Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz first generated buzz thanks to its promise of graphic scenes of sex and violence and it definitely lived up to that hype in the first two episodes. But the series showed signs of potential, at the very least a nice guilty pleasure of soapy intrigue and stylized fight scenes, plus plenty of skin.
But as the first season progressed (Starz ordered a 2nd before it even premiered), what emerged was a tightly written and highly engrossing story of greed, power, love, and revenge. The series delved deeper into the characters and the story, adding much needed substance, all leading up to the incredibly thrilling finale.