Trust None – As the episode opens, Tenax (Iwan Rheon) places a bag of coins and a metal scroll tube in the safe. He orders to men outside his window to leave. Ursus (Daniel Stisen) watches Tenax’s window from a building across the street. Tenax discovers a horse figurine on his bed. It triggers a memory of fire. He draws his dagger. Outside, Ursus steps forward and looks up at Tenax’s window. Armed, Tenax searches his room to find no one there but himself when a frantic knock comes to the door. Grabbing a cleaver, he gradually opens the door to see Scorpus (Dimitri Leonidas). Placing a cotter pin on the table, Scorpus asks if he tampered with the race that killed his partner. Tenax denies the allegation. Scorpus demands he find and kill the culprits when he spots the horse figurine on the table. Tenax sends him away with his winnings from today’s race.

Elia (Goncalo Almeida) is surprised by Gavros’ (David Wurawa) knowledge of the Andalusian horse. Gavros informs Scorpus that Sista and Sorna sustained injuries and will be unable to race for a week. Scorpus expresses his dislike of Andalusian horses. Elia argues that they are better than his Bay horses. Scorpus sets a meeting to look at the Andalusian horses. Andria (Eneko Sagardoy) tells Elia that his Andalusian horse will run for Scorpus in tomorrow’s race. Fonsoa (Pepe Barroso) is thrilled to think of their horse racing for the Blues in Rome. Gavros escorts them to Tenax’s rental in Suburra Quirinal Hill. The landlady shows them a monthly rental for nine sesterces per each of them. Andria and Elia pay for Fonsoa who they force to sleep on the floor. Elsewhere, Tenax and several men forcibly remove Lentullus (Niccolo Senni) from his bed. Holding up a cotter pin, Tenax asks who convinced him to tamper with the race. Lentullus refuses to answer. Tenax starts to stab him when his daughter claims a red-headed man came into the shop and said it was a surprise for Lentullus. Tenax congratulates Lentullus before leaving to find Lucius (Thomas Hunt) playing dice. Lucius boasts of being hired by a powerful man. Getting in his face, Tenax asks if the man will protect him. Dacia (Jarreth J. Merz) and Noro (Christian Hillborg) warn Tenax who vows to kill Lucius after he deals with the man who hired him which he claims to already know.

Titus (Tom Hughes) promises Berenice (Lara Wolf) that he will be emperor and she will stay with him. She voices concern about herself and her people if Domitian (Jojo Macari) takes the curule chair.

House of Scorpus Esquiline Hill – Tenax finds Scorpus in bed with two girls (Vivienne Fareta, Alessandra Cramarossa). Once alone, he informs Scorpus that Domitian ordered his chariot to be tampered with because he needed money. Tenax says Emperor Vespasian (Anthony Hopkins) has heavy control over Domitian who is of a lower rank than Titus. In heavy gambling debt, Domitian, who is the Aedile Ludi, may be more willing to approve Tenax’s plan to create a faction.

Via Ostiense – Kwame (Moe Hashim) urges his enslaved sisters, Aura (Kyshan Wilson) and Julia (Alice Ann Edogamhe) to be strong before they are physically separated. Farid (Mohammad Bakri) shows Carpo (Felix Lampert) a killer lion. Carpo is immediately taken by Kwame. Cala (Sara Martins) shows her three Levant pearls to an Arabian jewelry trader (Mohamed Elmaghraby). Seeing them, a thug (Edoardo Strano) races to tell Lucius. They pursue Cala from the shop to an isolated area where they threaten her with a knife. They take her pearls. When two soldiers approach, Lucius and his thugs flee. Cala retrieves her assets and flees as well.

Ludus Magnus – Domitian watches Flamma (Martyn Ford) take out his opponent. He claims Titus wanted to throw Flamma from the Tarpeian Rock. Flamma assures him that he is treated well when Kwame and the other slaves are brought into the arena. Atticus (Bruno Bilotta) rejects Kwame. Farid (Mohammad Bakri) tells him that Kwame can fight and he killed a lion. Domitian puts him up against Viggo (Johannes Haukur Johannesson). The sparing begins. After a bit of back-and-forth, Kwame breaks his Rudis sword. Domitian orders a guard to give Viggo his Gladius sword. The fight continues and ends with Kwame defeating Viggo. Atticus suggests Kwame and Flamma fight in the arena. Kwame lashes out at Domitian but the guards intervene.

Circus Maximus – Scorpus takes Elia’s Andalusian horses for a test run. He offers 20,000 sesterces for all 10 horses but insists Fonsoa, Andria, and Elia take care of them as his stable hands. Fonsoa immediately accepts the offer. Elia reminds him of their promise to return to Baetica. Fimbria (Pietro Ragusa) overhears their discussion and walks away. Fonsoa and Andria accept the deal and promise Elia will as well. Exhilarated, Scorpus tells Tenax about the Andalusian horses that he acquired with his money. A short time later, Marsus (Rupert Penry-Jones) learns about Scorpus’ purchase. A man claims it make the purchase with his own money. Marsus questions if he is planning to leave their faction. Antonia (Gabriella Pession) assures him that he has something planned when Tenax arrives. Marsus asks how the 500 Blue Faction shares came into his possession. After claiming it was payment for a gambling debt, Tenax says with the 500 shares, Marsus would beat Caltonia (Angeliqa Devi) as the lead owner. He offers to sell them for 700,000 sesterces. Marsus declines the offer. Tenax increases the cost several times before Marsus pays him 900,000 sesterces but insists they say it was 500,000 sesterces. After Tenax’s departure, Antonia enters the room. Marsus expresses his hatred for Caltonia.

Tenax tells Domitian that he knows about his dangerous grain supply scheme before explaining his and Scorpus’ plan to create a new racing faction. Domitian questions if Scorpus will leave the Blue Faction. Tenax offers him 50% ownership in exchange for his approval at Aedile Ludi to race at the Circus Maximus. He asks to be Domitian’s client. Domitian agrees to consider it. Elsewhere, Cala threatens to slice off Lucius’ private part if he doesn’t turn over her pearls. He claims to have utilized all but one to pay his debt. She knocks him out. At Circus Maximus, the Andalusians are anxious. Elsewhere, Elia is packing his belongings. Fonsoa and Andria urge him to stay. Elia gives them instructions for Ferox’s care when a man alerts them of a problem at the stable. They find the horses sick.

Vespasian appoints his successor, Titus. Domitian vows to support Titus as Emperor but doesn’t mean it. At Circus Maximus, Tenax and Scorpus find the Andalusians sick. When Domitian arrives, Tenax tries to entice him with food and girls but he demands to see the horses. When they return to the stable, Elia has the sick Andalusian in a sling. Elia explains how the therapy makes the horses faster on flat terrain. Domitian claims to be familiar with the process. Fonsoa says the other horses are in the pasture. Domitian approves Tenax and Scorpus’ new faction when Gavros arrives with the physician (Corrado Invernizzi). Domitian makes Tenax one of his clients. After assessing the horses, the physician urges them to bury the horses. Fearing for their lives, Fonsoa is ready to go back to Baetica. Elia refuses to leave the horses. Andria says Domitian saw them, so they must stay. Believing the horses have been poisoned, Scorpus insists on bringing Physician Caldus (Haymon Maria Buttinger) in to look at the horses. Tenax orders Andria to accompany Scorpus to Pompeii.

Tenax visits a local herbalist, Azariah (Geno Diana), to buy some nightshade. Azariah denies selling poison until Tenax threatens him. A short time later, Tenax’s men kill Salto for poisoning his horses. Another man claims Salto was approached by a man in a fancy litter. Tenax allows the man to live and orders his men to find the litter. He returns to the stables to learn one of the horses died. He sends Gravos to purchase more horses. Fonsoa tells Elia that they are leaving when Andria returns. When Elia refuses, Fonsoa calls him a spoiled child. Elia still refuses to leave the horses. Fonsoa helps Otho (Federico Ielapi) and his mother carry their belongings to their room.

Woola (Theodore Max Gravina) and Felix (Leone Girlanda) follow a fancy litter through the city. Tenax forces a man to sell him Leto (Vincent Riotta) and Xenon’s (Emilio Sakraya) chariots when Felix arrives to tell him about the litter. Tenax orders the man to repaint the chariots before leaving with Felix. At the forum, Tiones (Christopher Ward) is preparing to auction Aura, Jula, and several other slaves. Cala is in the audience. Tenax pays Woola and Felix. A bidding war breaks out for Aura and Julia. Tenax has a flashback of being with Antonia. Tiones claims Jula is a virgin. Antonia buys her for 3,000 sesterces. Cala is devastated. Tenax bids 500 sesterces for Aura. Cala offers an 800-sesterces bid but Tiones sells Aura to Tenax. Cala offers him 1,000 sesterces but he refuses. Aura threatens to kill him in his sleep. He reminds her that she is his slave when Cala arrives. Tenax explains his plan to utilize Aura and Jula to spy on Antonia. He agrees to let her stay with Aura for a few nights.

Viggo tells Kwame that Flamma is going to kill him. Kwame admits to lying about killing a lion, only a leopard. Viggo offers to teach him how to fight with weapons if he shares his knowledge of fighting animals. He claims gladiators can earn the wooden sword and freedom. Kwame expresses his desire to kill Domitian.

 

Those About To Die Review

An intriguing plot ruined by poor execution, weak writing, and terrible CGI and AI. The wardrobe is the show’s strongest asset. The acting is flat and not always believable. This will definitely go down as one of Anthony Hopkins’ worst roles. The layers of makeup make his skin look plasticity and blanch.

The story is clunky and lacks that much-needed spark to engage the audience. The cast is heavily oversaturated. Viewers will hardly care about 95% of the characters. The many different accents take away from the “Roman” aspect of the show. A diverse cast works but not in this case.

The episode deserves a 4.5 out of 10. Get more Those About To Die recaps here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link. Learn more about advertising with us here. See what others are saying here.