REVOLUTION Out of the "Dark"

Article first published as REVOLUTION Out of the "Dark" on TheTVKing.

With this week's "The Dark Tower," NBC's Revolution completes its freshman run. Inside The Tower, the race is on to turn the power back on, while outside, allegiances both personal and on a larger scale are rocked by new developments.

After watching "The Dark Tower," I am disappointed that Revolution has still not corrected the issues that have plagued it all year. The plot holes are still numerous, and while the focus has (thankfully) shifted to the adult actors, away from annoying kids, the characters continue to act in ways that don't feel right.

For instance, Jason (JD Pardo) falls in line behind his father, Tom (Giancarlo Esposito), as the new leader of the Monroe Republic (which will presumably get a name change). Yet, they've been fighting all year, lacking trust and affection between them. Granted, they are father and son, so there could definitely still be a level of love there, but nothing in the writing or acting really shows this to us, skipping over the nuances that would have been the clues, and just showing quickly changing minds.

The Nevilles are far from the only relationship like this. Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) spontaneously evolves a mother-like bond for Nora (Daniella Alonso), while hating her own mom, whom she is warm to not long ago. Miles (Billy Burke) chooses Nora over Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell), even though his mind has been on the latter a lot more lately. Rachel coldly murders Dan (Glenn Morshower) when he disagrees with her. Grace (Maria Howell) betrays her friends. Randall (Colm Feore) kills himself.

Now, all of these can be explained through plot developments, but not really by internal motivation. It's not the facts that are wrong, but the emotion. Circumstances seem to dictate how the characters act, rather than personality, values, or beliefs. The characters switch sides without much warning, and while perhaps it's believable that they do so, the writers don't take the time to show the evolution, nor do the actors play to the tiny bits that would give us warning that something is coming.

People die far too often, too. I'm not just speaking of main characters, who we've lost several of already. We are frequently introduced to a new player, and before we even get to know them, they're killed. This has happened with a number of parts played by very good actors who it would have been nice to see stick around. Death is obviously a large factor in the world they live in, but that doesn't mean we need to see someone bite the bullet every week. Let us have time to care about them, so when they do die, it means more.

I wonder if the problem is the pacing. Things happen rapidly and in very quick succession on Revolution. Fast movement can be good, but it also needs to balance itself with natural attitudes and actions. Maybe Revolution is just trying to go too fast.

Though that doesn't excuse the hokey shadow-Lincoln president-in-exile living in Guantanamo Bay. Coming on the heels of Randall's Civil War-esque preaching, this "surprise" ending feels forced and silly.

There are also two questions left at the end I'm not so happy with. One, is Julia Neville (Kim Raver) dead? We see her in Atlanta as the missiles launch, but that would be a crappy, uninspired ending to her, again coming too early. Two, why do we see Aaron's (Zak Orth) wife, Priscilla (Maureen Sebastian) again? She hasn't been much of a part of the story, so her cameo here in unearned. Will she be blown up, too? Is there something else planned for her next year?

Which is not to say that "The Dark Tower" is without merit. I absolutely love seeing Miles and Monroe (David Lyons) have it out with one another, removed from the battle field and distractions of others. We finally hear Miles's explanation as to why he couldn't kill Monroe, and we learn why Monroe hates Miles so much. There is a true brother bond between them, no matter what happens. These words make sense, and if more of this occurred, there would be less to complain about.

I also like seeing Miles mourn over Nora. They didn't quite work as a couple, but this acknowledges the real feelings between them. It also removes Miles and Rachel's obstacle towards being together, which means we won't have the pining and conflict that the predictable love triangle brings.

Thirdly, it's nice that the power comes back on. This dystopian future is cool, but given the way the story has been moving, it would have been very disappointing if it didn't happen in this episode. We still don't know if it's back everywhere, or what this will mean for the U.S. and the world, but it does move the plot along in a direction that it needs to go.

Revolution is full of so many good ideas, and the premise is fascinating. There are some really terrific stars in the ensemble, too. If it would only be allowed to truly breathe and live, rather than being forced to check off a predetermined 'to do' list, it could be really great.

Revolution will return next fall to NBC.

The Borgias Stares Into "The Face of Death"

Article first published as THE BORGIAS Season 3 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 82%

Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons), the lead in Showtime’s THE BORGIAS, has stared into “The Face of Death,” and as season three begins, the wait is on to see if he returns to talk about it. It’s not much of a cliffhanger, of course, as the show would not kill off such an important character this early in the run. But many are anxiously awaiting the results of last spring’s death match, and wonder what consequences it will bring.

I admit, THE BORGIAS is far from the best show on television. It’s schmaltzy and soapy and lacking much historical accuracy. But like The Tudors, and to a lesser extent, the new Da Vinci’s Demons on Starz, it’s a guilty pleasure period piece, full of betrayal, murder, intrigue, and sex.

“The Face of Death” puts sex on the backburner in favor of politics and violence. The Cardinals await the fate of their leader, some of them praying for his survival, many likely hoping for the opposite, though they would never admit it publically until the time is ripe, for fear of losing their positions, while less involved factions plan their next move, hoping to get one up on the crooked leader.

Rodrigo’s family gather by his bedside. There’s: Cesare (Francois Arnaud), who has just admitted to killing his own brother, and awaiting to hear not only if his father lives, but what his dad’s reaction will be to the news; Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), who sends her infant son away under protection, but refuses to budge from her father’s side, and actually outsmarts the doctor in saving him, since the doctor isn’t an important character, and so can’t do something so vital, even when it’s his job; and Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), mother of Rodrigo’s children, who has earned her place by his side.

It’s strange that young Joffre is absent. While not a main character, and missing from season two entirely, he is part of the clan. Why is he not given more prevalence in the story? He is young, to be sure, but the tale is moving along. Will he start to be included at some point, or will he remain a forgotten footnote from the first season?

Less weird is that Giulia (Lotte Verbeek) barely appears in “The Face of Death.” She is Rodrigo’s beloved mistress, but in times of great crisis, only the legitimate family is allowed to be around, not some girl Rodrigo plays naked games with.

As bad as the titular family may be, viewers will still root for them. They are the heart of the show, and painted as sympathetic as they possibly can be, while not shying away from their more heinous acts. Not one wants Rodrigo to die, even though his enemies may be more noble, because we’ve gotten to know him and his family. We want them to survive, as when they are vanquished, their adventure comes to an end, and we lose our show.

Most disappointed when Rodrigo awakes is Cardinal Della Rovere (Colm Feore), of course. He is the man that tries to poison Rodrigo, poetic justice since the Pope did the same to him the season before, and like Della Rovere, Rodrigo survives, bent on vengeance.

Della Rovere returns to the Vatican with the other Cardinals, but perhaps shows his hand a bit much when he states he is there because he heard of Rodrigo’s demise. It is true, whatever Della Rovere says he has heard can be chalked up to a rumor. But Cesare doesn’t take it as such, assuming Della Rovere is giving himself away. And for power players like the two of them, that’s exactly what has happened.

It’s not the most realistic occurrence. There are plenty of plot devices that could explain away this seeming slip of the tongue. And yet, that’s the way THE BORGIAS rolls, allowing one to “figure” things out that can’t be proven, as that’s the only way to move the story forward, and the target audience won’t accept too much ambiguity.

Luckily for Della Rovere, even though Cesare locks him up, he has friends. The pope is unpopular, so of course some are willing to risk their necks to help him escape. He seems to be the likely successor if anyone could ever oust Rodrigo, and historically, he actually does eventually get to serve as pope.

It will be interesting to see if Della Rovere triumphs in the series, or not, and if victory comes at the end, of before. If that were to happen, I think he’d need to be made a more sympathetic character because somehow, even though he’s in the right, I still root for him to fail.

The Borgias’ other enemies are the Sforza family. Cardinal Sforza (Peter Sullivan) has a choice to make when his sister, Caterina (Gina McKee), asks for his help in the murder of the Borgia clan. The good Cardinal chooses his position over his blood relations, and Caterina’s plot is thwarted.

I don’t know if one can call Cardinal Sforza noble. I feel like he only turns because he’s almost caught, and yet, he’s also a bit of a coward. Unlike Della Rovere, it’s hard to see him as a true rival. Instead, he seems like a helpless tool, caught between his powerful family and his powerful boss, unable to truly make up his mind about where his loyalites should lie. Kind of like the rest of the Cardinals, but slightly more involved because of circumstance.

As usual, Micheletto (Sean Harris) proves brave, deadly, and an invaluable help to the Borgias. I wonder if a day will come when he may betray them, or if we will find out why exactly his loyalty runs so deep. As long as he is around and fighting for them, it is doubtful that anyone will get the better of this particular family.

“The Face of Death” is a fitting continuation of the story for those who love the show, but hardly a good introduction for the unfamiliar, nor a prime example of what great television can be. It will remain an entertaining, but not high quality, offering.

 THE BORGIAS returns Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

Revolution is "Nobody's Fault"

NBC's Revolution brought its fall run to a close this week with "Nobody's Fault But Mine." Miles (Billy Burke), Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos), Aaron (Zak Orth), and Nora (Daniella Alonso) finally make it to Philadelphia. It doesn't take long for them to be found out by Tom (Giancarlo Esposito) and his men, though, which in turn leads them to discover that Rachel (Elizabeth Mitchell) is still alive. As expected, this installment ends with a big showdown against Monroe (David Lyons).

Revolution continues to struggle to find its way. There are some things it does correctly. The concept behind the story - all electricity stops working, but a conspiracy could bring it back, years later - is interesting. Burke and Esposito deliver fantastic performances, and Lyons makes an intriguing villain, especially once some back story is revealed. The production team knows how to stage a thrilling fight sequence.

But Spiridakos, who seems to be the de facto lead of the series, is not nearly good enough in the role, at least not yet. The main quest to rescue Danny (Graham Rogers), completed in "Nobody's Fault But Mine," isn't half as interesting as the implications of the loss of power and the struggle for control of the world. Focus should be on the political factions, the military campaigns, and the science behind it all, but instead, we get tales about characters who just aren't developed enough.

Now, they might yet be. There have been hopeful signs, such as finally seeing Miles and Monroe as friends, and dealing with their falling out. But Revolution doesn't go far enough, fast enough. Why did Miles try to kill Monroe? Why has Monroe turned his back on his friend, and why does he continue to go down a terrible path? The show might be trying to tease a tidbit at a time, but it's no Lost, so it's unlikely that viewers will have the patience to wait for nuggets if the present storyline isn't that compelling.

One thing that is highly intriguing is seeing Flynn's (Colm Feore, The Borgias) fully electrified base. What is he doing? Will he be a friend or a foe to the Matheson clan and their friends? This is actually more interesting than anything else that concerns the central players.

Of course, as I said, Revolution does know how to deliver adrenaline, and the showdown that results in the Mathesons narrowly escaping, only to see that Monroe has a working helicopter, is an awesome cliffhanger that will hopefully draw viewers back when the show returns in March.

So, moving forward, what needs to happen are larger, sweeping arcs with big scale stories. I'm sorry, but Revolution just isn't pulling off too much of the character-driven stuff, so it should play to its strengths. Fixing the plot holes is also important, because it's a little tiring to keep making unbelievable leaps to arrive at the next set story point. And either help Spiridakos grow into a true leading lady, or shift the focus more towards characters like Miles, Tom, and Aaron, who can handle the increased scrutiny.

Revolution isn't a bad show, but it's not yet living up to its potential, and if it doesn't find it's way, it may not get a second season. We don't need yet another FlashForward or The Event, which are hurting the genre, and could prevent more brilliant fare like Fringe and Lost from even being attempted. That would be a shame, and it's the reason Revolution's failures are so frustrating.

Revolution will return to NBC in March.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter! First posted on TheTVKing

'The Borgias' still TV's baddest crime family

Showtime's The Borgias begins season two with "The Borgia Bull." Cesare's (François Arnaud) attempt to kill Cardinal della Rovere (Colm Feore) fails when the hired would-be assassin spills some of the poison. With della Rovere instead suffering ailment, Cesare returns to Rome, where his rivalry with brother Juan (David Oakes) heats up. Meanwhile, His Holiness Rodrigo Borgia, Pope of Rome (Jeremy Irons) cheats on mistress Giulia (Lotte Verbeek), finds some lost artifacts, and throws a party for his people.

The Borgias is a clever serial series. There isn't a lot of movement in the plot from week to week, but taken altogether, it's an exciting adventure of scandal, betrayal, and lust. "The Borgia Bull" fits into the mixture just fine, moving along the major characters a bit, without any huge developments.

Della Rovere is the biggest thorn in the side for the Borgias in season one. Now, his tongue is swollen and he lies in bed. Considering that Feore continues to be billed as a main character, he will likely recover and come after the family again. Why didn't they just leave him alone? He is lying low, and poses no threat. Sure, he might in the future, but that's no reason that he has to be dealt with now. Or, at least, if they want him taken out, make sure to finish the job. He is currently infirm and in no position to defend himself. By failing to kill him, they may have just reawakened a dangerous enemy who will come at them with renewed purpose.

Of course, overconfidence is a trademark of the current Pope. He seems to devote very little worry to della Rovere. Nor does he concern himself with the King of France (Michel Muller), who may also feel anger at Rodrigo after finding Naples deserted and diseased. These are very real threats. Instead, the Pope lounges with his infant grandchild, whom he even brings to work with him, and sleeps with women who are not his official mistress. He may have reason for this attitude, with the victories he achieves at the end of the first season. But acting this way, with little regard for the things he should be concerned about, will catch up to him.

Giulia is not ignorant of her lover's behavior. She picks up on his dishonesty almost immediately upon returning to the city, not that he's being very careful in hiding it. Interestingly, she goes to the mother of his children, Vanozza Cattaneo (Joanne Whalley), for advice. Even more surprisingly, Vanozza offers realistic words of wisdom. If these two ladies were to pool their efforts, they may be scarier than anything else Rodrigo has to face! Talk about the neck that turns the head!

The struggle for dominance between Juan and Cesare should not last too much longer. Juan gets the upper hand in a horse race, but Cesare strikes back at the party. Cesare comes at the fight with a mixture of bemusement and whimsy, indicating that he does not take his brother too seriously. But Juan has a wicked, cruel, arrogant streak that could get out of hand if not kept in check. It would not be surprising if their actions take a more serious, deadly turn later this season.

An interesting start to the second season. Let's see how they progress from here. Watch The Borgias Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection hits DVD

     Do you like Shakespeare? Do you like to laugh? Then the Canadian sitcom Slings & Arrows is for you. Winner of many top Gemini awards, Canada's prestigious prize for English language television, Slings & Arrows follows a theatre troupe as they perform some of the Bard's greatest works at the New Burbage Festival, a fictional event similar to the Stratford Festival. Over three seasons, Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear are all dealt with in humorous fashion. The series focuses mainly on backstage antics, a la The West Wing, but with a much darker humor that should tickle any funny bone.

     Geoffrey (Paul Gross, Due South, Men With Brooms) is the director at the center of the chaos, not that he isn't responsible for much of it. His passion mixes with an unpredictable eccentricity that will keep viewers engaged. Gross does a fantastic job with the central role. Geoffrey's behavior is not made any more stable by the haunting of his predecessor and mentor, Oliver (voice talent Stephen Ouimette), who is killed very early in the series, spurring the theatre to hire Geoffrey as his replacement. Not many shows are brave enough to have a ghost in the cast, but this one does, and it works splendidly.

     Geoffrey has a real vision for what he'd like to see on stage. Unfortunately, not everyone shares his exact dream. General manager Richard Smith-Jones (Mark McKinney, The Kids in the Hall, Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip) is an obstacle, as he would rather listen to the allure of advertising money in the form of first Holly (Jennifer Irwin, Eastbound & Down), then Sanjay (Colm Feore, The Borgias, 24), than maintain quality, at least sometimes. It also doesn't help Geoffrey that his first lead is an American movie star (Luke Kirby, Cra$h & Burn), rather than a trained stage thespian. Both are signs of a declining theatre world, but an industry that will Geoffrey will be lost without.

     Making the mix even more convoluted is that actress, and former lover of Geoffrey, Ellen (Martha Burns, Screening), is part of the company, and dating a younger man. So not only are there the technical aspects to worry about, but poor Geoffrey is plagued by pesky emotions as well. Their story begins well before Sling & Arrows, when they were co-stars in Hamlet. Ellen slept with Oliver, who is gay, and Geoffrey went off the deep end, upset over the betrayal. Brought back together by circumstance, they make it work. The chemistry between Burns and Gross make every interaction engaging.

     The principal cast are all wonderful, and their ability to actually perform Shakespeare, as well as sitcom comedy, is astounding. They are supported by guest stars like Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes, The Notebook), Sarah Polley (John Adams), and William Hutt, an actual respected Shakespearean actor who died shortly after this performance.

     The special features on the seven disc complete collection, which contains all three seasons, include bloopers, deleted scenes, productions notes, photo galleries, cast interviews, trailers, and song lyrics. There is also a featurette going behind the scenes, and plenty of on-set footage. It's really quite a nice package of extras for such a short-lived series.

     Slings & Arrows is also available on Blu-ray, though I have not had the opportunity to check out that collection. I suggest buying Slings & Arrows immediately, available from Acorn Media.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first published as DVD Review: Slings & Arrows: The Complete Collection on Blogcritics.

The Borgias is won by "Nessuno (Nobody)"

     After a mere nine episodes, Showtime's The Borgias completes its first season. In it, the French army arrives in Rome. Pope Alexander VI, a.k.a. Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons), greets King Charles (Michel Muller) in a simple robe, earning surprise and respect. Alexander affirms Charles's right to rule Naples, and Charles shows no hostility towards Rome, much to Cardinal Della Rovere's (Colm Feore) disappointment. Alexander allows the college of cardinals to come back, in humiliating fashion. Charles takes Cesare (François Arnaud) to Naples, but Cesare escapes, and with Micheletto's (Sean Harris) help, kidnaps Giovanni Sforza (Ronan Vibert). Alexander forces an annulment between his daughter, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), and Giovanni. All of the Borgia family gathers as Lucrezia gives birth to a son.


     Rodrigo shows real cunning in this episode, playing Charles perfectly to protect his position and the city by giving in on the Naples issue. Charles is no slouch either, demanding that Cesare accompany him to Naples. Thus, both have leverage over the other. It is an uneasy relationship, but a sustainable one, even after Cesare runs off. One would expect grisly battle as the season finale brings everything to a head, but in the world of The Borgias, a contest of the minds and wits can be just as exciting. Their power struggle may be better than any army clashing that could have been cooked up.

     Charles arrives in Naples, to find the place a mess. Bodies are strewn in every room, and the king is nowhere in sight. While Charles's claim on Naples will not be contested in such a condition, what is the use of ruling this land? How might this affect the balance of power between Charles and Rodrigo? If Charles no longer wants Naples, Rodrigo loses his hold over him. Charles may be angry, too, about Cesare's abandonment of the trip. Will Charles seek revenge as season two begins? Or will he take Rodrigo at face value, and go home without bothering Rome?

     Cardinal Della Rovere's play for control of the papacy ends anticlimactically. After months, possibly years (the timeline is vague), of scheming and making deals with various rulers, Della Rovere's plan comes to nothing, as Charles separately negotiates with Borgia. What sway can a mere Cardinal hold for such strong leaders such as Charles? It is easy to see what is in it for Della Rovere if Rodrigo is overthrown, but his struggle is to find someone with the might to help him, and has the motivation to do so. Thus far, his efforts prove fruitless.

     That is not say that the threat Della Rovere poses is over. Not by a long shot. Cesare attempts to recruit him back into the fold, but Della Rovere refuses. He has strong moral convictions, and is offended by Rodrigo's reign. Such an enemy is extremely dangerous because he is certain in his beliefs, and will settle for no compromise. Rodrigo surely has grounds by now to strip Della Rovere of his title, and yet does not do so, even as Rodrigo humiliates all of the other cardinals. Is he subscribing to the apt, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?" If so, what advantage does that provide in this situation? None is obvious.

     Rodrigo is not the only intelligent Borgia. Without Lucrezia's quick thinking, no agreement between Rodrigo and Charles would be possible. She single-handedly stops two armies from combat. She ushers Charles into the city, and cuts Della Rovere out of the meeting. While Lucrezia is still relatively young, as the season finale approaches she shows just how much she learns, and with her new-found skills, she is a formidable presence in the Borgia family.

     Lucrezia has help in her growth. Giulia Farnese (Lotte Verbeek) is instrumental in teaching Lucrezia how women can influence powerful men with their wiles. Lucrezia takes those lessons to heart, and applies them against Charles. Lucrezia has taken quite quickly to his father's new mistress. Just how greatly will that upset her mother, Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), when she finds out?

     Lucrezia also demonstrates she has absorbed scheming from her brother and father when she orchestrates an annulment with her abusive husband. While how much of the planning is Lucrezia's is not clear, she is at least complicit, and likely has a lot to do with the humiliation of Giovanni. She also makes no effort to tell her baby's father, Paulo (Luke Pasqualino), of the child. Is this more scheming? Lucrezia appears to care for Paulo, and yet, she is keeping the baby known only to the Borgia family at this time. There is no telling what her motivations are for this, or if she will ever even return to Paulo.

     Juan Borgia's (David Oakes) run may be near an end. Failing militarily and falling from favor, he shows no appreciable skills to benefit the family. He is no longer necessary, as Lucrezia and Cesare do just fine protecting their father without him. His foolishness and arrogance puts him in danger, and it will not be surprising if he is killed before long. Possibly next season's finale?

     What are the chances of a Cesare / Ursula (Ruta Gedmintas) reconnection? She is a nun now, but admits to still being tempted by Cesare. She assists Lucrezia in giving birth, drawing her further into the family. Ursula likely will leave the habit behind. It is hard to resist someone as influential as Cesare, and while Ursula has shown little regard for social standing, she has shown mighty lust for the man.


     The Borgias has been renewed for a second season, though eager viewers are in for a long wait, as it will not return to Showtime until 2012.

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Article first published as TV Review: The Borgias - "Nessuno (Nobody)" on Blogcritics.

The Borgias premiere makes you say, The Tudors Who?

     Ever since last spring, when Showtime's The Tudors made its final curtain call, television viewers looking for rich historical dramas, saturated with greed, betrayal, manipulation, adultery, and lots and lots of sex have been out of luck. But even as The Tudors was ending, the network announced a suitable replacement would be on the airwaves next year. Next year has arrived, and last night presented the first two episodes of Showtime's latest foray into the genre: The Borgias.

     Both shows do have a number of similarities, besides the aforementioned elements. Both remind us that people essentially have not changed. Humanity's character has remained the same throughout history. There are good people and bad people. Power corrupts. Everyone wants sex. Both also take sometimes boring stories from school and bring them to life in a way that proves events were anything but. While not completely accurate, high school students would do well to tune in and learn something, with parental permission, of course, because of adult subject material.

     The Borgias is set slightly before The Tudors historically, so it is not a sequel. It is also set in Rome, instead of England, so there is a serious geographical distance, which also informs a dramatic departure in set design. And what a set design it is! The infamous city comes alive, and each interior feels right at home with the grand exteriors. It's a place of abundance and riches, at least for the leaders of the church, and it shows in every chair and corridor. And while only just begun, I can't help but feel that the acting is superior in this newest series.

      It has been said that The Godfather movies are based on The Borgia family, so many viewers may already know the basic premise and a few of the twists. I have always wanted to watch The Godfather, but haven't gotten around to it yet. The Borgias increases that desire, but I think I'll continue to avoid it until after the series finale. It's hard enough to not learn things when the show is based on true events recorded in the historical texts. For instance, one of the main characters not currently pope will eventually hold the position, which I accidentally discovered just by looking for a cast list on wikipedia. However, even knowing what may unfold before it does (there will be creative license taken, of course) cannot possibly lessen the enjoyment of such a gripping tale.

     The initial event is the death of Pope Innocent VIII. The college of cardinals vies for position, with several wanting to take over the central seat. Rodrigo Borgia (the incredible Jeremy Irons) is Spanish, and the dead pope's right hand man. He is at least as determined as anyone else to win, but in the first vote taken, he gets the lowest number of supporters. Going against the rules, which he says "God will forgive" him for doing, he offers bribes to a number of other cardinals, and after much exhaustive work, finally wrangles a majority.

     Almost immediately after Rodrigo becomes Pope Alexander VI, several cardinals scheme to unseat him, two in particular. One is Rovere (Colm Feore), and the other is Orsini (Derek Jacobi). Orsini is blatantly disrespectful to Alexander, trying to poison him at a banquet at his palace. Alexander's son, Cesare (François Arnaud), catches the assassin, and has Orsini poisoned instead. Alexander is not happy about the murder, not wanting to resort to those tactics. Rovere is more subtle, organizing a group of cardinals behind the scenes and looking for evidence to boot out Alexander.

     Luckily for Alexander, because for some reason the show makes you root for the bad man, despite the acts of wickedness displayed for our perusal, he comes up with an ingenious way to control the college of cardinals. Rather than bankrupt himself by bribing others, or controlling through threats, both of which would take constant, diligent efforts, he just hires more cardinals. The newly appointed, whom he has chosen for their loyalty, will be so grateful for the position, they will do what he says. Except for Cesare, who will obey for other reasons. It's a huge shakeup, and sets Rovere's plans back to square one.

     Irons plays Alexander with so many layers in just the first two hours, it is easy to begin to form a complicated picture of a complicated man. At first, he appears ruthless, and certainly conniving. But he's also convinced that he is in the right, and that God wants him to be in charge. It's an ends justify the means situation. Alexander stops short at condoning murder, but does not punish Cesare for committing it. Alexander, instead, basically tells Cesare to do what he has to do, but not tell him about it, and avoid death if possible. It's almost a vulnerability being shown, and yet I can't help but feel that Alexander is still exceedingly dangerous, and that the weakness is not as weak as it looks on the surface.

     But will he keep his hands clean of blood as time goes on? Would he have murdered before he became pope? That is hard to answer. Alexander certainly seems affected by religious belief, and swayed by the weight of the office he now holds. His most vulnerable scenes show his struggles with moral dilemmas, such as whether or not to sleep with the young  Giulia (Lotte Verbeek), a young wife who came to his to confess after self-aborting.  Comforting her, Rodrigo cannot help himself. He feels God wants good things for him, including pleasures of the flesh, even if they are against the church rules. Which shows he has not been completely transformed.

     Cesare, on the other hand, has no such qualms. While he does not desire religious office himself, he is forced into it by his father, and is not shy about protecting his family's interests. He is ambitious, but not for the organization he is in, therefore posing no threat to his father. In fact, keeping his father in power may someday allow him to fulfill his dreams, even those his father is against, and so Cesare seems to have no hesitation to do whatever it takes to meet his goals.

     In this, Cesare is a lot like the assassin, Micheletto (Sean Harris), in that he does not value human life above his own machinations. Micheletto and Cesare are both fine with being subservient. They want to be around the powerful, but not rule them. Their class separation is an interesting distinction, as you can see Cesare may have ended up like Micheletto if not for his father. I think that contributes to a firm friendship. Cesare does have trouble trusting, but should Micheletto keep performing so beautifully for the family, I believe Cesare will eventually even become arrogant about his assassin's loyalty.

     Something not often seen on modern television? Incest. The most taboo of sexual relations, it was a common practice throughout history until fairly recently. Cesare is definitely in love with his sister Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), and I would not be surprised to learn they have slept together on numerous occasions. The attraction is returned. In fact, one of the first things we see in The Borgias is Lucrezia delightfully watching Cesare have relations with some random woman he picks up. All that was missing was her hand beneath her skirt.

     I think that if anyone would be offended by The Borgias, incest is more likely to be a turn off than murder. Why? I am not a proponent of incest, of course. It is a vulgar practice, in my opinion. But at least it's not taking a life. Yet, we are perfectly happy to watch slaughter in the name of entertainment. Sex and violence are base human emotions. It's interesting that one has openly evolved in video form, while the other, when displaying anything but the most basic forms of sex, hides in the closet. The Borgias goes after each with abandon, making it the ultimate guilty pleasure show for dark desires.

     One last note, look for a character cameo by famous painter Raphael, who is the one painting Giulia's portrait.

     The Borgias is just getting started, but if future episodes maintain the quality of these first two, this could easily become one of my new favorite shows. I highly recommend you check out the series. Repeats of the first two episodes will run throughout the week, and new installments air Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET.

Article first published as TV Review: The Borgias - "The Poisoned Chalice; The Assassin" on Blogcritics.

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