Lucy Lawless has been in numerous hit TV shows over the course of her career, including favorites like Xena: Warrior Princess, Battlestar Galactica, and Parks and Rec. However, none were more violent or raunchy than a historical action drama that kicked off in 2010. Now, more than a decade and a half later, the series is set to be removed from Netflix’s streaming library next month.
Blood, Sex, and Violence Collide in Lucy Lawless’ Smash Hit Series
Created by Steven S. DeKnight and premiering on the Starz network on Jan. 22, 2010, Spartacus: Blood and Sand introduced viewers to Lawless’ Lucretia. Set in 73 B.C., the series quickly became a favorite of many thanks to its blood, sex, and compelling characters. That being said, Lawless was just one of many that people were talking about, as the series also starred John Hannah as Quintus Lentulus Batiatus, her husband, and Manu Bennett as Crixus, her hesitant lover.
Focusing mostly on Andy Whitfield as Spartacus, the show traces his path from a Thracian warrior to a gladiator slave, and the subsequent uprising he leads against the Roman Republic. Sadly, Whitfield passed away in 2011 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and was replaced in later seasons by Liam McIntyre.
Though it took many liberties with history, that didn’t stop Spartacus from becoming a massive hit in the early 2010s. Known for its brutal action, adult content, and political intrigue, it helped demonstrate that there was definitely an audience for ultra-violent, sexually explicit, serialized fantasy on television, which in turn led to the success of shows like Game of Thrones.
Premiering two more seasons in 2012 and 2013 dubbed Vengeance and War of the Damned, Spartacus also got a prequel miniseries in 2011 titled Gods of the Arena, which followed everyone’s favorite raucous gladiator, Gannicus, played by Dustin Clare. All four series were added to Netflix last September, but, sadly, they’re set to depart the streaming service next month.
‘Spartacus’ Time on Netflix Has Come to an End
Per What’s on Netflix, all four seasons of Spartacus will be deleted from Netflix’s streaming library on September 15. The entire run of the show was only licensed for one year, and they’ve decided not to renew it for the time being. That doesn’t mean it will be gone from Netflix forever, but for now, the only place to watch Spartacus after the 15th will be on its regular streaming home of Starz.
Sadly, the alternate-timeline sequel to Spartacus, House of Ashur, didn’t resonate with viewers quite as strongly as the original series. As such, it was canceled after one season. Unfortunately, even if you wanted to check it out on streaming right now, you can’t because Starz has completely removed it from the platform due to a rights issue between them and Lionsgate. The only way to see it is by either renting or purchasing it digitally from places like Prime Video or Apple TV.
- Release Date
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2010 – 2013-00-00
- Network
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Starz
- Directors
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Jesse Warn, Michael Hurst, Rick Jacobson, Mark Beesley, T.J. Scott, Chris Martin-Jones, Brendan Maher, Glenn Standring, Grady Hall, John Fawcett
