LIW Recommendation: Ilium
As you may know, I've been working on creating a literary-inspired webseries based on the Iliad for about three years now, and it's finally airing on YouTube! The first three episodes are out now, and Episode 4 premiers this Friday!
Ilium is a modernized adaptation of the Iliad by @songsofantiquity airing Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays on YouTube at 5 PM Central/6 PM Eastern.
Here are some things you should know about the show:
1) The story. Ilium has transplanted the characters and story of the Iliad into spring 2021, where two friend groups spread across the country are embroiled in a year-long feud that extends beyond petty interpersonal issues into rivalries, relationship troubles, and some real lasting consequences for some of the characters.
2) The characters. Ilium's cast consists of fourteen characters played by a wide variety of actors. Watch for the modern version of Achilles, Patroclus, Agamemnon, Helen, Hector, Andromache, Cassandra, Odysseus, Diomedes, Nestor, Ajax, Paris, Sarpedon, and Aeneas.
3) The format. Ilium is told through a variety of in-universe videos, including vlogs by Odessia and Cassandra (and their guests), Zoom and FaceTime calls, and maybe the occasional Instagram live (but no spoilers!).
4) The soundtrack. Ilium has several original songs, many of them composed and performed by the actors. In the first episodes, you can hear the main theme, Cassandra's Soundscape, and Ody's Theme (which is technically a sea shanty!). Stick around for more original music including an Achilles/Patrick love theme and maybe one or two renditions of My Heart Will Go On.
5) The diversity. Out of Ilium's fourteen characters, only one is definitely cishet, and as of Episode 3, every one of the eight characters we've met is canonically LGBTQ+. Specifically, there are several lesbians, a gay man, multiple bi and pan characters (including Achilles, Helen, and Odessia), and multiple nonbinary characters (including Angela and Nestor). Additionally, only half of the cast is white, and there are several Jewish characters (and one Hellenic pagan). The queer characters are played by queer actors, and the creative team is also diverse in terms of gender, sexuality, and race. There's also neurodivergent rep! So if you want to support diverse media, this is a great show for you!
6) The similar media. Watch Ilium if you enjoyed:
Eddy Rex (modernized Greek mythology!)
Middlemarch: The Series (ensemble cast of queer characters)
Away From It All (experimental/mixed video format)
The Best Wishes (Sarah Gruber, who played Millie Wishfort, plays Anya in Ilium)
Project Green Gables (introspective, character-focused episodes)
Nothing Much To Do and Lovely Little Losers (comedy, romantic/sexual tension, and original music)
7) The content warnings. Please be aware that Ilium contains the following:
Frequent mentions of the pandemic and quarantine
Depictions of toxic romantic relationships and toxic/manipulative friendships
Mentions of medical emergencies and hospitalizations
Specific content warnings are posted in the description of every episode!
8) Some other things you'll get from Ilium, in no particular order:
Modern Odysseus and Diomedes as roommates
Modern Achilles and Patroclus as a canon couple
The phrase "girls, gays, and pagan babes"
Subscribe to Songs of Antiquity on YouTube for new episodes three times a week!
