Houston Chronicle - 13 January 2010

Cast of striking unknowns roaring in, swords drawn

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is easily the raciest of TV's midseason entries -- if only for the copious amounts of blood splashing on screen.

However, all that red stuff is only part of the TV spectacle that is Spartacus. The new Starz series, which premieres at 9 p.m. Jan. 22, is from a producing team that includes SpiderMan director Sam Raimi. It's packed with action, interesting characters, ripped physiques and strong drama.

This is a cast of striking unknowns -- a standout being the magnificently buff Andy Whitfield, who plays the title role -- as well as more seasoned names such as Lucy Lawless ( Xena: Warrior Princess) and John Hannah ( The Mummy).

Spartacus pushes the envelope big time when it comes to violence, sexuality, nudity and language.