[SPOILERS] The antepenultimate episode of this continually improving series offered another invigorating mix of bloodshed, betrayal and deception. I'm now fully acclimatized to Spartacus: Blood & Sand's gritty comic-book style, which helps excuse its inane or exploitative moments, because it's primarily a grandiose spectacle of male fantasy.I also think Daniel Knauf's the best writer on this show. "Old Wounds" was a measured and surprising episode from him, if guilty of using a cliché where a character (Andy Whitfield's Spartacus) was fed information via feverish dreams from a dead friend (Jai Courtney's Varro). Varro, whom Spartacus was forced to kill for the amusement of the Magistrate's spoilt son, has returned in reverie to implore that Spartacus "tend to the wound". But is the wound in question the open gash on Spartacus's side he received during his skirmish with Varro (which he's perhaps left untreated as penance), or something psychological regarding the death of his wife?
Spartacus's untreated injury got the better of him on the eve of an important primus in Pompeii, where he was expected to appear as the arena's main attraction. But with the Champion of Capua recuperating with the medicus, his predecessor Crixus (Manu Bennett) finally got a chance to recapture some of his lost glory in Spartacus's absence. Concurrently, Batiatus' (John Hannah) set his eye on teaching Magistrate Calavius (John Bach) a lesson after his political ambitions were insulted, kidnapping the old man and keeping him tied to a chair in the city sewers. Meanwhile, Batiatus' duplicitous aide Ashur (Nick Tarabay) had second thoughts about his master's latest plan for vengeance and power, letting slip the Magistrate's predicament to archrival Solonious (Craig Walsh Wrightson).
There's definitely been a shift in the second-half of this season, with less of each episode relying on gratuitous violence and sex to keep your attention. Helped by the simple fact we've simple had time to watch the characters grow and interact with each other, the past six episodes have managed to capitalize on this by pushing various relationships down fun (if not always unpredictable) avenues, and providing a level of intrigue that just wasn't there in the first clutch of episodes.
In particular, I've enjoyed the recent string of last-act twists the show's been delivering with greater skill, and "Old Wounds" was definitely the best yet; with Solonius expertly framed for the Magistrate's murder by competitor Batiatus, as we realize Ashur's treachery was just a ruse to earn Solonius' trust and have him be caught with the Magistrate's corpse holding the "murder weapon". A clever ending that worked its sleight of hand on me, perhaps because I still can't help underestimating Spartacus.
This episode was also about Spartacus rediscovering himself, prodded along by the dream advice of Varro and late-wife Sura (Erin Cummings), but also helped by kindly slave girl Mira (Katrina Law). It's been one of the show's certainties that Spartacus will learn it was Batiatus who had his wife murdered, but nevertheless the exact nature of the undoing was exciting to see. Spartacus realized the wound inflicted on his wife's coach driver Aulus (Mark Mitchinson) had vanished, then throttled Aulus into admitting his part in Batiatus' callous plan. The stage is set for Spartacus to get his vengeance, as he's retuned himself back to the rebellious Thracian he arrived as, with the final scene a particularly exciting visual of a smirking Spartacus assuring Batiatus of his return to health ("I am myself again") that we know carries a double-meaning.
Overall, "Old Wounds" continued the second-half turnaround of this show's quality. I can still understand and sympathize with viewers who can't get past its salty dialogue, soft core sex scenes, uberviolence, and smattering of stick-thin characters, but it's using blunt tools to carve something that's unashamedly satisfying and impenitent fun. With just two episodes left to go, I'm more psyched to see what the finale brings than I'd ever have believed when this show premiered.
Asides
- Geeky trivia: writer Daniel Knauf was showrunner of HBO's Carnivale, which guest-starred John Hannah in one episode.
- There seemed to be arterial sprays of a more practical nature throughout this episode, which was great to see. The digital blood has improved since the cartoonish opening hours, but you still can't beat seeing real claret squeezed through hidden pipes. My apologies if the blood is still CGI and I just couldn't tell the difference!
- I assume Batiatus will now become Numerius' (Lliam Powell) trusted friend and he'll use the boy to get himself a seat on the senate?
WRITER: Daniel Knauf
DIRECTOR: Glenn Standring
GUEST CAST: Peter Mensah, Manu Bennett, Nick Tarabay, Katrina Law, Jai Courtney, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Craig Walsh Wrightson, Lliam Powell, Craig Walsh Wrightson, Daniel Feuerriegel, Ande Cunningham, Brooke Williams, John Bach, Janine Burchett, Tim Foley, Mark Mitchinson, Philip Grieve, Siaosi Fonua, David Austin & Ioane King
TRANSMISSION: 3 August 2010 - BRAVO, 10PM
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