#Andreas Moe

[kcsplace]

Ted Lasso + Text Posts (4/????)

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

We're meeting again today to talk about a show that's very different from the ones I'm used to reviewing, but more importantly, different from the ones I'm used to watching, so I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity you've given me and for choosing it in the poll on Instagram (@theaddictedwatcherrewiews) last Saturday. The series I'm about to tell you about is an adaptation of Daniel P. Mannix's 1958 book of the same name, which was re-released in 2001 as The Way of the Gladiator. The book is said to have inspired David Franzoni's screenplay for Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000). The series' release on Prime Video at the end of July this year could also suggest that it is paving the way for the release of the film Gladiator 2, scheduled for November 2024. As some of you may have guessed, I'm going to tell you about Those About To Die.

And as usual, a short synopsis : Rome, year 79, a few years after the death of Princeps Senatus Nero. The population is tired and bored. Some are starving, mainly because of the slow arrival of grain from Egypt. The ageing princeps Vespasian, who had initiated the construction of the Flavian amphitheatre, tried to distract and entertain the people with gladiatorial fights and chariot races. All this kept many people busy behind the scenes, providing a real 'spectacle' for the people. The new amphitheatre also provoked jealousy among the Roman elite, who resented Vespasian's desire to share the site with the people. Vespasian also had to deal with the rivalry between his two sons, Titus and Domitian. Against this backdrop, we follow the fate of Tenax, a man who starts from nothing and tries to reach the upper echelons of Roman society. Along the way, he crosses paths with Cala, a mother who has come from Numidia to recover her three children, who have been forced into slavery and transported to Rome. And now a short technical presentation: - Created by : Robert Rodat - Music by : Andrea Farri - Starring: Iwan Rheon, Sara Martins, Tom Hughes, Jojo Macari, Moe Hashim, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Rupert Penry-Jones, Gabriella Pession, Dimitri Leonidas, Emilio Sakraya, David Wurawa, Pepe Barroso, Gonçalo Almeida, Eneko Sagardoy, Lara Wolf, Anthony Hopkins.

As I said at the beginning of this article, this series is an adaptation of the novel Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix (1958, reprinted 2001) by Robert Rodat, the man behind films such as Saving Private Ryan (1998) and the Falling Skies series (2011), both directed and produced by Steven Spielberg.

In this work, which takes the form of a peplum, we find many of the codes found in other well-known productions such as the films Gladiator (2000), Spartacus (1960) and Ben-Hur (1959), as well as the series Rome (2005) and Spartacus (2010), to name but a few. The title of the work is a direct reference to the Latin salute given to the princeps during the games: Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant, which translates into English as 'Hail Caesar, those who are about to die salute you'. It's a quotation that is used almost systematically in all types of works dealing with gladiatorial fights, chariot races and, more generally, the Roman arenas, as in the comic strip Asterix Gladiator by Albert Uderzo and René Goscinny (album published in 1964).

But let's stop for a moment. What is a peplum? The Latin name peplum is derived from the ancient Greek word péplos, meaning 'cloth used to cover the body to make a toga'. Since the twentieth century, it has been used to describe a genre of historical fiction films set in antiquity, particularly ancient Rome, ancient Greece and ancient Egypt. There are also biblical epics based on the Old or New Testaments. Its place in the history of cinema is proof of its importance. At once noble - because it deals with history and religion and uses authors such as Homer (The Iliad, The Odyssey) or Gustave Flaubert (Salammbô) - and vulgar, because it exploits violence and eroticism, the ancient genre is associated with epic, comedy, fantasy and even the miraculous through its use of various mythologies. The basic recipe for the American peplum was laid down by Cecil B. DeMille: a handsome hero, preferably muscular, a beautiful heroine, spectacular action (orgies, battles), lavish sets and costumes.

Now that we've looked at the genre, let's take a brief historical look at the characters and the various themes.

BACKGROUND

Before we begin, this section will probably contain some historical spoilers about some of the main characters, but you need to know a little history to understand what's at stake.

Although the series begins in 79 AD, under the reign of Princeps Vespasian, we need to go back a little to understand the socio-political context of the time.

Before Vespasian

After the death of Nero in 68, the Roman Empire plunged into civil war, known as the Year of the Four Emperors, and power was hotly contested, leading to a highly unstable political situation. While the usurper Vitellius took power during 69, the Roman legions in Egypt and Judea declared Vespasian emperor on 1 July 69. He marched on Rome with his larger legions and defeated Vitellius, ending the civil war and becoming the first representative of the new Flavian dynasty.

Princeps Vespasian - played in the series by Anthony Hopkins

On 20 December 69, it was announced that Vespasian had triumphed over Vitellius, and his appointment was confirmed by the Senate the following day. Vespasian's reign was marked by a series of financial reforms and ambitious building projects. His most famous project was the Colosseum, an amphitheatre the size of which had never been equalled. Through his delegate Agricola, Vespasian also pursued the conquest of Britain.

Vespasian was the first Roman princeps to come from a family of the equestrian order (the order that followed the senatorial order in the hierarchy of classes), and was also the first Roman princeps to be succeeded by his natural son, Titus, on his death in 79. His military career was the source of his fame (Roman conquest of Britain in 43, Roman domination of Judea - modern Israel and Palestine - during the Jewish revolt of 66).

Princeps Titus - played in the series by Tom Hughes

The son of Vespasian, Titus reigned from 79 to 81. Initially serving under his father, he rose to prominence as a military commander during the First Jewish-Roman War. Titus aroused the suspicion of the Romans when Vespasian became princeps, not only because of his status as prefect of the Praetorian Guard, but also because of his relationship with Princess Berenice of Judaea. Despite several breaches of Roman morality, Titus became increasingly popular after Vespasian's death in 79.

His reign, though short, was marked by a series of disasters. Having just come to power, Titus had to deal with the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and distinguished himself by his great generosity towards the victims. The following year he had to deal with a fire that ravaged Rome just as the construction of the Colosseum was nearing completion. Finally, he personally intervened to help the victims of a plague epidemic that killed thousands in the city. Considered a good princeps by ancient historians, he died of a violent fever on 13 September 81.

Princeps Domitian - played in the series by Jojo Macari

The youngest son of Vespasian, Domitian succeeded his older brother Titus as Princeps from 81 until his death in 96. He was the third and last of the Flavian dynasty. As Princeps, Domitian strengthened the economy by revaluing the Roman currency, reorganised the frontier defences and embarked on an ambitious building programme in Rome (including the construction of the Arch of Titus in honour of his brother). His foreign policy was marked by Agricola's campaigns in Britain and the wars against the Germans and the Dacians.

He is also remembered for expelling from Rome the philosophers who, by spreading their ideologies, were creating opponents of the regime. Domitian's government, and in particular his policy of centurionism, showed many signs of despotism. Indeed, he saw it as his destiny to lead the Roman people into a new golden age. This image was conveyed through propaganda developed on religious, military and cultural levels. In fact, Domitian was popular with the people and the army, but he was considered a tyrant by the senators, to whom he had left only vestiges of power. Domitian's reign ended in 96 when he was assassinated by members of the court. After his death, like Nero, he was condemned by the Senate to abolitio nominis ('suppression of the name'; the modern equivalent would be damnatio memoriae, which literally means 'condemnation to oblivion' but was not coined until 1689), and Latin historians such as Tacitus and Pliny the Younger published versions of Roman history in which he was described as a cruel and paranoid tyrant. Since then, modern historians have rehabilitated his reign, whose political, economic and cultural programmes helped usher in a flourishing era for the Roman Empire.

Berenice of Judea - played in the series by Lara Wolf

Berenice, also known as Julia Berenice, born around 28 BC, was one of the daughters of King Agrippa I. She was a descendant of the Herodian dynasty, being the great-granddaughter of Herod I of Judea. She was a descendant of the Herodian dynasty, being the great-granddaughter of Herod I of Judaea, known as Herod the Great.

She was married for the first time at a very young age. After this first marriage, Berenice spent some time in Alexandria until her husband's death. While still a young girl, she remarried her uncle, Herod V, King of Chalcis (south-eastern Roman Syria), with whom she had two sons. Widowed again around 48 AD, she married for the third time to Marcus Antonius Polemo II, the client king of Cilicia (in modern Turkey), whom she left to return to her brother Agrippa II in Jerusalem. At his side, she performed the duties of queen, a status that was recognised even though no wife of Agrippa is mentioned in ancient sources.

She became the mistress of Titus, the eldest son of Vespasian, while he was in command of some legions trying to crush all resistance in Galilee (northern Israel) between 67 and 68. Their relationship continued while Titus crushed the Jewish revolt of 66-70, known as the Great Jewish Revolt or the First Jewish-Roman War. Titus returned to Rome to witness his triumph (late 70s) and to help his father. Berenice joined him around 75. Because of negative rumours about the affair, he sent her back to her brother in Jerusalem when he became Princeps in 79.

The charioteer Scorpius - played in the series by Dimitri Leonidas

Flavius Scorpus, also known as Scorpius, was a famous charioteer in Roman times who lived at the end of the first century AD. Scorpus amassed 2,048 victories (that's almost 10 chariot races a week).

As one of the most famous chariot drivers in Roman history, Scorpus earned extraordinary sums of money; his income exceeded that of professional Roman sponsors.

Geographical context

A number of places are used in the series, and some of them have changed names over the course of the story, so here's a short list so that everyone knows where we're talking about:

Some of the characters are from Numidia, which now would be Algeria and part of Libya.

Berenice is from Judea, the kingdom that included Israel, Palestine and part of the modern West Bank.

CASTING

I'm not going to beat around the bush so I'll be quite honest about my feelings. This is just for me, and you are free, of course, to have a different opinion.

One of the main reasons that made me want to watch this series, apart from the subject matter, was the presence in the cast of Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Elephant Man, Dracula, One Life) and Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones, Misfits, Inhumans). The former, used to very charismatic roles, plays a Roman Princeps, so the casting could hardly have been more dreamy. As for the latter, whom many of you, like me, discovered in Game of Thrones, he plays Tenax, a secret crime boss and owner of the biggest betting tavern in Rome. It's a new role, full of duplicity and manipulation, and I was curious to see how it would differ from his role as Ramsay Bolton. So why not give it a go?

With the exception of them both, the entire cast was unknown to me, at least by name, and sadly I think for many of them, this isn't the show that will showcase their talents. And I'm not necessarily talking about a lack of talent, although some of the performances leave something to be desired, but I'm mainly talking about visibility. The show is packed with so many characters that the main cast of the show is also immense, and the distribution of screen time between each of them leaves them with only meagre moments of appearance per episode.

For my taste, the interpretations of certain characters are either too caricatured or too effete, and this gives the whole thing an unpleasant lack of harmony. In fact, when you go from a very intense scene full of political stakes to a scene of discussion between two pages (this is just an example, but I think it's representative enough), the emotion created by the first disappears and, with it, a large part of the viewer's attention as well.

However, I have to admit that I discovered some talented actors that I didn't know and who deserve to be seen more. I'm thinking in particular of Jojo Macari (Morbius, Sex Education, Harlots), who gives a brilliant performance as the ambitious and manipulative Domitian Flavius, the youngest son of Princeps Vespasian, and also as Aedile Ludi, the person who organises the gladiator fights and chariot races in Rome.

But I'm also talking about Sara Martins (Les Petits Mouchoirs, Petits Meurtres au Paradis, Alexandra Ehle), a French actress who plays Cala, a Numidian merchant and mother of three children - Kwame, Aura and Jula - who does everything she can to free them from the clutches of the Romans.

They're not the only two, of course, but their performances and complex characters contributed greatly in making me want to watch beyond the first episode.

Although the characters played by Anthony Hopkins and Iwan Rheon are both very interesting and their stories could be explored in greater depth. Their presence in the cast isn't enough to make up for the lack of material in the script. It's a flaw I've already mentioned, and I'll come back to it later in the article.

However, I would like to pay tribute to the work of the actors/stuntmen in the race scenes and the arena fights.

THEMES

There are several important themes in the series, and although they are not always tackled with sufficient depth or with a fresh eye, I won't list them all here as it would take far too long. Themes inherent to the genre such as politics, rivalry, but also slavery and arena fights as entertainment are all part of it.

However, I can't help but mention one of the key themes of the genre, and of historical works in general: the exploitation of sex. It's an interesting topic, not only because of the importance of understanding the sexuality of the characters, but also because of their sexualisation. In many works of this kind, when male homosexuality is depicted, it's not so much to show relationships between men as to show the decadence of Rome, whether through fascination or moral condemnation. While male homosexuality is suggested and (self-)censored, this is not the case with female relationships, which are instead shown with voyeuristic force to satisfy a male audience, as in Sapho, Venus of Lesbos (1960) or Sodom and Gomorrah (1962). When the characters are explicitly lesbian, they are portrayed as hating men, and it wasn't until Xena the Warrior in the 1990s that on-screen sapphism was appreciated and reclaimed by lesbian culture.

What I like about the show is that although there are - far too many - carnal relationships between numerous characters, they are mostly brief and often censored by a frame or a well-placed sheet. Sexual vulgarity in the primary sense is not necessary to understand the stakes of the story and therefore doesn't need to take up so much space. However, it is notable that the majority of relationships between characters of opposite sexes almost systematically involve some form of sexual relationship or exploitation, which prevents the creation of the slightest connection between the two genders portrayed.

Another important theme is rivalry, especially political rivalry. Whether it's the relationship between Titus and Domitian as they fight over who will inherit the title of Princeps, the factions trying to seize power from the Flavian dynasty, or the relationship between Roman rulers and their provinces - in this case Numidia and Judea - political rivalry abounds. And yet, for most of the season, I got the impression that none of this was more important to the characters than their choice of dinner.As I said in the casting section, the sheer number of characters leaves too little room for each plot to develop, which is a shame because politics is one of the two main themes of the series. In fact, that's why I was considering watching this series in the first place: to better understand the political stakes behind the Circus Maximus games and, more broadly, to better discover the era of ancient Rome. But here the relationships remain superficial, predictable and therefore, for the most part, rather boring. Nevertheless, as Roland Emmerich himself said when the trailer for the series was released, "So much of it seems relevant in today's society, from the intertwining of politics and sport to the disciplines of the games, which haven't changed much in the last 2,000 years. The most electrifying spectacles for the general public still involve two men in an arena fighting each other, and today's chariots are called racing cars, whose drivers still have accidents and often pay with their lives". And I quite agree, if you look at the dirty tricks played by our politicians - anywhere in the world - the way celebrities are stripped naked as if they were gods, certain aspects of life back then are easily transferable to our times.

Finally, the approach to slavery with Cala's family remains, in my opinion, one of the rare successes of the series. Although certain events remain unlikely for the period, the recruitment of her children into the service of the Roman Empire and their sale into slavery remains plausible. I particularly appreciated the writing of Cala's character, who, as a visibly single and black mother, knows how to use these two characteristics to her advantage in order to manipulate her environment and try to free her children.

She's a strong, determined woman; she doesn't back down until she gets her way, and for once I find it refreshing to see not only a woman fighting to save her family, but to see slaves in a position of strength, all proclivities aside, of course. Speaking about the series, actress Sara Martins - who plays Cala - says: "Narratively, it's a side of Rome we've hardly seen. It's not just about the rich, the patricians, the ruling family and their opponents. It's also about all the workers, the slaves, the wealthy… everything that's behind the curtains of a city like Rome, like all the slaves who built those beautiful buildings. It shows life in Rome at that time and on all social levels". And I agree that through her character's and other's journey, the show gives us a glimpse of that, and it's enjoyable.

PRODUCTION

With a budget of over $150 million for a ten-episode first season, the series marks the first venture into television for German filmmaker Roland Emmerich, known for his disaster films such as Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and 2012 (2009).

Along with Marco Kreuzpaintner (Trade, The Collini Case, The Lazarus Project), with whom he had worked several times in the past, Roland Emmerich had already been commissioned by the American network Peacock back in July 2022. The script was to be written by Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan, Thor: The Dark World, Kursk), with whom Roland Emmerich had already worked in 2000 on The Patriot.

But apart from the very ambitious technical aspect, which I'll come back to shortly, the production made a few mistakes which, in my opinion, are very detrimental to the series.

Firstly, the show jumps straight into the action without taking the time to set context, which is very important. The only introduction we get is a short monologue by Iwan Rheon's character, Tenax, who briefly explains how the circus games work and his role in them. As a result, viewers who aren't historians specializing in Ancient Rome - which is frighteningly specific in itself - will lack many of the elements needed to even understand who half of the main characters are and what's at stake politically in the series.

Secondly, the terminology is sometimes historically incorrect, although this may be done to help the viewer understand certain elements. For example, when talking about Andalusian horses, they should have said that they were horses from the Betic region, as it is incorrect to speak of the region of Andalusia 700 years before its creation. In fact, "Al Andalus" - which gave Andalusia its name - originated with the Arab invasions of Spain in the 7th century. At the time of the series, it would have been more accurate to speak of horses from Betica, a region created during the reign of Augustus [63 B.C. - 14 A.D.] by the division of Hispania Ulterior, which at that time covered the south of what is now Spain and roughly corresponded to present-day Andalusia. Its name derives from the Latin name of the Guadalquivir River, Baetis.

Finally, and this is perhaps the thing that annoyed me the most, but I've already mentioned it, is the over-numbering of characters, which drowns out the stories of all the characters, doesn't really bring anyone into the spotlight and loses its own purpose in random, superficial scenes.

Book adaptation

I won't go into too much detail on this, as I haven't read the book, but from what I've been able to skim through and understand from the various analyses of it, Daniel P. Mannix's work seems to cover several centuries of Roman history, and not just the principate of the Flavian dynasty, which may make it a more complete and complex work than the adaptation suggests. Indeed, on the very first page of the book, a single sentence briefly introduces the primary context in which the novel begins, as we are told:

"The situation here is out of control. The emperor is mad, the army is on the verge of mutiny, and the people are dying of hunger. For God's sake, get the sand! We must take their minds off their troubles! - Daniel P. Mannix, Those About to Die, Reed. 2024, p.7.

This only reinforces my feeling that the TV adaptation lacks a crucial introduction to the situation.

SPECIAL EFFECTS

I'd like to delve for a moment on the visual aspect of the series.

The series was filmed at the iconic Cinecittà Studios in Rome. This is one of the largest film studios in Europe and was originally a propaganda machine for Benito Mussolini's fascist government. It has been in operation for almost a century and has been used as the backdrop for classic productions such as Roman Holiday (1953), Ben-Hur (1959) and Cleopatra (1963). In fact, the site has become so popular with American film-makers that it has become known as 'Hollywood on the Tiber'.

The fact that the cast and crew of Those About to Die were able to film in the city where their story was set allowed the show's creators not only to shoot in the Eternal City, but also to immerse themselves in its history while telling a fictionalised version of real events.

"We shot the series in Rome and we're surrounded by buildings built by these emperors. You are constantly surrounded by their legacy. So you can read as much as you want and research as much as you want. But when you go into Domitian's bedroom, which is still on the Palatine Hill, there is nothing like it." said Jojo Macari who plays Domitian.

Of course, the production couldn't necessarily film in the actual bedrooms of Roman statesmen, so ancient Rome had to be recreated through sets and visual effects. The sets for the series were designed by co-production designer Laura Pozzaglio, a native of Italy, who was inspired by archaeological discoveries made in a number of important Italian cities, including Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Ercolano and Oplontis. Together with Johannes Muecke - the production's co-designer - and the production team, they worked with a number of museums to reproduce certain objects for the props. A team of sculptors also reproduced statues from the period and carpenters reproduced furniture they had seen in Pompeii or in history books explained Laura Pozzaglio in the production notes, underlining the effort made to achieve precision.

What could not be achieved in practice was left to visual effects supervisor Peter Travers, who used the Volume LED video wall technology pioneered by The Mandalorian. He explained that the digital wall used was huge: around 51 metres in circumference and eight metres high. It's made up of LED panels and can be stretched infinitely, so even the smallest conversation scenes could have the Colosseum or the skyline of ancient Rome in the background, giving the actors the impression of living in ancient Rome.

And it's true that although the sets - be it the various patrician residences or the outdoor settings such as the Basilica of Julia or the Temple of Vesta - are grandiose in their excess, there's a big problem with the lighting in many scenes. This problem of light contrast is very present throughout the season, and as a result we sometimes can't see what's going on or even the physical reactions of the characters.

There are also problems with the use of special effects. The green screens are sometimes visible in some of the distant shots - particularly the aerial shots of the city at the beginning of the series. And I'll just mention the CGI of the lions, which is absolutely terrible.

However, I must admit that most of the cinematography of the chariot races and gladiatorial fights - particularly in the last two episodes of the season - is quite beautiful, and the photography of the scenes in the Circus Maximus is reminiscent of works such as Ben-Hur. I also think that the athletic realism of the chariot races is due to the fact that the horses were real animals and the races were not digitised. Of course, they were choreographed and stuntmen were hired for the most dangerous scenes, but the actors, including Dimitri Leonidas - who plays the charioteer Scorpus - had to learn to drive a real chariot pulled by real horses. Of this experience, he said :

"Learning the several stages [of racing] before they let us get onto chariots and practice with the chariots was a lot of fun. And then finally when the stunt guys let us on the four-horse chariots to try and learn, the feeling is just incredible. There's nothing like it. Four giant Hungarian horses going all out. It's like riding an earthquake. It's hard to describe, to be honest. All I can say is those guys that do it, the stunt guys and then the guys like Scorpus who actually raced, you'd have to be insane. It's completely bonkers what they're doing. [...] I didn't go that fast except for one moment where we were sort of training and the horses decided they wanted to race and I just got dragged along. There's a great photo, actually, one of our set photographers took just as the horses went, and you can see me and one of the other actors just trying our best to stop them as we hit the turn on Circus Maximus. And he said to me that he stopped taking photos because he thought something bad was going to happen. To be fair, I was on the chariot and I thought something bad was going to happen. But that's why you do all that training. You have to just train as much as you can, hope that everything goes smoothly, but then trust that if something does go wrong, you know the protocols and you know how to make it safe. But I'm glad I got to experience it because that was the only time really that I got to feel them go full pelt was when I wasn't expecting it. And it's wild. It's completely wild. And gave me a newfound sort of respect for Scorpus and all those guys that were doing it." - Dimitri Leonidas in an interview for NBC on July 12th, 2024.

The colouring of the series is also of high quality. They make up for a lot of empty moments in the plot by captivating the viewer's eye with grandiose imagery, which, combined with the spectacular sets and opulent costumes, is one of the show's few strengths in my opinion.

COSTUMES

My penultimate stop is the costumes! This is one of the great strengths of the series, and one that I have no criticism for: the costumes in this series are breathtaking! Under the supervision of Gianni Casalnuovo as head costume designer, not only the characters' outfits, but also the armours are of the highest quality. With the help of costume supplier Peris Costumes - which is based in Spain but also has a branch in Rome - the production team had access to rare, high-quality pieces that were tailored to fit the needs of the show. No stranger to film and television sets, Peris Costumes has also worked on projects such as Gladiator II and House of the Dragon. Together they have created a costume collection that faithfully reflects the opulence and grandeur of the great age of Rome.

The only downside would be the blood splatters, prosthetics of severed limbs and gashes in the gladiators' flesh which at times look crude, but in the heat of the action are almost negligible details.

MUSIC

The soundtrack of the series, composed by Andrea Farri, is quite interesting and epic enough to seduce the viewer. However, if you listen to the music outside of the episodes, you won't always be reminded of ancient Rome. Nevertheless, the violin and cello compositions are very beautiful and will appeal to music lovers, even if they do not match the instruments of the time, as the violin and cello were only invented in the 16th century.

What's more, the work on the show's theme music - which depicts rivers of blood running down the streets of Rome and its emblematic monuments - is reminiscent of many of the show's themes in recent years: Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, Westworld and more. Set to music by Woodkid, the epic status announced by the show's synopsis is truly palpable.

CONCLUSION

Despite having called on some big names for this series, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. While the superb costumes and some of the sets may appeal, the lack of any real depth to the story leaves room for the clichés of the genre, which have already been exploited far too often. Even the presence of Anthony Hopkins isn't enough to restore the reputation of this epic, which is fantastic in name only…

I won't go through the whole review again, I think it's self-explanatory enough for you to understand that this series was a big disappointment for me. Although peplums are far from my favourite genre, I was looking forward to another chance to be proved wrong, to learn more about an era I know so little about, and what's more with Anthony Hopkins and Iwan Rheon in the cast! Well, what I'll take away from this is yet another disappointment that has the bitter taste of time wasted…

I was expecting the exploitation of the games to highlight the political issues of the time and this is partly achieved. However, I think they could have emphasised the politics and toned down the sexualisation of the characters. Perhaps this is due to the period chosen, which is not the most eventful in history? Perhaps another period of the Roman Empire would have been more suitable for a series?

So I won't be going to the cinema today to see the next Gladiator, and I almost hope that Amazon doesn't renew this series, because there's nothing really at stake in this dull story. It would save everyone time and money… If they do decide to renew it, maybe they'll choose to do a temporal ellipse and focus on a period where the stakes are potentially higher. They had the opportunity to diversify and innovate with the peplum genre and, in the end, they chose to stick with the outdated clichés it's full of. Hopefully this is a mistake they won't make again if the show is renewed for a second series.

That's all I have to say about Those About to Die. I hope that those who have made this choice will still be curious enough to give it a try, if only to see for themselves. Maybe you won't be as picky as I am?

I'd like to give a special thanks to my partner, who watches all these series with me. She proofreads each article, supports me and, especially for this one, was my historical advisor, as this is her field of study.

Until the next article, I hope you enjoy your viewing, have a great week and see you soon on Instagram (@theaddictedwatcherreviews) to choose the next article!

Eli

[crossbackpoke-check]

a junkyard dog ain't always pretty but you always love that toothless smile

[bea-beast2007]

The Scribblers

Dottie and Bernard are Andreas’ parents. Andreas was Born in early 1975.

Heidi and Andreas were in a relationship for 7 years (married for 4) but divorced in 2001. They had one child during their relationship, Klaus Scribbler.

Andreas then went on to marry Maria Tanaka Pereira, a Japanese Brazilian woman who was also a former member of the singing group Popping Candies. Maria has since retired from the industry and works as a baker in a bakery

[whore-tm]

It’s that time of the month again*

*i’m rewatching the avicii tribute concert

[gr00vyashley]

I will also accept being extremely invested in SCTV

Is anybody gonna match my freak (too invested in the blues brothers)

[gryficowa]

Boycott!

Now that I have your attention:

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Do you also get a fucking flood of bots from Amazon when you go to tags about free Palestine and set "Photos" as specific posts?

Can Amazon people finally accept that their company is being boycotted for supporting Israel?

[daffy-not-a-duck]

Yes, I'm Solangelo's kid. No, you can't meet them. No, you can't call me Daffy Duck. No, I'm not friends with a bunny! Shut up!

NAME: Daphne Naria Solace-di Angelo (think that's long? hah. yeah, test papers are a pain.)

ALIAS: Daphne, Daph, Nari, Solace-di Angelo, Scary Blonde Girl, Daffy, Daffy Duck (sigh)

AGE: 17 years old (December kid here 🤘)

WEAPONS: A 36 inch sword made of Stygian Iron, as well as a bow and assortment of arrows (Stygian Iron, Silver, Celestial Bronze, Imperial Gold, Lethe Water tipped, etc.)

RELATIONS: Will Solace (father - dad), Nico Di Angelo (father - papa), Hades (grandfather), Apollo (grandpa), Persephone (step-grandmother), Maria di Angelo (grandmother - mama), Naomi Solace (grandma) (you know the rest. i am NOT listing the whole olympian family tree)

PERSONALITY: Acts like a little angel in front of adults, a little mean towards her friends (it's her love langauge). Unpredictable, sometimes she's all smiley and then she's kinda bitchy. Rebellious, stubborn, acts like she doesn't care but actually does too much.

FATAL FLAWS: Trust Issues, Loves too hard

FEARS: athazagoraphobia, claustrophobia, cleithrophobia

HOBBIES: reading, practicing first aid, studying psychology, arguing with Charlie

SEXUALITY: Straight (no really. why are you laughing? stop it. i am!)

APPEARANCE: long, slightly curly blonde hair; soft features; 5'5; cold, dark, almost black eyes.

"you love too much, and trust too little. why, child, why such a toxic cycle? it will only cause pain to you and those you've chosen. you will never know when to stop, when it's too much, and when you open your eyes all you will see is the dust of your carefully built up walls, empty within and without."

PEOPLE I TOLERATE:

@ghost-king-and-thebones papa!

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears dad!

@olivernothere little brother. (LET ME PLAY WITH YOUR CAT SMH)

@percy-jackson-xxx uncle perce. (sir your wife is a milf- ouch pa!)

@chasing-that-jackson charlie. percabeth kid. (again, your mom is a- OKAY OKAY ILL STOP.)

@sincerely-anniejackson aunt annie. (umm. please look away)

@ineedtoescapefromreality echo and rosalyn. shelper kids.

@leo-repairguy-valdez uncle leo.

@iggy-mini-miny-moe iggy. valgrace kid.

@notwillingtobefound will. also valgrace kid.

@violent-cinnamonroll aria. ruegard kid.

@daredevil-larue lucine. also ruegard kid.

@hey-guys-its-sam sam. frazel kid.

@yourfavoriteadoptedkid eloise. also frazel kid.

@not-a-panda pandora. tratie kid. (we share the same pain sigh)

@drea-and-nico andrea and nico. my... aunt...? and my uncle who's.. name is like my dad... (shit's confusing ik)

@praetor-ambrose-asher ambrose. new rome praetor. (dude ur ripped af)

@regulus-a-star regulus. son of ares.

@overwhelmingly-his-son lukas.

@evan-is-here evan. son of nike, legacy of ares.

@the-poison-and-the-sky donna. percabeth kid from another universe. (still wrapping my head around that)

@morningstar-of-the-night kallisto. adopted by the hunters. (we, also, share the same pain)

@estxiell-e aunt estelle. (even though she's like 5 years older than me)

TAGS:

daffy's sunrise - ic posts

daffy's nightfall - ooc posts

daffy actually replies - asks

overprotective mode - ft. solangelo (will , nico)

SONGS:

ooc: i have basically no music taste so if u have suggestions, pls lmk!

[regulus-a-star]

NAME: Regulus Arcturus Star.

ALIAS: Regs, Reggie, Reg, Star.

AGE: 17, 25th of June.

WEAPON(S): A dagger of celestial bronze, 21 inches.

PERSONALITY: He's very cold and rude. Regulus is very quiet, but can also talk a lot when he's mad. He mostly just speaks in small sentences. He's almost never seen being actually kind to anyone. He mostly keeps to himself, either reading, writing or drawing. He hates big crowds, and never really listens to anyone. But if you earn his trust, and if he actually cares about you, he'll be a bit kinder, he'll gladly help you and he will spend time with you.

FATAL FLAW(S): Never thinks that he's good enough, and a big overthinker.

FAMILY: Altair Orion Star (brother), Ares (father).

PEOPLE I KNOW:

@drea-and-nico - Andrea and Nicolas Lilith, children of Hades.

@not-a-panda - Pandora Stoll, a child of Travis Stoll and Katie Gardner.

@evan-is-here - Evan Rosier, a child of Nike and a Legacy of Ares.

OTHER DEMIGODS:

@iggy-mini-miny-moe

@ineedtoescapefromreality

@daffy-not-a-duck

@chasing-that-jackson

@overwhelmingly-his-son

@olivernothere

@notwillingtobefound

@leo-repairguy-valdez

@sincerely-anniejackson

@percy-jackson-xxx

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears

more will be added

Blog owner: @moonssong or @moonssong2

[violent-cinnamonroll]

Hi there! I'm Aria, daughter of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard. A lot of people run away when I say that- no idea why. My moms are amazing!

NAME: Aria Nicole La Rue

ALIAS: Aria, Ari, Riri, Ria, Nicole, Nikki

AGE: 15 and a half :D

WEAPONS: Electric spear

RELATIONS: Clarisse La Rua (mom), Silena Beauregard (mama), Ares (grandfather), Aphrodite (grandmother), Charles Beckendorf (donor - uncle)

PERSONALITY: very nice, energetic, kind and friendly to everyone until you do something she disapproves of, waaay to energetic on sugar, a little oblivious, violent in an innocent way.

FATAL FLAWS: Insecurity, Naivety

FEARS: atychiphobia, drakons

HOBBIES: training, riding pegasi, making flower crowns

SEXUALITY: Panromantic, Demiromantic, Asexual

APPEARANCE: long, super curly brown hair; coffee colored skin; the warmest brown eyes ever with specks of green; 5'3

"why do you believe so little in yourself? find who you are, truly. don't let people cover you in masks and labels. let those who don't accept you leave, but do not change to make them stay."

MY FRIENDS!

@daredevil-larue MY SISTER LUCY!! :DD

@percy-jackson-xxx Uncle Percy! No idea why mom doesn't like him. Mama says he's nice though!

@sincerely-anniejackson Aunt Annabeth! She's scary in a cool way, like my mom.

@ghost-king-and-thebones Uncle Nico!

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears Uncle Will!

@chasing-that-jackson Charlie! Aunt Annabeth and Uncle Percy's kid.

@ineedtoescapefromreality Echo and Rosalyn! Aunt Piper and Aunt Shel's kids.

@leo-repairguy-valdez Uncle Leo!

@iggy-mini-miny-moe Iggy! Uncle Jason and Uncle Leo's kid.

@notwillingtobefound Will! Uncle Jason and Uncle Leo's kid, Iggy's brother.

@daffy-not-a-duck Daffy! Uncle Will and Uncle Nico's kid.

@olivernothere Oliver! Uncle Will and Uncle Nico's kid, Daffy's brother.

@hey-guys-its-sam Sam! Aunt Hazel and Uncle Frank's kid.

@yourfavoriteadoptedkid Eloise! Aunt Hazel and Uncle Frank's kid, Sam's sister.

@not-a-panda Pandora! Aunt Katie and Uncle Travis' kid.

@drea-and-nico Andrea and Nico! Uncle Nico's siblings, which is weird.

@praetor-ambrose-asher Ambrose! Praetor in New Rome.

@regulus-a-star Regulus! Son of Ares.

@overwhelmingly-his-son Lukas! Son of um... Luke Castellan?

@evan-is-here Evan! Son of Nike.

@the-poison-and-the-sky Donna! Aunt Annabeth and Uncle Percy's kid from another universe.

@morningstar-of-the-night Kallisto! Adopted by the Hunters.

@estxiell-e Aunt Estelle! Uncle Percy's sister.

TAGS!

spears everywhere! - ic posts

nap time! - ooc posts

aria socializes! - asks

aria's been picked up! - ft. clarisse and silena

SONGS!

ooc: again, lmk if u have suggestions!

[yeahiguesssim-white]

Hey, it's Felix. I'm the son of Damien White and Chiara Benvenuti. Part of the Italian Squad and proud.

NAME: Felix White

ALIAS: Lix

AGE: 18 years old

WEAPONS: Celestial Bronze axe

RELATIONS: Chiara Benvenuti (mom), Damien White (dad), Tyche (grandma), Nemesis (other grandma)

PERSONALITY: Both dumb smartass and smart dumbass. Reckless, sarcastic, looks mean but is actually a huuuge mama's boy. Gets into friendly fights with his father. Texts really weirdly, as in way too many shortcuts, slangs, and numbers.

FATAL FLAWS: Recklessness

FEARS: metathesiophobia, Nemesis

HOBBIES: trying out new things, training, playing guitar, practicing his Italian

SEXUALITY: Straight but questioning.

APPEARANCE: grown out black hair, almond eyes, 6'4"

PEOPLE I KNOW:

@ghost-king-and-thebones Nico di Angelo.

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears Will Solace.

@olivernothere Oliver Solace-di Angelo.

@daffy-not-a-duck Daphne Solace-di Angelo.

@percy-jackson-xxx Percy Jackson.

@chasing-that-jackson Charlie Chase-Jackson.

@sincerely-anniejackson Annabeth Chase.

@ineedtoescapefromreality Echo and Rosalyn Mclean.

@leo-repairguy-valdez Leo Valdez.

@iggy-mini-miny-moe Iggy Grace.

@notwillingtobefound Will Valdez.

@violent-cinnamonroll Aria La Rue.

@daredevil-larue Lucine La Rue.

@hey-guys-its-sam Sam Zhang.

@yourfavoriteadoptedkid Eloise Zhang.

@not-a-panda Pandora Stoll.

@drea-and-nico Andrea and Nico Lilith.

@praetor-ambrose-asher Ambrose Asher.

@regulus-a-star Regulus Star.

@overwhelmingly-his-son Lukas Castellan.

@evan-is-here Evan Rosier.

@the-poison-and-the-sky Donna Jackson.

@morningstar-of-the-night Kallisto Arellano-Grace.

@estxiell-e Estelle Blofis.

TAGS:

felix all 4 u - general posts

felix b4 anything else - reblogs

2 b seen by felix - ooc posts

ill txt u back - asks

SONGS:

R U Mine - Arctic Monkeys

Wires - The Neighbourhood

[we-arent-sane]

NAME: Evan & Penelope Rosier.

ALIAS: Ev, Evie (ONLY Nico), Eevo, Eevee, Rosie, Rose, Rosier, Penny, Pen.

AGE: 17, 19th of April, 25th of December.

PRONOUNS & SEXUALITY: She/her (trans), lesbian, he/him, gay.

WEAPON(S): A sword of celestial bronze, 51 inches, A dagger of imperial gold, 23 inches.

PERSONALITY: They're very rude, but it can be both affectionately and actually rude, they're a bit (a lot) bitchy, and they're very loud. They don't really care about peoples opinions, or so they wants people to think, because they takes everything to heart. If you hit the right buttons, they will either try to fight you, or they'll go non-verbal and avoid you for a while. They does not talk about their family or their childhood, and avoids the subject at all cost. But they're actually very sweet and caring, to people they're very close with and they really care about. And if they're comfortable enough, they become a little silly and stuff.

FAMILY: Nike (Mother), Victoria (Mother), Michael Rosier (Father), they're both legacies of Ares.

PEOPLE THEY KNOW:

@drea-and-nico - Andrea and Nicolas Lilith, children of Hades, Nico is my boyfriend actually🫵

@not-a-panda - Pandora Stoll, a child of Travis Stoll and Katie Gardner, DORAAAA!!!!

@iggy-mini-miny-moe - Ignis Grace, a child of Jason Grace and Leo Valdez.

@ineedtoescapefromreality - Rosalyn and Echo Mclean, children of Piper Mclean and Shel Mclean.

@chasing-that-jackson - Charlotte Sally Chase-Jackson, a child of Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase.

@overwhelmingly-his-son - Lukas Castellan, a grandchild of May Castellan

@daughter-of-storm - Isla Graham, a child of Jupiter, Champion of Minerva my bestfriend yippie

OTHER DEMIGODS.

@olivernothere - Oliver Solace-Di Angelo, a child of William Solace and Nico Di Angelo.

@daffy-not-a-duck - Daphne Naria Solace-Di Angelo, a child of William Solace and Nico Di Angelo.

@hey-guys-its-sam - Samantha Zhang, a child of Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque.

@violent-cinnamonroll - Aria Nicole La Rue, a child of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard.

@morningstar-of-the-night - Kallisto Danica Arrelano-Grace, a child of Reyna Ramirez-Arellano and Thalia Grace.

@praetor-ambrose-asher - Ambrose Asher, a legacy of Primordial Khaos.

@the-poison-and-the-sky - Belladonna Chase-Jackson, a child of Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase-Jackson, from another Universe.

@daredevil-larue - Lucine La Rue, a child of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard.

@yeahiguessim-white - Felix White, a child of Damien White and Chiara Benvenuti.

ADULTS:

@leo-repairguy-valdez - Leo Valdez, married to Jason Grace, father to William Valdez and Ignis Grace.

@percy-jackson-xxx - Perseus Jackson, married to Annabeth Chase-Jackson , father to Charlotte Sally Chase-Jackson and Cassandra Hestia Chase-Jackson.

@sincerely-anniejackson - Annabeth Chase-Jackson, married to Perseus Jackson, mother of Charlotte Sally Chase-Jackson and Cassandra Hestia Chase-Jackson.

@ghost-king-and-thebones - Nico Di Angelo, married to William Solace, father to Oliver Solace-Di Angelo and Daphne Naria Solace-Di Angelo.

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears - William Andrew Solace, married to Nico Di Angelo, father to Oliver Solace-Di Angelo and Daphne Naria Solace-Di Angelo.

(More will be added)

Penelope is orange and Evan is purple, i sometimes forget to color their text so uhmm

Yes, I know Evan Rosier is a marauders character, but I took the name so live with it.

Blog is owned by: @moonssong

[time-and-the-waves]

𝐀𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐈'𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟎'𝐬 𝐈𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!

NAME: Circe Achilles Jackson.

ALIAS: Cee, Ceecee, Soda-addict, Jackson, CJ. NATIONALITY: American.

AGE: 15/16 years old.

WEAPONS: A standard issue CHB sword, small intricately decorated daggers.

RELATIONS: Sally Jackson (Mother); Perseus Jackson (Brother); Poseidon (Father); Gabe Ugliano (Ex-stepfather.); Paul Blofis (Step-Father); Estelle Jackson-Blofis (Step-Sister).

PERSONALITY: She's stand-offish, stubborn and sarcastic. There used to be a time when she was loud and liked giving people nicknames, now, she's more of a tired teenager.

FATAL FLAWS: Inferiority complex, Hard time forgiving others.

FEARS: Heights, Loud sounds, abandonment issues

HOBBIES: playing guitar, skate-boarding, annoying her brother, playing Skee-Ball and other arcade games.

SEXUALITY: Bisexual. and Painstakingly single. Come flirt with me, I'll flirt back <33

APPEARANCE: curly, messy, black hair. heterochromic eyes (one sea-green, one brown.). lanky and lean. BACKGROUND: Circe is Percy's twin sister. Biologically. She went with Percy, Annabeth and Grover on the quest to find their mother and get the lightning bolt back, even though Chiron had warned them taking 4 people on a quest was bad luck. Well, bad luck it was. The group made their way to Lotus Casino, and Circe got sidetracked, attracted by the games and the food. They lost her. While searching, Ares demands one of the staff there tell Percy she's dead, so that he'll back off the quest. They tell him, and heartbroken, they leave. Once realising she couldn't find her brother anywhere, panic seized her and the staff told her he'd left. She felt betrayed. Had he not wanted her? Everyday, she waited, hoping he'd come back, but he never did. In the process, she meets two other kids, one obsessed with mythomagic and his older sister. They leave at some point too. She makes out 3 years before right now, and starts aging pretty quick, turning up at around 16 while her twin brother is 40. Talk about weird. PEOPLE I KNOW:

@ghost-king-and-thebones Nico Di Angelo. Son of Hades.

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears William Solace-Di Angelo. Son of Apollo.

@olivernothere Oliver Solace-Di Aneglo. Son of Nico di-angelo/

@chasing-that-jackson Praetor Jackson. Daughter Of Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. (technically my niece..sigh.)

@sincerely-anniejackson Annabeth Chase. Daughter of Athena.

@ineedtoescapefromreality echo and rosalyn mclean. Children of Piper and Shel Mclean.

@leo-repairguy-valdez Leo Valdez. Son of Hephaestus.

@iggy-mini-miny-moe Ignis Grace. Son of Leo Valdez and Jason Grace.

@notwillingtobefound Will Grace. Son of Leo Valdez and Jason Grace.

@violent-cinnamonroll Aria La Rue. Daughter of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard.

@daredevil-larue Lucine La Rue. Daughter of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard.

@hey-guys-its-sam Samantha Zhang. Daughter of Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque

@yourfavoriteadoptedkid Eloise Zhang. Daughter of Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque

@not-a-panda Pandora Stoll. Daughter of Travis Stoll and Kaite Gardener.

@crimes-girlfriend Andrea Lilith. Daughter of Hades

@praetor-ambrose-asher Ambrose Asher. Praetor of Rome. @the-poison-and-the-sky Belladonna Chase-Jackson.

Tags: Circe is here! - ic Don't listen to the witch's advice - asks Circe in the Casino - Lore Lotus Casino staff cleans up - Ooc

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

[olivernothere]

NAME: Oliver Castellioa Solace-Di Angelo

ALIAS: Ollie, Ol, Olive Tree (sigh), Olive (ONLY Iggy)

AGE: 16 years old, 6th of January

WEAPON(S): A dagger made out of celestial bronze, 20 centimeters

POWER(S): He can enter peoples dreams, and watch what’s happening from afar. He can also change their dreams to however he’d like, this tends to drain him very much though.

PERSONALITY: He’s a bit rude and cold, sometimes shy, in the start, but if you get to know him, he’ll warm up. Once you know him, he’ll be the most caring person, he’s a bit loud sometimes, he’s a little overprotective of his family, even though hems the youngest, he ignores rude comments and such in public, he doesn’t know how to say no, so you never really know if he wants something or not. He’s REALLY scared of adults (sometimes even Will and Nico), and WILL call them sir, miss, ma’am, etc., he can and will sometimes isolate himself from everyone if he’s having one of his “episodes”.

FATAL FLAW: Thinking that he’ll never be good enough for anyone and it’s why his mother disowned him

HOBBIES: I like to paint, mostly landscapes and such, sometimes I write poems I guess? Oh and I love to spend time with my cat, is that considered a hobby?

FAMILY: Nico Di Angelo (Papa), William Andrew Solace (Dad), Daphne Naria Solace-Di Angelo (Sister), Hades (Grandfather), Maria Di Angelo (Grandmother), Apollo (Grandfather), Naromi Solace (Grandmother), Morpheus (Father A stranger to me.), Allison Castellioa (Mother Who is this?)

People I know (!!):

FAMILY:

@ghost-king-and-thebones - Nico Di Angelo, my wonderful papa!! <3

@daffy-not-a-duck - Daphne Naria Solace-Di Angelo, my lovely sister!! (STAY AWAY FROM EPHIE)

@doctor-sunshine-andcarebears - William Andrew Solace, my awesome dad!!!

@drea-and-nico - Andrea and Nicolas Lilith, Children of Hades, my aunt and uncle, but Drea is like a sister to me

@iggy-mini-miny-moe - Ignis Grace, a child of Jason Grace and Leo Valdez, my boyfriend fjbfjgbekd<33, DON'T let him near bleach

FRIENDS:

@chasing-that-jackson - Charlotte Sally Chase-Jackson, a child of Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase, please stop dying

@ineedtoescapefromreality - Echo and Rosalyn Mclean, children of Piper Mclean and Shel

@hey-guys-its-sam - Samantha Zhang, a child of Frank Zhang and Hazel Levesque

@violent-cinnamonroll - Aria Nicole La Rue, a child of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Baeuregard

@notwillingtobefound - William Valdez, a child of Jason Grace and Leo Valdez, Iggy’s brother

@not-a-panda - Pandora Stoll, a child if Travis Stoll amd Katie Gardner, she has a cute cat!!

@morningstar-of-the-night - Kallisto Danica Arrelano-Grace, a child of Reyna Ramirez-Arellano and Thalia Grace

@daredevil-larue - Lucine La Rue, a child of Clarisse La Rue and Silena Beauregard

@overwhelmingly-his-son - Lukas Castellan, a grandchild of May Castellan, he's cool

@the-poison-and-the-sky - Belladonna Chase-Jackson, a child of Perseus Jackson and Annabeth Chase-Jackson, from another Universe

@praetor-ambrose-asher - Ambrose Asher, a legacy of Primordial Khaos

ADULTS I KNOW:

@leo-repairguy-valdez - Leo Valdez, father to Iggs and William, married (?) to Jason Grace

@percy-jackson-xxx - Perseus Jackson, father to Charlie and Cassie, married to Annabeth Chase

@sincerely-anniejackson - Annabeth Chase-Jackson, mother to Charlie and Cassie, married to Perseus Jackson

ACC IS RAN BY: @moonssong

Tags:

#Oliver arrived - In character Oliver

#Oliver died - ooc

#Ephie supremacy - About his cat

#Oliver rants - something random ic Oliver

#Sister tag☀️ - When he interacts with his sister

#Death and fire - Oliver and Iggy (They’re shipped)

[tarjeismoeworknews]

Tarjei talks about Furia, Skam and student life in new Dagbladet article.

Google translation of the article:

"- Weird to talk about

Tarjei Sandvik Moe is back after deprioritizing acting for the past three years.

SOON ON THE SCREEN: Tarjei Sandvik Moe will soon be seen in a new season of the thriller series "Furia". Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB

Actor Tarjei Sandvik Moe (24) achieved international smash success with the youth series "Skam" in 2015. NRK's ​​series third season dealt with Sandvik Moe's character, the high school student Isak, and his path towards accepting himself as gay.

The series won many awards, and the 24-year-old was, among other things, nominated for best male actor during "Gullruten" in 2017. He did not go home empty-handed, and walked away with the audience award together with "Skam" colleague Henrik Holm (28).

AWARD WON: Henrik Holm and Tarjei Sandvik Moe received an award during the Gullruten in 2017. Photo: Marit Hommedal / NTB

Since then, the actor has taken part in a number of productions, including "Tainted(Skitten snø)", "Possession(Forbannelsen)" and "An affair(En affære)".

New role

On the top floor of the Munch Museum is a bar with large windows that fill the room with sunlight.

At a table, Dagbladet is waiting for the actor on the occasion of the press day for season two of the thriller series "Furia".

AROUND EUROPE: The series has been recorded in several locations in Europe. Tarjei Sandvik Moe has the role of political adviser. Photo: Prime Video

Sandvik Moe comes walking with a big smile on his face before extending his hand and saying hello. He takes his place opposite Dagbladet.

In season two of the Prime series, Sandvik Moe plays a political adviser. It meant a new world to get into.

- How do you prepare for such a role?

- I try to think about what kind of energy and rhythm he should bring to the scenes. How to carry my body, carry my voice, my hands. How does he walk? And learn the lines so that they sit well in your mouth, and try to understand what is at stake. And then come to the recording, listen, be present and have fun.

- Crazy

The days of filming offered a lot of action, and there is one scene in particular that the actor remembers particularly well.

- There was a scene that we recorded here in Oslo, out in the city. Then I would run. The camera operator filmed this with roller skates on. At full speed backwards on roller skates! I thought that was very cool, says the 24-year-old with great enthusiasm.

The main roles in the series are played by ring foxes Ine Marie Wilmann (39) and Pål Sverre Hagen (43). Sandvik Moe was disappointed when he read the script and realized that he would spend little time working with the latter.

- What I think was a bit weird is that Pål Sverre plays in this series, and he is an actor I think is incredibly talented, but I don't have any scenes with him. Our characters have nothing to do with each other, explains the actor.

- I got to meet him a bit on set. But I've met him before. We were counter-nominated once on Gullruten, and then of course he won. No big surprise. But then I talked to him a bit in Bergen many years ago. So it was the great sadness that they couldn't find a way to make our characters meet.

2017: Pål Sverre Hagen and Tarjei Sandvik Moe during the Gullruten seven years ago. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB

- Hard to say

"Furia" is one of many productions the star has taken part in since we met him as Isak in "Skam" almost ten years ago.

- How do you think "Skam" has influenced your career?

- No idea. It is hard to say. I have been privileged in the way that I have been able to do a lot of acting work, and I hope that I would have been able to do it anyway. I have had an intention long before that, and knew that I was passionate about performing arts and film, and I have a strong drive to keep at it. That is what I think is the most important thing for me. I am passionate about what I do.

MET THE PRINCESS: Tarjei Sandvik Moe with Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Kate during a visit to Hartvig Nissen's school in Oslo, known as the "Shame" school. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB

Sandvik Moe is nevertheless open to the fact that NRK's ​​success may have opened doors for him.

- So I won't be naive either, it was certainly an advantage that I got a TV role when I was young. But I'm me anyway. It's weird to talk about alternate realities. What if you were born in another part of the world? I relate to the reality that is here, says the actor with a smile.

About student life: - Absolutely wonderful

Although the 24-year-old has already managed to build up an impressive acting CV, it has been important for Sandvik Moe to study. He is currently a student at the Norwegian Film School in Lillehammer.

- Now I'm studying film in my final year and I think it's absolutely wonderful. So I appreciate the reality I am allowed to be a part of. Then all the other realities get to live their own lives.

- How do you combine study assignments, a social life and intense recording around Europe with "Furia"?

- I have done much smaller plays in the last three years, because I have lived in Lillehammer and studied film scripts. I have prioritized it, because it has been important for me to study there. So I did this a bit at the same time, he explains.

- It was stressful, but it went well!"

[spenglercore]

OC Masterlist

Made a list of OCs, organized by the IP they exist in. I'll add links to general info on them as I make the posts, and update this with missing info over time.

A lot of them are just different versions of an original, for example Victoria is the 'original', and all other OCs paired with a Harold look the same as her physically and share certain aspects of their backstory, but have different haircuts, styles of dress, etc.

---

GHOSTBUSTERS:

-Victoria 'Vic' Smith, punk nerd and Ghostbuster and later wife to Egon and mother to Callie.

-Cameron Spengler, Callie's younger brother by a year.

-Piotr Kowalski and Ilse Spengler, Egon's parents.

-Johann, Wilhelmina (Willie), Iosif, Marie and Pierre Spengler, Egon's five younger siblings.

STRIPES:

-Ingrid Antonova, greaser-punk and car mechanic.

-Zane Ziskey, Ingrid and Russell's wildass sentient mop of a son.

-Pater and Elsie, Russell's parents.

-Ian, Velma, Joseph, Maria and Piers, Russell's five chaotic younger siblings.

ORANGE COUNTY:

-Katya Brown, chemist and Stanford graduate just trying to make it work in the Bay Area.

-Maksym and Megan (Maks and Meg), fraternal twin children to Don and Katya and complete and utter surprise babies.

-Peter and Ellen, Don's parents.

-Giovanni, Willa, Joshua, Mariah and Pierce, Don's younger siblings.

STEALING HOME:

-Sophia 'Trippy' Tripolski, artist and handyman.

- Edward and Andrea (Eddie and Andy), her two kids with Alan.

BABY BOOM:

-Tracey Miller, secretary/office gofer currently pursuing a degree in Architecture

- Veronica, the daughter with Steven that shouldn't exist bc Tracey had always been told she wasn't able to even have kids.

SCTV:

For Dustin Eastwood:

-Cassidy 'Sid' Larson, general ranch hand type, occasional bounty hunter.

-Milo, her and Dustin's son who is FASCINATED by the outdoors.

-Piter and Elise, Dustin's parents.

-John, Elma, Joey, Mary and Pete, Dustin's five younger siblings.

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For Officer Friendly, whom I named Oscar:

-Penelope 'Penny' Miller, professional 70s punk protestor.

-Benjamin, Casey, Melanie (Mel), Crystal, Shaun and Josephine, Penny and Friendly's six little chaotic felons.

- Philip and Lisa, Ofc. Friendly's parents.

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For Moe Green:

- Emily Jensen. Info pending. Because Moe needs SOMEbody to comfort him, holy shit.

- Ryan, Erin and Joel, her three kids with Moe.

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For the PTA Fucker, whom I named Sterling Silver (fuck you Sam):

- Judy 'Jude' Silver, formerly Judy Gold, all I have for her is sixties hippie vibes but to the left.

- Joy, Cassius (Cas), Bianca (Bee), Leroy, Charlie and Dawn, Jude and Sterlings half-planned, half-surprise counterculture mob.

HEAVY METAL:

- Imogene [surname pending], assistant dockmaster on the station Zeke and Edsel operate out of. Tells Zeke that if he can land the goddamn ship sober and NOT fuck up the docks, she'll let him take her out. It backfires.