Rome - The Complete Second Season | 
 enlarge | Director: Various
Actors: James Purefoy, Kevin Mckidd, Ray Stevenson, Polly Walker, Lindsay Duncan
Studio: HBO Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.99
Buy New: $34.97
You Save: $25.02 (42%)
New (58) Used (19) Collectible (2) from $31.18
Avg. Customer Rating:  216 reviews
Sales Rank: 581
Format: Ac-3, Box Set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 5
Running Time: 600
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.8 x 1.7
MPN: HBOD93956D
UPC: 026359395628
EAN: 0026359395628
ASIN: B000PGTPH8
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: August 7, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Hbo Home Video Release Date: 05/06/2008
Amazon.com
Unlike another certain celebrated HBO series, Rome's end will satisfy those swept up in its lavishly mounted spectacle and invested in the human dramas of the historical figures and fictional characters. Season 2 begins in the wake of Julius Caesar's assassination, and charts the power struggle to fill his sandals between "vulgar beast" Mark Antony (James Purefoy) and "clever boy" Octavian (Simon Woods), who is surprisingly named Caesar's sole heir. The series' most compelling relationship is between fellow soldiers and unlikely friends, the honorable Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus "Violence is the only trade I know" Pullo (Ray Stevenson), who somewhat reverse roles when Vorenus is overcome with grief in the wake of his wife's suicide. Season 2 considerably ups the ante in the rivalry between Atia (an Emmy-worthy Polly Walker), who is Antony's mistress, and Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) with attempted poisonings and sickening torture. Another gripping subplot is Vorenus's estrangement from his children, who, at the climax of the season opener are presumed slaughtered, but whose true fate may be even more devastating to the father who cursed them. Rome's second season does not scrimp on the series' sex and violence, in both cases exceedingly brutal. But in this cauldron of treachery and betrayal, words, too, are vicious, as when a defiant Atia ominously tells Octavian's new wife, Livia, "Far better women that you have sworn to [destroy me]. Go look for them now." In writing Rome's epitaph, we come to praise this series, not to bury it. Although two seasons was not enough to establish a Rome empire, it stands as one of HBO's crowning achievements. --Donald Liebenson
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| Customer Reviews: Read 211 more reviews...
 Rome season 2 November 28, 2008
Beautifully done series, particularly in the depliction of Rome's grubbiness and violence. Wonderful details like the description of the Aventine gangs and the fight for the grain trade. Naturally some inaccuracies, though I disagree with some reviews about series Rome's Cleopatra-I found her intelligent and determined to whatever was necessary to hold on to power, much like the historical Cleo. I do wish they could've given Brutus and Cassius a longer Philippi but here's a Rome series that actually mentioned Hirtius and Pansa...You can't ask for too much. What a shame it wasn't extended, but Mr. Heller...There's always Byzantium waiting to be done right.
Love Rome/History/Drama November 14, 2008
I loved this series and I am disappointed that this series was cancelled. HOW SHOCKING THAT A SERIES LIKE SEX & THE CITY CAN STAY ON TELEVISION BUT NOT ROME.
Rich's Rome (2) Pruchase November 2, 2008
I received this purchase within 10 days. It is in excellent shape just as was advertised.
Rome - the Second Season October 9, 2008
The DVD appears to be exactly what I ordered,although because it will be a gift, it has not been unwrapped. I didn't receive the DVD until 22 days after I had ordered it, a delay which concerned me to the extent that I had to write a "Where is my order?" note.
They Came, They Saw, They Conquered... September 14, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Ah,it is with sweet sadness we view this sumptuous last season of Rome, the most lavishly produced and finely detailed series ever presented on TV. So much more story to tell that won't be, with a cast of historical and fictional characters in one of the most exciting and complex societies imaginable, full of intrigue, passion, violence, and humor. Like the Romans themselves the shows were chock-a-block with seeing, coming and conquering, and the delicious acting and witty scripts are to be savored. We could wish for more, but at least we have these.
The final season centers on the aftermath of Julius Caesar's assassination/murder and the struggle between Brutus, Marc Antony and Octavian within the power vacuum thus created. James Purefoy's Antony emerges here in all his marvelous contradictions: beloved and often brilliant soldier, careless and licentious hedonist, and finally debauched yet pitiful lover in doomed alliance with Cleopatra.
We also have the delicious final battle of wills and scheming between Atia and Sevilia, the rise of the precociously brilliant Octavian, adroit and ruthless, prudish and depraved. And we have the pursuit and destruction of Caesar's assassins culminating in the epic battle of Phillipa, and the redemptive and, in the end, nobel and courageous death of the tormented and conflicted Brutus.
All of the above is history as presented, again, from the perspective of the Mutt and Jeff of the Roman world, Vorenus and Pullo, the legionaire everymen that allow us to see the underside of Roman history where the common people lived real lives amidst the gutters and and gangsters, shopkeepers and slaves, brothels and bakeries. Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson are a marvelous duo as the prudish and sternly middle-class Vorenus and the lusty, devil-may-care, yet loyal and true Pullo.
I won't cite all the other actors but suffice it to say they are all splendid. The final season seems a bit rushed and crowded in the final episodes, no doubt because they knew of their cancellation and wanted to wrap up the series as best they could. I noted storylines that were ready for expansion, and it seemed obvious that the great drama of Antony and Cleopatra versus Ocatavian had to be truncated. While possibly a little too neat, at least they were allowed to bring the series to a finality (unlike the great Deadwood series, for example).
Yes, I am sure Rome was an expensive proposition for HBO to continue. And I guess it never found the vast audience needed to justify HBO's budget. But, oh, what a shame! Something this beautifully done deserved a better fate. At any rate, we have these DVD boxed sets, which, by the way, are the most handsomely produced and packaged sets I own. Well worth the purchase and viewing by anyone who loves quality.
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