“Fugitivus” started off with a brief prologue informing the audience of what transpired during Blood and Sand and catching them up to where the story has gone since then. Spartacus and his men are still wreaking havoc on Rome, and they’re being hunted down by a noble named Seppius. After a skirmish between Spartacus’ rebels and Seppius’ mercenaries, the ex-slaves returned to their base in the sewers to plot their next move. Crixus’ desire was to find Naevia, who he lost contact with after the revolt at the home of Batiatus. He had heard that the slaver responsible for her sale was going to be visiting a brothel in Capua, so they planned an attack in order to get information. Crixus learned that Naevia was somewhere in the south, and he wanted to go after her, but Spartacus insisted on staying put even though Mira (his new companion) agreed that they should move on. He was contemplating the idea until he learned that Gaius Claudius Glaber would be returning to Capua.

In Rome, Glaber was adjusting to his new station as praetor when the news of Spartacus’ exploits started to cause concern. He was assigned to go back to Capua and to handle Spartacus once and for all. Glaber and Ilithyia returned to Capua and took up residence in the house of Batiatus despite her protests, and once there they found out that Lucretia was still alive although she had gone mad after the massacre that occurred at the end of Blood and Sand. Instead of putting her out of her misery (which also would have rid Ilithyia of the one witness to her murderous ways), Glaber decided to use her as a symbol to instill hope in the residents of Capua.

Glaber unveiled Lucretia at a rally in the town square to prove that Spartacus had no power over the people, and he was even going to execute an escaped slave named Aurelia, who was a follower of Spartacus and the wife of his best friend Varro. His plans were thwarted by our hero, who was there to get his vengeance since Glaber was responsible for the death of his wife, but he was outmanned until Crixus and his fellow rebels showed up to save their leader. After Spartacus and his men regrouped, Aurelia asked to speak to him, and she wanted him to promise her that he would stay away from her son so he would avoid the suffering that his parents had to endure. A shaken Spartacus decided against getting revenge for Aurelia’s death, and instead decided to go south to find Naevia, but they would free slaves along the way so they could build an army to face the Empire.

While Spartacus is a very serialized story, I did feel that “Fugitivus” did a good job at introducing this world to new viewers while not making fans re-live moments that had occurred up to the opening scene. There are some details that are important for people to know, but I’m confident that someone who watched Spartacus for the first time would be able to catch-up.

The biggest question facing Vengeance is whether Liam McIntyre would be able to adequately replace the late Andy Whitfield, and I for one thought he did a great job. Now, I’ll admit that Andy cannot be replaced, and I think Liam understood that’s not what he needed to do. Instead, he was supposed to keep true to the character while bringing his own interpretation, and I felt that he was successful. Between the two, Andy’s Sparty embodied the more underdog qualities of the character and the rawer emotions while Liam brought more confidence and command to the role. The way I see it, Andy was good at the inner struggles whereas I can see Liam being a stronger leader. That’s not to say Andy would not have been able to, but the emotions were his strength.

The only weakness of the show at this point is the fact that its scope may be too large. For example, we were introduced to so many new characters in this first episode back, like Seppius and his incestuous sister, that it was hard to keep up. Usually, I’m a fan of a show expanding beyond its original parameters, but I just wish these changes were made at a slower pace. Since Spartacus does not have the luxury of having 22-episode seasons, I understand that each episode has to be filled to the brim with story, but sometimes this approach makes it hard to digest everything that’s being offered up.

Other Odds and Ends:

• I’m so glad Lucretia survived the uprising because Lucy Lawless was amazing during Blood and Sand. It’s just too bad Batiatus had to go, but we still have Gods of the Arena.
• I didn’t realize how much I missed Ilithyia until Viva Bianca showed up on my screen, and I shouldn’t have been surprised that her first scene back was sans clothing.
• Speaking of the nudity, sex and violence, I hope people don’t count out this show because of its more tantalizing elements because that’s not what Spartacus is about. These aspects are just hedonistic garnishes on the side of a well-told story.
• So, one of the big questions I have has to do with Spartacus and Mira. During Season 1, and so far in Season 2, his main driving force has been his love for his wife, but he’s OK with sleeping around with Mira? For some reason that just rings false to me.
• Glaber has the chance to be an epic Big Bad. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.
• In the end, the relationship that will be the most important is the one between Spartacus and Crixus.
• That final exchange between Spartacus and Aurelia was heartbreaking and an example of what this show does well.

The biggest news involving the Spartacus universe was the untimely illness and passing of Andy Whitfield, the man who played Spartacus during Season 1, and how the role was re-cast with Liam McIntyre. DeKnight and McIntyre both shared their thoughts on the decision to have someone new take over the character.

When McIntyre’s performance was addressed, DeKnight replied:

What drew us to Liam is that we didn’t want to try to duplicate (Andy). I mean, that will never happen. He was such a singular, amazing talent. But we wanted to find somebody that had the same base qualities of compassion. And I told all the actors when they auditioned that even though Spartacus may fly into a rage now and then, he never comes from a place of anger, it’s always from a place of a wounded heart. And we really felt like Liam captured that essence.

And when Liam was asked about the challenge of taking over the role of Spartacus, he shared:

I’m very lucky in that … the writing team is absolutely sensational, and that Starz is really supportive. So Starz early on said, you know, make the character your own, treat it as your own character. They didn’t expect me to copy anything. I did watch all of Andy’s amazing work. And so I don’t know if any parts was osmosis or kind of influenced me in any way. I can’t be sure, but I mean hopefully because he was sensational. Realistically I just tried to be true to the character which essentially stays the same, because the writing is the same and all of that lovely humanity and those difficult choices and all that. Then that struggle that Spartacus goes through, it’s still there this season.

McIntyre’s also aware that there may be resistance to him being Spartacus, and when asked whether fans will respond to him, he replied:

That’s all right because I would demand the scrutiny of fans in that sense. I hope they come asking difficult questions because frankly I would if I was in the reverse situation. I’m not trying to pretend that I am Andy or that I’m going to be matching Andy in any particular way. I just hope that I do the character justice and that with time I hope that they can like my Spartacus in a way that keeps him a compelling character in a way that they loved Andy’s. I guess time will be the judge of that question.

Since DeKnight has ties to Joss Whedon, every season needs a Big Bad, and Spartacus: Vengeance is no different. With Batiatus no longer in the picture, the field was wide open, but someone was there to fill the void according to DeKnight:

Yes. Glaber, who we only saw in two episodes back in Season 1, he is a major player this season. He is the big bad of our season. Historically he’s the next guy that was sent after Spartacus and we follow that history here, so that he’s going to be Spartacus’ arch nemesis nipping at his heels for the entire season.

While Spartacus is known for his sex and violence, it’s the relationships between the characters that are truly at the show’s core, and one of the primary relationships is between Lucretia and Ilithyia, which hit some snags but will be vital to Season 2. According to DeKnight:

Without giving anything away, Ilithyia and Lucretia, which are two of my favorite characters to write especially when they’re with each other, they continue their frenemy dance in a very convoluted, unexpected way. What happens between those two is not what you would think is actually going to happen, especially based on where we left them at the end of Season 1. They are in fine form totally. They really continue that storyline in an amazing kind of way.

Another relationship that was a driving force during Season 1 was Spartacus’ bond with his wife who died towards the end of the first run, but a new woman (Mira) emerged as a challenger for the gladiator’s affections, which was interesting since he’s so motivated by his love for his wife. When asked about the coupling of Spartacus and Mira, DeKnight responded:

With Mira, as we left her in Season 1, she really responded to Spartacus and was falling in love with Spartacus and Spartacus had compassion towards her, but I wouldn’t call it love. Where we move with them, they have moved into a quasi-relationship, but it’s a relationship that’s very bumpy and rocky and may or may not work out in the end.

As for Liam’s take on the Spartacus/Mira relationship:

Spartacus: Vengeance continues the tale of the legendary gladiator (played by Liam McIntyre) who led a slave revolution against the mighty Roman Empire. The Starz Original Series returns on Friday, January 27.

Photo Courtesy of Starz

First, here is the key art:

And here’s a behind the scenes video:

The events in Spartacus: Vengeance begin a few weeks following what conspired in the Blood and Sand finale. According to the press release:

Capua is in an uproar. The gladiators have escaped and formed an uneasy alliance. Spartacus wants to exact revenge on the man responsible for killing his wife, but he will soon understand his life is about something greater than avenging Sura’s death. His mission is to build an army, set free the slaves and topple the Roman Empire.

Mark your calendars for the Spartacus: Vengeance premiere on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10pm ET/PT on Starz.

Image Courtesy of Starz

Here’s what Davies had to share:

“I think you might have hit upon a theme there. I think the most fascinating thing about Jack is that he’s lived for thousands of years both in the future and the past. So it’s such a gift to a writer, and I mean to the whole writing team, that you sit people in a room and they always gravitate towards that because it’s fascinating. We’ve done that in the past and taken Jack into some very dark places. We certainly do that this time and oh my god there is some shocking stuff to come. And it’s absolutely vital to the story so yes, without giving away too much, there is some good stuff,

Barrowman added:

“I love playing those kinds of stories, and it allows me to kind of alter Jack a little bit and look into how he has become the man who he is now. You know, when we’re watching him at that moment in time on screen, and to go back into the history – because I am also a fan of the genre myself – I enjoy that in-depth look into the characters, whether it be just with Jack or whether it’s looking into more about Gwen Cooper, or when hopefully we look into stuff about with Rex. It’s exciting as the actor to play those [roles] so I’m always up for [what] I call it – time travel through past history.

The first episode of the season seemed to imply that humanity being struck with immortality and Captain Jack suddenly becoming mortal are connected in some way, and it’s going to be a wondrous journey discovering what caused this event. Tune into Torchwood: Miracle Day Friday nights on Starz in the US, and Saturday nights on SPACE in Canada to see how it all unfolds.

Photo Courtesy of Starz

Myles shared, “To be able to play somebody like Gwen Cooper is a dream come true for an actor. I mean it’s just she’s an absolute powerhouse but she’s also a very kind of ordinary girl stuck in this beautiful, extraordinary world and situation. It’s how she deals with things and her challenges, which is so watchable and great for me to play.

“For me, it’s very rare that females are written with strength,” added Havins. “I always feel like it’s either like the piece of arm candy, or in comedy you’re setting up a joke so the guy gets a big laugh and you’re the straight shooter. In a way, it gets a little tedious and boring from our end, so it was so refreshing for me to just have a character that was so thought out and fleshed out. Russell knew what he wanted and the females are as strong as the males.”

Myles chimed in, “Absolutely. We’re not the tits and ass. We actually get to kick ass like everybody else,” to which Havins responded, “Exactly. And that’s refreshing for us on our end … and to be the girl to walk in and give breath to Esther, it’s been an honor.”

The second episode of Torchwood: Miracle Day, “Rendition”, airs tonight in the US on Starz, and tomorrow night in Canada on SPACE.

Photo Courtesy of Starz

As Miracle Day begins, where do we find Captain Jack?

He’s come back from his travels. We don’t know what he has done. That is something that maybe will be explored one day, but probably that’s just a piece in time that we figure he has dealt with some of his issues. He has come back to planet Earth to keep the Torchwood name below the radar. He’s come to make sure because he knows that this thing Torchwood hurts people and destroys relationships.

He knows that Gwen Cooper is still alive and he’s protecting her from a distance, unbeknownst to her. He’s really kind of the guardian keeping it all under wraps and not letting it come out. There is a mental state with him that he is determined not to let anybody else get hurt, not to allow bad things to happen through this organization.  Although he loves the organization he has got to let (go) – it’s had its course and he’s trying to keep it quiet.

What was it like to step into Jack’s shoes following the near destruction of Torchwood in Children of Earth?

For myself as the actor to get involved again, (I welcomed it) with open arms and open doors. I love the character of Captain Jack. I love what the show stands for. I love the other characters in the show. So it was like putting a comfortable pair of shoes on back to go and do it. As Jack, getting back involved into the storyline himself, if you’re talking as Jack Harkness, although he wanted to keep everything under wraps, when Torchwood raised its head again and he had to go and help Gwen Cooper and they got back together, as soon as they start to see each other, that’s it. They’re back, and I think I’m speaking from Jack, he’s very excited to be back and really wants it back although he really knows it kind of shouldn’t be back. But who cares? It’s there. Let’s do it.

In Miracle Day, while the rest of planet becomes immortal, it’s revealed that Jack is now mortal. How does that affect his relationship with Gwen and her importance in his life?

Jack has always thought of Gwen being important because initially Gwen was the heart that he brought in to teach him again how to be more connected to the human race. Now we’ve moved on to a fact where Jack is at risk of dying. I think he’s realized over time he hasn’t really come to terms with his immortality and all of a sudden he’s now mortal. He realizes he kind of liked being immortal and loved the life that he had. So he needs the protection and Gwen is the right one to protect him. He needs her and she also needs him … it’s a 50/50 they have in their kind of team and their partnership. He very much needs her to step up to the plate to save him from any harm, but he finds it very difficult not to get involved because he has to stop himself and think, “I could hurt myself here.” It’s a really nice new dynamic that develops, and you learn an awful lot about Gwen and Jack and their relationship in this series.

How do you return to the character of Captain Jack Harkness with fresh eyes now that you’ve stepped into his shoes for four seasons?

The thing that I enjoy most about being Captain Jack and working with Russell (T. Davies) and everybody else is every day when you come into or when you get a new script, you’re learning something new about the character.  I’m not one of those actors who likes to analyze things too much, so I trust what the writers and what Russell are doing with the characters in order to give them their journey. My job is to come in and try to make those words on the page come alive on the camera.

I think one thing – with Eve and Alexa and Mekhi and Arlene and Bill and myself and Lauren – is we bring a little bit of our personalities to those characters and that’s what connects with the audience and lifts the words that are brilliantly written off of the page.

There are some nods to Torchwood’s past in Miracle Day. Are there any particular moments that you’re excited for fans to see?

There are a lot of moments in there that are references to things that have happened in the past. There are references to The Doctor. There is a lovely moment where Jack and Gwen have this conversation over the telephone and Jack is kind of spilling his heart out to her a little bit and he doesn’t know that she is then talking to her baby on screen.

The big moment, I think, (is) when Jack and Gwen lock eyes for the first time in a long time, when she comes running out of the house in Wales and he is standing there with a gun in a land rover ready for her to jump on board. That’s like the beginning of it all again. The other little exciting bit is just a quirky little thing for me, being a fan geek myself, is the fact that when Jack is covering as a CIA agent, he calls himself Owen Harper.

Be sure to watch John Barrowman in Torchwood: Miracle Day, tonight at 10pm ET/PT on Starz in the US, tomorrow at 9pm ET on SPACE in Canada, and Thursday July 14th at 9pm BST on BBC One in the UK.

Photo Courtesy of STARZ

As someone who is new to the world of sci-fi television, did the unusual concepts and characters in this script take some getting used to?

No. I think I just had to take a breath and just trust what Russell wrote, because even sometimes we’re reading things, and it’s this spider web of all these fabulous ideas that are so out there in the sci-fi world. But he takes them and he roots them in reality, and so I just had to trust what was on the page. Whereas before you kind of know exactly what’s happening, with this we didn’t because we didn’t even know where Russell’s mind was taking us, the journey that we were on. I would say that would be the biggest adjustment.

How would you describe joining an established series and becoming part of an on-screen team that includes two popular characters like Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper?

It’s been a great experience, especially from my standpoint it’s interesting. There is a really slight parallel, but an interesting one, between my character Esther and Gwen in the original first season. And that was an honor to take over that passing of the torch as introducing the new audience, as that was (Gwen’s) job in Season One to introduce the audience. I kind of feel like it was passed upon to us to say, “Welcome to the world of Torchwood” to the American viewers that weren’t privy to the world already. So it’s been an interesting hat to wear kind. Everything that the new audience members are asking, Esther is asking the same questions. She’s digging and finding those answers for them. Who is Captain Jack? She’ll find out for you. And it’s a neat way of quickly starting the fourth season strong with bringing in the new viewers. They don’t have to have watched the past episodes, and at the same time it doesn’t alienate the current fan. You just jump on for this ride. It’s not a ton of back story exposition, it’s here is a story, here is where we are and join us, we’re going to take you on an adventure.

There’s a romantic angle between Esther and Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phifer) at the beginning of the season. Is this going to continue throughout Miracle Day?

Well, as much as she wants more I think she’s just there is something very romantic about the idea with Rex. He’s out in the field and it’s dangerous and there is something sexy about it. And here she is, she’s stuck behind her computer and I think there is a longing not only to be with him but then to also be out in the field and work with him hand in hand. We have this little tango, the professional and the personal relationship, and you’ll see as the ten episodes go on, she tries. She gives it her all but Rex as you see, he’s tough. He’s all business, he’s gruff, he’s stern, which is what I think makes for an interesting pairing between the two of them – because she has this innocence and she’s naïve and she’s fresh. And then here is this guy that has lived a lot. He’s lived a full life, as well as the Captain Jack character and the Gwen character. They all know who they are. They’ve had time for growth, and that was what was such an honor for me and so much fun as an actor, playing a character that had clear growth. She’s not the one that had the weapons training and life on the run. You kind of see her stumble a little and pick herself back up, and she is surrounded by these strong characters that help her become who she is.

Can you tell us about the experience of being pulled into the world of Torchwood and becoming Esther Drummond?

I think Esther is kind of a little bit (like) Alice in Wonderland, down the rabbit hole we go. It’s her curiosity gets the best of her. The first thing out the gate is, “Did you ever hear of Torchwood? What’s Torchwood?” And down she goes, looking for the answer. Who is this Gwen Cooper and this mysterious man in the coat? She just finds herself quickly without choice. I mean, her life is changed in the matter of a moment in this new world.

As far as myself, it’s just been an absolute pleasure. Every single person, Russell (T. Davies) and Julie (Gardner) called me immediately, and just welcomed me with open arms into the family … and John (Barrowman) and Eve (Myles) were the same. We’re friends for life. It’s just been a great, great experience so far. I enjoyed every minute and hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did.

Is there a particular moment or scene that you can’t wait for fans to see?

For me, one of the big moments was the reveal of the two characters (Jack and Gwen) … a big reveal, I thought, and it kind of catches your breath is when (we’re in) this beautiful big space and Esther is digging, digging, thinking, “What is this?” – and then you look up and there is Captain Jack. It’s such a breathtaking reveal; from a fan’s perspective and a viewer’s perspective it’s quite an initiation. And then for the fans of Gwen, I think it’s seeing her with that badass rocket launcher.

US fans – Torchwood: Miracle Day begins tonight at 10pm ET/PT on Starz. Canadian fans will have to wait until tomorrow at 9pm ET on SPACE, and UK fans, it debuts July 14th at 9pm BST on BBC One.

Photo Courtesy of STARZ

Without giving too much away, where will we find Gwen when Miracle Day begins?

Well, you’ll find Gwen Cooper living in complete isolation and completely self-sufficient and cut off from the world. I mean she’s living with her six-month-old baby girl and her husband. And they’re living in this very, very remote beautiful cottage and somewhere in Wales overlooking the sea and that is their life. So you’ve gone from this woman who has saved the universe to being completely cut off and it’s quite sad and it’s very unusual to see Gwen Cooper in this kind of place. And the only person that she can tell stories about her past and Torchwood to is a little baby whilst giving her dinner.

So it’s a very lonely place actually for Gwen Cooper. And then unbeknownst to her, (Jack’s) been Gwen Cooper’s somewhat guardian angel. He’s been keeping her and her family safe. She thinks by being in isolation and being hidden away from the world she’s keeping her family safe but actually there is a bigger picture to it.

The big brother, which is Captain Jack Harkness is watching over at all times, keeping her and the family safe. So we see her looking like she’s having this somewhat idyllic life but actually there isn’t a cupboard or a closet in the house that hasn’t got some sort of explosion kit or a gun or a grenade or a knife or some sort of form of weapon because she knows one day it’s going to come knocking. She’s constantly on alert and boy does it come knocking. It comes knocking with helicopters and rocket launchers. So the girl was right.

Gwen’s now a mom, but she hasn’t stopped kicking ass. As a working mother, do you see any parallels between your life and Gwen’s?

She doesn’t stop kicking ass in the entire series. She is like a lioness with her cubs. She’s absolutely fierce and yes, she uses her fists a lot. She uses a lot of weapons but yes, it’s all very grounded and very real and quite a lot of it is quite humorous as well. So she is really quite militant this year and full on.

And trying to compare it with my life, my god, the only confrontation I have normally is with myself in the mirror in the morning. To think of the pressure that Gwen Cooper has on the show every day is unbelievably crazy and huge so no, I can’t make a comparison at all although we do have tight tempers the both of us.

In light of what happened in Children of Earth, what was it like for Gwen Cooper to return to Torchwood, after its near destruction?

Torchwood is an absolute – that’s Gwen Cooper’s adrenaline. And she is an absolute adrenaline junkie. It runs through her veins and her heart and her soul. And when it’s not there, how on earth are you possibly going to carry on your life without having something to do with that wonderful, weird, bizarre, crazy organization called Torchwood? It leaves the biggest hole ever and nothing, nothing fills it for Gwen Cooper except for Jack Harkness, Torchwood.

So when she is seemingly having this very quiet, very strange, secluded life when she sees Jack Harkness, when she sees trouble knock on her door, it’s not good. But in a way her heart starts pounding again and that’s the Gwen we all know and that’s the Gwen I love playing. So coming back to Gwen Cooper, well, it’s just the best thing in the world.

Now that you’ve played Gwen for several years, how do you stay challenged as you step into the role with each new season?

That’s completely to Russell T. Davies and what he puts on the page for us. And he challenges me as an actor every time I get a script through the door. It’s kind of new, but it also keeps you alive as an actor and every day you go in and once you’ve conquered the scenes – and some of them are massive, big, epic, beautifully written scenes – it’s the best feeling in the world. Every year those characters are evolving, becoming different people, becoming stronger people, and becoming these great kind of modern day kind of heroes but in a very, very different way. That goes for every character in it this year. It’s down to Russell and the words he gives us to say.

In the first few episodes, there are nods to Torchwood‘s past, which fans will certainly love. What is your reaction when you see these little references in a script?

There are lots of references, and there are lots of references also to people we’ve lost and things that the fans are going to go crazy for which we went crazy for when we read it. It’s very like when Russell brings up little elements of the past – it’s fantastic.

My fiancé is a massive, massive Torchwood fan. I can’t even leave a script in front of him and he gives me a huge telling off because he doesn’t want to know anything about it. He wants to watch it every week and get excited every time it’s on. And I’m not allowed to tell him anything. So I can’t wait for him to see certain elements where he’ll give me a nudge and go. “I know what’s going on here,” and get excited about it of course, very excited.

Torchwood: Miracle Day begins tomorrow at 10pm ET/PT on Starz in the US. It begins Saturday at 9pm ET on SPACE in Canada, and July 14th at 9pm BST on BBC One in the UK.

Photo Courtesy of Starz

The iOS app will focus on 10 three-minute motion comics combined with an interactive treasure hunt. It will not only tell a parallel story, it will also give hints on Miracle Day.

According to the press release, Torchwood: Web of Lies “reveals a past day in the lives of Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper – a day they’ve both forgotten. The events of that day fuel a modern day conspiracy-laced treasure hunt, as Holly Mokri, voiced by Eliza Dushku, labors to uncover the secrets of Miracle Day.” John Barrowman and Eve Myles have lent their voices to their motion comic counterparts.

A new episode will be unlocked each week as the TV series airs; the first one will be released promotionally via iTunes, and then you can purchase the other nine inside the app in packs of three for $0.99 each, or you can choose to buy the bundle of 10 for $2.99.

Once a linkto the app becomes available in the iTunes store, we’ll be sure to share it with you!

Photo Courtesy of Starz