The Borgias (2011 TV series)

Plot overview

The series depicts the Borgia family's rise to the pinnacle of the Catholic Church and their efforts to maintain power. The first season begins with Rodrigo Borgia's election as pope through simony and bribery, aided by his sons Cesare and Juan. As Pope Alexander VI, he and his family navigate the politics of fifteenth-century Europe, including shifting loyalties among cardinals, ambitions of European kings, and rivalries among Italian noble families.

Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, enraged by his loss, travels across Italy and France seeking allies to depose or kill Alexander. The series also explores the sibling relationships among Cesare, Juan, and Lucrezia: Cesare and Juan share a deep rivalry marked by jealousy and aggression, while Cesare and Lucrezia have an abiding intimacy that becomes incestuous in Season 3. Juan's descent into addiction and madness leads to a confrontation with Cesare.

The show addresses Lucrezia's marriages, her illegitimate child, Alexander's affair with Giulia Farnese, and the rise of Girolamo Savonarola. Cancellation prevented the deaths of Alexander VI and Cesare's downfall.

Cast

Jeremy Irons plays Rodrigo Borgia / Pope Alexander VI, an ambitious clergyman who becomes pope in 1492. Shrewd and scheming, he is devoted to his family but enjoys beautiful women, and his favorite child is Lucrezia. François Arnaud portrays Cesare Borgia, the eldest son and his father's consigliere in the church, who desires to leave the priesthood for warfare. Self-confident and violent, Cesare kills to help the family or eliminate rivals, and his love for Lucrezia is his soft spot.

Holliday Grainger plays Lucrezia Borgia, Rodrigo's brilliant and beautiful daughter who proves a key asset, saving the papacy on several occasions. The series implies an emotionally incestuous relationship between her and Cesare. She suffers an abusive marriage to Giovanni Sforza, has an affair with a servant named Paolo, and later marries Alfonso of Aragon. David Oakes plays Juan Borgia, and Colm Feore stars as Cardinal della Rovere.

Production

The Borgias is an international co-production filmed in Hungary, mainly at Korda Studios in Etyek, and produced in Canada. Creator Neil Jordan had tried to direct a film about the Borgias for over a decade, with actors such as Colin Farrell and Scarlett Johansson attached at various times.

In 2010, Steven Spielberg suggested turning the film into a cable drama, and Jordan brought the idea to Showtime, which commissioned the series to fill the void left by The Tudors. Jordan envisioned four seasons to cover Rodrigo Borgia's papacy (1492–1503). For the role of Rodrigo, Jordan cast Jeremy Irons, who initially doubted his suitability for the historically obese, dark-complexioned Spaniard, but Jordan focused on the character's obsession with power and life.

Reception

The first season received generally favorable reviews in the US, scoring 66 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 25 critics. Robert Bianco of USA Today called the series 'almost addictively entertaining,' and Linda Stasi of the New York Post gave it 3.5/4, remarking it made The Tudors 'look like a bunch of amateurs.' In the UK, reception was more mixed: Rachel Ray of The Daily Telegraph called Irons' performance 'disappointingly undiabolical,' while Sarah Dempster of The Guardian mocked the dialogue and visual style.

Sam Wollaston of The Guardian noted more thought and attention to character than the 1981 BBC miniseries, and Holly Williams of The Independent praised Irons but said the acting and script felt insubstantial. The second season's premiere received much more positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 81/100. Curt Wagner of RedEye stated the show gained energy and forward momentum, and Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter noted the intrigues had 'more snap.'

Did You Know?

• The series was cancelled in June 2013, and a fan campaign attempted to convince Showtime to revive it.
• The series finale script was released as an ebook after plans for a two-hour wrap-up movie were scrapped.
• The second season's latter half was written by David Leland, who also served as co-showrunner and directed its last two episodes.