# Is The Borgias any good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039 "2013-04-06T21:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/1 "2013-04-06T21:24:13Z")
I see seasons of The Borgias on DVD when I’m browsing at Best Buy and I’ve seen commercials here and there, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone actually talking about it. It seems like something that I might enjoy - Renaissance history, Italy, I loved the Assassins Creed stuff about the same family (though I realize it’s entirely fictionalized). But still I don’t know if the show is worth the time. Has anyone here watched it a lot? Anybody following it regularly? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/2 "2013-04-06T21:47:25Z")
Lies and Slander, I tell you! ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/3 "2013-04-06T23:54:45Z")
I watched the first 2 (?) seasons and I liked it but can’t say I loved it. I mainly liked the period, ambiance and especially historical aspects. I enjoyed checking the plots against wikipedia and feeling that I was learning something. IDK. It’s a tough call. A lot will depend on your own predilections for minutiae that one wouldn’t normally use to rate something like this. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/4 "2013-04-07T01:39:51Z")
I watched the first 2 seasons and I too thought it was decent but not great. If you haven’t see _The Tudors_, I’d go for that. ---
**Author:** ![Vicullum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/6de8d8/32.png) [@Vicullum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicullum)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/5 "2013-04-07T04:28:50Z")
Have you seen _The Tudors?_ If you liked that then you’ll probably like _The Borgias_, which has much the same feel. As a history junkie I get a kick out of it. Season 3 premieres on April 14th. Looking forward to it. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/6 "2013-04-07T04:57:55Z")
I myself quite like it. Its oddly liberal with the historical accuracy yet there are minor details they do get right. Cesare’s character is slowly (took him a good two seasons) developing the insane streak that he is known for, and Jeremy Irons is his normal entertaining scene-chewing self, though if anything he needs to be more venal and corrupt and less pious. Lucretia’s character is played quite well, and I’m glad they didn’t portray her as she’s been portrayed throughout history as basically the worst of her family when modern scholarship has been pinned most of that reputation on the slander of her ex-husband. So watch it, read up on the history, notice the little details they get right and what they get wrong, and enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/7 "2013-04-07T19:45:45Z")
I’ve seen _The Tudors_ here and there, but only a couple of episodes. I’ve always intended on picking up on that at some point, as well. Is it still on or is it done? Sounds like _The Borgias_ might be worth a couple of episodes to see if it’s up my alley. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/8 "2013-04-07T23:21:17Z")
I would have stayed with it if it had been anybody but Jeremy Irons, who I detest. Other than him, it was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/9 "2013-04-08T12:16:57Z")
I watched the first (and so far only) season of [Borgia](http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Borgia/70208792?trkid=2361637) on Netflix and I loved it. I tried to watch the Showtime version and I just couldn’t get into it - probably because it was done very differently from the series that I enjoyed so much. I understand they’re doing season 2 of the version I liked - fingers crossed… ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/10 "2013-04-08T13:36:50Z")
We watched the first two seasons, and had pretty much the same reaction that we had to THE SOPRANOS – these are not people that I want to get further involved in. However, the acting and costumes and plots were brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/11 "2013-04-08T14:37:47Z")
I enjoyed it quite a bit, and am looking forward to the next season. It helps to be a Jeremy Irons fan, but for me King Charles & Cesare are the best characters. Oh, and DEFINITELY start a run through of Assassins Creed 2 and Brotherhood while watching. Tons of overlap, events, characters, and locations. Even specific lines, like Catherine Sforza’s boast. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/12 "2013-04-08T16:50:15Z")
Grammatically, I believe the correct question is “ARE the Borgias any good?” 🙂 And the answer would be “Any good at WHAT??” Stealing, murdering, cheating…yup. At being good?..nope. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/13 "2013-04-08T17:29:06Z")
I watched quite a bit of it, but it never really grabbed my much. It was OK, but it just seemed like a contrived vehicle to get Jeremy Irons on TV. ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/14 "2013-04-08T20:39:09Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > I see seasons of The Borgias on DVD when I’m browsing at Best Buy and I’ve seen commercials here and there, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone actually talking about it. It seems like something that I might enjoy - Renaissance history, Italy, I loved the Assassins Creed stuff about the same family (though I realize it’s entirely fictionalized). But still I don’t know if the show is worth the time. > > Has anyone here watched it a lot? Anybody following it regularly? If you are ok with “creative historical license” (Think Inglorious Bastards or Miracle at St. Anna), then I say watch it. Jeremy Irons is the ultimate scumbag. This series makes the Godfather look like The Outsiders. I could do without the “obligatory” T&A. It simply doesn’t need it. There is enough depravity present in it. I’ve seen both seasons, and can’t wait for the third. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/15 "2013-04-08T20:49:24Z")
The T&A is what makes it watchable, though it’s no _Spartacus_. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/16 "2013-04-08T22:58:13Z")
Yeah, I’m a fan of Spartacus, so creative historical license is clearly not a problem for me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/17 "2013-06-13T22:30:04Z")
I’m going to miss Micheletto. A loyal sociopath is so hard to find. Seriously though, he was one of the more intriguing characters I thought. Of course we still have Lucrezia. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/18 "2013-06-13T23:03:34Z")
Actually, you’re going to miss them all. Next week is the series finale. No season 4. Damn. ---
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/19 "2013-06-13T23:11:54Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Actually, you’re going to miss them all. Next week is the series finale. No season 4. Damn. Why do I get the feeling you enjoyed telling me that. Are you sure that perhaps you aren’t distant relation? (kidding 🙂 ) edit: seriously though. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039/20 "2013-06-14T10:42:24Z")
I thought it was fairly rubbish, to be honest. But then I thought that about The Tudors as well, so I’m clearly in the minority. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-borgias-any-good/655039.md?page=2)