![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakIn which we get a bit mixed-up, datewise, and selenak is miffed because there are less scenes for the female cast members than in the pilot, but otherwise I continue to love the show.
First of all, I'd have to look it up to be certain, but I'm pretty sure Jem didn't arrive in Rome until Lucrezia was already married to Giovanni Sforza. Also if this is when Isabella banished the Jews from Spain (or rather, the united kingdoms of Aragorn & Castile, but I can handwave on account of this being easier on the viewers), we're in Columbus year, and wasn't the Sforza marriage already on its way out by... ah well, never mind.
On to treating the show as a narrative in its own right: my main criticism would be that we get a bit too fast from Rodrigo drawing the line at murder in the pilot to him not just authorizing but actually ordering the assassination attempt and actual assassination in this episode, which presumably is meant to take place within a few weeks/months from the last one. I mean, I get that the "whatever it takes" statement at the start plus the attempt on his own life is meant to have swayed him around, but still - bit too fast for my taste.
Otoh, I have no problem with Juan's and Cesare's stands on murder respectively. Juan would be the type to hire an incompetent and be fine with it as long as he doesn't have to deal with the resulting mess himself, and I so can see Cesare making him to teach him a lesson. Letting Cesare be the one who initially sees no point in killing Jem on grounds of "whatever makes Lucrezia happy" was an interesting and less predictable choice, as was letting him be the tone to actually like Jem as opposed to Juan's superficial bonding with him via swordfights. While as I said Rodrigo's about face happens a bit too fast for me, I can see the point of moving the whole Jem affair to the beginning of his papacy; it brings out the dark side of that avowed putting-the-family-first and using the church as your personal treasure chest out in a way dealing with your fellow cardinals (who are as corrupt) does not. Jem gets killed not because he did anything wrong, not because he's an enemy even, just because Lucrezia needs a larger dowery and Rodrigo needs the cash Jem's brother the sultan offers. This, not outmanoeuvring the opposition, is what corruption means.
Jem himself was very likeable in general but I approve of the way they didn't make him too good to be true, via his reply to Lucrezia's question what the difference between a wife and a concubine is. (I.e. that you can beat a wife and kill your concubine.) I also like Lucrezia's reaction, and the way the show lets her concerns about marriage not be an anachronistic I-want-only-marry-for-love but the very real prospect of what a husband might do to her.
Speaking of Lucrezia's husbands: spoiler for historical events alert! Before No.1 is more than a name (since we don't see Giovanni Sforza, only hear him talked about in this episode), No.2. makes his first on screen appearance here as a really creepy young prince of Naples. Which, given his eventual fate, is, I deduce, the show's way of making sure we won't feel too sorry for dear Alfonso of Naples. Incidentally, his father Ferrante really was one of the all time sadists of the age, but Alfonso-as-a-creep isn't an interpretation I've seen before. Not that I'm objecting. I like a creepy villain now and then, plus I like they made him physically pleasant, thus avoiding the ugly = bad cliché.
An aside on history, not the show: given the fate of Lucrezia's three husbands, I was always confused as to where her personal reputation as a poisoner comes from. Because two of them survived her. No.1., Giovanni Sforza, became politically inconvenient, and they needed Lucrezia for another marriage/alliance, so Rodrigo simply annulled the marriage on the grounds of non-consummation. An enraged Giovanni basically went ARE YOU CALLING ME IMPOTENT?!?! I HAVE LOVERS IN THREE CITIES YOU SPANISH BASTARD! YOU...YOU TOTALLY COMMIT INCEST WITH YOUR DAUGHTER AND SO DOES YOUR SON!!!! (And that's where the incest accusations come from.) (He yelled this from a safe distance, of course. The Italian public was delighted by the incest gossip but didn't stop making potency jokes anyway) Then there was husband No.2, Alfonso of Naples. He did die a violent death, but suffice to say it wasn't by poison and it very publically wasn't Lucrezia. You'll see it played out on screen, I bet, because it was a very cinematic Mafia death. Husband No.3, Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, survived her. (As did Giovanni Sforza.) So how whence cometh the cliché of Lucrezia as a black widow?
Back to the show. While I think the fact we got two scenes explaining to the audience what "marrano" means instead of one were a bit much, it was an important point to get across, and I do love how they play Rodrigo's attitude; he's a non-fanatic and all for inviting Jews to Rome on account of the cash and the trade, just like he's willing to deal with Muslim princes (and their brothers), but lest you think this makes him a nice tolerant guy, there's the slap of a reality call when we see he's just as willing to have Jem killed for cash as he was to accept him as a hostage/guest. Jeremy Irons continues to act the hell out of Rodrigo, endearing one minute, appalling the next. The scene with Cesare where he says "never despair" was especially good because you see Rodrigo's genuine and deep love for his son which is the very thing that stops Cesare from outright rebelling and thus makes the unwanted job fester even more, continuing to ruin his life. 'Twas the co-dependent father/son relationship of the age, to be sure.
The foiled assassination attempt on Guiliano della Rovere was suspenseful only in the sense of me going "but they can't kill him, he's the next pope! Who's supposed to pay for Michelangelo and the Sixtine Chapel otherwise, huh?" (BTW, love Rodrigo continue to bitch about expensive painters.) I mean, it was nicely staged, but oh so very clear Michelotto would not succeed given Cardinal della Rovere was set up as Rodrigo's prime rival from the pilot onwards, so even if you don't know your history you know the show still needs him.
All in all: please more Vannozza and Guilia again next episode, show, because one scene for each is way too little. Otoh continue as you do with Lucrezia.
Oh, and if anyone is wondering about the realism of Rodgrigo wanting Giulia Farnese to stay during a political talk - he once handed over his job to Lucrezia when he was ill for two weeks or so. Yes, that's right, during that time Lucrezia did the daily duties and governing of the papacy. I bet they'll use that story in this show, too.
selenak is miffed because there are less scenes for the female cast members than in the pilot, but otherwise I continue to love the show. First of all, I'd have to look it up to be certain, but I'm pretty sure Jem didn't arrive in Rome until Lucrezia was already married to Giovanni Sforza. Also if this is when Isabella banished the Jews from Spain (or rather, the united kingdoms of Aragorn & Castile, but I can handwave on account of this being easier on the viewers), we're in Columbus year, and wasn't the Sforza marriage already on its way out by... ah well, never mind.
On to treating the show as a narrative in its own right: my main criticism would be that we get a bit too fast from Rodrigo drawing the line at murder in the pilot to him not just authorizing but actually ordering the assassination attempt and actual assassination in this episode, which presumably is meant to take place within a few weeks/months from the last one. I mean, I get that the "whatever it takes" statement at the start plus the attempt on his own life is meant to have swayed him around, but still - bit too fast for my taste.
Otoh, I have no problem with Juan's and Cesare's stands on murder respectively. Juan would be the type to hire an incompetent and be fine with it as long as he doesn't have to deal with the resulting mess himself, and I so can see Cesare making him to teach him a lesson. Letting Cesare be the one who initially sees no point in killing Jem on grounds of "whatever makes Lucrezia happy" was an interesting and less predictable choice, as was letting him be the tone to actually like Jem as opposed to Juan's superficial bonding with him via swordfights. While as I said Rodrigo's about face happens a bit too fast for me, I can see the point of moving the whole Jem affair to the beginning of his papacy; it brings out the dark side of that avowed putting-the-family-first and using the church as your personal treasure chest out in a way dealing with your fellow cardinals (who are as corrupt) does not. Jem gets killed not because he did anything wrong, not because he's an enemy even, just because Lucrezia needs a larger dowery and Rodrigo needs the cash Jem's brother the sultan offers. This, not outmanoeuvring the opposition, is what corruption means.
Jem himself was very likeable in general but I approve of the way they didn't make him too good to be true, via his reply to Lucrezia's question what the difference between a wife and a concubine is. (I.e. that you can beat a wife and kill your concubine.) I also like Lucrezia's reaction, and the way the show lets her concerns about marriage not be an anachronistic I-want-only-marry-for-love but the very real prospect of what a husband might do to her.
Speaking of Lucrezia's husbands: spoiler for historical events alert! Before No.1 is more than a name (since we don't see Giovanni Sforza, only hear him talked about in this episode), No.2. makes his first on screen appearance here as a really creepy young prince of Naples. Which, given his eventual fate, is, I deduce, the show's way of making sure we won't feel too sorry for dear Alfonso of Naples. Incidentally, his father Ferrante really was one of the all time sadists of the age, but Alfonso-as-a-creep isn't an interpretation I've seen before. Not that I'm objecting. I like a creepy villain now and then, plus I like they made him physically pleasant, thus avoiding the ugly = bad cliché.
An aside on history, not the show: given the fate of Lucrezia's three husbands, I was always confused as to where her personal reputation as a poisoner comes from. Because two of them survived her. No.1., Giovanni Sforza, became politically inconvenient, and they needed Lucrezia for another marriage/alliance, so Rodrigo simply annulled the marriage on the grounds of non-consummation. An enraged Giovanni basically went ARE YOU CALLING ME IMPOTENT?!?! I HAVE LOVERS IN THREE CITIES YOU SPANISH BASTARD! YOU...YOU TOTALLY COMMIT INCEST WITH YOUR DAUGHTER AND SO DOES YOUR SON!!!! (And that's where the incest accusations come from.) (He yelled this from a safe distance, of course. The Italian public was delighted by the incest gossip but didn't stop making potency jokes anyway) Then there was husband No.2, Alfonso of Naples. He did die a violent death, but suffice to say it wasn't by poison and it very publically wasn't Lucrezia. You'll see it played out on screen, I bet, because it was a very cinematic Mafia death. Husband No.3, Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, survived her. (As did Giovanni Sforza.) So how whence cometh the cliché of Lucrezia as a black widow?
Back to the show. While I think the fact we got two scenes explaining to the audience what "marrano" means instead of one were a bit much, it was an important point to get across, and I do love how they play Rodrigo's attitude; he's a non-fanatic and all for inviting Jews to Rome on account of the cash and the trade, just like he's willing to deal with Muslim princes (and their brothers), but lest you think this makes him a nice tolerant guy, there's the slap of a reality call when we see he's just as willing to have Jem killed for cash as he was to accept him as a hostage/guest. Jeremy Irons continues to act the hell out of Rodrigo, endearing one minute, appalling the next. The scene with Cesare where he says "never despair" was especially good because you see Rodrigo's genuine and deep love for his son which is the very thing that stops Cesare from outright rebelling and thus makes the unwanted job fester even more, continuing to ruin his life. 'Twas the co-dependent father/son relationship of the age, to be sure.
The foiled assassination attempt on Guiliano della Rovere was suspenseful only in the sense of me going "but they can't kill him, he's the next pope! Who's supposed to pay for Michelangelo and the Sixtine Chapel otherwise, huh?" (BTW, love Rodrigo continue to bitch about expensive painters.) I mean, it was nicely staged, but oh so very clear Michelotto would not succeed given Cardinal della Rovere was set up as Rodrigo's prime rival from the pilot onwards, so even if you don't know your history you know the show still needs him.
All in all: please more Vannozza and Guilia again next episode, show, because one scene for each is way too little. Otoh continue as you do with Lucrezia.
Oh, and if anyone is wondering about the realism of Rodgrigo wanting Giulia Farnese to stay during a political talk - he once handed over his job to Lucrezia when he was ill for two weeks or so. Yes, that's right, during that time Lucrezia did the daily duties and governing of the papacy. I bet they'll use that story in this show, too.
