How many homosexual reasons do you need to subscribe to premium television networks? With a few exceptions, broadcast and cable are filled with stock gay characters, but it’s Showtime and HBO where the three-dimensional ones live. And now, on Starz, whose new Roman series Spartacus: Blood and Sand just added one hot, bad-ass gay gladiator to its ranks.
Played by Antonio Te Maioho (who, fittingly, had roles on both Xena and Hercules), Barca is described by the network as a “big, hulking brute of a man, an esteemed gladiator and also Batiatus’s bodyguard and sometimes hit man, Barca is second only to Crixus at the ludus,” relays AfterElton. “Though possessed of a temper and an imposing stature, he tempers this with the tenderness he shows his collection of birds and Pietros, a slave boy. He is free of guile, loyal to Batiatus but secretly pines to gain his freedom.”
Ah yes, the “sleeping with a slave boy” angle. You gonna find that on ABC?
See, this is exactly what every ancient soap opera epic needs. While there was some homo allusions on HBO’s Rome, and ripe opportunity on Showtime’s The Tudors, Starz’s first notable foray into original programming (oh, Crash counts?) is where we expect actual gay thrusting to happen. We’re not paying an additional $9.99/month for nothing.
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Helga von ornstein
Sorry kids, but I get first shot on the sling. Lord, looking at this picture has me yearning for ye days of olde at the Mine Shaft and the Anvil.
Tonyboy
I’m a face guy and that face would have me running the other direction. Blech!
alan brickman
Don’t be jealous…looks like a real man’s man…
FakeName
You know, it is in fact possible to find someone unattractive without jealousy being a factor. Posting “don’t be jealous” every time someone disagrees with your assessment of another’s attractiveness makes you sound like an airhead queen of the first water.
romeo
Definitely will catch this show. Saw it advertised, and it looks well produced. Love anything about the ancient world, also, we were accepted and integrated there.
Let’s revive the excellent “Alexander” which a lot of pissy critics dissed for no good reason. It was an excellently produced and balanced view of one of the most pivotal characters in history, who just happened to be one of our own.
hardmannyc
Even by queerty’s standards, that’s one baroque headline.
McShane
He is really hot looking: love the face., et al. It would be really naive to expect that gladiators didn’t do the dirty somehow and that it wasn’t condoned. this guy doesn’t look to be of the bitch or punk persuation. But I’ve found that to be unpredictable.
Attractiveness with men, depends on whether you want pretty or hot.
benlayvey
@ No. 5 Romeo
Our seamless integration into the societal fabric of the ancient world is actually why I love history with passion. I often wonder how things might have been had Emperor Constantine not made Christianity the official religion of the later Roman Empire. That is why I love Gay History Month! Remembering LGBT personalities in history such as Emperor Hadrian of early 2nd century Rome [my personal Hero and role model]certainly solidified my decisive victory over the self-hatred of my sexuality I battled during my earlier years. I had sought validation for my sexuality; History accorded me the answer.
As for Stone’s “Alexander”, I must disagree with you. While one must applaud his attempt to depict historical accuracy, we mustn’t fail to point out the awfulness of the script. Casting and acting were horrid as well. Colin Farrel was it? Seemed animated as did most of the actors of whom I must say have done better jobs in other roles, I was especially disappointed in Anthony Hopkins as the inane narrator who bored my family to sobs. Its better parts were the set designs and Vangelis’ divine score!
Tommy Marx
With all due respect, Starz had the awesome “Party Down”. Never saw “Crash” (the movie was punishment enough), but I watched every episode of “Party” – it was hilarious.
sal(the original)
slavery is not romantic
alan brickman
He’s all sort of man…nice..will watch..not all gays are pretty twinks…
alan brickman
it was amazing to see all the secret gay critics trash Alexander..quite funny and pathetic..
Lukas P.
@Alan brickman: Who are these “secret gay critics” you refer to? Secret criticism is very difficult to find, I suspect. They are not “all sort of man” unlike Alexander whom you dub “quite funny and pathetic.”
Posts yours: ALL CAPS or …telegraphed, ….hard to understand. Not stopped reading them… funny. yet.