"Empire" in HD on ABC
 

The picture quality was excellent on my TV for the premiere of this mini-series. Even the scenes down in the catacombs were well-lighted enough to avoid most of the background noise you see on so many other HD programs. I'll probably watch all the chapters direct or recorded, but not for any reasons of dramatic quality or historical accuracy. They say that budget and logistical problems plagued the production, such as the large and expensive set burning down and clashes over locations with the group shooting for the series of the same name on another network, for this Fall.

That was a heartwarming scene when Octavius' sweet little squeeze sold him out to his enemies and gave him what was supposed to be his last moment of bliss, while waiting for them to descend on him. I'm glad I've never had a girlfriend like that.

Are there any Botanists in the group? I'm wondering if the trees near Rome were entwined with English Ivy around 2,000 years ago? Also, those looked suspiciously like Red Globe grapes on a dining table. Had that variety been developed back then?

Redeeming humor for an otherwise uninspired message: What did Julius Caesar say when Brutus asked him how many eggs he had for breakfast? Someone else will groan and give the answer.

I thought HBO was coming out with something steamier and bloodier. This ABC stuff is tame (no blood on the floor after Ceaser is stabbed how many times?). Oh well, time to bring out my uncut DVD of Caligula.

The HBO series you are referring to is "Rome". It starts in August.

http://www.hbo.com/events/rome/index.html

The problem with Empire is that it was probably shot in 24p the film snob standard. However the Gladiator fast action sports really require 60 frames per secound to do it justice.

The funny thing is, the shooting schedules for the Empire and Rome miniseries overlapped in Italy last year.

Empire's budget was $33 million, and I must say, it particularly shows in the (most certainly special effect) wide shots of Rome, which were impressively real (albeit for the last one in the first episode, where parts of Rome where on fire due to the rioting).

Here's a couple interesting articles about Empire.

ABC crosses the Rubicon to film pricey 'Empire'
A tale of two miniseries