The Borgias 2.05 The Choice
May. 12th, 2012 02:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakSo I was finally able to catch up on my favourite historical show right now.
I mean, I'll have to rewatch to be sure (Michelotto's actor is prone to mumbling his dialogue), but my distinct impression was that Agostino (Antonio? See what I mean about the mumbling?) wasn't "just" his lover, but also his brother. Meaning that Jordan brings on the on screen incest parts of fandom have been waiting for, only not involving two members of the Borgia family. :) But even if I am mistaken and Agostino-or-Antonio is not related to Micheletto, I appreciate we got two m/m scenes which, because it's Neil Jordan, are both emotional and sexual in a way that certain shows also featuring scheming families did not quite manage. Ahem. Anyway. I appreciate all the Micheletto background: his mother, his cover story, patricide background (puts a new light on his insistence on stopping Cesare from getting bloody with Juan in the season opener), and his lover. Also several (not mutually excluding) motives for his career of choice; Agostino-or-Antonio saying Micheletto is in rome for self punishment (while the camera reminds us of the scars on Micheletto's bare back, and how he got them) while Micheletto says he's there to punish the world for not being what he wants it to be was one of my favourite scenes.
Meanwhile, we got Cesare/Caterina Sforza, which happens exactly in the way I was hoping for ever since Caterina first showed up in cameos in season 1. Loved that she was in control of the encounter the entire time, that there was sincere attraction on both sides but also neither of them forgot for a minute the politics, and her encouraging Cesare to exchange his Cardinal's robes for an armour is the best irony of the episode given what awaits both of them. I feel uneasy for her son with the beautiful voice, because the most famous anecdote about Caterina Sforza (actually not involving Cesare) is from an occasion where Forli was in rebellion against her and they held some of her children and demanded her surrender, and Caterina said, lifting her skirts: "I have the instrument to make more."
Then again: historical liberties are us, on this show. See demise of Giovanni Sforza (he survived in real life). However in terms of show reality it's ic for Cesare, who has no reason any more to restrain himself and has been provoked, and also it might lead to the beginning of an enstragement between Lucrezia and Cesare, not because she feels sorry for her rotten first husband but because she's not the type to be thrilled at receiving a heart. (How very Jacobean, Cesare.)
Speaking of Lucrezia, she and the other two members of the Trinity of Awesome had too little screentime in this episode, but what there was was great. I could watch Lucrezia, Giulia and Vannozza plotting and negotiating with the whores all day.
I suspect Savanarola gets to explicitly condone Giuliano della Rovere's assassination plans so we don't feel too sorry once he meets his historical doom (which won't be this season - there's no way they'll skip the height of Savanarola's power in Florence, the bonfire of the vanities, especially since Piero de'Medici had this bit of exposition on Savanarola's preaching against art in addition to corruption), which I would call cheating, except: it's Savanarola. Who wasn't opposed at all to violence in the name of cleansing clerical corruption, and whom I consider entirely capable of signing off an assassination plan, though note the way he phrased it was ambiguously enough so he could indignantly claim Cardinal Not Pope Yet had misunderstood him.
The current Pope, otoh, gets to showcase both his dark side (definitely making plans now for that unified-under-the-rule-of-the-Borgias-by-any-means-necessary Italy now, Rodrigo?) and his sympathetic one (instinctively helping the altar boy when everyone else is afraid of their lives). I do like the relationship between Rodrigo and Ascanio Sforza; they neither of them have any illusions about each other and believe in the hold-your-enemies-closer principle, but they also don't hate each other and have an appreciation for each other's abilities. I can't remember right now what happened to Ascanio Sforza in real life, but won't look it up: surprise me, show. But I'd like it if he stayed around.
Lastly: all the silent background business of Machiavelli gesturing to Piero not to sit down while the Pope is still standing, and of Piero's embarassment and hasty hand folding once he realises Rodrigo is actually going to pray before supper amused me to no end. Piero having been an arrogant idiot in real life, I don't feel sorry for this depiction at all. (His father was one of the most brilliant Renaissance figures around, but alas, was dead both in history and showtime at this point.)
I mean, I'll have to rewatch to be sure (Michelotto's actor is prone to mumbling his dialogue), but my distinct impression was that Agostino (Antonio? See what I mean about the mumbling?) wasn't "just" his lover, but also his brother. Meaning that Jordan brings on the on screen incest parts of fandom have been waiting for, only not involving two members of the Borgia family. :) But even if I am mistaken and Agostino-or-Antonio is not related to Micheletto, I appreciate we got two m/m scenes which, because it's Neil Jordan, are both emotional and sexual in a way that certain shows also featuring scheming families did not quite manage. Ahem. Anyway. I appreciate all the Micheletto background: his mother, his cover story, patricide background (puts a new light on his insistence on stopping Cesare from getting bloody with Juan in the season opener), and his lover. Also several (not mutually excluding) motives for his career of choice; Agostino-or-Antonio saying Micheletto is in rome for self punishment (while the camera reminds us of the scars on Micheletto's bare back, and how he got them) while Micheletto says he's there to punish the world for not being what he wants it to be was one of my favourite scenes.
Meanwhile, we got Cesare/Caterina Sforza, which happens exactly in the way I was hoping for ever since Caterina first showed up in cameos in season 1. Loved that she was in control of the encounter the entire time, that there was sincere attraction on both sides but also neither of them forgot for a minute the politics, and her encouraging Cesare to exchange his Cardinal's robes for an armour is the best irony of the episode given what awaits both of them. I feel uneasy for her son with the beautiful voice, because the most famous anecdote about Caterina Sforza (actually not involving Cesare) is from an occasion where Forli was in rebellion against her and they held some of her children and demanded her surrender, and Caterina said, lifting her skirts: "I have the instrument to make more."
Then again: historical liberties are us, on this show. See demise of Giovanni Sforza (he survived in real life). However in terms of show reality it's ic for Cesare, who has no reason any more to restrain himself and has been provoked, and also it might lead to the beginning of an enstragement between Lucrezia and Cesare, not because she feels sorry for her rotten first husband but because she's not the type to be thrilled at receiving a heart. (How very Jacobean, Cesare.)
Speaking of Lucrezia, she and the other two members of the Trinity of Awesome had too little screentime in this episode, but what there was was great. I could watch Lucrezia, Giulia and Vannozza plotting and negotiating with the whores all day.
I suspect Savanarola gets to explicitly condone Giuliano della Rovere's assassination plans so we don't feel too sorry once he meets his historical doom (which won't be this season - there's no way they'll skip the height of Savanarola's power in Florence, the bonfire of the vanities, especially since Piero de'Medici had this bit of exposition on Savanarola's preaching against art in addition to corruption), which I would call cheating, except: it's Savanarola. Who wasn't opposed at all to violence in the name of cleansing clerical corruption, and whom I consider entirely capable of signing off an assassination plan, though note the way he phrased it was ambiguously enough so he could indignantly claim Cardinal Not Pope Yet had misunderstood him.
The current Pope, otoh, gets to showcase both his dark side (definitely making plans now for that unified-under-the-rule-of-the-Borgias-by-any-means-necessary Italy now, Rodrigo?) and his sympathetic one (instinctively helping the altar boy when everyone else is afraid of their lives). I do like the relationship between Rodrigo and Ascanio Sforza; they neither of them have any illusions about each other and believe in the hold-your-enemies-closer principle, but they also don't hate each other and have an appreciation for each other's abilities. I can't remember right now what happened to Ascanio Sforza in real life, but won't look it up: surprise me, show. But I'd like it if he stayed around.
Lastly: all the silent background business of Machiavelli gesturing to Piero not to sit down while the Pope is still standing, and of Piero's embarassment and hasty hand folding once he realises Rodrigo is actually going to pray before supper amused me to no end. Piero having been an arrogant idiot in real life, I don't feel sorry for this depiction at all. (His father was one of the most brilliant Renaissance figures around, but alas, was dead both in history and showtime at this point.)
no subject
Date: 2012-05-12 05:31 pm (UTC)Lucrezia, Vannozza, and Giulia should be amazing together for always and always.
no subject
Date: 2012-05-12 05:52 pm (UTC)I hope that someone will make pretty icons out of sll these shots we're getting of Lucrezia, Vannozza and Giulia now!