At a glance
| Episodes | 5 |
|---|---|
| Free | Episodes 1 and 2 |
| Locked episodes | 3, at 12 tokens each |
| Tokens to finish | 36 |
| Cost to finish | about $1.44 on the yearly plan, $3.24 on the quarterly one, $5.04 on the monthly one |
| Explicitness | 5 out of 5 on our scale |
| Performer | None, a Candy original |
| Candy tags | Fantasy |
Why this one is different
Almost everything on Candy happens in a modern house, office or hotel. Cleopatra and Caesar goes back to the ancient world and borrows two of history’s most famous lovers. That alone makes it one of the most distinctive premises in the catalogue, and it has more plot packed into its synopsis than most series manage.
The story
Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, sets out to seduce Julius Caesar, and their illicit affair leaves her carrying his child. From there the synopsis widens: empires collide, Caesar’s wife turns to Mark Antony to get her revenge, and Caesar is left to choose between his loyalty to Rome and the queen who now holds his fate in her hands.
It is loosely inspired by history rather than a history lesson, and Candy files it under Fantasy, which is the right expectation to bring. Treat it as a costume drama with a forbidden affair at its heart.
What works, and what might not
- Scale. A pregnancy, a vengeful wife, a rival in Mark Antony and a political choice give this far more moving parts than a typical five-parter.
- A powerful heroine. Cleopatra is the one doing the seducing and, by the end of the synopsis, the one in control.
- The squeeze. That is a lot of story for five episodes. Expect the big events to move quickly, and do not expect epic battles or depth of historical detail.
What it costs
Episodes 1 and 2 are free and let you judge the setup, the setting and whether the ancient-world angle works for you. The three locked episodes are 12 tokens each, 36 tokens in all, which is about $1.44 on the yearly plan, $3.24 on the quarterly plan and $5.04 on the monthly one. We have rated it 5 out of 5 for explicitness on our scale.
Who it is for
It suits anyone tired of stepfamily and office setups who wants something with a sense of occasion: palaces, politics and a queen who knows what she wants. It will not suit viewers who want something grounded and contemporary, or history buffs who will object to liberties with the record.
Compared with other fantasy series
If the royal angle appeals, Sworn to the Queen is another queen-led story, tagged Fantasy and Taboo and also rated 5 out of 5, at the same 36 tokens. Dragon Queen’s Dark Desire and Vampire’s Lust push further into the supernatural, both rated 5 out of 5 and both standard five-parters.
Verdict
Cleopatra and Caesar has one of the most ambitious premises in the Candy catalogue: a historical love affair with a child, a revenge plot and an empire on the line. Five episodes may not do all of that justice, but the setting is a genuine change of pace, the rating is at the top of our scale and the price is the standard 36 tokens. Well worth a look.