BBC Troy

[KTravlos]

If you want a good interpretation of the Trojan War, I suggest Eric Shanower's "Age of Bronze" comic book series. Very good.

[mollinary]

Well, I watched the second episode last night.  Now, I should say have no problem with the ethnicity of the actors, with the horsetack in use, with the ships, helmets, shields, chariots or military tactics. I have only one problem with this show. How on earth have they made the rip roaring epic of the centuries, stories which have entranced mankind  for millennia, the perfect mix of sex, violence, and added deities, into something so incredibly, unbelievably DULL, DULL, DULL. It Is unremittingly BORING. I could not find a single character (and I use that word in a purely technical sense to describe an individual who figures in the show) that I empathised with sufficiently to care whether they lived or died. Having watched over two hours of this, I can now see clearly why Zeus was so determined to have no part in it. Iphigenia's  otherwise inexplicable keenness for her father to GET ON WITH IT and put her out of her misery is now crystal clear.

Oh Dear!  

[toxicpixie]

I haven't been able to bring myself to watch the second one. It's still dull as possible, eh...

[mollinary]

Yes it still as dull as possible. We have now been introduced to Achilles, a strong silent type trying hard to look..... hard. His one line (either "we'll be back", or "we'll return", I don't remember which) had none of the charisma or star quality of similar phrase uttered by Schwarzenegger and McArthur, and that is a sentence I never thought I would have a use for!

As the greatest warrior who ever lived, his part in the fighting seemed to involve riding out in a chariot trying - you guessed it- to look hard, and then, an eon later, walking back through the smoke(!) only to turn, absentmindedly, to throw a spear through the back of someone's head and out of his mouth. Having performed his feat, he turns round and wanders off again.

[fsn]

Just watching the second one now.

It's a bit better than the first episode, and the armours aren't the classic cuirass and Corinthian helm.

The fight is still of the charge into one to one fighting.

Can't be doing with Paris.

6/10.

May watch episode 3, but won't be bothered if I don't.  

[toxicpixie]

As I'd have to fight the missus for TV Space i really don't think I'm bothered enough to attempt episode 2

[Steve J]

Well I'm sure we'll watch it when there's now else on the telly. On the upside I've started reading Fagle's tranlsation of the Iliad, well the introduction at least, and am enjoying it immensely

[d_Guy]

Glad you like Fagles. I was told at some point that he is excellent at bringing the aliterations from the Greek to English, giving some small sense of the sound of the poem in recitation.

Mollinary, I believe you were once a theater critic for the times! 

[Steve J]

Hmmm, episode 2 very, very slow . Even SWMBO said it was dull and slow . Will give episode 3 a chance and if still the same, we may simply give up on the series.

[DanJ]

Well I'm sure we'll watch it when there's now else on the telly

iPlayer is your friend in this instance.

[Orcs]

Just watched episode two, and not particularly riveting. 

[Steeleye]

Episode One; Very slow.

Episode Two; Not as slow and slightly more interesting.

Episode Three: ?

I think Episode three will be the deal breaker...or not. I think it'll show where they intend to go with the rest of the series.

Also, is it me or does Troy appear a bit too BIG?

[DanJ]

After episode three I'm having huge problems working up enough enthusiasm for episode 4, how have the BBC managed to made it so dull?

[Techno]

Not seen any episodes, Dan, so I can't comment.

It sounds like the sort of prog that I'd have watched.....Thought I'd learned something 'proppa'....and then been terribly disappointed that I'd got most of the history completely wrong.

Cheers - Phil.

[toxicpixie]

It's like a bad mash up of "proppa historicals" and " proppa miffic", which has somehow taken all the excitement out and replaced it with, errr, dunno.

Watch "Britannia" instead, Zoe Wannamaker is proper mental, she's taken serious scenery chewing "ham and cheese" acting lessons from the Might Shatner