The Borgias

Just recently, I was introduced to a new show called The Borgias. I will admit, at first, the only reason I had any interest in this show is because of the game Assassin's Creed. See in two of the games, members of the family of Borgia serve as the games' main villains. However, when I saw the trailer for the show, it actually looked pretty cool. You've got Jeremy Irons playing a man who bribed, threatened and schemed his way into the papal throne in the late 1400's, and his sons who have helped him along the way, as well as the rest of this family. Are you interested yet? If not, then you and I are nothing alike because that premise alone had me intrigued. Just the other day, I bought the DVD and have watched the first 5 (out of about 9) episodes with my mom, and we are more than anxious to watch the rest. Like I said, the show chronicles the rise (and probably the eventual fall) of the Borgia family in Rome. The father, Rodrigo, played by Jeremy Irons, has a knack for playing people and scheming into getting what he wants. Helping him are his two sons, Cesare and Juan, who both serve the family in separate ways. Juan, the younger, leads their armies and would soon become captain of the papal armies after his father's election. The older son, Cesare, has joined the church as a way of helping his father's political agenda. If you know your history, you'll know that the story surrounding these people is a bloody one and rather dark as well, and the show captures all of that while also adding some dimension to these characters. Sure, they are known for being some of history's greatest douche bags, but we get to see why they may have gotten to be that way. We even get to see some emotion to Rodrigo (or Pope Alexander XI), who feels genuine remorse at some of the things he has forced his children to go through just to serve his own ambition. I will say that it is hard to like or even feel for these characters because of the reputation that history has given them, but the show has at least done a good job of making them somewhat relatable. Sure they scheme and plot and use each other, but we are reminded that at the end of the day, they are still a family and they do care about each other as well. The show was created by Neil Jordan, who directed other films like The Crying Game and Interview with a Vampire. What does that mean? To me, nothing, because I haven't seen either of those movies. To you, it might mean something. But based on this show alone, which he has helped write and direct, I would say he has some talent.

Bottom line: If you are like me (drop-dead handsome and intelligent beyond belief), which you probably are but most likely aren't, you will enjoy this show. If you love history, conspiracies, and movies about either, then you will enjoy this show.

Yours truly,
MP