"Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" on Starz -- Finale Tonight!

If you've been thrilling to the exciting and often erotic exploits on Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, the Starz Original Production, then you know the six-episode run of this sequel to the first series is finishing up tonight. By Jupiter's...uh, we try not to use that kind of language on The Nose, but gosh -- we're going to miss this series!

We don't want to give away anything, so if you haven't yet caught Spartacus fever, maybe hold off, watch the preceding five episodes, and then do tonight's finale. It's definitely possible to watch the episodes of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena without knowing about the original Spartacus: Blood and Sand, whose twelve episodes are by now legend among fans of the series. (Of course, you've got to watch those, too, as soon as possible!).

Here's a little intro to tonight's festivities by series/producer Stephen S. DeKnight:



And here's the official trailer to "The Bitter End" --

I haven't yet had a chance to give this newest gladiator saga its proper due here, but I will say that I believe it lies on that gloriously bloody and bawdy continuum of TV sagas about The Roman Empire which begins with I, Claudius, claws its way through HBO's Rome, and now culimates in the deliriously entertaining Spartacus. More on this soon!

All Hail the Finale of Spartacus! Tonight beginning at 10pm, on Starz!

Update, Feb. 28: Whew! Quite a show! Spartacus fans will be very interested in this Steven S. DeKnight interview by James Hibberd of Entertainment Weekly, focusing on the finale and the future of the series.

Allan Pinkerton, Anyone? Okay, then how about Gerard Butler?

If you're an American history buff and/or a fan of dashing actor Gerard Butler, you will like this news from Starz -- they're developing a series with him! Check out the link below for all the details!

Starz Develops Allan Pinkerton Limited Series With Bob Cochran & Gerard Butler

This is great news for those of us who love historical TV focusing on the mid-19th Century, one of the most explosive times in America! As a Lincoln buff of course I love that Pinkerton cut his teeth working with the our greatest Prez. (That's Pinkerton on the left with Abe!)

Can you imagine Gerard Butler as Allan Pinkerton in those cool period clothes, if he stars in it? Oooo la la! And if he doesn't star in it, I don't think they should do it. You will need a star of his caliber and charisma to pull this off -- i.e. get viewers to watch -- and we sure hope that Starz can make this happen!

We were also pleased to hear earlier this month about a possible redo of The Wild Wild West, too. That's kind of like Allan Pinkerton meets Steampunk, so it's a must on several levels!

Starz must be reeling from the unfortunate situation with its very successful Spartacus series, whose star Andy Whitfield recently had to drop out of the show due to a return of his cancer. The network knows how to put together exciting TV -- and also unfortunately how to cancel spunky little comedies like Party On -- but let's hope this one comes together!

Starz Brings Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" to TV Beginning Tonight

If I had a dollar for everytime somebody asked me if I'd read the book, and then insisted I should because I hadn't -- well, I'd be several dollars richer, that's for sure. Starz, and producers Tony and Ridley Scott, take on the enormous task of bringing Follett's enormous novel to the small screen. Headlined by actors Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland and Rufus Sewell, and also featuring many other capable internationally-known thespians in the huge cast, Pillars of the Earth aims to bring back the Middle Ages like they've never been brought back before.



Is this a series or a miniseries? Eight hours long, it's somewhere between the two, and will be unleashed in hour episodes every Friday night beginning tonight at 10pm. We'd recommend catching it either on-air, On Demand or on the Starz website -- two episodes are up there now -- if for no other reason than to honor your high school European History teacher for all their hard and possibly futile work trying to cram this era into your brain.

In a TV world where viewers are grooving like crazy on the getting-to-be-bit-much antics of HBO's TrueBlood and the vampire and werewolf denizens therein, surely there must be a few hours of our time available for something that's at least based in real historical fact.

I'm not guaranteeing I won't fall asleep watching it -- which might make the computer the best choice for me, say -- but if you've got a hankering for a juicy Medieval soap opera, it looks like Pillars of the Earth is a solid choice. Will it be as steamy as Starz' Spartacus, and equally as bloody? We think it will have to be to hold viewers, and at least the network can trot out the "historically accurate" defense if the TV do-gooders ever squawk.

Check out the Starz website for Pillars of the Earth for more information and all things behind-the-scenes.

(For an actual review of the series, you might like to read this from the L.A. Times, and it's always great to read one from the trades, like this one from The Hollywood Reporter.)

Would I really rather be watching another season of Starz' cancelled comedy Party Down instead of Pillars of the Earth?

Yeah, I would. But that's another story.

Starz Network's "Party Down" Back for Season Two Tonight!

The very amusing, amazingly dry, and frequently profane half-hour comedy Party Down returns for its Season 2 opening episode tonight at 10pm on Starz. If you haven't caught up with this one -- and that's certainly possible, I'm a relative latecomer to its delights, too -- you ought to give it a try. A cadre of talented performers really brings this one to life, so much so that some of the players are getting poached by other series, namely Jane Lynch, who's very much a part of the super-success of Glee these days and so isn't back with Party Down this time around. (Read this recent article from The Hollywood Reporter on the show's success for more info about this situation.)

Party Down's premise is simple -- it's all about the folks who work for a Hollywood-based catering service, and their dissatisfaction with their day jobs versus their dream gigs in the entertainment industry. You've got underemployed actors and frustrated writers with plenty of attitude, but you'll end up (mostly) sympathizing with them. Not that it's important that you do, but I'm not sure I want to watch a show with nothing but snarky assholes -- or maybe you're okay with that -- and a few positive vibes are not an unwelcome note in the show. I like that Adam Scott (the depressed sexually unresponsive architect from HBO's Tell Me You Love Me) and the wonderful Lizzy Caplan (above left, TrueBlood, Cloverfield) are sort of an item; they're cute and sexy together.



Not-so-successful talkshow host and Will & Grace veteran Megan Mullaly steps in to fill the departing Lynch's shoes as the one grown-up on the staff this time around, and she should be good. The rest of the excellent cast -- Ken Marino as Ron, the ex-manager who wants his old job back, Ryan Hansen as Kyle the handsome model/actor, and Martin Starr as Roman the scifi writer who's as bitter as they come -- is something to relish, and their chemistry together is what makes this show so appealing.

You might have to watch a few shows before you get caught by the charm of Party Down, and you can seek out episodes online or on the Starz website. A lot of people are saying that Party Down is the best comedy you're probably not watching, and it's true. It's not slick like Entourage with its ribald tales of Hollywood angst -- Party Down's posse is struggling and on the wannabe side of the street -- but they've got it all down where the laughs are concerned.

Visit the Starz Party Down website for more information and other goodies that will add to your appreciation of the show.

"Head Case" - Cable's Creative Psyche

20 years ago HBO and Showtime begin showing us we no longer needed to rely on the four major broadcast networks to satisfy the bulk of our entertainment needs.

For a few bucks a month, we could get perfect reception AND great programming by subscribing to cable.

Two years ago, AMC became the first non-premium cable channel to really give HBO & Showtime a run for its money with "Mad Men." Now comes Starz, a premium channel that's come up with what very well might be the best show that you're not watching. Unless you're like my partner and me - TV junkies who simply must have the entire premium cable package (sans sports & Spanish TV) to satisfy our TV needs.

"Head Case" is one of a growing list of shows that has you sitting there entirely uncomfortable, and sometimes with your jaw dropping in a combination of amazement and disgust (see The Office, Parks & Recreation, The Comeback). I admit, these shows can be like a hang nail. They can hurt, but you just can't stop pulling at it. That's why I'm not sure I even love "Head Case," and yet I cannot stop watching it.

Alexandra Wentworth (pictured above) and Steve Landesberg star as Los Angeles psychologists who share a "practice to the stars." You guessed it; that means a parade of celebrity guest stars playing themselves. Sometimes they poke fun at themselves, but most of the the time they play it straight and let Wentworth's character go off on a tangent of delusional hilarity, supporting the notion that some of the craziest people in the world are the not the patients, but rather the shrinks.

"Head Case" has something else going for it. The show relies heavily on improvisation. I believe it's scripted, but the actors frequently get into character on ad lib riffs, rather than executing lines. This gives the show the feel of a Christopher Guest movie such as "Best In Show" or "For Your Consideration."

Celebrity guest stars playing themesleves have included Rosanna Arquette, Andy Dick, Lea Thompson, Richard Kind, James Denton, David Alan Grier, Christopher Lloyd, Jonathan Silverman, Cindy Margolis and Jeff Goldblum, Tori Spelling, and Hugh Hefner... and a whole lot more.

"Head Case" premieres new episodes Wednesdays' at 10pm on Starz, with repeats throughout the week. Check your local cable or satellite provider for On Demand episodes. Below are two clips - one with guest star Geri Halliwell and another with one of Wentworth's tour de force scenes.

Head Case official site