 " The Stolen Eagle " received generally mixed reviews from television critics , many of whom criticized its slow pace . Mark A. Perigard of The Boston Herald wrote , " Less perverse than I , Claudius , more entertaining than American Broadcasting Company 's ( ABC ) toga twister Empire , " Rome " gets off to an uneven start . " Terry Morrow of the Dayton Daily News criticized the premiere , writing that " the opener , like most pilots , is so bogged down with introducing faces and setting up the story that it turns into a long and tedious journey . " Morrow also said the episode suffered from lacking one " standout , signature character " , though he believed that the " flaws in Rome should clear up in time , given HBO 's knack for winning dramas . It 's an epic story , and one worth savoring if you can muddle through the demands of slow storytelling in the beginning . " 
 " The Stolen Eagle " received generally mixed reviews from television critics , many of whom criticized its slow pace . Mark A. Perigard of The Boston Herald wrote , " Less perverse than I , Claudius , more entertaining than American Broadcasting Company <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>( ABC ) toga twister Empire , " Rome " <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>gets</mark></a> off to an uneven start . " Terry Morrow of the Dayton Daily News criticized the premiere , writing that " the opener , like most pilots , is so bogged down with introducing faces and setting up the story <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>it <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>turns</mark></a> into a long and tedious journey . " Morrow also said the episode suffered from lacking one " standout , signature character " , though he believed that the " flaws in Rome should clear up in time , given HBO <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>knack for winning dramas . It 's an epic story , and one worth savoring if you can muddle through the demands of slow storytelling in the beginning . " 
 da Stolen Eagle  received generally mixed reviews from television critics , many of whom criticized its slow pace . Mark A. Perigard of TdaBoston Herald wrote , " Less perverse than I , Claudius , more entertaining than American Broadcasting Company  ( ABC ) toga twister Empire , " Rome " get offf to an uneven start . " Terry Morrow of the Dayton Daily News criticized the premiere , writing dat " the opener , like most pilots , is soo bogged downn witt introducing faces and setting up thdatory it turn into a long and tedious journey . " Morrow also said the episode suffered from lacking one " standout , signature character " , tho he believed tdatthe " flaws in Rome should clear up in time , given HBO  knack fir winnin dramas . It 's an epic story , and one worth savoring if u can muddle through thedamands of slow storytelling in the dainning . "