Spartacus: Gods of the Arena - "Reckoning"

Spartacus has never been afraid to shock and surprise the viewer by killing off major characters or by introducing stunning plot twists. "Reckoning," the next-to-last episode of the prequel series, does not disappoint. TItus? Dead. Melitta? Dead. Gannicus? On his way to Tullius' stable of gladiators. Crixus? The new big dog at the House of Batiatus.

So... where do we go from here?

Sure, there are a few loose ends to tie up. There's no way that Oenomaus doesn't find out about Melitta's mini-affair with Gannicus, or at least that she was visiting him at the time of her death. Tullius is still an asshole, and Lucretia is in the middle of framing him for the death of her father-in-law. Ashur isn't hobbling. But it's all small potatoes. With Titus out of the way, Batiatus can run the ludus the way he wants to. He doesn't have to leave Capua, and he can stay married to Lucretia. He's just lost Gannicus to his arch enemy, but given Crixus' rise, he probably won't lose much sleep over the deal. The penultimate episode of Blood and Sand built to a frenzied climax and carried major implications for the finale. When Spartacus said "There is but one path... we kill them all," it sure as hell made you want to tune in to the last episode. The foreplay was over and the climax was within tantalizing reach. "Reckoning," however, promises no such climax. Spartacus isn't a show based on strong character moments. A dramatic confrontation between Gannicus and Oenomaus regarding Melitta and the shattering of the friendship between Batiatus and Solonius aren't exactly the types of showdowns I'm looking forward to. Capua's new arena needs christening, so the finale probably won't be free of bone-shattering action, but it will be free of any personal investment.

While disappointing, "Reckoning" wasn't a total waste of an episode. John Hannah and Lucy Lawless are good actors playing good characters, and they're a genuine pleasure to watch. They're overly ambitious, untrustworthy, backstabbing serpents and thus perfect for each other. It's even oddly romantic that they're willing to destroy lives for each other. Aww. Nick Tarabay continues to be entertainingly callous as Ashur, and if Dagan busts his leg up before being sent to the mines, I'll be a happy camper. There's the rare Spartacus feat of thematic depth, as Lucretia learns for the first time - but certainly not the last - upon Melitta's accidental death that the best laid plans always go awry. It's even a little sad to see Lucretia's first reluctant dalliance with Crixus (seriously, Lucy Lawless is a good actress).

I don't ask for much with Spartacus. It doesn't take much skill to show some boobs and decapitations every episode. But solid plotting is hard to come by and Spartacus has excelled at it in ways other genre shows haven't. The series has one episode to redeem itself before a long hiatus. Let's hope it delivers.