I recently started watching the HBO series Rome here in Canada on TMN On Demand and I was wondering how Empire compared to in in terms of content and quality. I know this was done for network television so it won't be as graphic, but in terms of storytelling, is it as good? I am really enjoying Rome and would be interested in looking into this if anyone would recommend it.
shareI've just finished watching Rome and only seen the 1st ep of Empire tonite. Empire is good and is faster paced than Rome but of the two Rome is acted better, scripted better and the scences are more how Rome the city actually was. It will be interesting when Rome series II airs in 2007 to really compare as Empire basically stars off where Rome series I ended.
"Empire" is...good u say ? WTF ? Are u...blind ? "Empire" is the worst series I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE AND IT SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ANY COSTS ESPECIALLY IF U ARE A BUFF ABOUT ROME'S GREATEST EMPIRE. The factual errors were TOO MANY. I Haven't seen "Rome" yet but from what i hear i will give it a try and it certainly CAN'T BE WORST THAN THIS CRAP WHICH DARES TO CALL ITSELF AN "EMPIRE"
ROME WAS A GREAT EMPIRE IN IT'S TIME (((202 B.C.-1204 A.D)After 1204 the empire survived in name only until 1453 A.D.)The byzantine empire never existed).
Empire was okay I liked some of the fighting in it some of the Roman customs was nicly done. And I like how they played the movie in Italy was cool but the story about Octavius was just plain out fales! So which one do like I better Rome!!! I mean so far I think Rome is more accurate to the real Roman life style then enthing else I seen on tv!
shareEmpire was more like a soap oprea ^_^!
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Only two episodes of Rome have been shown in Australia so far while Empire has finished, so my opinion is based on this only. Upon seeing the first two episodes of Rome, I think that Empire is preferable. I was looking forward to watching Rome since it well received from what I read on the Internet. Oh, how I was sorely let down.
Firstly, there were too many pornographic scenes. They did nothing to further the plot lines, and left me cringing. Sure, Empire did have that scene in Episode 4, but at least it was done "tastefully".
Secondly, I find it amusing that so many people praise Rome for its good scripting. I would say the exact opposite; the story skips from plot line to plot line that I was left confused about what was going on. Compare this to Empire, where I knew exactly what was going on at any one time.
Thirdly, I believe the acting in Empire was superior to Rome's. While I will remember actors like Jonathan Cake and Vincent Regan for a long time, I bet I will forget all of the actors from Rome once the series finishes.
People may slam Empire for skewing history, but being in my early twenties, I was too entertained to care.
Rome's tagline, "sinful, corrupt, addictive" should be changed to "pornographic, overhyped and dull".
I will stick with Rome, hoping that something good will come out of it. But so far I have been bored with it. I cast my vote for Empire.
Thank you, boisterous-hal!! I too am Australian and I definitely like Empire more. I stopped watching Rome because I tired of it very quickly. The "sex sells" mantra is practically ancient itself. I don't mind a couple of "love scenes" here and there, but they pop up like daisies in Rome. Sex, sex and more sex. I also found Emipre's scripting to be superior and many of Rome's actors made me want to strangle my cat.
I too will remember Jonathan Cake for a long time and already the faces of Rome are fading from my mind. Even former Home and Away Chris Egan on Empire was bearable and memorable.
Let them have their liberties for history. The same old story needs to be brought out more creatively if it is to continue being brought to us (and I am certain more interpretations of Octavius and that time period are to come in the future). When I'm watching a FICTIONAL show, I expect fiction. I know history and, heck, I even studied Cicero's work, but this knowledge didn't both me. Empire entertained and produced the exceptional character of Tyrannus. Rome spat out sex and boredom.
I bought Empire on DVD, such is my affection for it.
~Ours is a race that has trouble programming VCRs. Is it any wonder our spaceships keep blowing up?~
WATCH ALL OF ROME,k the first 3 episodes are slow but then it really picks up. And while it is overabundant in sex and in some episodes cursing (to appeal to the "edgy HBO" market) it is a great show nontheless. All the characters are compelling and it builds its story like a masterful work of art while Empire moves like....well a TV movie.
And as for acting nevermind you have great depth of learning what the Plebs are experiencing through all this (Vorenus and Pullo are just as interesting as Caesar, Antony, Octavien or anyone else) but also the famous names are depicted as real people. There is no hero or villain in the historical characters as they are all grey and neither is fully right in any action. No simplifying to stupidity level as "Brutus was evil" or "Antony was evil." Everyone in Rome has a point of view and usually it has some merit and empathy.
Also season 2 is just 3 episodes in and has blown away Empire. And while this was all opinion, when it comes to acting, no there is no contest. CIRRIAN HINDS IS JULIUS CAESAR you cannot top that or the distinguished cast that follows.
I bought Empire just the other day in the hopes that it will be a great series that will captivate me for days to come. I also thought that its historical focus was more interesting than Rome's. After all, the story of Gaius Julius Caesar has been played out so many times, I just wanted to see what I thought would be the equally fantastic story of his heir. I wanted to see, as the DVD promised, the rise to power of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, called Augustus.
Oh how I was bitterly disappointed.
HBO's "Rome" was far superior to this load of tosh. The former has better research, more skilled actors, better scripting, and altogether a far darker tone. "Empire" is flippant in its execution and completely uncaring in its historical accuracy. I wanted to see the rise to power of Octavius. What I got was Hollywood sensationalist crap wrapped in stock characters who are tagged with familiar historical names. Characters who did not at all match their real counterparts, whether it is in character or fate. Now granted, Rome is not historically accurate either. Its characters are ALSO altered to make for better drama. However, "Rome" is at least historically authentic, it's producers at least tried to stay faithful to the life of Ancient Rome. Not so "Empire". The actors walked around in leggings as though too embarrassed to be caught wearing "skirts" and Marian legionaries stand strapped in third century armor. Organized Roman fighting squares are disintegrated into mob warfare and blind charging. In the last episode, when someone screamed "hold the line", all I wanted to scream back was "what line?"
Ah, and the story. Mind-numbingly dull and dumbed down so that hormone-induced teenagers wouldn't have to think after they've seen it. All the political manueverings and careful subtleties employed by parties in power at the time were removed or discarded in favor of more overt struggle. Octavius is reduced from the resourceful, politically cunning young man into a reluctant boy who desperately needs an ex-gladiator to instill common sense into his feeble mind. And where did that crap with the Vestal Virgin come from?! Had I not known more about the actual history of the time and about the historical Octavius, I would've wondered how such a low-brow idiot could've retaken an empire. And I would've wondered how Rome hadn't crumpled under the rule of such an incompetent boy. Such is the Gaius Octavian of "Empire".
Need I say more? Rome is the far better of the two.
I loved Rome, and I'm pretty sure it was far more accurate historically. And, it contained much more detail, intregue, and character analysis that Empire did. However, I like Empire too! It's kind of a simplified version of Rome. Yes, I too loved Cirrian Hinds and I learned a lot about Julius Caesar without having to read about the history of the Roman Empire to get the facts.
shareThat's funny, that you stopped watching "Rome" BECAUSE of the sex. ;)
However, I can't believe you say the acting in "Rome" is poor. Not only it isn't poor, it is GREAT. From Caesar to Octavian you totally believe these characters (and Mark Antony rules!). Same for the script. What was so hard to understand in the first two episodes? Caesar and Pompeii were heading towards an inevitable conflict for control of Rome, while Pullo and Vorenus were in the middle of it all and unwittingly "caused" some of the major historical events you see. If that was so hard to understand then you better stick to really simple storylines.
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Rome is superior to Empire which is just a bad directed, casted, and even the music was terrible. Although the second series of Rome was itself inaccurate and not really that good in my opinion, the first season was brilliant. Empire was just poor.
I can bid defiance to pain...
Like most of the guys here I agree that Rome is far better than Empire.
Empire was fun but it's somewhat weak. Rome on the other hand was simply great (great actors, characters whom we can associate with, fun moments, etc). I really recommend to anyone who loves history the Rome DVDs, despite its sky high prices - great entertainment doesn't always come cheap though.
Empire reminded me of "Xena Warrior Princess" and I couldn't wait for it to be over whereas Rome was so real and gritty I fell in love with it from episode one...
I also didn't like how much creative liberty Empire took - like Octavius in gladiator slave camps... c'mon....
I can't see the reason for preferring Empire. I suppose it is a matter of taste. As far as Rome being pornographic: I'm not sure to which bits you're referring. Yes there was some sex, but hey ho. As far as not being able to follow it - Um... it's not hard. I was very excited at the prospect of Empire hitting TV here. Oh dear. There are some strong performances, but they're fighting against a leaden script, vacuous direction, history that is a complete mystery - and comments of 'it's not history - it's entertainment' hold no water. If that is the case - set it in a fictional place and time, don't pick the most discussed point in Roman history. Besides which - it's entertainment if cliché, ham and cheese are entertainment. Worst point for me was Caesar on the Senate floor giving some death-bed speech to the Gladiator "Teach him to rule" etc. What absolute drivel. I bought a TV so I could watch live-action. This, sadly is a cardboard world inhabited by two-dimensional dimwits.
shareI watched both series of Rome and I'm watching empire on Sky One.
Rome was great. so far is has proved historically more accurate, better written and much better acted.
Empire seems to occasionally be playing for laughs (the look given as Brutus appointed Pontiff). It actually reminds me of the Tv series of Planet of the Apes. Two blokes on the run and getting in a tight spot each week.... lol
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