Great Fictional Series Based on an Actual Family
Overall this is a great series, the plot lines and acting are fabulous. There are some funny parts and some things that are far more taboo now than they were back then. But this series has about as much basis in reality as a tabloid does. I did some research and the real Borgia Pope had about 8 or 9 children, at least. But, Lucrezia, Cesare, and Juan were his 3 favorites and they were by the same woman, Vanozza. Aside from that and some other things like the fact that Cesare was a lot like his father and Juan was a wastrel, there isn't a lot fact in this series.
After the first season it appears that the writers didn't know where to go with it so they focused, primarily, on the evolution of Lucrezia. She was one of the, if not the most well known of her siblings and she had the most potential for character development and growth. They also focused on the relationship between Lucrezia, her various lovers, loves, and suitors, as well as her family. They also focused...
DISKS HAVE FLAWS
I absolutely adore this series, but the season 2 disks have flaws. All but episodes 2 and 5 have white lines at the top of the screen. Season one has the same white lines on some of the menu screens, but they don't really bother me since they're just menu screens. Amazon sent a replacement set, but it has the same flaws in all of the disks too! Also beware, this is not a special boxed set of the three seasons. This is simply all three seasons shrink wrapped together. There's nothing different about them than the three sesasons that are sold sparately. In fact, at the time that I bought these, the separate seasons cost about $25 each, whereas this set cost over $100. I would have saved money if I'd ordered each season separately.
An Oh So Guilty Pleasure
This is ridiculously clever visually. You get shots that look like living Renaissance paintings and scenes of everyday life so realistic you can almost smell them. The texture of it is just right. The acting is A+. The history is wibbly wobbly, with things telescoped and transposed, but most of the play is in the gaps where the facts are disputed, which I appreciate. The characterizations are very good and well fleshed out. I know I shouldn't love these, but I can't stop watching.
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