So I decided to watch The Borgias mainly because Neil Jordan is behind it, and he is one of my all-time favorite directors (I was insanely obsessed with The Crying Game). I enjoy it, but the main reason I will probably watch it forever is because of the INSANE CHEMISTRY between Francois Arnaud and Holliday Grainger. They play Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, brother and sister, yes, but they *are* the Borgias, and history has long thought it possible that the two shared a more than sibling-type relationship.
The show is playing that up, in that their scenes are full of declarations of love and physical closeness that is much more fitting to lovers than brother and sister. They just don't quite cross that line, but, lordy, I wish they would! Because, dude, these two actually give Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev a run for the money in the chemistry department. For reals! This is a video someone made highlighting their scenes from the first two episodes:
And here is their one (sob) main scene in episode three:
Such. Amazing. Chemistry. GAH!
Alas, interviews with the actors and Jordan have said that (as of now) they'll just continue skirting that line, so a hot make-out session is not in the cards (as of now), but still ... SO HOT!
Other thoughts ...
- Francois Arnaud is really quite, quite delicious as Cesare. I had my doubts based on the previews, but seeing him in action? Whoo, boy! He's got charisma out the ying-yang, is a great actor, has a beautiful, rich voice and is not too hard on the eyes. I love his Cesare.
- Unlike his brother who I hope is supposed to come off as an idiotic, simpering fool. Because that's how he rubs me.
- Holliday Grainger (as Lucrezia) is so pure and beautiful-looking it's crazy. At 23, she's definitely older than the 14-year old she plays, but she has such an innocent quality about her that it works. I didn't realize it until looking up her age that she also played Sophia on Merlin, and I do remember thinking she did a wonderful job in that role as well.
- Jeremy Irons is Jeremy Irons; he's great, and Joanne Whalley -- an actress I've long been a fan of -- as the mother of his children is wonderful and has already pretty much stolen every scene she's in.
- I do wonder what's up with Cesare's assassin. I don't get why he's so devoted to Cesare. I keep waiting for him to either write Cesare a love poem, or betray him. He's kinda majorly creepy.
Overall, it's good, and I'd watch it with or without the uber-hot-incestuous Cesare and Lucrezia, but right now, they are the major highlight.
ETA: I clipped and uploaded their first three scenes as well, if anyone is interested.
Scene 01 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n7q-D0hs8w
Scene 02 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBSXogTUCg
Scene 03 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=258AkBStc3s
The show is playing that up, in that their scenes are full of declarations of love and physical closeness that is much more fitting to lovers than brother and sister. They just don't quite cross that line, but, lordy, I wish they would! Because, dude, these two actually give Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev a run for the money in the chemistry department. For reals! This is a video someone made highlighting their scenes from the first two episodes:
And here is their one (sob) main scene in episode three:
Such. Amazing. Chemistry. GAH!
Alas, interviews with the actors and Jordan have said that (as of now) they'll just continue skirting that line, so a hot make-out session is not in the cards (as of now), but still ... SO HOT!
Other thoughts ...
- Francois Arnaud is really quite, quite delicious as Cesare. I had my doubts based on the previews, but seeing him in action? Whoo, boy! He's got charisma out the ying-yang, is a great actor, has a beautiful, rich voice and is not too hard on the eyes. I love his Cesare.
- Unlike his brother who I hope is supposed to come off as an idiotic, simpering fool. Because that's how he rubs me.
- Holliday Grainger (as Lucrezia) is so pure and beautiful-looking it's crazy. At 23, she's definitely older than the 14-year old she plays, but she has such an innocent quality about her that it works. I didn't realize it until looking up her age that she also played Sophia on Merlin, and I do remember thinking she did a wonderful job in that role as well.
- Jeremy Irons is Jeremy Irons; he's great, and Joanne Whalley -- an actress I've long been a fan of -- as the mother of his children is wonderful and has already pretty much stolen every scene she's in.
- I do wonder what's up with Cesare's assassin. I don't get why he's so devoted to Cesare. I keep waiting for him to either write Cesare a love poem, or betray him. He's kinda majorly creepy.
Overall, it's good, and I'd watch it with or without the uber-hot-incestuous Cesare and Lucrezia, but right now, they are the major highlight.
ETA: I clipped and uploaded their first three scenes as well, if anyone is interested.
Scene 01 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n7q-D0hs8w
Scene 02 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeBSXogTUCg
Scene 03 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=258AkBStc3s
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