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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Other Topics  |  Television  |  OK, History Buffs - ROME or THE TUDORS?? « previous next »
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Author Topic: OK, History Buffs - ROME or THE TUDORS??  (Read 5877 times)
indianasmith
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« on: July 10, 2008, 10:13:30 AM »

I just finished watching the season 1 DVD collection of Showtime's THE TUDORS. (For the record, I am too cheap to spring for Showtime, HBO, or any of the premium movie channels, so I have to wait for the series I like to come out on video.)  Earlier this year I bought and watched both seasons of HBO's ROME.  First off, let me say that I really LOVE both series.  As a historian, it warms my heart to see some of the great events of the past re-enacted in a way that involves audiences in them and gets people talking about events from 500 or even 2100 years ago.

But which series was better?  I've been thinking pretty hard about it as I finished up THE TUDORS, and thought I would share my conclusions and invite yours.

There is little doubt that THE TUDORS is far more historically accurate.  Other than slightly modernizing the dialogue, the series sticks to the narrative and at times repeats actual historical quotations word for word.  However, the historical record of Tudor times is much more complete and detailed than that of Julius and Octavian Caesar.  The downside is that, in part due to that careful attention to detail, the storyline drags a bit in places.  Of course, you have to remember that the "King's Great Matter", his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, dragged out for over six years in real life, versus a season and a half in the show.  I am anxiously awaiting the video release of Season 2.

ROME, on the other hand, does depart from the historical narrative somewhat; but that artistic license is understandable when you realize how sketchy the actual historical narrative from that time is.  I think the thing that really made ROME work as a series was the use of the two common soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo.  Both were actual characters, Roman soldiers cited for their bravery in Caesar's "Commentaries on the Gallic Wars," but the writers of the series actually made these two  the main characters and interwove their lives with those of Caesar, Octavian, and Mark Anthony in what remains one of the most compelling character studies I have ever seen.  By seeing the events through the eyes of Pullo and Vorenus, the audience was drawn in and made to feel like participants, and the chemistry between these two characters is incredible.

Both series were excellent, but in the end, I think THE TUDORS succeeds better as a work of history, while ROME is more entertaining as an adult-oriented TV series.  Of course, if frequent views of the female form in all its glory is a determining factor for you, everyone knows that the Romans wore far less clothes and came out of them more easily than the English women of the Renaissance.  But we are surely too mature and sophisticated to let such a sophomoric viewpoint color our choices, right? . . . .um, OK.

Any one else care to comment on these two remarkable series?
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AndyC
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« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2008, 12:11:33 PM »

Haven't seen Rome, but I just couldn't get into The Tudors. It seemed historically accurate as far as the order of events, the costumes, etc., but I just couldn't get past the modernness of the actors. It's kind of jarring to have a period piece with hairstyles, speech and so forth that aren't of the period. I liked the accuracy of the story, but it didn't feel accurate to me.
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indianasmith
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« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2008, 03:12:40 PM »

Do yourself a favor, rent the first DVD of ROME's first season.  You WILL be hooked!!
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« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2008, 06:00:26 PM »

Do yourself a favor, rent the first DVD of ROME's first season.  You WILL be hooked!!

Great. Just what I need. In the past two and a half years, I went from not really liking any current TV shows to somehow getting addicted to House, Lost, Smallville, American Idol, the new Doctor Who, Jericho while it was on and CSI. When May rolls around and they all go on hiatus, I run away from the TV in fear of seeing some summer replacement that looks good. So far, only Hell's Kitchen has managed to draw me in, and it just finished.

Either TV has gotten better or my standards have dropped.

But now you've got me curious about Rome. Curse you, Indianasmith!
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« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2008, 08:41:03 PM »

I watched a few episodes of the Tudors which perhaps wasn't enough to make a real opinion on the show.  Still, it didn't hook me like Rome did.  Then again Roman history has always facinated me.  I still say if that show would have continued, the best was yet to come with Emporers Tiberius and Caligula.  Damn you HBO...damn you to hell for cancelling it. 
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« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2008, 01:55:14 AM »

Count me as a Tudors fan. As the series has progressed, I have researched the real events being portrayed to see how accurately things have been recreated. My wife loves the show and after each episode she turns to me and asks, "is that really how it happened?" which is my cue to go research stuff again. I guess any show that can get me that interested in history and pouring through dusty old encyclopedias is a good thing. As indianasmith noted, things that transpired over many years in reality seem to unfold in a matter of weeks or months on the series, but they do try to show the passage of time, especially when we see Henry's daughter Mary go from a child in season one to a young adult by the end of season two. I just wish the third season would air before April 2009.

As for Rome, I never managed to see all of season one and missed all of season two, as we had dumped HBO by then. I'd like to get the DVD's, but damn, they are pricey!
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« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2008, 10:33:53 PM »

I have ROME and Veni, Vidi, Vici and enjoyed it.

Haven't seen the Tudors yet it's on the list to watch. I've never been a big Royals fan but I do enjoy the history of Elizabeth I and before. Modern Royals are just annoying and snobbish.
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Hammock Rider
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« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2008, 01:48:48 PM »

Spot on Cheeze, the old timey Royals had to earn their plunder and rapine and prima noctas and such. The modern royalty wouldn't last 10 minutes back in the good ol' days. Even when they go to war nowadays its all sound bites and photo ops.

Count me in the Rome column! (Rome:Column. Is that a joke?)
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« Reply #8 on: July 28, 2008, 04:06:23 PM »

Only seen the first few episodes of both series, but I would say that Rome was the better one.
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