Domina (TV series)
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| Genre | Historical drama |
| Created by | Simon Burke |
| Written by | Simon Burke |
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| Starring |
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| Composer | Samuel Sim |
| Country of origin |
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| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 8 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
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| Producers |
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| Production location | Rome |
| Cinematography |
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| Running time | 48–55 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Distributor | NBCUniversal International Distribution |
| Release | |
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| Original release | 14 May 2021 |
Domina is a historical drama limited television series created and written by Simon Burke for Sky Atlantic (Italy) and Sky Atlantic (UK). Starring Kasia Smutniak as Livia Drusilla, it examines the power struggles of Ancient Rome from a female perspective.[1] The show has been renewed for a second season.
Premise[]
The life and rise of Livia Drusilla, the powerful wife of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar.[2][3]
Cast[]
Main[]
- Kasia Smutniak as Livia
- Nadia Parkes as Young Livia
- Meadow Nobrega as Little Livia (recurring)
- Matthew McNulty as Gaius
- Tom Glynn-Carney as Young Gaius
- Ben Batt as Agrippa
- Oliver Huntingdon as Young Agrippa
- Christine Bottomley as Scribonia
- Bailey Spalding as Young Scribonia
- Colette Dalal Tchantcho as Antigone
- Melodie Wakivuamina as Young Antigone
- Anelle Olaleye as Little Antigone (guest)
- Claire Forlani as Octavia
- Alexandra Moloney as Young Octavia
- Enzo Cilenti as Tiberius Nero
- Peter Campion as Libo
- Darrell D'Silva as Piso
- Tom Forbes as Sextus
- Liam Garrigan as Marcus Antonius
- Liam Cunningham as Livius
- Alex Lanipekun as Tycho
- Isabella Rossellini as Balbina
- Finn Bennett as Marcellus
- Earl Cave as Young Tiberius
- Youssef Kerkour as Maecenas
- Merch Husey as Young Maecenas (guest)
- Liah O'Prey as Young Julia
Recurring[]
- Kevin Lettieri as Vinnius
- Naike Anna Silipo as Prima
- Roland Litrico as Thelus
- Lex Shrapnel as Crassus
- Anthony Barclay as Corvinus
- Salvatore Palombi as Murena
- Ewan Horrocks as Young Drusus
- Oliver Dench and Joseph Ollman as Young Iullus
- Emma Canning as Young Antonia Major
- Beau Gadsdon as Young Antonia Minor
- Alaïs Lawson as Young Marcella
- Claudia Stecher as Fortunata
- Pedro Leandro as Aprio
Guests[]
- Adelmo Fabo as Archias
- Daniel Caltagirone as Lepidus
- Brian McCardie as Cicero
- Melissa Di Cianni as Publilia
- Sergio Basile as Salassus
- Gerard Monaco as Dacius
- Emily Bevan as Herennia
- Greg Hicks as Asprenas
- Anthony Calf as Sabinus
- Giuditta Niccoli as Alfidia
- Nuvoletta Lucarelli as Hilarica
- Martina Galletta as Ursula
- Ettore Marrani as Musa
- Alana Boden as Porcia
- Philip Arditti as Primus
- Dolores Carbonari as Valeria
Episodes[]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Fall" | Claire McCarthy | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| Livia Drusilla, a young noblewoman, prepares for her marriage to Tiberius Claudius Nero, assisted by her enslaved friend, Antigone. Antigone is freed so that she can join Livia as her companion after she marries. The assassination of Julius Caesar still throws a shadow over Roman politics. Livia's father, Marcus Livius Drusus, a republican, covertly gathers support from other senators, such as his friend Piso. Gaius Julius Caesar, adopted son of Julius Caesar and his friend Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa meet Marcus Antonius and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in secret. They agree to divide the empire between them and kill hundreds of senators and knights sympathetic to Caesar's murderers to raise money. Livia marries Nero but meets Gaius at the wedding and they are immediately attracted to each other. The proscriptions begin. Drusus flees to Brutus and Cassius. He later kills himself after the republicans are defeated at Philippi. Nero is ignored by Gaius and the other triumvirs but after his name is posted on a later list, he and his family go on the run. Gaius marries Scribonia as part of a deal with Sextus Pompeius, who holds Sicily and is protecting many refugees from the proscriptions. Nero makes for Sicily, but on the way, the family is attacked by bandits. Livia kills their leader, Nero knocks Antigone down and she is left for dead. | |||||
| 2 | "Rise" | Claire McCarthy | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| It is 39 BCE. Gaius and Marcus Antonius celebrate their truce with Sextus; Antonius is now married to Octavia, Gaius' sister. Livia, Nero and Tiberius have taken refuge with Sextus in Sicily but an amnesty as the result of the truce means the family can return to Rome. Livia is horrified to find herself pregnant again. Back in Rome, Livia and Nero move in with Livia's new guardian, Libo. Nero considers divorcing Livia to improve his prospects. Livia returns to her family home, looking for news of Antigone; she learns that Antigone has been re-enslaved and sold to a brothel. Livia tries to free Antigone from the House of Balbina but is thrown out. Scribonia, Gaius' wife, sends Livia and Nero an invitation to dinner. The dinner disappoints Nero; Livia makes it clear to Gaius that she's looking for a new husband. Soon afterwards, Livia is invited to visit Gaius alone and she sets out the terms for their marriage. Agrippa fails to dissuade Livia from pursuing Gaius. Livia returns to the House of Balbina with a platoon of Gaius' soldiers and frees Antigone. With Antigone's help, Scribonia gives birth to Julia. Gaius divorces Scribonia the day after Julia is born in order to marry Livia, who has now also divorced Nero. As Livia gives birth to her second son, Drusus, Antigone takes her revenge on Balbina. | |||||
| 3 | "Family" | Claire McCarthy | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| Eleven years on, Livia is married to the powerful Gaius, and is pregnant again. Yet, she does not feel entirely secure. | |||||
| 4 | "Secrets" | David Evans | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| Livia's marriage to Gaius is compromised when she learns that she can't bear him any children. | |||||
| 5 | "Plague" | David Evans | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| Gaius' illness causes a political crisis and reveals the weakness of Livia's position without him, a problem she must solve. | |||||
| 6 | "Nightshade" | Debs Paterson | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| Livia has no choice but to eliminate Marcellus, who plans to kill her sons and exile her when he assumes Gaius' position. | |||||
| 7 | "Treason" | David Evans | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| As Gaius' rivals taste blood in the water, Livia must outwit both them and her husband if the family is to be kept together. | |||||
| 8 | "Happiness" | David Evans | Simon Burke | 14 May 2021 | |
| As Livia tells her sons about their role in her Mission, the truth behind her part in Marcellus' death threatens to come out. | |||||
Production[]
Written by Simon Burke, the lead director is Australian filmmaker Claire McCarthy. Filming for Domina resumed at the Cinecittà studios in Rome in July 2020 following delays from the initial start in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show's title comes from the female version of 'Dominus', the Ancient Roman title for sovereignty, and from which the word 'dominate' originates. The costumes were designed by the Academy Award winning Gabriella Pescucci.[4]
In February 2022, Epix renewed the show for a second season.[5]
Broadcast[]
The series was released in its entirety on 14 May 2021 on Sky Box Sets and NOW in Italy and the UK. It premiered on television the same day on Sky Atlantic (Italy) and Sky Atlantic (UK).[6]
In the United States, the series premiered on 6 June 2021 on Epix.[7]
Reception[]
The series has received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 78% based on 9 reviews, with an average score of 6.3/10.[8] Suzi Feay in The Financial Times dubbed the series “Game of Romans”.[9] Historian Tom Holland in The Times agreed that “The echoes of Game of Thrones in the first two episodes are strong, and surely deliberate...the rest of the series approximates more closely to a political thriller”. Holland praised the show “the meat of the show is so enjoyably done that the odd anachronism hardly matters. The 20s BC, sandwiched between the suicides of Antony and Cleopatra and the maturity of Augustus, have never before been the subject of popular drama, but Domina demonstrates to brilliant effect how unjustly neglected they have been... Part of the fun of the series is seeing characters who became significant players in the later decades of Augustus’s life as teenagers”.[10]
References[]
- ^ "The truth behind Ancient Rome's most controversial woman". BBC. 7 May 2021.
- ^ "Sky Original series Domina set to air in May". Cineuropa – the best of european cinema.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (21 November 2019). "Sky Sets Ancient Rome Drama 'Domina' With Isabella Rossellini (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021.
- ^ Grater, Tom (31 July 2020). "Sky's Ancient Rome Series 'Domina' With Isabella Rossellini, Liam Cunningham & Kasia Smutniak Resumes Filming At Italy's Cinecitta". Deadline. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021.
- ^ Hailu, Selome (3 February 2022). "Epix Announces Billy the Kid Premiere Date, Releases Development Slate". Variety. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Carr, Flora (14 May 2021). "Domina release date: Guide to Sky's Ancient Rome drama series". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021.
- ^ "'Domina' to premiere June 6 on Epix". Epix. 26 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021.
- ^ "Domina". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ Feay, Suzi (7 May 2021). "Roman series Domina on Sky Atlantic is action-packed". Financial Times.
- ^ Holland, Tom (2 May 2021). "Livia Drusilla gets the Game of Thrones treatment in Domina". The Times. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
External links[]
- 2021 Italian television series debuts
- 2021 British television series debuts
- Television dramas set in ancient Rome
- 2020s Italian drama television series
- 2020s British drama television series
- Italian drama television series
- British drama television series
- Television shows filmed in Italy
- Cultural depictions of Livia
- Depictions of Augustus on television