Thoughts on Showtime's The Borgias

It took me awhile to begin to enjoy Showtime's previous project, The Tudors, but after reading Sara Poole's Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance, my interest was piqued in their project, The Borgias. The only other reason I'm watching it is because it's gritty historical fiction. I like sex, blood, and political intrigue. Anything less is essentially watching the nightly news.

As yesterday, this is no essay or review - just some random thoughts I've had while watching the series. A writing exercise - I've not been blogging, and I feel rusty.



In many ways, the smaller cast makes it easier to follow than fan favorite Thrones. Casting seems pretty solid. I've had some hesitation with Jeremy Irons, an amazing actor - he just doesn't convince me as a sex-starved power monger. I still closely associate him with his role as the stoic in Kingdom of Heaven. His demeanor is too cool and calculating for me to embrace that he's just a horny old goat. Otherwise? Of course he does well.


I think it is safe to assume that if I'm not watching something on the History Channel, or Discovery, or NatGeo, that there's going to be some degrees of interpretation in the interest of making the story more interesting. In other words, I approach this less as a history lesson, and more as an entertaining retelling. I did the same with the Tudors, and if you haven't caught any of the series yet - I suggest you do the same.

Sex. Seriously, there's a lot of sex. Almost too much, almost to the point of "really?" This goes a long way towards portraying the corruption and decadence of the Borgia clan - and so be it.

The story line moves adequately - you have to swallow the info dumps inherent in the pilot - comparatively, all pilots seem to kinda stink for that reason - and by the third episode, it is easy to gather the relationships and the motivations.

Lucrezia Borgia, played by Holliday Grainger, does an excellent job at portraying a young girl, full of youth and mischief and naivete, plagued with the worries of what she's experienced... and yet, growing, evolving and clearly a Borgia.

Cesare' Borgia, played by Francois Arnaud... now this is a more complicated characterization. In the beginning of the series, he seemed tougher than he seems by episode 7. I suppose that the harshness of the way that he follows his father's orders in order that Rodrigo may become pope - softens once Cesare' is made a cardinal.



The least convincing characterization, to me, is Juan Borgia. He seems the most ill qualified for any sort of responsibility, much moreso leading the papal armies. He's not even loyal to his own little brother. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure if it's the acting, writing or directing that has him all over the place.

Overall? If you like this sort of thing, even if you only remotely enjoyed The Tudors, you'll enjoy this. There's really no major flaws in anything. The sets and costumes are beautiful. The characters are interesting, and true to themselves, for the most part.

Perhaps it is not as complicated or intriguing as Sopranos or Thrones, but that arguably works in its favor. What's missing is the sympathy for the protagonists, as well (and maybe even accurately) as they seem to be portrayed. They get themselves into bad positions and I don't really feel bad for them.

At this point, I'll continue to watch, and while I know that the outcome will be tragic, I'm still hoping to be surprised somehow. In this, Sara Poole's novel (mentioned above) is superior to the television production.

Some links:

Borgias Fan Website
Sara Poole's Blog
The Borgias on Showtime

Thoughts on HBO's Game of Thrones

My last post seemed redundant the moment I carried over a bunch of old posts from the previous blog. Then, April showered! Maladies, computer problems, and a busy enough social schedule.

But I felt a lack of continuity in my blog here, because - as SOOOO many others - I had been contributing (in my ever so small way) to the growing hype of HBO's A Game of Thrones.

Truly, I can't even talk about my own WIP without mentioning the great desire that I have for HBO to knock this out of the park, ala the next Sopranos or Rome - as GoT purports to be a little of both, in the more fantastical setting of Westeros. I've read the entire series a number of times (four, at least), but I do believe I can discuss this without revealing any spoilers.

I am loathe to "review" the series. As much as I enjoy critical analysis, and apply the same measure to my own works - I'm afraid that an overly critical analysis would overshadow my general joy and happiness towards the project. In short, take what I write herein not as judgemental, but as observation with the intent to highlight the strength of the source material. Ultimately, I am still excited - and very much enjoying - HBO's project.

So, as far as Thrones - READ THE BOOKS. No medium is going to capture the depth and subtlety of Martin's writings. It is too hard to get emotionally invested into the characters when the subtext is limited to what you can insinuate from a 45 second conversation.

I was disappointed a little in the pilot, in that we do not get to hear the children speak, that Jon Snow appears to be so youthful and angsted (and that Catelyn Stark is such a bitch to him), that we don't even know who Theon Greyjoy is until 4 episodes in, and the most tragic deviation of all - Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen.

I think the viewer is losing out on the value of Dany's ascension into a Khaleesi, a Queen, by the deviations in the story. Drogo is gentle with her and smitten. And Dany commands Viserys to walk, not Rakharo. Little things. These are the subtleties that make her decisions at the end of the book that much more powerful - and credible.


And well, you should know that I like my canines - apparently, we could not find an albino pointy earred dog to behave. The relationship with Tarly and Snow, in the book, gains depth and understanding when Samwell is NOT scared of Ghost, and Ghost accepts the fat boy as a friend.

But! Truly, I pick and nag out of love, not because I'm a critical bastard, some angry, sad man who himself is not published because his big fat WIP requires tremendous editing. Overall, the series IS telling the story in a different medium, and as noted elsewhere, it is much like a love letter to A Song of Ice and Fire, as much as a portrayal.

Those nuances noted, casting for Thrones is spectacular. (And it seems impossible to find a casting ensemble picture without infecting your computer with a virus!) I was already quite in lust with Daenerys (played by Emilia Clarke), and from page to screen, I have fallen all over again.

I was never particularly pleased with Cersei on the pages, but Lena Headey brings out the sexual power of Lady Lannister, which somehow makes it easier to accept that she's a bitch. Jaime Lannister? As noted elsewhere, the depth they have given him is commendable. He's charming and clever and cruel. That this is made clear from the beginning is quite the exceptional highlight of an allowable, if not encouraged, deviation.

I knew from the beginning that Mark Addy would pull off Robert Baratheon, and he continues to do so. Peter Dinklage, as Tyrion - brilliant as possible, as everyone on the internet had well predicted. Old Nan? Awesome, perfect and a pleasant surprise. Viserys? Creepy and spastic - bingo! Bran? Stubborn and youthful, with a convincing range of emotion for such a young actor. Nicely done.

Perhaps we haven't seen just enough menace from the Hound, and perhaps Littlefinger is a bit stiffer than I recall him being in the books. Robb Stark is appearing flaky, but I think that's due to lack of screen time; he's just not making sense. And while I am pleased that Sean Bean is playing Ned Stark - the television portrayal has the Stark patriarch as a tad brutish, whereas in the books, my impression was that he was a stoically somber man.

On the other hand? Ser Jorah Mormont, by Iain Glen - fantastic! I'm more convinced by him on screen than I was in the books. Maisie Williams, as Arya Stark - the absolute screen stealer.

The water dancing scene at the end of episode three? It was so good, it made me cry, I kid you not. Arya becomes an increasingly notable POV as the story progresses, and so far young Miss Williams is quite possibly the best casting on the show.

The Artisans: Maisie Williams

Some deviations are necessary, no doubt. As HBO has given a greenlight to Season Two, the producers are really going to have to consider how to carry the story forward with working animals versus CGI. Especially Ghost, damn it - the bastard boy is defined in his books by his freakishly silent wolf.

I wonder how they will reconcile the motivations of the characters, and their actions (Joffrey doesn't like Sansa, what?!), as the story gets even more complex.

All in all, my own selfish motivations aside, I am beyond pleased at the reports that ratings are solid and/or increasing.

For the best commentary on Thrones, I refer you to Winter is Coming or even Adam at The Wertzone. I won't be trying to keep up with those blogs in terms of news and updates.

As an aside, and a post for another time, it is well worth considering what the success of Game of Thrones means for the fantasy genre. If HBO can capture Martin's characterizations and complexity in a world of winters, wargs and wildlings - will it give credibility to a literary genre that is oft neglected or considered immature? Can sex, incest, political intrigue and the cruel nature of war make adult viewers consider that not all fantasy fiction is wands and long-bearded wizards and moreso - understand and appreciate that good and evil is not always black and white, but rather, deep shades of grey? By the Muses, I truly hope so.

However, another discussion that caught my eye and perhaps will catch yours, was a question brought up by the Speculative Scotsman. Martin is notoriously NOT prolific as a writer, and will the series become his deal with the devil, disallowing him time to write what HE wants to write, becoming slave to his success?

Oh, to have such troubles! ;-)

Until the next.

New GRRM Interview

I am, as well as the rest of the fantasy bloggers, in an absolute tizzy/squee mode about HBO's upcoming Thrones series.

My reasons are different, though. As many, I am a fan of George R. R. Martin. The complexity of his plot, his lush prose, the characters (love them, hate them) - but most of all?

It's for ADULTS. This is the draw, to me. I read Lord of the Rings as a child, and was thrilled with the depth and lore and richness of Middle Earth. And the fantasy tropes and creatures - those are fun, the stuff of my gaming from childhood into adulthood. Swords and magic and orcs, oh my!

But now that I'm an adult, for my imagination to be compelled, I need more.
Can fantasy fans deal with murder and incest? I think so. HBO will make it appealing. Can people who thought that all fantasy was bad CGI Dragons, bad costumes and furry feet be drawn into the depth and complexity of the events within Westeros? I'm hoping, for reasons that I'll likely mention a thousand times here and there.

Six more days...
Enjoy the interview (as seen on GRRM's blog, here.)

Aspiring...

If we met today, over coffee (or a beer or a glass of wine), I'd eventually tell you that I'm an aspiring novelist, in the genre of fantasy fiction.

Which would be true. But, you (maybe) as well as I (certainly) know that there is no shortage of those. It's a cliche', the starving artist - the cliche' is a little less meaningful with internet access.

Last year, I kept a two-party blog, which focused mostly on book reviews and SF/F news and such. Then I moved, found a night job, and the months went by as life got busy. My blogging partner found another outlet for her creativity, and I was focusing on other things. (Edit: I went ahead and imported some of my older posts, for the sake of continuity.)

This isn't my first blog. I started off on myspace, believe it or not, a decade ago. Following my online roleplaying friends, I kept one on LiveJournal, which lasted awhile. People's lives change, and so do their blogs - which, more oft than not, do not last very long. This one will be my last, methinks.

I kept my first journal at the age of 8, did my first creative writing around that time, and self-published for the purpose of entertainment in high school (before I was recruited by the school paper). Public performance replaced the written word for a decade, and then I went back to it.

I write for adults, in case you're curious. Even when I was a child, I wrote for adults, parodying and rambling on about how messed up things were. I was trying to be funny, but in a laugh-when-people-fall-down way. (You couldn't air Three Stooges or Abbott & Costello in our current politically correct climate.)(Although it is arguable that vaudeville has been replaced by over-the-top scripted reality television.) I tried to fuse intellectual (geeky) humor with slapstick mentality. Ah, youth.

I got some attention when I wrote about my character(s) in roleplaying games, developing their backstories and coming up with scenes for when I wasn't logged in (obsessively) actually playing them. This resparked my interest in the written word.

I have even dabbled in erotica (under a different pseudonym, of course) - but, that was just a way to meet women who weren't interested in Elves and Dragons. I tease. A little.

I won't be blogging every day, not at this point. The purpose of this blog is to continue to develop a platform for when I am published - which sounds very methodical and calculated.

In truth, I just want a place to share random thoughts on the process of creativity, on what inspires me and motivates me, some observations about the process (writing, querying, publishing), the fantasy genre and whatever other cathartic expression which will help me become a better writer.

I'm glad you're here. Hopefully, I'll make it worth your time.

Cheers!

Free Reading, Giveaways, WFC Panel and Nano

You KNOW that I am procrastinating, but these things were so good, I had to share!

Great article on Urban Fantasy by Daniel Abraham. Specifically, the unwritten, yet understood limits of the female protagonist. Very thought provoking.

Nanowrimo! No, I'll do a post tomorrow on that. But this post by Chuck Wendig had me in stitches.

N.K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has won a few awards this year. If you haven't already checked it out, you can read Chapter One here.

Speaking of The Knight Agency, they've got a great giveaway happening today.  One of the benefits of not having a huge following is that I can tell you about it without ruining my chances for goodies!

I've been stalking google for uploaded videos from the World Fantasy Convention that took place over this past weekend. My diligence paid off today, when author Blake Charlton put up 4 Videos from the epic fantasy panel.

I'm so excited I couldn't wait to share. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to my procrastination!