Air Date: Sunday, April 03, 2011 9:00PM E/P (Future episodes will air at 10:00PM E/P)
Grade: A+
The Borgias is a rich, delicious, seductively decadent feast filled with devious and treacherous gluttony sure to satisfy even the blandest palette. Showtime delivers an intricately well-written series highlighting the rise of the Borgia family.
L-R: Joffre (Aidan Alexander), Juan (David Oakes), Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), Rodrigo Borgia/Pope (Jeremy Irons), Giulia (Lotte Verbeek), Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), and Cesare (François Arnaud)
Show creator/executive producer/writer Neil Jordan comments in the booklet accompanying the screener, “I don’t claim to be telling a completely factual tale; that’s for textbooks. This is a suspenseful crime drama based on real characters and events. I have a rapacious thirst for historical material, and if something sets off my imagination, I use it.”
“The Poisoned Chalice” begins with Pope Innocent VIII lying on his death bed surrounded by the College of Cardinals, including his Vice Chancellor Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons). Telling them they “will fight like dogs” over the throne of St. Peter, he says, “We have all sullied it with our greed and lechery. Which of you will wash it clean?” A posing question which Borgia answers more expediently than the rest, leaving the balance tipped in his favor for the papal race. Irons is mesmerizing and gives a succulent portrayal as Rodrigo Borgia/Pope Alexander VI. His voice alone should win an Oscar®. When he is crowned Pope, his performance is compelling and persuasive. The array of emotions conveyed through his eyes and facial expressions are truly penetrating.
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia being crowned Pope Alexander VI
An intense election to become Pope breeds such corruption that gives birth to poisonous deception and greed ironically carried on the wings of a dove – the symbol of peace and purity. Two Cardinals, Osini (guest star Derek Jacobi) and Della Rovere (Colm Feore), both oppose Borgia’s rise to the papal throne and when Borgia receives the majority vote, they know it’s better to keep your enemies closer so they bend slightly as the seat for Vice Chancellor is up for grabs.
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia
The story is so richly told with the colorful costumes and diverse acting from some of the finest actors to grace the screen. The bold history boasts a fascinating tale of one family’s struggle to rise to ultimate power during a period of the Italian Renaissance when Christopher Columbus has set sail to find the new world and when the art of Leonard Da Vinci and Michelangelo become masterpieces.
What I find so fantastic about The Borgias is how maliciously religion is used to gain power and wealth. The term “hiding behind the cloak” comes to mind. Although I am not religious in any rite, I do find it most intriguing how many powerful men in history have bent the name of God to their own will in trying to ascertain their lust for glory. During this time, it was not uncommon for Popes to have concubines, something the newly-crowned Pope Alexander VI will have no problem with.
After becoming Pope, Borgia tells his wife Vanozza (Joanne Whalley) he must take a vow of chastity. Of course, I feel he may be allowing the power of his new status to go to his head, thinking it may be wasted on his wife alone. I find it humorous that Borgia is willing to readily take a vow of chastity but when asked about taking vows of poverty, he’s not so eager.
Vanozza: “So we take vows of chastity along with your new status, must we take vows of poverty too?”
Borgia: “Poverty? God forbid.”
Joanne Whalley as Vanozza Borgia
Borgia has four children. The eldest is son Cesare (François Arnaud) who is also a Bishop but desperately wants to be released of his holy vows. Juan (David Oakes) is the second eldest; however, there is question whether Borgia is his real father. This drives him to constantly prove he is a real Borgia. Unlike his brother Cesare, Juan is a part of the military and will become head of the Papal army, something Cesare feels he could excel at.
David Oakes as Juan Borgia
Something that intrigues but also slightly repels me is the almost incestuous love between Cesare and Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), brother and sister. His devotion to her is admirable but borders on possessive as if he wants to keep her all to himself. It was not uncommon in those days to marry a cousin or have an affair with a close relative; however, a brother and sister pairing still steps on the skin crawlingly creepy for me.
Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger) with eldest brother Cesare (François Arnaud)
Lucrezia is Borgia’s third eldest and the only daughter. Despite her young age of 12, she is more astute than given credit for. The casting must have been a difficult one – to find someone who could play a 12-19 year old, but after seeing how Grainger exudes the innocence and naivety, coupled with the burgeoning cunning of a Borgia, it’s easy to see why she was chosen. Costumes and make-up play a key role in assisting the actress in embodying the role.
L-R: Joffre (Aidan Alexander) and Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger)
The youngest son, Joffre (Aidan Alexander), is the youngest of the cast. Although his role is not heavy in the first two episodes, he will soon become an integral part of the power play the Pope has in store for his family. Little Joffre will soon be married off to a powerful family, wedding a much older, sensual woman, Princess Sancia of Naples (Emmanuelle Chriqui). We will see her in later episodes.
The second episode, entitled “The Assassin” delves into the jealousy and lust for power. After the Pope chooses Cardinal Ascanio Sforza (Peter Sullivan) to become Vice Chancellor, both Cardinals Osini and Della Rovere are outraged and plot their opposition to remove Borgia from papal office. Sforza’s family will become a major player in the Pope’s rise to power, in which his young daughter Lucrezia will become painfully involved.
Front Center to Back Right: Cardinal Osini (Derek Jacobi) and Cardinal Sforza (Peter Sullivan)
An invitation to dinner at the palace of Cardinal Osini becomes quite deadly but also introduces a new formidable ally. Cesare searches through the kitchens and comes across a worthy adversary in the form of Micheletto (Sean Harris). Harris’ performance is outstanding and chilling. His allegiance to Cesare secures an upper hand for both. The length Micheletto is willing to go through is positively macabre. One scene that truly makes me cringe is when Della Rovere squeezes the juice of a lemon over the wounds of mortification given to Micheletto by Cesare to put up pretenses of his supposed punishment for his part in the assassination plot. Micheletto uses this to gain Della Rovere’s trust in order to learn of his plans to dethrone Borgia from the papal throne.
L-R: Micheletto (Sean Harris) and Cardinal Della Rovere (Colm Feore)
Borgia is now entertaining a new lover, the young and beautiful Giulia (Lotte Verbeek). If this affair is revealed, it will be grounds for removal of Borgia as Pope. Unfortunately, a witness, a young servant in the Vatican, is the only link to the illicit affair and Micheletto employs deviously sensual tactics to uncover how much the servant knows.
Vanozza is a cunning woman as is proven by how irate she becomes when Lucrezia reveals she met a beautiful woman having her portrait painted by commission of her father, the Pope. She storms the halls of the Vatican and confronts her husband. I think Vanozza will soon maneuver her way to even greater power, but I also think she feels insecure and threatened by the new mistress, especially since her own daughter has grown fond of her in such a short time.
The Borgias is absolutely engrossing and addictive. I couldn’t stop watching! I am fortunate to have the first four episodes and let me just say, the lechery only continues to get more and more fascinating!
Don’t miss The Borgias – Sundays at 10PM E/P only on Showtime.
For more on the show – visit http://www.sho.com/site/borgias/home.sho
All photos courtesy of ©Showtime.
Judy Manning
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