Michael directed episodes 1.5 "Shadow Games", which will air on the Starz cable channel in the US on 19 February 2010 at 10 p.m.  Episodes will also be available on Starz Play and Netflix on the same day they air on the Starz channel.

Michael also directed ep. 1.9 "Whore" (scheduled to air 19 March), and 1.12 "Revelations", plus the splinter unit for episode 1.13.

Spartacus is showing in Canada on The Movie Network/Movie Central.  And according to The Sun (UK), Spartacus is "set for a UK screening this summer".

Starz has posted a Spartacus behind-the-scenes show on You Tube; see it here.  See the Spartacus: Blood and Sand website for the trailer, information on cast and characters, downloads, etc.

21 December:  Starz has now officially announced season 2 of Spartacus, tentatively titled Spartacus: Vengeance.  Production of the 13 episodes is expected to begin in New Zealand in the first quarter of 2010.  Read the full press release here.

Michael directed episode 2.12 "Hunger" of American tv series Legend of the Seeker.  He also directed ep. 2.2 "Baneling" which aired in November.  He is currently directing episode 2.17 "Vengeance", and will also direct episode 21. 

See the show's official website for time and channel finder.

In the first season, Michael directed three episodes, 1.8 "Denna", 1.10 "Sacrifice", and 1.22 "Reckoning," and appeared as the wizard Amfortas in 1.13 "Revenant".   DVD's of the first season are available in the US (region 1).

In the commentary on the episode "Denna," Jessica Marais (who played Denna) talks about working with Michael:

"Michael Hurst is the director of this amazing episode . . . and he was the most enthusiastic, incredible director to work with, he has such a sense of drama and build and character, and he had really done his research.  He knew the books and the characters, you know, inside out"."I think that was actually one of the last scenes that we shot.  It's so funny trying to sort of grade a performance and you hardly ever work to sequence in this industry, and really trying to remember--and I guess that's again testament to Michael, he always made sure we knew exactly where we were and what had just happened."

"So Michael Hurst . . . the other thing where I think he's just perfect, I think the scenes are so well edited as well, and he's really had a sense of building".

Michael is starring in the American feature film Bitch Slap playing Gage, a notorious underworld kingpin.  The film also stars Julia Voth as Trixie, Erin Cummings as Hel, and America Olivo as Camero.  Michael's Hercules co-star Kevin Sorbo will also appear, with cameos by Xena co-stars Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor.

Bitch Slap had a limited theatrical release in NYC, LA, and San Francisco in early January 2010 and is now available on Video On Demand.  

It will be released on region 1 dvd in the US on 2 March 2010 (details here) and in the UK on 22 March (details here).

You can follow Bitch Slap on Twitter, see the official Bitch Slap website, or the BitchSlapMovie channel on You Tube.

Bitch Slap is described as an exploitation film--with a healthy dose of comedy; a "thinking man’s throwback to the “B” Movie/ Exploitation films of the 1950’s-70’s as well as a loving, sly parody of the same.  . . . Bitch Slap will mix girls, guns, outrageous action and jaw-dropping visuals with a message… don’t be naughty!  . . . What makes Bitch Slap different is a complicated 'B' story device that runs throughout the film to illuminate character, backstory and relationship histories not previously revealed."  Read the full synopsis here.