Those About to Die is a new show on Peacock which tells the story of gladiators, corrupted politics and people of power in Ancient Rome. It is set to premiere on the streaming service this Thursday, and it is already a highly anticipated epic drama series.
Directed by Roland Emmerich and Marco Kreuzpaintner, Those About to Die is based on Daniel Mannix’s non-fiction book. The series delves into the blood-soaked spectacles that entertained the masses and maintained political control in Rome.
Plot and themes of Those about to Die
The series is set during the rule of the Roman Empire, somewhere around the year 70 AD. It is inspired by Daniel Mannix’s renowned non-fiction work. The current ruler of Rome is Vitellius (Anthony Hopkins). Many of the characters in the show are based on the real-life people. Vitellius was known for bringing the stability to Rome after years of civil unrest due to the death of Nero.
Vitellius has two sons, Titus Flavianus (Tom Hughes) & Domitian (Jojo Macari). The relation between them is tight, but during the first episodes, it gets weakened. They are brothers with two different ideologies about how to live a life, and what their main purpose in it is. Even though they’re an illustrious family who pulls many strings in the city and in the fighting arena, none of them are fully happy. At the helm is Emperor Vespasian, then next in line is his eldest son Titus.
The other part of the plot of this series is focused on Cala (Sara Martins), a determined mother from Africa, who arrives in Rome on a mission to free her enslaved children, Kwame (Moe Hashim), Aura (Kyshan Wilson), and Jula (Alicia Edogamhe).
Kwame, is a skilled lion tracker, forced into the brutal life of a gladiator because he wanted to save his sisters. He faces the moral dilemma of surviving and sacrificing people, due to the situation he is in. Cala’s quest for justice and family reunification is shown through the narrative, highlighting her resilience and sacrifice. Everything to bring her family back together and fight against the backdrop of a society defined by the corrupted society of rich people.
Another important character is Tenax (Iwan Rheon). Tenax is a street-smart survivor turned underworld kingpin. He oversees the gambling operations tied to the city’s grand games. He fixes races, fights, and everything he can, just to make more money. His ruthless ambition and experience make him a formidable presence amidst the chaos of Roman politics and entertainment. Especially when we learn how important he is in the grand scheme of things.
As the series unfolds, we can feel the immersion in this world. I love history, historical events etc. After watching this series, I was able to say to myself that I really felt that Ancient Rome, its history and other significant moments from the past are presented to the viewers in a remarkable way. Besides watching the corruption of the ruling class, we can see the diversity between the palaces of the elite and the back alleys where the poor live.
Each episode deepens the intrigue, explores themes of ambition, loyalty, and the precarious balance between glory and tragedy in a city where life and death are often decided by the roar of the crowd. Ancient Rome was a place where everything could happen, no matter when or where you went. It was a city of corruption, aggression, and apathy. That’s precisely what we see in this show.
Anthony Hopkins and other cast and characters in Those About to Die
At the helm of the series and its promotion is Academy Award-winning actor Anthony Hopkins who portrays Emperor Vespasian. He captures perfectly the old ruler of Rome, who with his commanding authority and strategic insight knows how to control people. Vespasian, in history, was the patriarch of the Flavian dynasty who navigated the Roman politics while managing his ambitious sons, Titus and Domitian, both hungry for power and recognition in their own right.
Emperor Vespasian (69–79 AD) ascended to power amidst the aftermath of civil war, establishing the Flavian dynasty. His reign began with tax reforms to stabilize the empire’s finances. Vespasian faced challenges including unrest in Egypt and Judea’s rebellion, which were visibly culminating in the destruction of the Jewish Temple. He solidified power through propaganda and construction projects, including the Colosseum, funded by spoils from Jerusalem. He was just buying people’s votes with money and entertainment.
Titus and Domitian are two different people. One of them is a seasoned military commander torn between loyalty to his father and his own aspirations for imperial rule. While the other one is a cunning and maliputative person and the master of mind games. They are both the mirror reflections of each other. If one is good at anything, then the other one is bad at it, etc. It’s more visible later in the season, when we see how their relationship is going into different directions.
My favorite character from this show is Tenax, played by Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones). As I mentioned earlier, he is a self-made crime lord who rose from the streets of Rome to control the city’s underground gambling operations. Rheon really brings depth and complexity to Tenax, portraying him as a cunning and ambitious figure willing to manipulate and scheme to achieve his goals. His portrayal makes it easy to believe how corrupted and clever Tenax is. His journey in this season is a true testament to survival in a world defined by its extremes of wealth and poverty.
The characters of Those About to Die are very well-written. Even though there are some who could have been written better, they are still giving us a decent portrayal and a characterization of each person.
Production and direction of this new Peacock series
Those About To Die had a budget of $140 million for the whole 10 episodes, and you can see that the production has spared no expense in bringing ancient Rome to life, shooting extensively at Rome’s iconic Cinecittà Studios. Roland Emmerich is very well-known for his mastery in creating large-scale spectacles. Even though he had some good and bad projects in his filmography, this is definitely one of the best.
Leading the creative vision is Robert Rodat, an Academy Award-nominated writer famed for Saving Private Ryan. Rodat’s narrative goes deep into the exploration of political machinations and human drama of ancient Rome. By doing so, he ensures the viewers how important and pivotal was this era in human history.
The series’ production design transports viewers to ancient Rome with a fantastic attention to detail. Sets and locations, from Rome’s bustling streets to the majestic Colosseum or even the Vespasian’s palace, are crafted to immerse audiences in the opulence and harsh realities of Roman society. The visual effects are not top-shelf, but they enhance the series with breathtaking recreations of gladiatorial battles, chariot races, wild animals and expansive cityscapes.
Conclusions on Peacock’s Those About to Die
Before I had the chance to watch this series, I was really excited about it because of my love of history (especially ancient civilizations). I really liked the idea of showing to viewers the era of Rome, post-Nero, where chaos and misery were flooding the streets of Rome. Thanks to the amazingly edited trailer, my hype was heightened. And of course, I love Anthony Hopkins. That was another strong reason for me to watch it.
Ultimately, I wasn’t disappointed. The series is balanced in its quality through the whole season. There are moments that I didn’t like, some that I hated, but in the end, Those About to Die is a decent show. The cast and scenery are definitely the reasons why it works so well. There’s a space in each episode that allows us to take a breath between intense scenes of actions, and understand what happens.
In addition, the exploration of the darker aspects of Roman entertainment and politics, makes it much more enjoyable. Manipulation and corruption are part of this society, and no one wants to change that. Instead, they learn how to live with it, and navigate, to either become invisible or become rich.
Those About to Die starts streaming on Peacock July 18th. Let us know your thoughts on the new series on social media @mycosmiccircus!
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