Domina Review: Plague (Season 1 Episode 5)
As the episode title implies, a deadly disease comes to Rome in Domina Season 1 Episode 5, “Plague,” an event that gives Livia a frightening glimpse of how precarious her position in the city is without her husband at her side.
Because for all of Livia’s obvious brilliance as a politician and strategist, she is still a woman in a man’s world, and all her power comes from Gaius’s position. (And/or the memory of her father, depending on which political side you happen to be on.)
So when Gaius falls ill from the plague that’s ravaging his household, the question of who will succeed him arises — and what will happen to Rome when he’s gone.
As we know, Livia has been busy plotting to return Rome to the control of the Senate by making sure her husband’s power passes to her second son Drusus, because she thinks he can somehow be easily swayed to give it up.
Why she so stridently believes this is anyone’s guess, it’s not like we’ve seen her tutoring or even spending time with her kids, so I’m not sure how she thinks Drusus could be so quickly convinced to follow her wishes.
(After all, historically speaking, men are generally loath to give up power once they possess it.)
Plus, there’s also the small matter of Tiberius, who’s technically her eldest child anyway and might have something to say about all this. (And the fact that it’s not 100% clear that Livia herself would actually give up her own power when the moment came if she were given the opportunity to somehow keep it through one of her sons.)
As things stand now, Gaius has been planning for his nephew Marcellus (son of his sister Octavia and Mark Antony) to succeed him, despite the fact that he’s displayed little aptitude for any sort of leadership beyond running people through with his sword. But he’s married to Julia, Gaius’ daughter from his first marriage, which means that at least his legacy would continue through his grandchildren.
But Marcellus is basically a monster, and Domina certainly doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to showing us that fact. He rapes Julia as an act of public humiliation, then plots to take out his rivals once he comes into power, including a plan to banish Livia and kill her children. He’s certainly no prize and both Rome and Julia would be better off without him.
But I’m not entirely sure that just because he doesn’t deserve to lead that means he does deserve to die, no matter how much Livia — and quite possibly Domina itself — seems to want me to think so.
There are a lot of terrible people in this show, after all, including Livia and Antigone themselves, and though I understand their decision to kill a young boy that they see as an enemy and a threat to their positions, it doesn’t mean it’s something to be celebrated either.
“Plague” once again shows us a Livia at her scheming, fearless best as she faces down a crowd of Roman men shouting for news of her husband’s condition, accusing her of keeping his death a secret, and insisting that a successor must be named for the good of Rome.
Your mileage may vary on whether her decision to steal her husband’s ring, give it to Agrippa, and name her next in line to rule is a good idea or a bad one, but it’s a bold choice that it’s difficult to imagine any other woman on this show pulling off. (Scribonia could never.)
Though I suppose since Julia ultimately speaks up to help Livia sell her story, offering our first hint that perhaps this is not a girl destined for a life of quiet servitude, either. Historical spoiler alert: She isn’t, but her future will be much less rosy than any of the men in her life, despite the fact that she will do no worse than they have. (Because that’s the patriarchy for you.)
Stray Thoughts and Observations
- Given that he beat her and left her for dead in the series first episode I can’t believe I ever assumed it was Livia and not Antigone that killed Nero. She is stone cold, though, really.
- Does Marcellus’s slave boyfriend creep the heck out of anyone else? Sure, he didn’t deserve to be whipped for being uppity to Julia, but the utterly disturbing grin he sports while watching Marcellus assault her is basically Ramsay Bolton-level disturbing. (He’s definitely going to kill someone before this show is over, yeah?)
- At some point, this show is going to deal with the fact that literally everyone (even his own father!) seems to think Tiberius is dangerous and crazy, yeah?
- Scribonia’s recurring trips to pray for the death of her enemies is honestly so hilarious even though I don’t think it’s supposed to be.
What did you think of this episode of Domina? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Domina airs Sundays at 10/9c on Epix.
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Lacy Baugher
Lacy is a pop culture enthusiast and television critic who loves period dramas, epic fantasy, space adventures, and the female characters everyone says you're supposed to hate. Ninth Doctor enthusiast, Aziraphale girlie, and cat lady, she's a member of the Television Critics Association and Rotten Tomatoes-approved. Find her at LacyMB on all platforms.
One thought on “Domina Review: Plague (Season 1 Episode 5)”
Sorry to be a nerd (classics professor alert!) But Marcellus is the son of Octavia’s first husband Gaius Claudius Marcellus, with whom she had two daughters (both called Marcella) as well; That husband died in 40 bc and 5 months later Octavia was married off to Mark Antony, with whom she had two daughters (both called Antonia, notice how many teenagers in this show!!) Octavia raised Antony’s son from his previous wife, that’s the one Julia has a crush on (and later gets in trouble for having an affair with)
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