The final season of Spartacus: War of the Damned begins January 25^th on Starz.  That’s tonight! We left off last season with Spartacus and his merry band of rebels facing the full might of the Roman legion, which are not against pulling shenanigans.

I was more than happy to sit down with Manu Bennett, who plays the undefeated Gaul and Spartacus BFF, Crixus.  Manu was passionate, assured, and especially candid as he spoke about his former co-star Andy Whitfield and what awaits Crixus in the new season. Generous to a fault, he also shared some spoils of war. (Note: This interview contains spoilers.)

The Flickcast: “Be Here Now” is emblazoned on your shirt.  Can you talk about why the phrase “Be Here Now” is important to you?

Manu Bennett: “Be Here Now” was a tattoo Andy [Whitfield] had on his forearm when he was going through his cancer treatment.  There’s a documentary that’s going to be coming out soon.

Rather than not being in the know about what happened to Andy, this documentary is for people who are really interested in the show and really fell in love with Andy and I know there’s so many people out there who did. I’m sure Andy would have liked everyone to go and watch this documentary to see what cancer can destroy in this life.

April showers bring great television, as you’ll see in this month’s installment of Cortney’s TV Digest.

Game of Thrones

HBO premiered the first fifteen minutes of Game of Thrones on Sunday night, and audiences got a taste of the gorgeous cinematography, stellar acting, and killer violence that is sure to be a part of every episode of this new series. Based on George R. R. Martin’s best-selling A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels, Game of Thrones takes place in the world of Westeros, where many noble familes fight for control of the Iron Throne.

Game of Thrones stars the likes of Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage, and will be directed by Thomas McCarthy, best known for his work on The Station Agent and The Visitor.

Game of Thrones will premiere April 17th on HBO.

February is in full swing, so I’m taking a break from freezing my butt off in upstate NY and conjugating Spanish verbs to bring you this month’s TV Digest. With all the snow that’s been plaguing the US and the winter movie slump in full swing, it’s great to have some excellent tv to watch. Look no further than here, dear readers, as I’ve got everything you need to check out on the tube in February.

Top Shot (History Channel)

Those of you who read my TV Digest regularly will know I’m not too big on reality tv. But man, I LOVE Top Shot. 16 contestants, including expert sharp-shooters, award-winning rifleists, and former U.S. miliary from around the country compete for $100,000 and the coveted title of Top Shot.

The show is a blast to watch every week, between the history you get about each rifle and challenge, the skill exhibited by the competitors, and of course the usual reality tv drama. Top Shot airs on the History Channel Tuesdays at 10.

It’s a new year, and a new month, which means that Cortney’s TV Digest is here to tell you everything you need to watch. And since it’s a new year, I figured we’d try something a little different, and talk about some shows I’ve never discussed here until now! January’s a big month for tv, with some new shows bursting on the scene, but also some old favorites of mine returning for a new season.

V

With shows like Caprica getting the axe, it’s great to still have some decent sci-fi on television these days. Which is why I’m super psyched that V has returned for its second season.

V is a re imagining of the 1983 mini-series of the same name, in which an alien race arrives on Earth, claiming they come in peace and bringing with them both technology and medical knowledge, as well as some ulterior motives.

V premiered on Tuesday, but that’s plenty of time to catch up on the series in time for the next episode, which airs January 11th on ABC.

In between all the shopping, cooking, and holiday planning, December is a great month to find some free time, curl up on the couch, and enjoy some quality television. Fortunately, this month is chock-full of that, with upcoming season finales of some of this season’s hottest shows, plus some new additions to the lineup.

Top Chef All-Stars

If you’ve read my TV Digests before you’ll know I really can’t stand most reality television, but Bravo’s Top Chef is one exception. Between Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, and Top Chef: Just Desserts, this series about up and coming chefs duking it out for the top spot is both addiction and appetizing.

This month, a new addition to the lineup is being added, Top Chef All-Stars. In this new show, 18 previous Top Chef contestants are returning to reclaim their honor, including Season 7 favorites Tiffany and Angelo. Top Chef All-Stars premiers December 1st on Bravo.

The Walking Dead

I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you to watch The Walking Dead if you haven’t already, and I won’t be the last. AMC has finally given zombie fans a television show to love, with some amazing source material from The Walking Dead comics and an amazing showrunner in Frank Darabont.

The show’s sixth and final episode of the season will air on Sunday, December 5th on AMC, and while this season has been short, The Walking Dead has already been renewed for a second season with thirteen episodes.