‘The Borgias’: Passion’s Plight

By Aphrodite M.

Gioffre walked down the aisle by his mother

Episode 6 of “The Borgias,” titled “The French King,” features more political panhandling as Della Rovere (Colm Feore) visits France’s King Charles (Michel Muller) and promises him Naples if he’ll go to war against Rome. To secure the borders of Rome and forge an alliance with Naples, Pope Alexander (Jeremy Irons) marries off his 13-year-old son, Gioffre (Aiden Alexander), to the Princess of Naples (Emmanuelle Chriqui).

While Ursula’s husband is away, Ursula (Ruta Gedmintas) is finally free to share her bed with Cesare (François Arnaud). Soon she discovers her husband has been killed by Cesare and commits herself to a nunnery in repentance for her sins. Juan (David Oakes) takes a liking to his younger brother’s wife, Princess Sancia of Naples, and remorselessly begins an affair with her. Meanwhile, free of her husband while he’s recuperating from his severe leg injury, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger) and Paulo’s (Luke Pasqualino) flirting blossoms into a full-fledged romance.

Juan and Sancia

Emmanuelle Chriqui is a new addition to the cast this week as Princess Sancia of Naples. Although she has the right look for the role, she does not carry the same gravitas in her presence and acting skills as many of her co-stars do. Also, her manufactured English accent sounds amateurish. There are other non-British cast members, such as François Arnaud, who show far more skill in maintaining their British accents flawlessly. Unfortunately, Chriqui’s accent sounds muddled and disappears altogether on certain syllables. It becomes quite distracting and shatters the illusion of her role. Perhaps an Italian accent would’ve been more fitting but it’s doubtful she would have executed it any better.

Speaking of gravitas, Jeremy Irons absolutely fills the screen with his manner and his voice. He has a commanding presence and one feels secure watching this seasoned veteran as he expertly executes every scene. Even when he gives a political lesson by comparing parts of his mistress’s leg to separate regions in Italy and abroad, any potential absurdity is erased by Irons’ delivery and approach to the material. He begins at the very top with “France, the source of all disquiet” and ends with Naples and his mistress’s “most delicious toe.”

Another new face this week is Michel Muller as King Charles VIII of France. He is a joy to watch as the eccentricities and passions of his character are revealed. Although he is amusing and self-deprecating regarding his looks, he is not a joke. King Charles shows an analytical depth in warning Della Rovere against his enthusiasm for war but he also shows a ruthless passion for waging war. He is a character, much like Alphonso II of Naples (Augustus Prew), who is quite quirky and fun to watch.

Lucrezia and Paulo’s inevitable love affair seems one of the most natural and fitting affairs in the series thus far. Lucrezia finally finds some peace from the abuse of her brutal husband and is able to pursue a relationship which suits her youth, kindness and caring demeanor. The scene in the forest where she sits with Paulo by a spring and kisses his reflection in the water is as if she’s making a wish for a life reflected she knows she cannot have but will happily steal moments here and there to attain in part.

Cesare’s love affair does not fare as well. He is able to spend a week with Ursula but when she discovers his true nature and complete inability to show remorse or regret about killing her husband, she cannot be with him. She runs off to a nunnery while Cesare can only feel regret for having lost Ursula. It is obvious his true calling never was nor will be religion and he feels smothered by the constraints placed on him by his father and his position within the church.

Lucrezia and Cesare

Lucrezia appears again to her father, as if in a dream, but this time she really has come to visit in order to attend her younger brother’s wedding. Pope Alexander shows the deep affection he has for his children as he weeps for her arrival. Lucrezia also reunites with her beloved brother Cesare and the ideal harmony between them pales in comparison to any relationships they have had separate from their bond to each other. Watching them interact, one sees how perfectly suited they are for one another but their companionship will always have an impassable limit.

Episode 6 is certainly the episode of love last week’s was meant to be. There is plenty of action regarding lust and love, while suspense builds about when war will be waged on Rome and its surrounding states. For now, the complex and lascivious relationships of the Borgias will have to occupy the viewers’ attention.  

Read the recap for Episode 7 on Yahoo! AC.

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