The premise for the 3rd season is unfortunately disappointing. (In some regards, not all.) I was skeptical of how this season would play out when it was made known that it would only consist of 10 episodes. It seemed an impractical task of not only portraying the entire 3rd servile War within one season, but fitting it into 10 episodes seemed silly. So, the writers chose to skip ahead to the closing months of the war. I was looking forward to seeing the growth of the rebel army and the major battles that History can surely boast. However when the audience is brought in, it is long after Spartacus' documented victories have taken place (which are mentioned once in a short collage of flashbacks) and the rebel army is already in the hundreds of thousands. (As an audience member, it would have been nice to see the story expanded beginning at the end of season 2 and progressing into what could have been a 2-3 year war and 2 more seasons to the Spartacus franchise.) Liam McIntyre has definitely fully settled into the role. I was pleased with his introductory performance but his portrayal is even more solidified; he owns this role. (Bravo, Liam) The simple, stylized and slow motion fighting has become repetitive. It seems as though production put the least amount of time into new choreography as they did in costumes, set, dialog, story, etc. The most impressive fight seen, took place between Spartacus, Cossinus and Furius. Spartacus engaged the two in combat alone, which gives us a hint of nostalgia for his Gladiators days fighting in Dimachaerus. (which we rarely see him do anymore) The dialog that he shared with the two men before decapitating them also takes us back to the Spartacus of season 1; why he would never trust Romans.
The most refreshing aspect of the new season is the introduction of our villain, Marcus Crassus. Though his name has been only mentioned in previous seasons, we finally get to put a face to his name. And instead of a rich and snobbish tyrant, we meet a respectable realist who just so happens to be the most brilliant business man in Rome. Crassus carries himself in a way that demands respect (from the audience) and treats those around him differently than most Roman men of "proper breeding." Particularly, his slaves. Though he utilizes them by their title of slaves, he shows them respect and sees that even they have lessons for those "above" them. We first meet Crassus as he is training with a former Gladiatorial Champion. Crassus is convinced of truly "knowing his enemy" before engaging him on the battlefield. As a strategist, he knows Spartacus to be very formidable and openly acknowledges such. His machinations throughout the episode prove him to be more than a match in such regard, with the only obstacle remaining to be his own fighting skills. He gives his Champion an ultimatum during training and turns the session into a fight to the death, which he earnedly wins. Unlike Battiatus who easily discards his slaves (even his Champions), Crassus embraces the man in his dying breaths and tells him that he shall spend a fortune to erect a monument to his memory. How can you possibly hate a guy like that?! The writers have given us who know the Spartacus history, the face of his ultimate adversary... AND HE'S Likable!!! Personally, after watching Crassus I began to wonder what Spartacus' life would have been if Crassus had been his Dominus, instead of Battiatus...
Despite what this season lacks, the show remains very well done; the writing is still good, fresh good actors and some essence of the previous seasons. (Which alone, makes it one of the few television shows worth watching nowadays)
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