spartacus, and is it suitable for children?** *Spartacus* carries a UK 18 certificate and is unsuitable for children, with repetitive graphic violence and sexual explicitness making it adult viewing. We find the exaggerated slow-motion bloodshed more cartoonish than frightening, but its frequency makes this a poor choice for the squeamish; the treatment of human beings as property adds another source of unpleasantness. **How does Spartacus compare to I, Claudius?** *Spartacus* offers more graphic spectacle, but we recommend [*I, Claudius*](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius) more confidently for its writing, acting and disturbing Roman family politics. Both have conspicuously artificial settings; *Spartacus* leans on sex and slow-motion injury, while *I, Claudius* makes cruelty felt through wit and conversation, making it the better choice if the scheming interests you more than the fighting. **What should I watch after Spartacus?** After *Spartacus*, try [*I, Claudius*](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius) (1976, Fi1m 90): For those who prefer their Roman viciousness delivered through conversation. Then [*Gladiator*](https://film.one/film/gladiator) (2000, Fi1m 84): Arena spectacle with a steadier emotional centre and less gleeful excess; and [*Ran*](https://film.one/film/ran) (1985, Fi1m 92): Warring rulers and family betrayals, with violence that carries punishing weight. ### Reviews we read (6) - **Empire**, Danny Graydon (70/100, inferred): The series trades gravitas for breasts and loose historical accuracy, delivering 300-style violence mixed with aerobic sex. Andy Whitfield commands as Spartacus but is upstaged by Lucy Lawless and John Hannah as scheming owners; it is a guilty pleasure. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/spartacus-blood-sand-review/) - **The Guardian**, John Crace (60/100, inferred): The review finds the series' extreme sex and violence surprisingly jolly and entertaining in a trashy, computer-game-like way despite thin plotting and weak dialogue. It singles out the cartoonish gore, over-the-top sex scenes and self-aware comedy for note while dismissing the cast and story. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/may/26/spartacus-blood-and-sand-review) - **The AV Club**, Emily St. James (C): The critic finds the pilot overly focused on gratuitous sex and violence in a low-budget style reminiscent of 300, making it feel like it was designed for teenage boys. While acknowledging some compelling momentum and strong performances from the cast, the review notes it fails to fully deliver on its ambitions and is not broadly recommendable. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/spartacus-the-red-serpent-1798164223) - **The Hollywood Reporter** (30/100, inferred): The review faults the series for padding thin, episodic stories with excessive sex and graphic violence, resulting in two-dimensional characters and an artificial, soundstage-bound production that works better as a film than an ongoing TV series. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/spartacus-blood-and-sand-tv-29115/) - **Variety**, Brian Lowry (20/100, inferred): The critic dismisses the series as a weak, laughable imitation of '300' and 'Gladiator' that fails to capture the spirit of its namesake, relying on graphic but unconvincing sex and slow-motion violence amid thin plotting and cheap-looking production values. [Read](https://variety.com/2010/tv/reviews/spartacus-blood-and-sand-1117941898/) - **Paste**, Katy Kostakis (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the Starz series for successfully continuing after its lead's departure and delivering a powerful story of rebellion and retribution. The graphic violence, nudity, and salty dialogue are singled out as capturing the hedonism and brutality of ancient Rome while highlighting the characters' fight for freedom. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/spartacus/spartacus-streaming-legacy) ## Details - **Created by:** Steven S. DeKnight - **Creator:** Steven S. DeKnight - **Director:** Jesse Warn, Michael Hurst, Rick Jacobson, T.J. Scott, Mark Beesley, Chris Martin-Jones, Rowan Woods, Glenn Standring, Brendan Maher, John Fawcett, Steven S. DeKnight, Grady Hall - **Writer:** Allison Miller, Seamus Kevin Fahey, Miranda Kwok, Tracy Bellomo, Steven S. DeKnight, Brent Fletcher, Aaron Helbing, Todd Helbing, Jed Whedon, Daniel Knauf, Mark Leitner, Misha Green, Andrew Chambliss, Jeffrey Bell, David Kob - **Music:** Joseph LoDuca - **Producer:** Chloe Smith, Charles Knight, Aaron Lam - **Cast:** Andy Whitfield as Spartacus; Liam McIntyre as Spartacus; John Hannah as Batiatus; Manu Bennett as Crixus; Dustin Clare as Gannicus; Lucy Lawless as Lucretia; Erin Cummings as Sura; Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Naevia - **Runtime:** 53m - **Release (Colombia):** 22 January 2010 - **Genres:** Drama - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHxn8mTpAJU ## Where to watch in Colombia - Netflix: streaming - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - Apple TV: add-on, hd *Checked 2026-09-23.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Rome* (2005): Roman power games with more patience for politics and complicated loyalties. - *I, Claudius* (1976), Fi1m 90: For those who prefer their Roman viciousness delivered through conversation. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/i-claudius.md) - *Gladiator* (2000), Fi1m 84: Arena spectacle with a steadier emotional centre and less gleeful excess. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/gladiator.md) - *Ran* (1985), Fi1m 92: Warring rulers and family betrayals, with violence that carries punishing weight. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ran.md) - *Queen Margot* (1994): Sex, power and religious bloodshed in a court crowded with enemies. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/spartacus-2010