Rome/YMMV


 * Alternative Character Interpretation: The show presents one for Brutus. Instead of a righteous crusader who kills Caesar out of a sense of duty, he's a Mommas Boy with an Oedipus Complex who gets duped into killing Caesar (his surrogate father, and his mom's lover) because of a petty family feud that he wants nothing to do with.
 * And the Fandom Rejoiced: A third season was denied us, which sucked. But there is now rejoicing, because we're getting a movie!
 * Complete Monster: Octavian arguably turns into this over the course of the series. At least 2 characters actually refer to him as 'a monster' in the second season.
 * To his credit, the historical Augustus (Octavian) considered himself to be "acting:" sure, he was ruthless and did whatever he had to in order to secure power, but he did so because he believed it the best way to preserve Rome.
 * Crowning Moment of Awesome: Definitely in episode 11, when Lucius Vorenus jumps into the gladiator arena to aid Titus Pullo.
 * Crowning Moment of Funny: Several oneliners, such as: "I was at an orgy, Mother."
 * Historical Villain Upgrade: Atia is portrayed as seductive, manipulative and evil. There's absolutely no historical evidence for this; Tacitus actually describes her as a pious, devoted mother and an ideal Roman matron.
 * Jerkass Woobie:
 * Mark Antony does plenty of vile things (such as starving the entire Roman population to make a point) but he's strangely sympathetic and his downfall and death seem genuinely tragic.
 * Vorenus also fits.
 * Servilia, if only because all the crap Atia puts her through. Otherwise she would be just plain Jerkass.
 * Large Ham: Many in-universe examples. There's the Forum newsreader, for one. "OUR GLORIOUS FATHER - GAIUS! JULIUS! CAESAR!"
 * Erastes Fulmen also fits, especially when he wants to emphasize something. "DIFFERENT FUCKING RULES!"
 * Magnificent Bastard: Caesar, Mark Antony, Servilia and Atia, who is an awesomely magnificent bitch. In the second season, Octavian puts every other Magnificent Bastard in the show to shame.
 * Moral Event Horizon: what happens to Vorenus's wife? GOOD GOD.
 * Squick: Many examples. The worst one would be the incest between . Not to mention what Titus Pullo does to gang leader Memmio near the end of the series.
 * Too Good to Last: JUNO'S CUNT, HBO, GIVE US A THIRD SEASON NOW!!
 * The Woobie:
 * Subverted with Lucius Vorenus but played straight with his children.
 * Poor, helpless Octavia. She is pimped by her own mother to a repulsive old man and blackmailed by her dominating lesbian lover into . This continues in Season Two, where said brother is master of the family and now pimping her to Mark Antony instead.