'Spartacus' Gets Renewed Before It Even Premieres On Starz Spartacus: Blood and Sand is an upcoming Starz original TV series that will premiere in January, 2010. The series focuses on Spartacus, a Roman gladiator (played by Andy Whitfield), who later became the leader of a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. The show has been advertised as featuring some of the most graphic sex scenes ever produced on television. The violence is also very bloody and it is slated for a TV-MA rating. "We couldn't be happier with the first season," said Starz Entertainment EVP, Programming, Stephan Shelanski. "'Spartacus' delivers on all levels – action, characters, intrigue, romance and excitement. 'Spartacus' is the most ambitious original project we've ever undertaken, and speaks to the commitment to our subscribers to provide truly original programming along with our unmatched lineup of theatrical features." The network is debuting the