Spartacus Season 1 Episode 4 The Thing in the Pit.
Reviewed by MaryD

Having performed shamefully in the arena against Crixus, Spartacus is forced to fight in the Pits. Batiatus, determined to profit from Spartacus, may be at risk if his debts aren’t repaid.

Here are my thoughts of the episode. I didn't review the unedited version way back in Feb so I don't have notes to compare this version with that but I'm going from memory (please correct me if I'm wrong). The timing of the episode is 60 minutes (Foxtel IQ has a neat timer so I checked that from start to end credits). The edited episode + adverts.

1. Lucretia and Quintas are talking about The Pits and how Barca is going to protect him in the pits. I've replayed this scene about 5 times and I still can't figure out what Lucretia said she was going to do with Barca's jewels if he had harm were to befall to her husband. It's a garbled mess.

2. The face ripping scene...GONE!! Had to be the cleanest fight ever with minimum amount of blood.

3. Crixus and Naevia scene...a total scene cut completely. I don't believe this. The scene where Crixus gives Naevia the necklace and she knocks it back. Why the heck was that scene edited out? Doesn't make sense. Was this scene in episode 3 and I totally missed (and forgot it) or was this in episode 4?

4. Lucretia and Crixus scene .. edited a great deal, lots of closeups and only shown for a few seconds.

5. The violence is back but an amazing lack of the red stuff. Sparty is all bloodied up but no red stuff to be seen anywhere. Amazing.

6. I love Varro's loyalty. I miss his passing.

7. Okay what happens when you hit someone's flush in the face and break his nose? Answer? Nothing. Only slow motion whap. Wow. They edited out the blood.

8. One of my all time favourite scenes: Naevia gives Crixus a real talking too, calling him thick! I *LOVE* this scene :) Go Naevia! Crixus of course stops her in mid rant with a kiss. LOVE those two. What's even cuter is that Naevia is really enjoying this kiss and then breaks off and she's mad :) LOL!

9. It's Batiatus' turn to feel the wrath of his wife. I love this scene as well. I just love the fact this series doesn't make the women weak; thank you Steven! Lucretia just loves her Quintas.

10. My other favourite scene is the dream Sparty has of Sura and him falling to his knees clutching at her. That has to be one of the beautiful scenes. The rain comes and it's blood - so now they find the red stuff but that's also edited out a great deal.

11. Sparty saving Batiatus' life. There is something so unreal about all the violence without the blood; I keep saying it but it's true. It truly looks ridiculous that you can slice a man and not have a single blood spot.

12. One the best scenes in all the series follows Batiatus' rescue and that is between Lucretia and Batiatus. I simply adore this scene. Lucretia's hatred for Spartacus reaches new levels. She loves her husband but fears what Sparty will do (she should, she's not gonna like ep 13). I love these two; they are twisted; they are cruel but the love they have for each other is just so pure. Lucy Lawless and John Hannah are just SUPERB. I know it's been said before but these two are just magic together.

Something I neglected to mention is the end credits. In the original you have a montage of Lucretia and others. In the edited version you don't see that at all. The editing even extends to the end credits.

So ends episode 4. Next week is episode 5.