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🔔 Notify me about new seasonsSynopsis
A a serial in ten parts on the lives of one of the most intriguing families in history.
Themes
Episodes
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- E1 Part 1Next upOct 14, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
1492: The Pope dies. Rodrigo Borgia in spite of his age and his many illegitimate children sees a last chance for election to the Papal throne. He sets about achieving it by a mixture of bribery, blackmail and political cunning.
Guest stars: David Joss Buckley (Giovanni Orsini), Mervyn Pascoe (Carlo Canale)
- E2 Part 2Oct 21, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
1495: Charles VIII of France, at the head of a vast army, invades Northern Italy on his way to claim the Kingdom of Naples. Rome stands defenceless in his path. Has the power of the Borgias been shortlived?
- E3 Part 3Oct 28, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Having scored a diplomatic victory over the French, the Pope now turns his attention to crushing the treacherous Orsini family. Cesare's jealousy is further inflamed by the appointment of his brother, Juan, as Commander of the Papal Army.
Guest stars: David Joss Buckley (Giovanni Orsini), Mervyn Pascoe (Carlo Canale)
- E4 Part 4Nov 4, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Lucrezia awaits the annulment of her marriage and the birth of her baby in a remote convent. Juan is dead. Lucrezia does not know that Cesare arranged the murder. because of a mistaken belief that Juan had made her pregnant.
- E5 Part 5Nov 11, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Cesare has renounced the priesthood for worldly ambition. King Louis of France has given him a Dukedom and a wife. Alfonso Biselli, Lucrezia's new and adored husband, knows too much about Cesare's secret treaty with the French and fears for his life.
- E6 Part 6Nov 18, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Against the Pope's will, Cesare has caused a rift between Rome and the Kingdom of Naples by the assassination of Lucrezia's second husband. While she mourns at Nepi, he has arranged a secret meeting with another enemy of Naples.
- E7 Part 7Nov 25, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Luerezia has been persuaded to agree to another marriage, this time to Alfonso d'Este, eldest son of the Duke of Ferrara; but Cesare, demands that her first loyalty be always to him.
- E8 Part 8Dec 2, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Rodrigo Borgia has lost control of Cesare, who has made as many foes as conquests. As Cesare rides to Milan to meet Louis XII of France, his enemies attempt to join forces against him.
- E9 Part 9Dec 9, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
The Pope, fountainhead of all Cesare's power, is dead. Suddenly surrounded by enemies, in need of all his strength and cunning, Cesare lies gravely ill. The power of the family is in jeopardy.
- E10 Part 10Dec 16, 1981 · 55 min
Synopsis
Although Cesare has failed in his attempt to poison his old rival, Cardinal Rovere, he believes he can control the new Pope Pius III. But Pius' reign is rapidly cut short.
Cast & crew
Directed by Brian Farnham
Oliver CottonCesare Borgia
Maurice O'ConnellMichelotto
Anne-Louise LambertLucrezia Borgia
Louis SelwynJofre Borgia
Adolfo CeliRodrigo Borgia
Ralph NossekJohann Burchard
Eleanor DavidSancia
Barbara ShelleyVannozza Canale
Alfred BurkeGiuliano della RovereCarl ForgioneGiorgio
Clive MerrisonAscanio Sforza
Martin PotterPaolo OrsiniSimilar shows
Reviews · from TMDB members
CinemaSerfAug 23, 2024
The BBC took quite a few risks with this ten part dramatisation of the lives of the infamous Borgia family that dominated Vatican politics in the late 15th century. Aside from established "Bond" villain Adolfo Celi as patriarch Alexander VI, they avoided using a cast of familiar-faced actors to tell this story and it largely works. It starts with the death of Innocent VIII and takes us through the machinations of the electoral college which serves well to introduces to the ot… Read more
her players: sons Cesare (Oliver Cotton) and Jofre (Louis Selwyn) and daughter Lucrezia (Anne-Louise Lambert) as well as his principal cardinal antagonists for the throne of St Peter - Orsini (Martin Potter) and Della Rovere (Alfred Burke) - all of whom feature prominently as we proceed through a pint-sized guide to European dynastic politics. What Celi delivers right from the outset is a characterful demonstration of a man who is as meticulous as he ruthless - but he is hardly unique on that score amongst a cardinalate that was much more about political power, wealth and nepotism than it had anything to do with Jesus or his father. Unlike many of their earlier grand scale dramas, the one ventured outdoors far more, used real locations and the standard of studio set productions is much enhanced from the days of wobbly walls and dangling booms. The writing is kicked off by the steady hand of John Prebble who introduces us to some of history's most remarkable personalities before Ken Taylor picks up that mantle and takes us through the decline of the family following Alexander's death. Celi is on great form as the manipulative pontiff, but it's Cotton's Cesare that stands out as the ambitious and malevolent henchman who starts out a cleric but is clearly destined for a much more "hands-on" role supporting his father's papacy. There's some casual nudity and a bit of sex, but that all rather underwhelms as it doesn't seem to be a main focus of director Brian Farnham. He, luckily, seems way more intent on delivering a drama that deals with the personalities involved and their frequently toxic and violent manoeuvrings. Nobody knew anything about CGI in 1981, so sure - some of the combat scenes do look a little choreographed, and the photography can be a bit ropily lit at times, but this is still a fine example of the ambitious, and doubtless expensive, dramas the Corporation once embarked upon where emphasis was put fairly and squarely on solid writing and strong acting performances across the board. Most of the history is well enough known, but there's still room for some creative licence (or licentiousness) and I think this still delivers the story of this dog-eat-dog world of hypocrisy and power brokering entertainingly.