It seemed that the graphic nature of Starz’s hit show Spartacus: Blood and Sand has heightened critics expectations for sex and violence in the pay cabler’s new period drama Camelot, based on the tale of King Arthur .
The network presented this new series at the TCA summer press tour Saturday with writer Chris Chibnall and star Joseph Fiennes, who plays Merlin, appearing via satellite from Ireland to answer questions from the audience.
The audience eagerly asked Chibnall and Fiennes how Camelot will compare to the raciness and grittiness of Spartacus, and if they feel they had to deliver more sex and violence at Starz than another network.
“I love Spartacus. I think it’s a genius show,” Chibnall said. “[Camelot] is very much it’s own show. We’re here to tell our story…We have the parameters to go where we want and that’s the great thing about working at Starz.”
“It’s very much character driven and out of that there will be scenes of intimacy and scenes of violence,” Fiennes said. “There’s a very deep sense of character and narrative which is a huge bedrock to this piece. I haven’t seen anything that’s salacious just for a spicy moment. Everything is justified for the piece.”
“It’s an element of our storytelling,” Chibnall continued. “There is probably more than the musical [version of Arthur]. [Sex] is part of our palettes, and we also have some beautiful actors as well.”
Chibnall did note, however, that Camelot will be “big, bold, cinematic and epic.”
Audiences will have to stay tuned until the show’s premiere next spring, to see if Starz has developed its next sex-filled, raw period drama.
