Summary

• Romans would be disappointed in the drab color palette of “Those About To Die”, lacking the vibrancy of ancient Rome.
• Despite historical accuracy, the series falls flat with its lackluster CGI and clunky dialogue, missing opportunities for creativity.
• The sepia-toned aesthetic of the show may be due to cost-effectiveness, but a more colorful depiction could enhance the storytelling.

If Romans time-traveled to today, there’s one key reason they would be disappointed if they streamed Those About To Die. The release of this new swords-and-sandals epic reflects a persistent appeal – Ancient Rome has been ripe dramatic material for thousands of years. However, critical responses to Those About To Die, which sits at 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, show that, despite great performances including Hopkins and Rheon, the series’ appeal falls decidedly flat.

The first episode provides a perhaps unintentionally ironic glimpse into the show’s perceived drabness. Domitian, addressing his father, Emperor Vespasian, advises him to apply some blush: “Some color, perhaps? On the upper cheeks… The crowd wants to see a healthy Emperor.” This off-hand comment inadvertently reveals a deeper truth about the show itself: that the whole production would greatly benefit from a splash of healthy color, with the reason lying in real history.

Ancient Rome Was Colorful, Not Drab Like In Those About To Die

Ancient Rome conjures images of museums and galleries – gleaming, pristine sculptures from Ancient Greece and Rome lining the halls with their ethereal beauty. However, while the marble might seem monochrome, the real Rome, then the capital of the Mediterranean world, was an explosion of color. Bright frescoes and colored marble abounded. Vox has outlined this honest mistake of history:

“After the fall of Rome, ancient sculptures were buried or left in the open air for hundreds of years. By the time the Renaissance began in the 1300s, their paint had faded away. As a result, the artists unearthing, studying, and copying ancient art didn’t realize how colorful it was supposed to be.”

This didn’t stop art historians seemingly being in denial about this until recently, because of the perceived aesthetic superiority of white marble. This opens up so much creative potential for filmmakers – but many still fall into the trap of portraying Roman antiquity in an ironically outdated, predictable way. The overhead CGI shots of the architecture in Those About To Die look glossy and cheap. It would have benefited from more texture and life. This inevitably draws comparisons to the tragically short-lived Rome (2005–2007), which portrayed the gritty, colorful city, obscene graffiti and all.

A Colorful Rome Would Fit Those About To Die’s Themes Better

When using ancient Rome, world-building is paramount.

In defense of Those About To Die, its critically lauded predecessor Rome had the benefit of “one of the most expensive productions of all time for its co-producers,” (Slashfilm). Those About To Die is relatively cheaper, but at $140 million is still huge. Its events are equally bombastic – thrill-seeking crowds, charioteers, and gladiators feature in Those About To Die. A more vibrant color palette would arguably be more fitting. Many have also pointed out its clumsy background CGI, which breaks the immersion. When using ancient Rome, world-building is paramount – with Those About To Die falling short.

The history references in Those About To Die have merit, albeit with clunky dialogue pulling along the true story of the Flavian dynasty. While some anachronistic buildings may exist, key landmarks like the Circus Maximus, Palatine palaces, Forum Romanum, Colosseum, Capitoline Hill, and even another forum are depicted with fairly good accuracy. The series even portrays the controversial relationship between Emperor Titus and Queen Berenice, a detail that caused friction among Roman elites. Overall, the historical representation appears to be quite faithful to the period, described by Esquire as “accurate-ish”, which makes its commitment to dull colors more frustrating.

Why Those About To Die Is Sepia-Toned

One reason Those About To Die may be sepia-toned is that it’s cheaper to make. It simplifies post-production work like color grading and visual effects, especially for the Colosseum. Beyond cost-effectiveness, desaturated color grading is an easy way to bring cohesion to the series’ tone and style. This is especially helpful for the studio filming location of Those About To Die. By muting the colors, filmmakers are able to draw attention where needed, such as the blood in the fight scenes – it could also be a compensatory step to add grittiness to the sets since it isn’t filmed on location.

A muted color palette could also be a deliberate choice. Sepia tones are frequently used to depict historical periods. This creates a visual shorthand for the past. It might be aiming for a more grounded feel, reflecting faded grandeur. With this being said, it reads as a slightly half-hearted attempt to add more grittiness to compensate for clunky dialogue. A fully colored depiction in the series might better reflect how Roman elites used spectacle, with all its vibrancy, to distract the masses and prevent rebellion. With season 2 of Those About To Die seemingly confirmed, there’s still hope for a fix.

Source: Vox, Slashfilm, Esquire