The Borgias Recap 'The Choice'

Season 2 Episode 5

Good Works For The Ladies, Part Deux

Giulia, Lucrezia and Vanozza are still trying to better Rome. They go to a brothel that is apparently frequented by members of the clergy. A lady of the evening (Paolo's friend, I think) takes them to the madam, and the ladies make their proposal --- in exchange for information on the brothel's religious clientele, the ladies will pay for the refurbishment of the premises.

Plot To Kill The Pope

Cardinal Della Rovere journeys to Florence and meets with Savonarola, who says he had a vision of the Borgia Pope dead, and approves the assassination plan. Back in Vatican (he overtakes the Pope and his escorts on the road) with the Dominicans, Cardinal Della Rovere proposes to use cantarella, the same poison Cesare and Micheletto used on him. He says someone from the Dominican order must seek employment as the Pope's taster, and be prepared to die along with him. There are no volunteers, but later a boy seeks out the Cardinal and offers his services.

Pope and Sforza

In the aftermath of the destruction of the French forces, the Pope asks Cesare again if he was among those Romans who destroyed the French munitions. I understand that Rodrigo is curious about his son's activities, but why did he ask Cesare about them in front of Cardinal Sforza? In the previous episode, he made a point of telling Cesare how much he mistrusted his Vice Chancellor. Yet, he seems oddly careless about the amount of information Cardinal Sforza manages to glean.

The Pope rides with Cardinal Sforza to Florence, to deal with Savonarola. He sends Cesare to Forli to tell Caterina Sforza that she must come to Rome, kneel at the Pope's feet and kiss the papal ring, or her fortress will be destroyed and she dragged to Rome in chains.

In Florence, Rodrigo and Sforza watch Savonarola preach while wearing 'disguises' --- robes with hoods. This outfit kind of immediately marks them as suspicious personages, no? Cardinal Della Rovere is in that church, too, and in a similar outfit, though the three of them do not look at each other's direction.

Rodrigo and Sforza go to the palace of the Medicis, where they are greeted by Machiavelli. Piero de Medici complains that they live in a fortress because of Savonarola, who preaches against worldly goods. Sforza is concerned about the Church's deposits in the Medici bank. They discuss how to buy off Savonarola.

As Rodrigo and Sforza make their way back to Rome, Rodrigo suggests enticing Savonarola with the offer of a Cardinal's hat, then putting him in the dungeons and charging him with heresy. Sforza asks if the Pope would do the same to his cousin Caterina. Rodrigo replies that he would befriend Caterina and hold her close. Sforza quietly points out that the Pope holds him the same way too.

Cardinal Sforza just may be my favourite character in the series. I cannot read him. I have no idea where his loyalties lie. In any given situation, I cannot predict how he will react. He is a brilliantly rendered character, wonderfully written and acted.

Back at the Vatican, the Pope celebrates mass when lightning hits the church. Part of the church roof collapses, and concrete falls, hitting people inside, including many altar boys. The Pope sees two young altar boys crouching in a corner. He looks up, thinks it is safe, and gestures for them to move. The younger one dashes and gets it by a large brick. Rodrigo desperately tries to help him. When he manages to free the boy, he carries him, but the boy dies in his arms. Outside, Rodrigo tries to get people to help him help others still trapped inside the church.

Later, the Pope asks Cardinal Sforza if the collapse of the church is a sign from God. Sforza says it is a bolt of lightning. Rodrigo is convinced God signalled His displeasure, and decrees that they must atone for their sins with fasting and prayer. Peter Sullivan does excellent subtle work here --- Sforza is clearly shocked and distressed by the death and destruction around him. At the same time, he is wondering how long the Pope's piety will last.

Micheletto and Augustino

Micheletto is born in Forli, and we get to meet his mother and his old lover Augustino, who is getting married. Micheletto's mother thinks he is studying medicine in Rome, and that Cesare is Micheletto's teacher. We also find out Micheletto killed his father.

While Cesare is making time with Caterina Sforza, Micheletto and Augustino meet in a graveyard and almost immediately, begin taking off their clothes. Micheletto asks Augustino to come to Rome, but Augustino knows what Micheletto's life in Rome is like.

The following night, Micheletto and Augustino meet once again at the graveyard (by the grave of Micheletto's father). Augustino says they cannot meet again. He seems resigned to live a life that is expected of him in Forli with his future wife. Micheletto grabs Augustino and holds him from behind as though to kill, then lets him go. Theirs is not a happy parting.

Caterina and Cesare

As Micheletto and Cesare enter Forli castle, Cesare takes note of the French canons. Micheletto assures Cesare he will always be safe whenever he (Micheletto) is near. This is really touching Micheletto, if not for the fact that you left Cesare alone for at least two nights. Not that I blame you for doing that; you had to make time for the one you love, too, and it is not like you can stand in the room and watch while Caterina expertly seduces your master. Anyway, Cesare orders Micheletto to stay close and keep the horses saddled.

Caterina casually chats with Cesare inside her castle, telling him her son Benito longs for a soldier's career. Caterina asks Benito whom his mother bows to, and Benito answers, 'Nobody.' Caterina then goes on to say that there are other forms of obeisance, and that there is a 'form of surrender which implies no submission.' Can you be more obvious that you have been thinking of nothing but sh@gging Cesare since you saw him at your door, Caterina? Not that I blame you, of course. Cesare tries to deliver the Pope's full threat, but Caterina tells him to relay his full message the following day, for that night, he is her guest. Aw, you just do not want the two of you to have words until you have had him.

After dinner, Benito sings while Caterina and Cesare watch. They agree that Benito is not a soldier, and Cesare tells her never to send Benito to war. This is a short scene, yet there actually was sweet chemistry between Cesare and Caterina, equals, enemies briefly at repose, watching an innocent.

Later, Caterina tells Cesare the Sforzas of Forli never surrender. They kneel, but only willingly. Caterina then kneels in front of Cesare.

A manservant leads Cesare to a suite of rooms, which turn out to be Caterina's. They kiss and sh@g, and there is a knife thrown at some point. In the morning, Caterina tells Cesare she heard rumours that the canons in the Vatican were fake. She says the trouble with the Borgias is that nothing is as it seems. Oh, and the Sforzas are paragons of truthfulness?

At dinner, Cesare again tries to tell Caterina the Pope's full message, but Caterina still tries to deflect. When Cesare lays out Caterina's choice --- come to Rome willingly or in chains --- Caterina promises him an answer at breakfast. It is obvious to Cesare that Caterina already knows her answer and is simply delaying him, but the two of them sh@g, again, and after watching Cesare with Ursula, it is a relief to see him with a woman (a) with whom he sizzles and (b) who is his equal. Caterina suggests that Cesare throw away his cardinal's robe and wear armour instead. You might regret making that suggestion in the future, Caterina.

Early in the morning, Giovanni Sforza, Lucrezia's ex, arrives and he and Caterina discuss the Pope's terms.

Giovanni walks in while Cesare has breakfast and refers to Lucrezia as the 'slattern I was tricked into marrying.' Big mistake, Giovanni. Caterina briefly comes into the room and tells Cesare her answer is no. Giovanni does not know when to shut up, and he calls the Pope 'swine.' Cesare shoves his knife at Giovanni's hand on the table. The two of them struggle; Cesare prevails and stabs Giovanni repeatedly, repeating his pledge to Lucrezia to cut out his heart. It is interesting that, at this time, Cesare knows it is Giovanni who pointed the French scouts to the convent of St. Cecilia. Giovanni bears at least some responsibility to Ursula's death, if the French scout is to be believed. Ursula is supposed to be Cesare's great love. I would have thought Cesare would have wanted to skin Giovanni for his part in Ursula's death. Yet, as Cesare kills Giovanni, all he remembers is his pledge to his sister.

A maid walks into the killing, her screams bring Caterina. Cesare fights the guards and escapes with Micheletto's perfect timing with the horses. Cesare gives Micheletto the knife coated with Giovanni Sforza's blood for safekeeping, and the two of them separate. Cesare pauses from his flight to stare at his hands.

Show: The Borgias
Season: Two
Episode Number in Series: 14
Episode Number in Season: Five
Episode Title: The Choice
Episode Writer: Neil Jordan
Episode Director: Kari Skogland
Original Air Date: May 6, 2012

The Borgias Recap 'Stray Dogs'

Season 2 Episode 4

Cesare's Army

Cesare's 'beautiful deception' may have spared Rome, but not the outlying villages, including the convent of St. Cecilia. The scouts sent ahead by the retreating French army brutally murdered the nuns, including Ursula. Cesare vows vengeance, a word I hear a lot on this show, and instructs Micheletto to find other 'stray dogs' in Rome, Micheletto-esque men who have no masters.

Before Cesare and Micheletto found Ursula's body, Cesare looked up at the fresco he commissioned, the one he forced Ursula to model for. It is a sad reminder that in their last contact shown, Cesare was not exactly kind to the woman he claimed to love. How powerful could this scene have been had Ursula and Cesare actually had chemistry? I am not hating on Ruta Gedmintas --- I think she is beautiful and I liked her very much in The Tudors --- but I do believe she was not the right fit for the Ursula role.

Micheletto gathered the other 'stray dogs' who hate each other, but who hate the French even more. Cesare proposes guerrilla tactics to harass the French army. Micheletto gives them lessons in stealth, and Cesare shows them an array of weapons --- light crossbows, Spanish garrote, trident and the like.

Cesare and his new army quickly put their new tactics to test, and prevail. They lure the French scouts into a village made to look like the site of a wedding party. Many of the French scouts were taken alive, on Cesare's orders, to be questioned.

Inside what appears to be a torture room (though not nearly as elaborate as King Ferrante of Naples' dungeon), Cesare threatens the bound men with weeks of pain unless they talk. One of them breaks first and says they were told there was sport to be had in the convent that had Cesare's protection. Who told them this? Giovanni Sforza, Lucrezia's erstwhile husband. Cesare wants to know about French troop movement, canon and such like, and leaves Micheletto to charm the truth out of the prisoners.

Micheletto, of course, manages to persuade one of the soldiers to talk, though the soldier would only talk to Cesare because he said he knows what Micheletto's pleasures are. I do not understand what Micheletto's 'pleasures' have to do with the soldier's information. Does he refuse to talk to Micheletto because Micheletto is gay? That does not make sense; he has no choice but to talk to Micheletto, and he has. He is already under Micheletto's mercy. Why refuse to give the information based on Micheletto's 'pleasures?' Anyway, the soldier said the powder for the French canon are hidden in the kitchen waggons, disguised as food. Cesare tells Micheletto to release the prisoner, and Micheletto kills him.

The Italian League 

Ludovico of Milan, who allowed the French forces free passage through his land, now wants to form a league with other Italian families to expel the French. He goes to Rome, along with the Duke of Mantua and his wife, the lovely Bianca, whom we first met nekkid in a bath with the Pope earlier in the season. The French have laid waste to the Italian countryside, and Venice, Milan and Mantua will join forces to get rid of them, with the blessing of the Pope. Cesare does not care for this plan, but Rodrigo educates his son --- The league cannot beat the French, and the French cannot beat the league. With a weakened Venice, Milan and Mantua, who benefits? Why, the Borgias, of course.

Giulia seems suspicious as to why Rodrigo wants to go bless the troops himself. Rather than protesting, however, she asks for leave to investigate the office of public works further.

The Pope rides north with Cesare and Cardinal Sforza, leaving Lucrezia in charge of the Curia. Before leaving, Rodrigo quizzes Cesare on his night time activities. Rumours of his 'dark son' has reached him. Cesare admits he has a secret. Well Cesare, if the rumours have reached your father, your secret is not so secret after all. As the Pope and company leave Rome, Cardinal Della Rovere watches with his Dominican friend.

The French King requests a private audience with the Pope at a small church. King Charles is still obviously sick, but he threatens to destroy the Italian armies and drag the Pope to Avignon in chains unless his army is allowed to go back to France unimpeded. The Pope informs the Italian commanders of the French King's proposal, which they reject. The Duke of Mantua asks the pope to give the troops his blessing, hear his confession, and retire to his castle. During the confession, the Pope manages to get the Duke to pledge all the spoils of war to the Church with a 'God's blessing comes with a price.'

Duchessa Bianca welcomes the Pope, Cardinal Sforza and Cesare to the castle. The Pope, even at supper table, is preoccupied with rain, which he thinks will render the gunpowder, and the canon they power, useless. Later, Cesare sees Bianca walk to the Pope's room before he leaves to meet with his army.

While the Pope sh@gs Bianca (he refused, initially), Cesare and company sneak into the French camp and destroy the French supply of gunpowder. The Pope hears the explosion and assumes it is thunder. The following day, the Pope tours the muddy battlefield. The injured Duke of Mantua tells the Pope that they owe their victory to some brave Roman souls who destroyed the French munitions during the night. The Duke may not be so grateful if he knew what the Pope and his wife were up to while he prepared for battle.

Later, the Pope asks Cesare if he has anything to confess. Cesare tells Rodrigo his night was 'as satisfactory as I'm sure was yours.' Could this be Cesare lightly spanking his father for sleeping with Bianca on the eve of  battle?

Good Works For The Ladies

Giulia takes Lucrezia to see orphans living in a filthy area that used to be a fountain and where crystal spring water used to flow. She says they need to outwit those who divert funds from the poor, and that she wants Vanozza to help. Vanozza is initially not thrilled at the thought of working with her husband's new mistress, but she eventually suggests they go to the brothels of Rome.

Lucrezia gives the consistory a lesson in baking, a barely veiled metaphor for the Curia stealing funds meant for the poor. The lesson seems to work, for the fountain is restored.

The scenes with the ladies felt like filler to me, but I suspect (hope) these might be to set up future Giulia stories. Both Lucrezia and Vanozza seem well-meaning enough, but they also strike me as doing good works because there was nothing else for them to do. Giulia, however, seemed genuinely interested and committed to the work. She is obviously capable, as she went through the complex accounts herself. Real life Giulia was said to be an able administrator who later became governor of Carbognano. I wish this facet of Giulia would be explored more in the show.

Show: The Borgias (Showtime)

Season: Two

Episode Number in Series: 13

Episode Number in Season: Four

Episode Title: Stray Dogs

Episode Writer: Neil Jordan

Episode Director: Jon Amiel

Original Air Date: April 29, 2012

  

The Borgias Recap 'The Beautiful Deception'

Season 2 Episode 3

This episode began slowly, but it picked up beautifully, with the march of the French army onto Rome and a whole lot of Cesare.

Wrapping up Paolo

We begin with poor Paolo hanging by the market place. Lucrezia chooses today of all days to wander around checking the wares with her baby and nanny. Cesare tries to take Lucrezia home, but she, of course, figures out something is up. She follows the people thronging around Paolo's body. Lucrezia throws herself at Paolo's corpse and tearfully blames herself. When Cesare shows her the note Paolo supposedly left, her face changes. She faints, and Cesare carries her back to the Vatican. So, how many Cesare fan girls imagined themselves being carried off by Cesare? Just me?

Lucrezia is near catatonic in grief and refuses to feed baby Giovanni. Cesare eventually admits to Rodrigo that he arranged a meeting between Paolo, Lucrezia and the baby at Vanozza's house. Rodrigo is angry at this, and asks if Juan had a hand in Paolo's death.

At Vanozza's house, Rodrigo gives Juan an opportunity to confess to killing Paolo. Juan does not, and Rodrigo climbs over the table to, uh, throttle his favourite son, I guess, only, he does not. Juan tells Rodrigo that if he wants Lucrezia to marry again, he must bury Paolo in a pauper's grave and let that be the end of Lucrezia's shameful affair with a peasant. Rodrigo warns Juan to be careful, else he might find himself wearing peasant shoes.

With the baby wailing in the background, Lucrezia tells Rodrigo she wants Paolo to be given a Christian burial. Rodrigo says this is impossible because Paolo is a suicide. Lucrezia tells him Paolo could neither read nor write; he could not have written that suicide note. The two of them dance around the identity of the murderer, and Rodrigo agrees to give Paolo a Christian burial if only Lucrezia would feed her child. The child, by this time, already has fever, by the way. After she gets what she wants, Lucrezia takes the baby and feeds him.

I am normally sympathetic to Lucrezia, who has been unfairly and brutally used to further her father's ambition, but not here. I cannot imagine letting a child starve, let alone one's own child. She used her son, successfully, as a bargaining chip for Paolo's soul. I understand her purpose, but I cannot condone her method.

Juan

Juan, long the favoured son, is probably unused to being out of favour with his father. He apologises to Rodrigo for Lucrezia and her loss. Rodrigo tells Juan to choose a bride from amongst the Spanish noblewomen, and go there. You have just been banished, Juan.

Juan's method of selecting his bride is by surrounding his bed with the women's portraits while sh@gging a lady I assume is of the evening. The two of them are noisy, and Lucrezia leaves little Giovanni to pay them a visit and scold them. The death of Paolo hovers heavily in their conversation, and before she walks out, Lucrezia leaves her candle by the rope holding a huge chandelier over Juan's bed. The candle burns the rope, and the chandelier crashes on Juan's girl, who at that time was on top of him. Cesare hears Juan's screams for help and rushes in. Juan sees the burned rope and chuckles; his little sister has decided to fight back. Downstairs, Lucrezia sings softly to little Giovanni.

Vanozza dines with her children, and Lucrezia and Juan throw thinly veiled snipes at each other. Juan makes a speech about how difficult it was for them when they first arrived in Rome, at how they had to triumph over many taunts, most of them directed at their mother. Of all the Borgias, Juan seems to be the one most keenly aware and affected by the humble origins of the family.

Juan leaves the Vatican under much fanfare. Cesare and Lucrezia look pleased to see him leave. But then, Micheletto arrives bearing bad news.

The French Advance and the Fake Canon

Micheletto turns King Ferrante's taxidermist into his spy. Through this dude with the creepy job (he is the one who prepares the corpses for King Ferrante's famous supper table), Micheletto learns that King Charles is visited by Caterina and Giovanni Sforza (Lucrezia's former husband --- Am I the only one who finds it weird that Lucrezia gave her son the same name as her ex husband whom she loathes? There were few names back in the day, of course, but there were choices.). This same informer tells Micheletto later that King Charles is marching to Rome with French and Sforza armies. Caterina gave King Charles the Sforza armies in return for cannon to protect her castle in Forli.

The Pope orders the construction of a hundred canons to defend Rome (the two armies will take seven to 10 days to march to Rome). Rodrigo may not know exactly how long it takes to make a canon, but surely he cannot be such an idiot to think it possible to construct a hundred of them in a week. Also, why give the commission to V/V, who is an artist? I understand V/V is necessary to the next part of the canon story, but there is a way to include her --- give the order for the canons to a master of arms, then have V/V do the engravings afterwards.

Anyway, the consistory are angry at the Pope. They think, rightly, that the French king is angry because the Pope tricked him. Cardinals, you left the Pope alone at the Vatican at that great hour of danger. Perhaps you should not allude to that time when criticising the Pope. Cesare brings a miniature canon at the consistory and fires a round.

V/V later informs Cesare that it will take each foundry a month to make one canon. In seven days, all the foundries in Rome can make maybe one or two canons. Cesare angrily throws the miniature canon on the ground; it breaks apart because it is but plaster. Cesare and V/V concoct the plan to make fake canons.

Work on the fake canons progresses swiftly, and Cesare praises them as 'true artistry.' During the course of their conversation which made me wonder if there is a person on earth Cesare does not have chemistry with (Oh, right, Ursula), Cesare realises V/V is a woman. Yes she is, Cesare, and I am ready to ship the two of you, even though V/V slept with your father.

The French send an envoy to Vatican to negotiate 'safe passage' by the French and Sforza armies through Rome. Cesare asks the Pope to trust him this once.

When King Charles and his Italian allies are told that the Vatican will not open its gates, Caterina wonders if they are mad. Caterina gets to show again what a bad-a** she is by suggesting to the French King that they can bathe in Borgia blood together.

Inside the Vatican, the soldiers laugh as they haul the fake canons to the walls. One of the canons is nicked after hitting the wall. A soldier makes the mistake of making more canon jokes, and Micheletto, standing nearby, stabs him and throws his body to the ground. He then instructs the soldiers to pretend the canons are as real as the soldier's blood on his knife. He wipes the blood off his knife with one of the soldier's capes. Love Micheletto.

According to a French general, it will take 12 hours of canon fire to batter the Vatican walls. Cesare tries to assure the frightened Cardinals inside that things will not come to that. Even Rodrigo looks worried. Cesare rides to meet his foes while Micheletto watches from on top of the Vatican walls.

Cesare looks fetching in his nobleman defender of the city garb; even Caterina Sforza noticed. I am surprised Cesare managed to stop himself from directing a few choice barbs at Lucrezia's ex. He was too busy threatening the French King, I guess. Cesare signals, and the red banners fall to reveal the fake canons. Caterina looks specially confused at how Cesare managed to have so many canons. The French general tells the king their battle lines are still forming. If the canons were real, there was a good chance they would annihilate much of the French and Sforza forces before French canon could make so much as a dent on the Vatican walls. Cesare comments on King Charles' illness and tactfully suggests that perhaps the battle should wait until his health is better. Cesare rides back inside the Vatican walls, and the French King orders a general retreat.

Inside there are spontaneous celebrations as the bells ring. Giulia and Lucrezia go to the Pope, and they are later joined by Cesare, who suggests that they melt down the bells to make real canon. He smashes a fake canon ball, and Lucrezia and Giulia laugh and hug him.

Cardinal Della Rovere

The good cardinal returned to Rome incognito and meets with a member of the Dominican Order, which he says he wishes to join. He puts forth his suggestion of murdering the Pope, and says he will go and talk to Savonarola in Florence. Savonarola is a Dominican friar and preacher who became known for his prophecies. When he is informed of the French advance, Cardinal Della Rovere bets that the Borgias will outwit King Charles. The man knows his enemy.

This episode packed a lot. It almost felt like a different show from how it began to how it ended. The episode moved slowly during the Paolo issue, but quickened its beat when Juan left and Micheletto arrived with news of impending war.

Juan's departure makes me sad, because I love David Oakes' portrayal of him. However, I realise that this is an opportunity for Cesare to be more involved in the military aspects of the Vatican, and this, I am very much looking forward to.

Show: The Borgias (Showtime)

Season: Two

Episode Number in Series: 12

Episode Number in Season: Three

Episode Title: The Beautiful Deception

Episode Writer: Neil Jordan

Episode Director: Jon Amiel

Original Air Date: April 22, 2012

The Borgias Recap 'Paolo'

Season 2 Episode 2

This episode is titled after, and book ended with, a character a do not particularly care for, but it still has its charms, notably the ever reliably chilling Micheletto.

Paolo

Paolo rides to Rome in search of Lucrezia and his son. There he meets a lady of the evening with a golden heart, and Lucrezia's hot-headed brother Juan. Juan is much offended when peasant Paolo dares to address the Pope's daughter. Oh, Juan. Why so touchy about peasants? Could it be because you yourself would have been one had your Daddy not become Pope? In any case, Lucrezia tells Paolo to say a prayer at the fountain at midnight as penance for his slight against her. Lucrezia must have a really low opinion of Juan's intelligence, since she thought this would fool him.

Juan recruits a lady of the evening (not Paolo's friend) to follow Paolo around. After meeting with Paolo, Lucrezia returns home and asks Cesare's help so Paolo could meet little Giovanni. Cesare, of course, agrees.

Rather than Lucrezia, it is Micheletto who approaches Paolo by the fountain the following night. Micheletto asks the poor boy if he is expecting someone prettier than him. When Paolo cops to this, Micheletto says, 'Are you saying I'm not pretty? I've killed for less.' Heh. Sean Harris is awesome. Micheletto and Paolo have a conversation about love, which was a tad awkwardly written, but Sean Harris made it work.

What understanding mother and brother Vanozza and Cesare are; they practically stood guard while Lucrezia and Paolo sh@gged in her bedroom at Vanozza's house. Juan, on the other hand, cannot choose between the Spanish noblewomen under consideration for the enviable position of his wife, and he goes, drunk, to his mother's house. Cesare manages to talk him into leaving and not interrupting the sh@gging happening in one of the rooms.

Micheletto, because he is hyper-competent, finds Juan's spy. The poor lady of the evening actually announces she is a spy, and Micheletto kills her. Micheletto later dumps her body on a river.

Paolo makes good of his promise to leave, but he is followed by a group of men that include Juan. Juan makes Paolo's death look like suicide by hanging. I never cared for Paolo, but this is still a sad end for him, another innocent (as was the lady of the evening) caught in the tempestuous lives of the Borgias.

Rodrigo, Giulia and Vittorio/ Vittoria

With the remnants of the previous night's masked ball still being cleaned up, V/V hurries out of the Pope's bed that also has Giulia on it. I think this scene is mostly to show Rodrigo as sexually adventurous. It could also be a way to show that Giulia is willing to try anything to retain Rodrigo's affection, and the position in society it gives her. Either way, I care very little about this aspect of the episode.

Cardinal Sforza is concerned about Vatican finances while Rodrigo just wants to walk amongst the common people of Rome. This concern leads to him, Giulia and V/V, dressed in the latest commoner fashion, going on a night time stroll among the peasants. The poverty appals Rodrigo, which feels disingenuous to me because Rodrigo is not an idiot, and must surely be aware, to a certain degree, of what is happening outside his door. He says there is a branch of the Curia dedicated to helping the poor. He tells Giulia to go through the accounts to ensure the money goes to the poor, while he tackles the problem of pigeons in the city. Isn't Rodrigo supposed to be smart? Will he not feel insulted at getting the pigeon assignment? That he gave the assignment to himself is even more strange.

Anyway, the Pope approaches Cardinal Versucci, who has been in charge of the office of public works for a couple of decades, and who has built himself three palaces. He instructs the Cardinal to work with Giulia in going over the accounts, to ensure that the money for the poor goes to the poor.

I am glad Giulia will have something to do other than being the Pope's arm candy. However, I wish it had been established earlier that she was good with numbers, or has some experience in handling accounts. There must have been something in her background that led the Pope to entrust her his sensitive assignment. Was there any mention of this that I missed?

While Giulia tackles her complicated new job, the Pope lets loose a falcon to take care of the pigeon problem. Apparently, falcons eat pigeons, and so the pigeons start flying off when a single falcon arrives in the scene.

Apart from taking care of the pigeon problem, the Pope also tells Cesare he wants an ear on Naples. Prince Alfonso is dead, which the Pope thought was a shame because he would have made a good match for Lucrezia. Rodrigo, what is wrong with you? Will you not at least vet for crazy before even thinking of marrying your daughter off? Also, the Pope wants to know when King Charles leaves Naples.

Cardinal Della Rovere and His Monkey

Cardinal Della Rovere is staying with nuns and looks weak. The poisoning attempt by Cesare has left the Cardinal suspicious of food; he refuses to eat and drinks only rain water. A nun begs him to eat, and he asks for a monkey.

In a call back to the first season, the monkey tastes the food before Cardinal Della Rovere eats it. The Cardinal seems to have learnt something from Cesare. Also, the monkey is called Julius, which is to be the real life Cardinal's name as Pope.

The Cardinal leaves the nuns to go to a monastery in Perugia. He sits in a covered cart while a nun leads a donkey (?). Along the way, they are stopped by two men. The Cardinal stabs one on the neck with a piece of wood he whittled himself, and throws a knife at the other, hitting his chest. The Cardinal has gotten pretty good at killing.

Cesare

Cesare spent most of the episode immersed in Lucrezia's problem, but he did take the time to visit the Convent of St. Cecilia, where a certain Ursula Bonadeo now lives as Sister Martha. Do the other sisters not ask why Cardinal Borgia constantly asks to see Sister Martha? Anyway, Cesare forces Ursula to model for a fresco he commissioned. Cesare is notably rough with Ursula here; his dark side is very much on display, and on the woman he claims to passionately love. It is a short scene, but the way Cesare and Pinturicchio coolly survey Ursula near the end is disturbing.


Show: The Borgias (Showtime)
Season: Two
Episode Number in Series: 10
Episode Number in Season: Two
Episode Title: Paolo

Episode Written By: Neil Jordan

Episode Directed By: Neil Jordan

Original Air Date: April 15, 2012

Recap The Borgias 'The Borgia Bull'

Season 2 Episode 1

Cardinal Della Rovere

The opening scene of this solid episode signalled the shift from last season's relatively slow pace to a grittier new series. Cesare and Micheletto use cantarella, and a young altar boy, to try and kill Cardinal Della Rovere. The real Della Rovere, later Pope Julius II, was known as 'The Fearsome Pope' or 'The Warrior Pope' and, like Rodrigo Borgia, himself fathered children before ascending to the papacy. I wonder how different a show The Borgias would have been had the fact that Della Rovere had children been incorporated and given focus on the story.

Anyway, the poison does not kill the good Cardinal. The altar boy says he should still be paid. Micheletto playfully flicks water at the boy before drowning him in a well. Sean Harris is chilling as ever.

The Borgia Siblings

The Pope wants Lucrezia to get a wet nurse for baby Giovanni. Young though she may be, Lucrezia is no fool; she knows this paternal concern for her body is Rodrigo mulling another potential marriage for her. Later, in a scene that gave me The Godfather vibes, Rodrigo tells his sons the time has come to exact vengeance on the great families of the papal states who betrayed them. It could not have been clearer that Cesare and Juan loathed each other. Daddy tells them their second task is the renewal of Rome.

Much later, Cesare walks into Juan, who has new duelling blades, and of course this scene turns into a sword fight. Through the cheering of the soldiers, Cesare wins, and Micheletto sensibly breaks up the fight. The word 'fratricide' is thrown around. Way to telegraph what will happen later in the season, Show.

In a scene I can only imagine was engineered to please Lucreziare shippers (and, as a secondary purpose, remind us of the existence of Paolo, the father of Lucrezia's baby), Cesare holds Lucrezia from behind and there is talk of 'impossible loves.' See, the show gave the shippers something to enjoy (leads of other shows can only hope for a fraction of the chemistry between Fracois Arnaud and Holliday Grainger) while not actually 'going there' (outright incest). Not yet, anyway.

Cesare and Juan practise for the horse race that are part of the celebrations (more on this later). Cesare asks Micheletto who will win, and Micheletto says Cesare, unless Juan cheats. Aw, Cesare. Even if there was a chance Juan would win, did you really think Micheletto would pick him over you?

During the horse race, Micheletto is proven right (how often he is) when Juan throws caltrops that cause Cesare and his horse to topple over. Juan wins the race. Micheletto watched the race like a concerned parent, by the way. Heh, heh.

At the masked ball, Lucrezia pines over Paolo, and Cesare makes her smile by throwing caltrops at the dancing Juan, who hurts himself, of course. I have nothing against the actor who, as far as I could see, did everything the role required of him, but I never understood the appeal of Paolo. I am glad the show saw fit to keep Lucrezia's pining over him at a minimum. Also, both scenes that included mentions of Paolo cleverly featured Lucrezia and Cesare; Cesare's presence alone makes any scene interesting, so his presence during the Paolo mentions evened out my boredom of Paolo.

Rodrigo

While Giulia was away, Rodrigo had another lady stay over. The two ladies of his life, neither of which is the mother of his children, almost meet when Giulia returns early from her trip. Giulia later finds a red stocking on the bed she shares with Rodrigo. She tries to seduce the Pope while wearing a red stocking but it is clear she no longer holds the interest of Rodrigo, as she used to.

On a hunt, Rodrigo and Giulia find an old, vine-covered building filled with artistic treasures from ancient Roman times. The Pope has these treasures brought back to the Vatican. Among those working on these treasures is Vittorio/ Vittoria. Rodrigo figures out he is a girl, and gives her a commission. Giulia becomes aware of her rival.

What Rodrigo wants is a celebration for the common people of Rome, one that reconciles a pagan feast day with a Christian feast day. And he does not want to think of the cost. I, on the other hand, cannot help but think of the cost of production of this single episode. To my non-expert eyes, this episode looks expensive.

The celebrations include a masked ball where Giulia seeks Vanozza's advice regarding the Pope's wandering eye. This conversation leads to Giulia dancing with Vittorio/ Vittoria, and later kissing her, while the Pope watches. Oh, and earlier, the Pope, with a Janus mask, lights the huge Borgia bull Vittorio/ Vittoria made for him on fire. How expensive is this episode?

King Charles of France

King Charles is quite ill at Naples, and is being attended to by King Ferrante's doctor. Apparently, Prince Alfonso infected his own city with Neapolitan disease. We are also reminded of that charming supper table filled with stuffed dead bodies.

Dogs hunt down Prince Alfonso, and eventually catch up with him. He is brought to the King of France. I love Augustus Prew's portrayal of Prince Alfonso; in this scene, as in others, his polite, even courtly conversation is so smoothly mixed with his madness. Later, King Charles brings Prince Alfonso to King Ferrante's torture chambers. The episode closes with the King of France listening to music while Prince Alfonso screams.

Show: The Borgias (Showtime)

Season: Two
Episode Title: The Borgia Bull

Episode Writer: Neil Jordan

Episode Director: Neil Jordan

Original Air Date: April 8, 2012