Number of Seasons: 1
Episodes per Season: 8
Awarded Stars: 5/5
Written by: David S. Goyer
Network: Starz
It's funny how many things we actually learn about history from shows like The Borgias and Da Vinci's Demons. It would seem like a huge gamble for Starz to go in this direction but they actually hit all the right places. Even with their disclaimer, the show did seem pretty accurate when it came to telling Leo's tale. For instance bringing him out as a genius builder, inventor, and what most people remember him for, Painter. Aspects that touched on real history, like the inclusion of Leo's teacher Verrocchio,Lorenzo Medici, Giuliano Medici, and my favorite antagonist this TV season Girolamo Riario, who was married to Catarina Sforza, Countess of Forli. This is where I saw the genius in intertwining the storylines of The Borgias and Da Vinci's Demons. Maybe Showtime should consider Tom Riley for a guest spot on The Borgias, seeing as how he and Cesire Borgia were close friends.
Don't read further if you haven't watched the show
The first episode starts with the assassination of the Duke of Milan which happened in 1477. Leonardo Da Vinci has invented a flying machine and a mechanical bird that flies without any human manipulation. We get that he's obsessed with flight in the episode,
The second episode focuses on Leo's new found relationship with the Medici's. He is hired as their army's war engineer to build war ammunition for Florence against the big bad wolf- ROME. We see the feud between The Medici's, who are the leaders of Florence, and the Papacy. Leo is set on a journey, in search for The Book of Leaves. The Pope also sends his nephew Girolamo Riario to spy on Leo alongside Lorenzo's mistress and Leo's love Lucrezia Donati.
In the third episode, we see Riario visit the pope, to inform him about Leo. We also see the demon possession going on that leads the Prefect of the Vatican Lupo to try and exorcise the nuns possessed. Vanessa is also gets 'possessed', which leads Leo to investigate more about the demon possession.
Episode four, opens Leo's eyes to the Medici family's involvement in the Mithras Brotherhood. The Pope sends Girolamo to Florence to make the Medici family surrender. It seems inevitable to Lorenzo, because Leonardo destroyed all the guns he had created for Florence's protection. He however out-witted the Roman army into retreat.
In Episode five, the writers try to tell Leo's homosexual story line. He is accused of sodomy which was a great law offense back then. However we see that the 'victim' was actually the historical goldsmith, prostitute Jacopo Salterelli. He turns out to have had relations with Leo and after he was turned down, he was left scorned and wanted to get revenge.
Episode six centers around Leo's rescue of a Brother of Mithras from Vlad the Impaler. Also known as Dracula, who had a really interesting goth look.
Leo builds an under-water suit which he uses to infiltrate the Vatican in episode seven. He threatens the Pope, who in turn offers him a position in the Vatican Secret Archives.
In the final episode, we see the sons of Mithras foretelling the coming of Leonardo. They also say that one of them would leave to see the prophecy foretold and would also suffer the most. We also see a falcon lead Leo to Al-Rahim, where he tells him to make sure to board a ship called the Basilisk that will see him sail to the continent where the Book of Leaves is found. Leo however does not sail, he goes and fights for the Medici's when they are attacked in the church. Lorenzo's brother Giuliano is killed but just before he dies, he learns Vanessa is carrying his baby, who goes on to become Pope by the way. Lorenzo is injured, and finds out Leo has been sleeping with Lucrezia and promises to kill them both if they make it out alive. Riario takes Lucrezia forcefully to try and use her as leverage to Leo and Lorenzo's surrender.
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