Spartacus: House of Ashur – We saw the first episodes of the series, here is our opinion

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You may remember Spartacusthis 2010 series which went all out on sex and violence to deliver to its spectators a not-so-guilty pleasure against the backdrop of a gladiator arena and suffering under the Roman Empire.

15 years later, its universe is back in the form of a spin-off, Spartacus: House of Ashurwhich wonders what would have happened if the character of Ashur, played by Nick Tarabay, had survived the end of Spartacus and that the Romans had rewarded his betrayal by offering him the gladiator school where he once fought.

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This alternative story arrives on Ciné+ OCS, the offer of which is accessible in the Ciné Séries and La Totale packs of Canal+from December 6 with its first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Saturday.

The Digitals was able to see five of the ten episodes of the show, and here’s what we thought.

The history of the series

Freed from slavery, Ashur fought his way to power, possessing the same ludus he once belonged to. Yet leading gladiators is child’s play compared to the ruthless world of Roman politics, a game where betrayal is not a sin, but a bargaining chip.

Ashur will shake up tradition by introducing a new player into the arena: Achillia, a fierce and powerful gladiator, eager to leave her mark in a man’s world. Together, they create a new kind of spectacle that shocks, disturbs and offends the Roman elite with every drop of blood shed.

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Blood, sex and power

If the series Spartacus and its prequel, Spartacus: Gods of the Arenagave pride of place to sex and excessive blood to titillate the interest of its spectators, Spartacus: House of Ashur pushes the sliders even higher. So expect more kicks and smashed skulls in this new foray into the gladiator universe.

During its first few episodes, the series struggles a bit to find its rhythm, forced to establish this new reality in which Ashur has been rewarded by the Romans for killing Spartacus. It therefore takes time to acclimatize to the new characters and succeed in making spectators want to follow their adventures.

Allow about three episodes before the series takes off, but know that if you liked Spartacusyou will no doubt be greatly entertained by House of Ashur. The DNA of the original show is there and the series honors what preceded it.

It even raises interesting questions around independence and freedom, proving at times that its sole purpose is not to serve scenes of orgies and violence on a platter.

Not only does the series give a new chance to Ashur, who was at such a low point in Spartacus that he ended up beheaded by the Romans, but it also allows Nick Tarabay to show the full extent of his talent in the skin of a character on the path to glory.

He is surrounded by a rather convincing cast, especially Graham McTavish as Coach Korris, Claudia Black as the evil Cossutia and Tenika Davis as the gladiator Achillia. In the midst of sex and blood, the latter gives life to a character who could only have been a narrative tool but gradually reveals all of his potential.

In short, this first half of the season Spartacus: House of Ashur is rather promising, despite some delays at the start. We are curious to see where the rest of the series will take the story and how it will continue to address notions of class and power. It just goes to show that, beneath the exuberance of blood and sex completely assumed by the show, there is still a social commentary that is far from stupid.

Spartacus: House of Ashur starts on December 6 on OCS and Ciné+ OCS, and seasons 1 to 3 of Spartacus as well as the prequel Spartacus: Gods of the Arena are also available to Canal+ subscribers from this date.