Peacock’s Those About to Die filled the Colosseum-sized hole left in the gladiator niche when it premiered in 2024.
However, there has been no news about a second season since the season wrapped up last year. Peacock has neither renewed nor cancelled Those About to Die, leaving the series in limbo.
Luckily, another gladiator drama premiered recently, and it is bound to satiate the desire Those About to Die built.
Spartacus: House of Ashur has the same muscular appeal as Those About to Die: brutal fights, political scheming, and a steady supply of beautiful men.
It also features something the Peacock series exemplified: an unapologetically queer heartbeat.
What Is ‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ About?
Created by Steven S. DeKnight, the series is not new, as the main character appeared in earlier installments of the Spartacus saga.
The new story reimagines an alternate timeline in which Ashur beats Spartacus and his men, becoming valued by the Romans, with some honor bestowed on him.
Events take place in Rome and follow many characters involved in Rome’s power struggle, like Those About to Die.
Photo: Matt Klitscher/StarzHowever, Spartacus: House of Ashur does not concern itself with too many characters, one of the major flaws of its counterpart.
It instead lays its hopes and dreams on Ashur as he claws his way to the top.
Where Those About to Die offered a glimpse of what the top looks like with characters like Domitian (Jojo Macari) or Emperor Vesuvius, House of Ashur does not dwell on it, even though figures like Marcus Crassus and Julius Caesar are included.
But the most fun in any gladiator drama is tied to the mortal fights they engage in.
‘Spartacus: House of Ashur’ Has Thrilling Action Scenes
The biggest feat of Those About to Die was the games presented at the Colosseum. They entertained the masses both on and offscreen.
Spartacus: House of Ashur features similar games, with gladiators duking it out for fame and glory.
However, the horse races that set Those About to Die apart are not present in House of Ashur.
Photo: Courtesy of PeacockStill, the series more than makes it up for it with gory, charged fight scenes both on and off the arena. Bones get broken, heads decapitated, and hearts pierced. It’s painful to watch as it is entertaining.
The show’s crop of gladiators is arguably better than Those About to Die‘s.
If the roar of the crowd, grunts of gladiators, dismemberment, blood, and violence get your blood pumping, House of Ashur will not disappoint.
Still, it would be very defeating to be stuck in the heteronormative hell found in many TV shows.
And Yes, It Is Very Gay
Both dramas feature compelling queer characters, but House of Ashur leans into it with far more intention. Domitian remains a deliciously conniving imperial son, while Korris (Graham McTavish) brings a grounded, emotionally rich presence as a gladiator‑turned‑Doctore.
Korris isn’t just coded queer — the show gives him space to want, to choose, and to love. His relationship with Opiter (Arlo Gibson) is one of the year’s standout queer romances, tender and bruising in equal measure.
Photo: Matt Klitscher/StarzQueerness threads through the series at every level, from minor achillean characters to major sapphic arcs, and the show never apologizes for its desire.
It’s hornier than Those About to Die by miles, and the steady parade of sexy, barely‑clad men doesn’t hurt.
In a genre that often defaults to hetero spectacle, the show refuses to shrink its queer heartbeat — it lets it lead.
Spartacus: House of Ashur captures everything that made the original Spartacus series addictive while carving out its own identity.
It’s violent, sexy, queer, and surprisingly focused, becoming a perfect escape while we wait for Peacock to decide the fate of Those About to Die and continue filling that Colosseum‑sized void.
New episodes of Spartacus: House of Ashur stream on Fridays on Starz in the United States.
You must be logged in to post a comment.