I always loved the shit out of the first season of this, but for some reason I couldn't get through the second season. Crixis to me turned into a whiny little bitch and it just wasn't the same without Andy. Maybe I'll give it another shot sometime, but I guess I'm also satisfied just having watched and re-watched season 1. So damn good.
It took me all the way till the compound outside the city in S2 to get into it. The entire start of S2 was harsh as it had a slight time jump and the actor swap - the Crixus band vs Spartacus band was hard as well because you didnt get the setup or even really knew it was "that big of a deal" until it was and then resolved.
Once your past the first few S2, it moves along and yes, Andy was awesome and Liam did fill the shoes (sandles) as best as anyone could.
Also, not to hate on Andy...but...
at the VERY end, when they replay Andy standing in the arena shouting "I AM SPARTACUS!" it was so off putting as his voice was so different than the direction Liam took it- it was not noticable for me because I watched S1, then GOTA then S2 etc. so there was a gap, but going right from the final episode with Liam to that clip, it was like "whoa! ahh"
That last clip was an homage to Andy. I didn't find it off putting at all.
Series was awesome. One of the most enjoyable shows I have watched. I would often watch the weekly episode on Saturday morning before I went on my long training runs for whatever marathon i was going to do, those runs were awesome.
My son's middle name is Gannicus, I wanted him to have a bad ass middle name. Eventually, he's 3 now, I will show him a clip of Gannicus singing and tell him that's where his name came from.
Personally, I think it's the greatest show ever made.
I didn't even mind the pilot, though I can see why a lot of people hate on it. But it just gets better and better, and after episode 4 or 5, it reached amazing territory for me.
I think it's time for me to do a rewatch...