Can Spartacus Live Up to the Name? Interview with Creator, Steven DeKnight

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by NuyoRiquena on 01.22.10

Compare it to Rome and 300 others like it – no problem, those are compliments but, mark my words, Spartacus: Blood and Sand will make a name for itself. Well, with a name like Spartacus, there is a lot to live up to and they exceed expectations. Just ask the executives at Starz who have already announced their approval of a second season. For those who missed the revelation in the previous statement…the first season hasn’t premiered yet. Confident? Definitely. But the Spartacus creative team delivered. Not unlike Mike Tyson in his prime, they come out of the corner and knock you out in the first rounds.

Even writers, journalists, or interviewers, who are supposed to remain somewhat objective and professionalism, have favorites. We are fans too. I can honestly say I was fangirl geeked when I was asked to interview Steven S. DeKnight – I promise, I kept my cool. Steven DeKnight is one of the powerhouses of Spartacus, and while he is down-to-earth and humble, he is credited as creator, executive producer, and writer; and that is just in the first few episodes (he directs one of the later episodes as well). I guarantee I am not the only fan as DeKnight has been a part of some very successful and popular series in the past. Ever heard of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville or Dollhouse? Thought so. The über success has not gone to his head, either that or he could also have a successful career as an actor. When I mentioned the creator title, he was quick to say it was simply a technicality and gave a great deal of credit to his extraordinary team telling me, “they really are great to work with and they know what they are doing.” He is of course speaking about the venerable Rob Tapert, Joshua Donen and Sam Raimi. Perhaps you’ve heard of them too? Even Joseph LoDuca is a part of this team. “They have definitely found a formula that works but you always want to find ways to push it further,” states DeKnight. Oh, and push they have!

***SPOILER ALERT***

Though a bit cliché, after the first episode you may find the need to rename it Spartacus: Blood and Sex. Gratuitous is understatement and yet, it worked. Enter the comparisons to 300 and Rome, among others. I went straight for the jugular (or so I thought) and asked DeKnight what he thought of the associations so early in the game. They seem to be taking it all in stride but don’t misunderstand, “We are not trying to copy what has been done but we are using the technology to create the look and feel we want,” DeKnight clarified for me. The look of a graphic novel because, like us, they are fans.

“I am a big fan of Zach Snyder and his work [on 300] advanced filmmaking as did George Lucas with Star Wars and the Wachowski Brothers with The Matrix.”

Episode 101, “The Red Serpent” starts off with a big splash – or several rather. The first episode in a series, typically a pilot, is usually your introduction, a little taste of what to expect. This episode definitely introduces a bevy of juicy characters but also the special effects, cinematography, costuming and more but there is nothing little about the opener. Since there was no need for a pilot (Starz approved the first season without one), they start by putting all the cards on the table and then as the series progresses being a bit more discretionary. A bit risky but high risk can yield high reward. There is no hesitation in introducing the very powerful and intense love between Spartacus and his wife, Sura, portrayed by the beautiful Erin Cummings. Intense being an understatement when you get about half way through and become oddly aroused by the passion you witness. It becomes clear his love for drives him. The fighting scenes are complete with incredible amounts of blood, well-timed slow motion effects and extremely violent deaths.

Episode 101, “The Red Serpent” starts off with a big splash – or several rather. The first episode in a series, typically a pilot, is usually your introduction, a little taste of what to expect. This episode definitely introduces a bevy of juicy characters but also the special effects, cinematography, costuming and more but there is nothing little about the opener. Since there was no need for a pilot (Starz approved the first season without one), they start by putting all the cards on the table and then as the series progresses being a bit more discretionary. A bit risky but high risk can yield high reward. There is no hesitation in introducing the very powerful and intense love between Spartacus and his wife, Sura, portrayed by the beautiful Erin Cummings. Intense being an understatement when you get about half way through and become oddly aroused by the passion you witness. It becomes clear his love for drives him. The fighting scenes are complete with incredible amounts of blood, well-timed slow motion effects and extremely violent deaths.

All that aside, the dialogue has wit and bite. Most would agree Spartacus is a great story, but even great stories can be told badly. There is one scene in particular where there is a glimpse of the Roman politics we can only to see more of in the series as various businessmen and aristocrats attempt to schmooze Senator Albinius by showing off their wares. (Enter the gladiators!) In this scene the quick witted exchanges between Lucretia (played by the amazing Lucy Lawless), her husband Batiatus (another great - John Hannah) and Solonius (Craig Walsh Wrightson). Here is just a small example of what I mean:

The only thing I remain curious about, and this is with many shows not just Spartacus, is the British accents. I personally find the accents sexy however, weren’t Romans Italian? Given that Rome damn near owned everything for over a thousand years I would think everyone would sound more Italian. Could the accents have changed that much? Curious. Moving on…

There is a great deal of nudity from everyone, partial and not-so-partial. Gratefully, it means Manu Bennett, who plays resident badass Crixus, shows off his anatomically correct physique. He obviously took Gladiator Camp seriously. Yes, Gladiator Camp. Prior to filming they were required to go through rigorous training to get in tip-top shape for filming. Andy Whitfield (Spartacus) isn’t half bad either. The official gladiator workout has been made available to everyone by Men’s Health via iTunes, just in case you are so inclined to give it a shot after seeing the chiseled specimens. Equally impressive is Erin Cummings who showed up for camp as well.

History fanatics will probably catch a few small points of contention here and there but DeKnight defends those decisions stating while “drama trumps history” they still try to remain as close to historical facts as possible. (Author’s note: We do realize it is set circa 71 B.C. right? Does anyone really know exactly what happened? Really?) Some characters have to be created to build a robust story. For example, Lucretia in Spartacus is fictional. There was a historical Roman woman with this name but as DeKnight points out, there were fewer names back then and they wanted genuine names. [Wikipedia incorrectly links “Lucretia” to the historical figure from 508 B.C. Oops.] Each chapter plays out like a mini movie and it is difficult to be angry with the aesthetic choices made because, point blank, they work. There is even mention of well known historical figures who have yet to be introduced, leaving the door open for more storylines.

“We tried to be as achronistic as possible by peppering in historical fact but we aren’t filming a documentary.”

DeKnight told me, “Rob [Tapert] is one of the best producing partners” and gave the entire team huge props for what they have accomplished. Whatever is they are doing, it is working beautifully. After seeing several episodes, it is no wonder Starz chose to renew the series for a second season. Smart choices were made across the board. Though filming in New Zealand, they made the conscious choice to film almost entirely with green screen and sets as opposed to using the landscape. Those choices make a tremendous difference in the shows final presentation.

So how does DeKnight feel about heading into the second season prior to the premiere of the first episode? He couldn’t be happier. “Starz has given us a vast amount of support,” DeKnight says of the network who is convinced they have something special. Season two is already in preproduction and running very smooth. In season one they were able to take everything they’d learned from previous series and push the envelope with a more adult serious. In season two, they have already added the lessons learned from the first season and hints of a “paradigm shift.”

Currently Spartacus: Blood and Sand is taking much of DeKnight’s time as he has stacked his many hats but he has not stopped looking ahead. He still wants to add more issues to the comic series (there is an accompanying motion comic which presents added depth to some of the minor characters), he has some more ideas up his sleeve for future projects and wants to delve into the world of children’s books.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a must see for anyone who likes to be entertained with a great story, amazing acting, precision directing and visually stylized and stunning cinematography and special effects.

If you already subscribe to Starz, the first episode is already available on-demand. If you don’t yet, tempt your optical palette with the first episode on Starz.com/Spartacus or on Fancast.com

You can cyber-stalk Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Facebook and Twiiter