I've been waiting half a season for Rome to get going, and it finally did last night with the partnership between Octavian and Antony. I have no idea why they've chosen to spend half of their 10-episode final season on hissyfits and Servillia and Timon rediscovering his faith, but at least now things should speed along.

Historically, Antony and Octavian join up to fight Brutus and Cicero. They win, and Antony marries Octavia. Then he leaves her, gets way too big for his britches, falls for Cleopatra, fights Octavian, and commits suicide in the arms of his lover. Which, when you think about it, is quite the story to tell, and combined with Vorenus and Pullo, it would have made for a very compelling season.

And really, would anyone have missed Servillia if she'd been killed first thing this season? It's not like she's historically significant, or did anything other than sleep with Caesar for several years. We could have done without the Joan Collins/Linda Evans of her relationship with Atia.

And while I'm bitching (which I wasn't planning to do when I started this post), can I just say how sad a sack Vorenus is this season? He even seemed lost banging the bejeesus out of Gaia, and she's smoking hot, so that's really saying something.

To sum up, I'm liking the season, but last night was the first episode that I want to watch again. Hopefully it keeps up for the duration of the run.