The Borgias 2.03

[selenak]

First of all, a general rant which doesn't just apply to The Borgias, or rather, the fandom of same. In the last month or so, it has become virtually impossible to be online and not get spoiled. I hate being spoiled, I really do, and I try to avoid it as best I can. I still could not help getting spoiled for something that happens in this episode, the third, before even the first episode of this season was broadcast because people everywhere forgot such a thing as lj cuts existed. The same applies to some Doctor Who stuff, though I backed away hastily enough upon realising I was reading an uncut review/rant, and possibly the next Star Trek film, though I really hope not. Then there was a casting spoiler for Elementary. Now when it comes to casting, I usually don't see "such and such has been cast for show X" as a spoiler per se, and I've done posts like that myself - except, you know, when the person in question has been cast as someone whose state of being is a plot point on the show in question. Some people were thoughtful enough to hide the casting spoiler beneath a cut. Others weren't. I minded.

Iron Man III will be released in Germany tomorrow. As of now, this moment, I'm still unspoiled. I would really like to make it through the last 24 hours in that state, but I'm not counting on it. It's as if the collective bar of consideration towards people who DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED has been lowered to a state of near non existence recently, and I'm probably either preaching to the choir or talking in vain posting this on my journal, but do you mind not doing that? Because I mind. I really do.



Despite still not being keen on Operation Fanserviccy Incest, I must admit this episode does a better job showing the characters emotionally get to the point where sex happens than the last one did. I also approve of the fact that tied into this is a showcase for Lucrezia's intelligence, because she spots at once that a French alliance won't just balance the Neapolitan alliance her marriage provides but will, in the long term, make it superfluous. (Historically, this is why husband No.2, the unfortunate Alfonso, got offed by Cesare, though obviously this show will provide other reasons as well. More about that in a minute.) And that she's upset about the Cesare & France thing not just because of what Cesare emotionally means to her but because that means his interests and her interests will no longer be one and the same politically and that could have consequences.

Early on I had a frown on my face because I thought the show was taking the easy way by making Alfonso lacking in any initiative or guts (because, as I said, Alfonso is one of history's inevitable casualties, and thus there has to be an emotional lead-up to his murder), thus wasting the opportunity for great conflict, because, again, historically Lucrezia was very fond of her second husband, emphatically did not want him to be killed, and that was the most serious crisis of relationships between her brother and herself there was (though eventually they ended up being close again). If Alfonso is presented as a nonety and Lucrezia has no reason to feel something positive for him, there is no drama. But then we got the scene where Alfonso yells at Ferdinand, and I got some hope back that she show won't make that mistake.

Meanwhile, Cesare getting into a "anyone not for us is against us" mind frame and starting to see Alfonso as a liability makes complete emotional sense for Cesare. And as I said, this time the emotional lead-up for incest works for me, both because of the Naples-France events and because Lucrezia frames it in such a way that rejecting her sexually would be the ultimate rejection and betrayal, and he does love her best. Though he also loves finally getting a shot at worldly, non-clerical power. Note Cesare agrees with Rodrigo on the whole France thing, including the part where he's supposed to get himself a bride there as part of the annulment versus alliance deal.

Ferdinand inviting Caterina Sforza and the rest of the hostie Romagna lords for the wedding may not be historical but is a thoroughly approved show twist and excuse for a) another excellent Caterina and Cesare scene (I must admit I have shippery "best enemies" feelings regarding these two) and b) a first direct confrontation between Caterina and Rodrigo, which I absolutely loved. Gina McKee and Jeremy Irons did a lot with minimal dialogue and just an exchange of looks and gestures. Let me just squee again about the choice of Caterina as main antagonist for this season!

Comments

[lilacsigil]

I was very pleased to get to both The Avengers and Iron Man 3 (yesterday) without being spoiled. I hope you make it too!

[selenak]

Just one more day to go! *hopes fervently*

[jesuswasbatman]

I agree about the complete lack of regard for spoilers, I think it's a Tumblr thing, and an assumption that of course everyone downloads everything illegally as soon as it's first broadcast/released in any country.

But in the case of Iron Man III I actively went looking for spoilers because the depiction of a certain character would decide whether I wanted any of my money to go to the people responsible for the film at all.

[andraste]

I also blame Tumblr for the degradation in spoiler cutting, and it drives me up a tree as well. Fortunately everyone on my actual flist is considerate, but to venture any further from that into the wilds of the internet is to go into a spoiler minefield.

I really hope you make it through the last twenty-four hours before Iron Man 3! Because it is so worth seeing unspoiled.

[selenak]

I'm trying not to read anyone's entries but those of my frusted lj and dw friends, I tell you. And one shouldn't have to be this cautious. :(

[likeadeuce]

I feel like a lot of spoilers are coming in official 'news' reports, particularly casting-related ones (there's the 'Elementary' thing you mentioned but also a 'Game of Thrones' situation where a certain character's identity wasn't revealed on the show for several episodes so people were going "Is that supposed to be ___?" whereas anybody who read the casting reports months ago already knows.) So that may be a situation where pro reporters don't realize which things are 'spoilers' but you'd think fans would be better about filtering it. . .

[selenak]

You'd think. Kids these days, she says, shaking her stick.

[d_generate_girl]

I am in such a weird place IRT the Borgias right now. Because on the one hand, I've been an incest shipper since long before this show and through MANY other pairings that have been varying degrees of canon. In theory, I like Cesare/Lucrezia, I like what the show is doing with them, depicting the emotional growth necessary to get them to that place. In theory, I should be happy they're canon, and that the show is treating it well.

In practice, I find myself incredibly disenchanted and bored with it, and I kind of have to place the blame on fandom. Tumblr Borgias fandom seems to be extremely predominantly teenage girls obsessed with Cesare and in ecstasy over Cesare/Lucrezia becoming canon. In addition to the hideous lack of courtesy regarding spoilers, it seems one cannot talk about the show without dissolving into rapture over the incest becoming canon. Meanwhile, I'm kind of over here in the corner going "but but, VANNOZZA! RODRIGO AND VANNOZZA! And Giulia has been fabulous! And look at what they're doing with Caterina Sforza! And isn't Ascanio Sforza getting some amazing development, Peter Sullivan's killing it!" It's just so weird to me to NOT be all aflutter over the canon hetcest.

And oh my god, agreed about the first meeting between Caterina and Rodrigo. I will overlook the history-tweaking if it means more excellent chemistry between Gina McKee and Jeremy Irons.

[selenak]

I have a few incest ships as well, including a historical one, but I know where you're coming from, and it really is the fandom, not the show. But that's the case in several fandoms I was - if it gets completely dominated by shippers for one particular pairing (or, horror, two competing pairings, so that on top of it all every other post is a shipping feud, then my "but there are so many other interesting aspects of this show to discuss" disgruntlement almost certainly ensures I'm turned off by the pairing in question. (Happened to me with Farscape and John/Aeryn and Merlin and Arthur/Merlin, among others.) The first post that spoiled me that Cesare/Lucrezia would happen actually started by saying "what other reason does anyone have to watch The Borgias?" and I felt like yelling "EVERYTHING else, and also, every so much thanks for spoiling me".

I suppose on the bright side of things this means we weren't spoiled for all the great Vannozza and Rodrigo/Vannozza scenes so far this season, and Caterina as main antagonist, and Ascanio Sforza getting a greater role, and won't be spoiled for similar developments despite the ever lowering courtesy bar because the shippers are too busy squeeing over their canon incest.

[goodbyebird]

"but but, VANNOZZA! RODRIGO AND VANNOZZA! And Giulia has been fabulous! And look at what they're doing with Caterina Sforza! And isn't Ascanio Sforza getting some amazing development, Peter Sullivan's killing it!"

Awww so nice to see every single one of my favorite characters in a list ♥

[saturnofthemoon]

You're not the first person I've seen complain about people not cutting for spoilers. It's like tumblr has spilled over to livejournal/dreamwidth. I seem to have lucked out, but my flist/circle is small by some standards.

[selenak]

I suppose a small flist/circle (and keeping to it, instead of surving) would ensure safety, but otoh I'd miss a lot of other interesting posts that way. :(

[goodbyebird]

I was completely spoiled for the twist on The Borgias as well, but I ventured onto tumblr just as the s3 promo came out, so the blame lies with me, 100%. The casting spoiler for Elementary however, had me fuming. The person had actually posted a casting spoiler a couple of days before and I'd commented saying it wasn't appreciated, so when it happened again I cut them from my circle immediately. I'm a spoiler-phobe when it comes to just about everything, including trailers and back-of-the-cover type blurbs, so if people can't see fit to use spoiler-cuts, I have to step away.