"'Rome' if you want to. 'Rome' around the world..."

I got a chance to catch up with HBO's "Rome" finally.

I guess the overall consensus is correct: This ain't no "'Deadwood' in togas".

The characters are getting a little more familiar and have, in some cases, developed a little more depth. And the attention to detail is still quite sufficient for someone like me who is only somewhat aquainted with that period in history. Supposedly the timelines are totally compressed, and some of the classic quotes of the period have been totally eliminated, but in terms of the look and feel and "place", I think it's doing pretty well.

Still, it's nothing particularly stellar. For those without HBO, I'd recommend renting the discs when it comes out if on DVD you're interested in the historical aspects of it, but unless it really shapes up over the rest of the season, I don't expect there'll be any other reason to bother. At any rate, it fills the time until someday we can have more "Deadwood" episodes. Sans toga.