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bedlamsbardLet me preface this by saying I love love loved the first episode, and if you really hated it, I would prefer not to hear about it, as it makes me sad. Hopefully saying that doesn't make me sound like a bitch, but hey: I really don't like having my squee harshed.
THAT SAID.
Love, love, love the opening credits. I love the blend of scenes from the show and period artwork, and forwhatever reason, I appreciate them not showing anyone's face. (This is in contrast to the opening credits for the Tudors, which I didn't hate, but which I didn't particularly like very much either. I think the Tudors credits relied too much on the perceived prior knowledge of its viewers ("You think you know a story, but you only know how it ends...you have to go back to the beginning."))
They do a good job of setting up the rivalry between the four main cardinals that show up in the opening episode -- Rodrigo Borgia, Giuliano della Rovere, Orsino Orsini, and Ascanio Sforza. Rodrigo and della Rovere do that thing where they're both trying to speak first and best; Orsini shows his rashness when he accuses Rodrigo of being a marrano, a "white Moor" (or a secret Jew, according to Sarah Bradford). What was a really major part of the way that the Borgias viewed the world was that they were outsiders, which the show does a good job of setting up. They aren't Italian, but Spaniards from Valencia -- the original surname was de Borja.
(As an afterthought, I'm a little sad they didn't put in the bit where Giuliano della Rovere and Rodrigo Borgia almost get into a fistfight at Innocent VII's bedside. But it would kind of take away from the drama of the moment, alas, so I understand why they decided not to add that particular bit of hilarious history.)
Lucrezia and Cesare! I gotta admit, I was surprised at how muted the sex is so far in the show -- I mean, the PTB doesn't hesitate to put it in, but it's not really gratuitous.
I love the relationship between Lucrezia and Cesare as they set it up. Neil Jordan's said that they aren't going to put actual incest in, but there's going to be a "fascination," as we see here. They aged up Lucrezia by a year, but I think she still comes across as being pretty young; I was afraid they were going to age her up a lot. I think Holliday Grainger is my age or even a bit older, so I applaud her ability to play a fourteen-year-old.
First major diversion from history: Although Rodrigo Borgia did indeed make his seventeen-year-old son Cesare a bishop, he kept his four children by Vannozza dei Cattanei outside of Rome; they weren't in the public eye quite yet. Cesare wasn't even in Rome when the papal elections were going on; he was in Siena at the horse races, though as soon as he heard the results of the election he rode for Rome. The Borgia family did not attend the Pope's coronation. Why did they change it? My assumption is that they wanted to strengthen the family theme, which doesn't work particularly well when the Borgia family is scattered across Italy. I think it still works this way.
And now we meet Juan! The third son of the Borgia family, the second of the Italian Borgias. (Rodrigo had three other children before the big four, which they appear to have cut entirely from the show. Which makes sense: confusion, family unity, etc. Cesare's entrance into the church makes a bit more sense when you consider him as a second son instead of a first son. I should add that the other three children were by different mothers, and two of them, including Pedro Luis, were dead by 1492.) I love the shock of having Cesare show up -- cleric with a sword! Nice touch of the rivalry between the two.
And now we meet Vannozza dei Cattanei, the mother of Rodrigo's four favorite children, and the big four all together in the same room: Cesare, Juan, Lucrezia, and Jofre. I love Cesare playing big brother and leaning over to help Jofre play cards.
Second major historical digression: By this point, Vannozza dei Cattanei was more or less out of Rodrigo Borgia's life. Lucrezia was living, not in her mother's house, but in the house of Rodrigo's cousin Adriana de Mila Orsini. Who was also Giulia Farnese's mother-in-law. It was a tight family unit! Just not kind that works very well with the emphasis on the Borgia family as the Borgias themselves, if that makes sense. I think it works here; it looks like they cut Adriana period and put Vannozza into that position, streamlining the history and lessening some of the confusion. (Plus, there's some really interesting conflict possible with Vannozza that there wouldn't be with Adriana.)
Heh, I love the scenes where the Borgias are busy bribing the other cardinals. The food scenes especially. "Roasted...and stuffed." "Mmm, tasty." And I'm really glad they put the bit with the mules in! That's part of the history, that mules laden with treasure were seen heading to the palaces of the cardinals Rodrigo was bribing. Although I'm sad we don't have any plotting in the privies, though that was the election of Pius II and not Alexander VI.
"Cardinal Borgia has the required majority." "Correction: Cardinal Borgia has bought the required majority." And more Spanish-Italian jostling for power, and Rodrigo immediately jumping into the political fray. God, I love that bit where Rodrigo suddenly kisses della Rovere and Orsini in the mouth.
I seriously think the testes et pedentes scene is the funniest one in the entire episode. You know, to check that the pope is actually male, he has to sit on a chair with a hole in the seat and someone has to reach up and grab his balls. Jeremy Irons' face! "He's got two testicles, well hung." "Deo gratias."
Wouldn't it actually be "habemus pontificem?"
And now we get an orgy scene! And Juan having a really good time, up until someone reminds him he's a bastard.
Cesare endeavouring to leave the priesthood. He's less concerned with his sins and more concerned with getting out, I think. "We're Spaniards. They hate us."
"I swear, if God will not protect us, I shall." Cesare's language here is a little purple, but it gets across his frustration. I think the Cesare-Juan rivalry is nicely understated, though evident.
Cesare did have a thing for wearing black, but that developed later on; initially he was all for fancy multi-colored silks.
Vannozza is not that happy about taking Rodrigo's shit. And Lucrezia has this look on her face that seems to say she's not too happy about hearing about her parents' love life. (Why is there a cardinal in the background? Okay, whatever.) However, I'm pretty sure that Vannozza was under no illusions that Rodrigo slept around.
HI JOHANNNES BURCHARD. (I think he's shown up before, it's just that my facial recognition skills suck.)
Cesare seizes on the occasion NOT to wear clerical robes. Although he kind of looks like he's going to a funeral too. (In actuality: Borgias still outside Rome.)
One thing I really like about the procession is the woman clinging to the ground and crossing herself over and over again.
Some of the cardinals look like they can't believe this is actually happening. Rodrigo has a bit of that look about him himself. I think his shock, his -- I've seen it called "fear", and I think that's a pretty good descriptor too -- is played very nicely here, and in the next scene with him and Cesare. This is the prize he always dreamed of, but he never quite believed he could get it until he did. And Rodrigo Borgia was, in fact, a spiritual man (unlike Cesare).
Lucrezia and Cesare! Not sure why they're sitting in front of the other Borgias. Lucrezia is very young, and very naive -- that quiet smile on her face when Cesare says, "You will have every prince of Europe vying for your hand," is very fourteen; Cesare knows what's up, though. I've still never figured out what Lucrezia says when she says, "Will father have [missing word] here?" "As our father, maybe not. But as pope..."
"But he must already be pleased, holy father." "Indeed. Why?" "Because the earth has not yet swallowed us." And Cesare is, as ever, rather disbelieving towards God and a little alarmed to see his father so openly religious.
THE KING OF FRANCE. PLOT MOMENT. HISTORICAL PLOT MOMENT.
Not entirely certain why Cesare's in this scene -- later on he's on secretary duty, but right now he's just standing at Rodrigo's right hand. Oh, please, Orsini, who hasn't traded sacred offices like a market huckster?
"That office was promised to me!" "Why, did you pay for it?" Love you, Rodrigo!
Sforza does not look entirely pleased to be told he has no expectation of advancement. Who's the actor? He looks familiar. Della Rovere is playing politics again; he's better at it than Orsini. You can just see Orsini's brain going tick-tick-tick as he plots. Not particularly subtly.
CESARE AND HIS MONKEY. In that half-cape Rodrigo looks like Santa Claus. You know, what I get from this scene is that Rodrigo is aware of the politics, of the fact that a lot of the cardinals don't like him; he really wants to trust that they'll allow him to be pope now that he actually is. Cesare's less -- mmm, naive? I'm not sure naive is the word I want here; he's less convinced by the innate goodness of men, and he's certainly more cynical than Rodrigo is even on his worst days. Thus the monkey. (Although. I have no idea why he's at a banquet full of cardinals.)
Rodrigo's face when Orsini suggests they dine on gruel. NOOOO NOT MY FOOD.
"Excuse me. Excuse my monkey." (In the background: "Monkey pee on my table!"
Ah, here we go with Michelotto. Michelotto's the character I'm the least pleased with in the entire show so far. He's a real historical figure, Cesare's favorite assassin (he murdered Lucrezia's second husband); he was also Spanish (Don Miguel de Corella). I don't think his angst is entirely convincing, or really necessary here.
"Oh, I'll be forgiven; the pope is my confessor."
Rodrigo's worry when he sees that Cesare's bleeding. Wordless, but definitely concerned. And Cesare's watching his father to see if the assassin lied.
One of my favorite scenes, just because Cesare's flair for the dramatic really comes through. You can see him counting down the seconds and keeping his eyes on Orsini, trying to judge the moment to cue his speech.
"They lick your hand one minute, bite your next. And everyone knows what you do with the monkey that bites you." "And what do you do with the monkey that bites you?" "You wring its neck."
Well, at least if you die in a room full of cardinals, you can be immediately given last rites.
"You poison a rat, you poison a rabid dog, you don't poison the vicar of Rome, the heir to St. Peter." "The idea offends you?" "It offends me, it offends nature, it offends God Himself!" "So God will take his revenge, then?" "Yes, he will -- with our hand!"
I gotta say, this is the most gratuitious and poorly executed assassination attempt ever. Although when I say "gratuitous," I don't mean gratuitously violent; the violence, like the sex, is pretty understated. It's there, they don't shy away from it, but it's not all "BLOOD IN YOUR FACE." The shadows help, of course.
Cesare just looks tired as Michelotto deals with the bodies. He doesn't want this to happen; he knew it would, but he was hoping it wouldn't. La la la, Michelotto's angst. Now that's gratuitous.
A nice moment with Cesare and Vannozza, and then some Cesare/Lucrezia talk. Danger in the streets in Rome? SAY IT ISN'T SO.
Juan really wants to commit some lovely violence here; Cesare doesn't mind joining in, though he's got ulterior motives. And this scene is just...heh. Well, if you like one pretty boy stripping off and bending over as he orders another pretty boy to whip him harder and harder. "You must hurt me, my lord." Cesare looks like he's enjoying it, too.
"We draw the line at murder, do we not?" Er, not so much, Rodrigo. But you do see Rodrigo realizing that just because they've won, they don't get to stop playing the game. They have to keep doing so. (I think they're also speeding up events slightly, but hey, who didn't see that coming? I pretty much take that for granted.)
Della Rovere: way too interested in Michelotto getting tortured. And having a look at Michelotto with his shirt off, as Michelotto mentioned earlier.
I can't remember if the Orsini murder really happened, but it reminds me of something that happened much later, when Alexander VI and Cesare got sick and Alexander VI died from it. One rumor that went around was that they mixed up the poisons at a dinner they were having, and accidentally drank the poison themselves. Probably not true.
Now we see Giulia Farnese. As I mentioned before, the third major historical digression! Since Giulia was living in the same household as Adriana and Lucrezia. But it makes her a bit more of an outsider to make her completely unrelated to the Borgia family, although I kind of miss it being there. Her husband was known as Monoculus, by the way. The abortion is -- mmm, I don't really have any opinion of it.
That's a really beautiful shot of Giulia framed in the cross of the confessional.
Conspiracy of cardinals! Looking very unsubtle as they flock towards della Rovere's palazzo. Dirty politics, here we go.
I really like the lantern Rodrigo's holding. /shallow He's shown as, mmm, weak in the flesh? Admittedly, the guy liked women, but so far they're trying pretty hard to aim him at monogamy first with Vannozza and then with Giulia. Not sure I entirely agree with that characterization, but, oh well. They did what they did. (Huh, digression: I wonder if they're going to put Alessandro Farnese in the show? It's not really necessary, he didn't do much except get made a cardinal at fifteen, but it amuses me.)
Lotte Verbrek really is gorgeous.
I love the painting scene! Lucrezia and Giulia play off each other really well. And there's a great touch of minor characterization here with Pinturicchio, who I kind of love, even though he barely shows up.
Oh, Vannozza, honey. You didn't really think Rodrigo would actually stay chaste, did you? (As an aside: Vannozza dei Cattanei was probably Italian, though they make her Spanish here.) Another great scene with Rodrigo and Vannozza, and Cesare having a great moment in the background. (I'm sorry, every time I hear Rodrigo say, "She was in need! I had to help her!" I always end up following it up with Vannozza yelling back, "WITH YOUR COCK?")
One of my favorite scenes in the episode is Rodrigo and Vannozza together in Rodrigo's bedroom, where they're sitting at the foot of Rodrigo's bed and Rodrigo is groping Vannozza's knee, almost unconsciously. It's just such a great moment of quiet characterization on both their parts; Rodrigo just needs to be touching his women.
"Lechery? My father? God forbid." And there goes Cesare's brain again.
"Oh, what would Rome be without a good plot?" Well, I probably wouldn't have an academic career, for one. :) I'm sure Caesar and Augustus would agree -- and that's who Rodrigo and Cesare want to grow up to be.
HI JOHANNES BURCHARD AGAIN. Slightly distressed to find himself being pulled into the political game on both sides. "Oh dear."
"As women, we control so little of our destiny. Men do." "And?" "The outcome is, we hate each other. But we should not." "Who should we hate, then? Men?" "No. It is in our nature to love them. But we should protect ourselves against them." Giulia warning Lucrezia that she's going to have to play the same game as all the others.
Heh, bull-fighting. (Cesare Borgia totally fought bulls, y'all.) Rodrigo looks really bored by the daily bump-and-grind.
For whatever reason, I really like Della Rovere's cook, too, for all he only shows up for about two seconds. It's the way he thunks the knife into the table.
Rodrigo's several steps ahead of your game, Giuliano. Sorry about that.
Jeremy Irons is really channeling Scar here.
Okay, now that is gratuitous sex. (Though I see why it's there.)
And Cesare's going to be a cardinal! He does not seem pleased by this. Neither does della Rovere. The Borgias don't do subtle when it comes to nepotism, but della Rovere doesn't do subtle when it comes to politics. One of them is worse for you, dude. (Although he comes out pretty well, in the end.)
Well, it's not exactly a severed horse head, but it will do. I haven't decided yet if Cesare knew what Michelotto was planning and they're fixing the story, or if he's surprised by what happened and they're fixing the story.
"Who can one trust in this Rome of ours?"
*fans self* I totally have way more respect for people who live-blog now. That was exhausting.
I need a Borgias icon. Point me at them, if someone's made them up already?
THAT SAID.
Love, love, love the opening credits. I love the blend of scenes from the show and period artwork, and forwhatever reason, I appreciate them not showing anyone's face. (This is in contrast to the opening credits for the Tudors, which I didn't hate, but which I didn't particularly like very much either. I think the Tudors credits relied too much on the perceived prior knowledge of its viewers ("You think you know a story, but you only know how it ends...you have to go back to the beginning."))
They do a good job of setting up the rivalry between the four main cardinals that show up in the opening episode -- Rodrigo Borgia, Giuliano della Rovere, Orsino Orsini, and Ascanio Sforza. Rodrigo and della Rovere do that thing where they're both trying to speak first and best; Orsini shows his rashness when he accuses Rodrigo of being a marrano, a "white Moor" (or a secret Jew, according to Sarah Bradford). What was a really major part of the way that the Borgias viewed the world was that they were outsiders, which the show does a good job of setting up. They aren't Italian, but Spaniards from Valencia -- the original surname was de Borja.
(As an afterthought, I'm a little sad they didn't put in the bit where Giuliano della Rovere and Rodrigo Borgia almost get into a fistfight at Innocent VII's bedside. But it would kind of take away from the drama of the moment, alas, so I understand why they decided not to add that particular bit of hilarious history.)
Lucrezia and Cesare! I gotta admit, I was surprised at how muted the sex is so far in the show -- I mean, the PTB doesn't hesitate to put it in, but it's not really gratuitous.
I love the relationship between Lucrezia and Cesare as they set it up. Neil Jordan's said that they aren't going to put actual incest in, but there's going to be a "fascination," as we see here. They aged up Lucrezia by a year, but I think she still comes across as being pretty young; I was afraid they were going to age her up a lot. I think Holliday Grainger is my age or even a bit older, so I applaud her ability to play a fourteen-year-old.
First major diversion from history: Although Rodrigo Borgia did indeed make his seventeen-year-old son Cesare a bishop, he kept his four children by Vannozza dei Cattanei outside of Rome; they weren't in the public eye quite yet. Cesare wasn't even in Rome when the papal elections were going on; he was in Siena at the horse races, though as soon as he heard the results of the election he rode for Rome. The Borgia family did not attend the Pope's coronation. Why did they change it? My assumption is that they wanted to strengthen the family theme, which doesn't work particularly well when the Borgia family is scattered across Italy. I think it still works this way.
And now we meet Juan! The third son of the Borgia family, the second of the Italian Borgias. (Rodrigo had three other children before the big four, which they appear to have cut entirely from the show. Which makes sense: confusion, family unity, etc. Cesare's entrance into the church makes a bit more sense when you consider him as a second son instead of a first son. I should add that the other three children were by different mothers, and two of them, including Pedro Luis, were dead by 1492.) I love the shock of having Cesare show up -- cleric with a sword! Nice touch of the rivalry between the two.
And now we meet Vannozza dei Cattanei, the mother of Rodrigo's four favorite children, and the big four all together in the same room: Cesare, Juan, Lucrezia, and Jofre. I love Cesare playing big brother and leaning over to help Jofre play cards.
Second major historical digression: By this point, Vannozza dei Cattanei was more or less out of Rodrigo Borgia's life. Lucrezia was living, not in her mother's house, but in the house of Rodrigo's cousin Adriana de Mila Orsini. Who was also Giulia Farnese's mother-in-law. It was a tight family unit! Just not kind that works very well with the emphasis on the Borgia family as the Borgias themselves, if that makes sense. I think it works here; it looks like they cut Adriana period and put Vannozza into that position, streamlining the history and lessening some of the confusion. (Plus, there's some really interesting conflict possible with Vannozza that there wouldn't be with Adriana.)
Heh, I love the scenes where the Borgias are busy bribing the other cardinals. The food scenes especially. "Roasted...and stuffed." "Mmm, tasty." And I'm really glad they put the bit with the mules in! That's part of the history, that mules laden with treasure were seen heading to the palaces of the cardinals Rodrigo was bribing. Although I'm sad we don't have any plotting in the privies, though that was the election of Pius II and not Alexander VI.
"Cardinal Borgia has the required majority." "Correction: Cardinal Borgia has bought the required majority." And more Spanish-Italian jostling for power, and Rodrigo immediately jumping into the political fray. God, I love that bit where Rodrigo suddenly kisses della Rovere and Orsini in the mouth.
I seriously think the testes et pedentes scene is the funniest one in the entire episode. You know, to check that the pope is actually male, he has to sit on a chair with a hole in the seat and someone has to reach up and grab his balls. Jeremy Irons' face! "He's got two testicles, well hung." "Deo gratias."
Wouldn't it actually be "habemus pontificem?"
And now we get an orgy scene! And Juan having a really good time, up until someone reminds him he's a bastard.
Cesare endeavouring to leave the priesthood. He's less concerned with his sins and more concerned with getting out, I think. "We're Spaniards. They hate us."
"I swear, if God will not protect us, I shall." Cesare's language here is a little purple, but it gets across his frustration. I think the Cesare-Juan rivalry is nicely understated, though evident.
Cesare did have a thing for wearing black, but that developed later on; initially he was all for fancy multi-colored silks.
Vannozza is not that happy about taking Rodrigo's shit. And Lucrezia has this look on her face that seems to say she's not too happy about hearing about her parents' love life. (Why is there a cardinal in the background? Okay, whatever.) However, I'm pretty sure that Vannozza was under no illusions that Rodrigo slept around.
HI JOHANNNES BURCHARD. (I think he's shown up before, it's just that my facial recognition skills suck.)
Cesare seizes on the occasion NOT to wear clerical robes. Although he kind of looks like he's going to a funeral too. (In actuality: Borgias still outside Rome.)
One thing I really like about the procession is the woman clinging to the ground and crossing herself over and over again.
Some of the cardinals look like they can't believe this is actually happening. Rodrigo has a bit of that look about him himself. I think his shock, his -- I've seen it called "fear", and I think that's a pretty good descriptor too -- is played very nicely here, and in the next scene with him and Cesare. This is the prize he always dreamed of, but he never quite believed he could get it until he did. And Rodrigo Borgia was, in fact, a spiritual man (unlike Cesare).
Lucrezia and Cesare! Not sure why they're sitting in front of the other Borgias. Lucrezia is very young, and very naive -- that quiet smile on her face when Cesare says, "You will have every prince of Europe vying for your hand," is very fourteen; Cesare knows what's up, though. I've still never figured out what Lucrezia says when she says, "Will father have [missing word] here?" "As our father, maybe not. But as pope..."
"But he must already be pleased, holy father." "Indeed. Why?" "Because the earth has not yet swallowed us." And Cesare is, as ever, rather disbelieving towards God and a little alarmed to see his father so openly religious.
THE KING OF FRANCE. PLOT MOMENT. HISTORICAL PLOT MOMENT.
Not entirely certain why Cesare's in this scene -- later on he's on secretary duty, but right now he's just standing at Rodrigo's right hand. Oh, please, Orsini, who hasn't traded sacred offices like a market huckster?
"That office was promised to me!" "Why, did you pay for it?" Love you, Rodrigo!
Sforza does not look entirely pleased to be told he has no expectation of advancement. Who's the actor? He looks familiar. Della Rovere is playing politics again; he's better at it than Orsini. You can just see Orsini's brain going tick-tick-tick as he plots. Not particularly subtly.
CESARE AND HIS MONKEY. In that half-cape Rodrigo looks like Santa Claus. You know, what I get from this scene is that Rodrigo is aware of the politics, of the fact that a lot of the cardinals don't like him; he really wants to trust that they'll allow him to be pope now that he actually is. Cesare's less -- mmm, naive? I'm not sure naive is the word I want here; he's less convinced by the innate goodness of men, and he's certainly more cynical than Rodrigo is even on his worst days. Thus the monkey. (Although. I have no idea why he's at a banquet full of cardinals.)
Rodrigo's face when Orsini suggests they dine on gruel. NOOOO NOT MY FOOD.
"Excuse me. Excuse my monkey." (In the background: "Monkey pee on my table!"
Ah, here we go with Michelotto. Michelotto's the character I'm the least pleased with in the entire show so far. He's a real historical figure, Cesare's favorite assassin (he murdered Lucrezia's second husband); he was also Spanish (Don Miguel de Corella). I don't think his angst is entirely convincing, or really necessary here.
"Oh, I'll be forgiven; the pope is my confessor."
Rodrigo's worry when he sees that Cesare's bleeding. Wordless, but definitely concerned. And Cesare's watching his father to see if the assassin lied.
One of my favorite scenes, just because Cesare's flair for the dramatic really comes through. You can see him counting down the seconds and keeping his eyes on Orsini, trying to judge the moment to cue his speech.
"They lick your hand one minute, bite your next. And everyone knows what you do with the monkey that bites you." "And what do you do with the monkey that bites you?" "You wring its neck."
Well, at least if you die in a room full of cardinals, you can be immediately given last rites.
"You poison a rat, you poison a rabid dog, you don't poison the vicar of Rome, the heir to St. Peter." "The idea offends you?" "It offends me, it offends nature, it offends God Himself!" "So God will take his revenge, then?" "Yes, he will -- with our hand!"
I gotta say, this is the most gratuitious and poorly executed assassination attempt ever. Although when I say "gratuitous," I don't mean gratuitously violent; the violence, like the sex, is pretty understated. It's there, they don't shy away from it, but it's not all "BLOOD IN YOUR FACE." The shadows help, of course.
Cesare just looks tired as Michelotto deals with the bodies. He doesn't want this to happen; he knew it would, but he was hoping it wouldn't. La la la, Michelotto's angst. Now that's gratuitous.
A nice moment with Cesare and Vannozza, and then some Cesare/Lucrezia talk. Danger in the streets in Rome? SAY IT ISN'T SO.
Juan really wants to commit some lovely violence here; Cesare doesn't mind joining in, though he's got ulterior motives. And this scene is just...heh. Well, if you like one pretty boy stripping off and bending over as he orders another pretty boy to whip him harder and harder. "You must hurt me, my lord." Cesare looks like he's enjoying it, too.
"We draw the line at murder, do we not?" Er, not so much, Rodrigo. But you do see Rodrigo realizing that just because they've won, they don't get to stop playing the game. They have to keep doing so. (I think they're also speeding up events slightly, but hey, who didn't see that coming? I pretty much take that for granted.)
Della Rovere: way too interested in Michelotto getting tortured. And having a look at Michelotto with his shirt off, as Michelotto mentioned earlier.
I can't remember if the Orsini murder really happened, but it reminds me of something that happened much later, when Alexander VI and Cesare got sick and Alexander VI died from it. One rumor that went around was that they mixed up the poisons at a dinner they were having, and accidentally drank the poison themselves. Probably not true.
Now we see Giulia Farnese. As I mentioned before, the third major historical digression! Since Giulia was living in the same household as Adriana and Lucrezia. But it makes her a bit more of an outsider to make her completely unrelated to the Borgia family, although I kind of miss it being there. Her husband was known as Monoculus, by the way. The abortion is -- mmm, I don't really have any opinion of it.
That's a really beautiful shot of Giulia framed in the cross of the confessional.
Conspiracy of cardinals! Looking very unsubtle as they flock towards della Rovere's palazzo. Dirty politics, here we go.
I really like the lantern Rodrigo's holding. /shallow He's shown as, mmm, weak in the flesh? Admittedly, the guy liked women, but so far they're trying pretty hard to aim him at monogamy first with Vannozza and then with Giulia. Not sure I entirely agree with that characterization, but, oh well. They did what they did. (Huh, digression: I wonder if they're going to put Alessandro Farnese in the show? It's not really necessary, he didn't do much except get made a cardinal at fifteen, but it amuses me.)
Lotte Verbrek really is gorgeous.
I love the painting scene! Lucrezia and Giulia play off each other really well. And there's a great touch of minor characterization here with Pinturicchio, who I kind of love, even though he barely shows up.
Oh, Vannozza, honey. You didn't really think Rodrigo would actually stay chaste, did you? (As an aside: Vannozza dei Cattanei was probably Italian, though they make her Spanish here.) Another great scene with Rodrigo and Vannozza, and Cesare having a great moment in the background. (I'm sorry, every time I hear Rodrigo say, "She was in need! I had to help her!" I always end up following it up with Vannozza yelling back, "WITH YOUR COCK?")
One of my favorite scenes in the episode is Rodrigo and Vannozza together in Rodrigo's bedroom, where they're sitting at the foot of Rodrigo's bed and Rodrigo is groping Vannozza's knee, almost unconsciously. It's just such a great moment of quiet characterization on both their parts; Rodrigo just needs to be touching his women.
"Lechery? My father? God forbid." And there goes Cesare's brain again.
"Oh, what would Rome be without a good plot?" Well, I probably wouldn't have an academic career, for one. :) I'm sure Caesar and Augustus would agree -- and that's who Rodrigo and Cesare want to grow up to be.
HI JOHANNES BURCHARD AGAIN. Slightly distressed to find himself being pulled into the political game on both sides. "Oh dear."
"As women, we control so little of our destiny. Men do." "And?" "The outcome is, we hate each other. But we should not." "Who should we hate, then? Men?" "No. It is in our nature to love them. But we should protect ourselves against them." Giulia warning Lucrezia that she's going to have to play the same game as all the others.
Heh, bull-fighting. (Cesare Borgia totally fought bulls, y'all.) Rodrigo looks really bored by the daily bump-and-grind.
For whatever reason, I really like Della Rovere's cook, too, for all he only shows up for about two seconds. It's the way he thunks the knife into the table.
Rodrigo's several steps ahead of your game, Giuliano. Sorry about that.
Jeremy Irons is really channeling Scar here.
Okay, now that is gratuitous sex. (Though I see why it's there.)
And Cesare's going to be a cardinal! He does not seem pleased by this. Neither does della Rovere. The Borgias don't do subtle when it comes to nepotism, but della Rovere doesn't do subtle when it comes to politics. One of them is worse for you, dude. (Although he comes out pretty well, in the end.)
Well, it's not exactly a severed horse head, but it will do. I haven't decided yet if Cesare knew what Michelotto was planning and they're fixing the story, or if he's surprised by what happened and they're fixing the story.
"Who can one trust in this Rome of ours?"
*fans self* I totally have way more respect for people who live-blog now. That was exhausting.
I need a Borgias icon. Point me at them, if someone's made them up already?
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 08:15 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 08:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 08:36 pm (UTC)I've still never figured out what Lucrezia says when she says, "Will father have [missing word] here?" "As our father, maybe not. But as pope..."
She says "Does papa really have so many enemies?"
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 08:41 pm (UTC)Oh, that's what it is! For whatever reason that phrase blurs together when I hear it, and I can never figure out what it is.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-05 01:20 am (UTC)I forgot to say before, I am with you on Michelotto's angst. It's kind of weirdly done, I think. I just am not buying it.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-05 01:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 10:24 pm (UTC)That was an AWESOME liveblog! Watch The Borgias AND Learn Stuff! Win-Win!
:D :D :D
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-05 12:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-05 11:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-04 10:32 pm (UTC)great live-blog!
(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-05 12:19 am (UTC)