Spartacus - Blood and Sand: Series 1/Spartacus - Gods of ...

Double bill of US TV dramas which follow life in and around the brutal environs of Ancient Rome's gladiatorial arenas. 'Spartacus - Blood and Sand: Series 1' (2010) follows Spartacus (Andy Whitfield), separated from the love of his life and forced into the bloody and merciless world of the gladiatorial arena.

Here he must learn to fight for survival in a treacherous world of politics, corruption, sex, fame, violence and death.

Episodes are: 'The Red Serpent', 'Sacramentum Gladiatorum', 'Legends', 'The Thing in the Pit', 'Shadow Games', 'Delicate Things', 'Great and Unfortunate Things', 'Mark of the Brotherhood', 'Whore', 'Party Favors', 'Old Wounds', 'Revelations' and 'Kill Them All'. 'Spartacus - Gods of the Arena' (2011) is the prequel to 'Spartacus - Blood and Sand', following the gladiatorial hero who preceded Spartacus, Gannicus (Dustin Clare).

Gannicus is the star gladiator of Batiatus (John Hannah), who hopes to rule the whole city one day, not just an arena.

Aided in his ambitions by his politically shrewd wife, Lucretia (Lucy Lawless), and her seductive friend, Gaia (Jaime Murray), Batiatus prepares to overthrow his father.

Episodes are: 'Past Transgressions', 'Missio', 'Paterfamilias', 'Beneath the Mask', 'Reckoning' and 'The Bitter End'.