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.

The Borgias make "The Confession"

 Showtime's The Borgias concluded its second season last week with "The Confession." Rodrigo (Jeremy Irons) mourns the death of son, Juan (David Oakes), coming not long after losing a younger son, and is disturbed that his other children don't seem nearly as upset about the murder as he is. When Rodrigo vows to find the killer, Cesare (François Arnaud) realizes he must come clean, admitting to Rodrigo that he offed his brother, and asking for Juan's military command. While Rodrigo flounders with this revelation, Cesare goes a step furthering, taking control of the family and ordering that the wedding of his sister, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), proceed, despite his family's grief and objections.

It's hard to single out "The Confession" as a single episode, and judge its story this way. After all, The Borgias is an extremely serial show, with plots continuing for weeks of years, not ending in an hour. "The Confession" is a great finale, bringing to a head many threads, but does not present its own tale, separate from any other installment. Which is not a bad thing, by any means.

"The Confession" will be remembered as the time when Cesare takes control of the Borgia family. In season one, Cesare is a relatively dutiful and obedient son to Rodrigo. But as his frustration with his lot in life grows, doomed to be a cardinal, while watching brother Juan get the military glory Cesare longs for, Cesare strikes out more and more on his own. Taking out Juan is the last straw.

Cesare claims to have killed Juan to protect the family. This claim isn't to be dismissed out of hand. Juan is acting in a disgraceful manner, including lying about an incident where he beat a hasty retreat. Juan's anger makes him unpredictable. His irrational wrath, including hanging the father of Lucrezia's son, makes him dangerous. While Cesare may have some selfish reasons for acting, as well, it will assuredly be a good thing to get Juan out of the way.

The question is, is Cesare growing too big for his britches? He has the audacity to ask his father for Juan's post at the same time that he is confessing to fratricide. He demands a wedding when everyone, including his mother, Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), is against such a celebration in a time of tragedy. These behaviors are reckless, designed only to assert authority. If Cesare continues down this path, he may become as dangerous as Juan, thus negating the good deed that he has done.

Lucrezia isn't sad to see Juan go, given his murder of her lover. While Cesare's lack of sadness comes from a not-quite-fully-just place, Lucrezia only wants what is fair, and to protect her family. In this, she ends "The Confession" in a good, considerably happy state.

Jeremy Irons is a masterful performer, and "The Confession" showcases his talent more than any other episode of The Borgias yet. Deeply sorrowful, and blaming himself for Cesare's devious actions, Rodrigo spends much of this season finale in a state of shock. He cannot believe the ruin that has been brought upon his family, through his own fault, he believes. His machinations have not always been with good intentions, but in this pivotal moment, Rodrigo seems devout, and laid out before God's judgment. Irons handles each nuance and scene with such precision, keeping a lid on insanity, but allowing strong depths of emotion to well up in his emotive face, that his acting is a masterpiece of film. This happens not once, but throughout the hour. This is what a true star does!

Then the twist ending. Della Rovere (Colm Feore), plotting all season to end Rodrigo's reign, sees the chance to make his move. His protege, a young man willing to sacrifice himself to take out the pope, poisons Rodrigo, who collapses on the floor. Unlike the martyr, Rodrigo only takes one small sip, and it isn't clear if he survives or not. After all, Della Rovere lives through the same event last season, and the youth ingests the vile brew several times before taking his fatal gulp. Has Della Rovere succeeded?

The Borgias would not be the same without Rodrigo. Cesare, Lucrezia, and the others are interesting characters, and it would still be fun to watch them weekly, but without the head of the family, the show would suffer a serious directional blow. Irons proves his worth yet again this week, and certainly makes audiences unwilling to lose him. Eventually, his day will come, but it seems a little too early to do so now. Especially when Della Rovere hides in the shadows, depriving the pope of a genuine confrontation.

The Borgias has been renewed for a third season, and will return to Showtime next year.

Click here for every review of The Borgias I've ever written. If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Buy The Borgias DVDs and streaming episodes.

'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.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy The Borgias on DVD, please click here. Click here for every review of The Borgias I've ever written.

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.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

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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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