I've Been Thinking

Every time I watch 'Clone Wars' I am reminded what a terrific unique little character R2D2 is. The way they have developed his personality as a smart, brave, loyal sidekick in the years before he hooked up with C3P0 is fun to watch.

Frankly the whole 'Clone Wars' TV series almost makes up for the live prequels. The relationship between Annakin and R2D2 is interesting also. They have a trust and friendship that is rarely seen in the Star Wars universe where most droids are just treated as tools to be discarded at whim. I would love to see a story were R2 runs into Darth Vader during the times of the rebellion. Annakin may be a Sith Lord but he would not have forgotten about his little buddy.


Spartacus Blood and Sand ended it's first season with a terrific blood filled episode. I was shocked and surprised that they didn't want to squeeze more story out of the gladiator school but got right to the beginnings of the slave revolt (from which we better get the cool scene where every slave claims to be Spartacus when questioned by the Roman General - "I am Spartacus" "No, I am Spartacus").

I love how Doctori and Kricsus were pushed so far that they had to join in with Spartacus. If you know anything about the way society was structured in ancient Rome you know that such events as a slave revolt were almost non-existent. One revolting slave meant the death to ALL slaves in that household. Every slave lived in fear that one 'trouble making' slave could be the death of them.

Slaves were an important part of Roman society and it would have collapsed without it. Slaves were often treated as family because of the way they cared for their 'masters'. They often educated their master's children if they had the ability.

To have the charisma to convince people (who have pretty much accepted their lot in life and even thrived as slaves) to take the life threatening action that Spartacus advocated makes me wonder just how amazing a leader he must have been.

I am downloading the original 1960 version with Kurt Douglas now. It's been years since I've seen it.