Parents' Guide to

Spartacus: Blood and Sand

By Will Wade, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Gladiator drama is heavy on combat, graphic violence, sex.

TV Starz Drama 2010
Spartacus: Blood and Sand Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 17+

Based on 17 parent reviews

age 18+

great

for adults only

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
age 17+

Engaging plot and characters but a lot of sex

The first episode or two of Spartacus is not great, but it quickly develops into a great plot with characters that you get emotionally invested in. However, this show is definitely for mature teenagers and adults due to extreme violence and sex. The violence and sex are comparable to Game of Thrones. I believe it is a little excessive, but if you can get past that, this show is a lot of fun to watch.

This title has:

Too much sex

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17):
Kids say (15):

SPARTACUS: BLOOD AND SAND is a 21st-century take on the classic gladiator tale, and the show's graphic sex and even more graphic combat scenes are probably closer to reality than the relatively tame films that popularized the genre decades ago. But historical accuracy isn't the goal -- this series is all soap opera with togas and swords. While Spartacus and his comrades battle for survival and glory, the Roman nobles fight just as viciously for the same prize, using words and deceit as their weapons.

The series owes a huge debt to 300, the hyper-violent retelling of the ancient battle of Thermopylae. That film set a new standard for its stylized battle sequences and slow-motion close-ups of swords meeting flesh and spurting blood; the frequent combat sequences here follow the same pattern. And then there's the sex -- lots of sex, as explicit as anything on premium cable stations' late-night schedules. This series definitely isn't for the young or the squeamish. But that doesn't mean older viewers might not find the over-the-top drama and abundant skin a guilty pleasure.

TV Details

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