Borgia [Canal+]

Richard Dower

NOT to be confused with Showtime, different production.
4 new vids here: http://www.spoilertv.com/2011/06/borgia-teaser-2-making-of-videos.html

^ it's got Samwell from Game Of Thrones!

Richard Dower

Netflix to pick it up in the US: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118040823

Skerries

why do we need another version?
and your man from The Wire can not be as good as Irons

Mindkiller

While Irons was quite good in the Showtime version he never really came across as being much more than a manipulative old man. Major Rawls in that teaser looks like an altogether more lecherous, slimy Alexander VI. But like the above poster says he isn't half the actor Irons is. I was disappointed with the Showtime series but I can't see this being much better

Some of the girls in that video look awful young. Looks like they won't be aging up Lucrezia, Farnese etc.

kearneybobs

I liked the showtime one. Nothing too griping but a good show all the same.

I'll give this a go. When is it starting?

Richard Dower

Info packed link, lots of trailers embedded but i copied the important text here:

http://www.spoilertv.com/2011/08/borgia-presentation-information-photos.html

Number of seasons : 1.
Number of episodes : 12.
Duration of an episode : 52 minutes.
Creator, showrunner and executive producer : Tom Fontana (creator of Oz, writer on St. Elsewhere and Homicide).
Directors : Olivier Hirschbiegel (Downfall, Invasion), Christoph Schrewe, Metin Hüseyin and Dearbhla Walsh.
Production company : Atlantique Productions for Canal+.
Premiere date : October 3rd at 8:50pm on Canal+ (2 new episodes will air back-to-back each Monday for 6 weeks).

- There will be no commercial breaks during the episodes.
- The show was shot in English on location in Czech Republic.
- Violence, nudity (which is kind of Canal+'s trademark) and cursing are allowed and encouraged (don't trust the -12 logo in the teasers below, -12 is pretty much an equivalent of TV-MA).
- The development of Canal+'s version of the Borgia family began in January 2009 (the direct pickup for a twelve-episode season was official on February 26 2009). The development of Showtime's version began in December 2009.
- Netflix bought the rights to air the show in the United States and will sell them to a pay-cable channel (my guess is, it probably won't be Showtime, maybe Borgia will be broadcasted on Starz), unless they decide to keep the show for themselves (after all, Netflix is getting in the business of scripted series with House of Cards next year). Meanwhile, Liongate bought the rights for DVD/Blu-ray sales in the US.

iguana

Any word of when an English language version of this will be aired? The first 2 were on in France on Monday, dubbed into French. Apparently it broke ratings records for Canal+ but I haven't see any word of when it will be shown as it was originally shot.

kearneybobs

Should be pretty good when it is released over here. It will give me my Borgia fix until The Borgias return. Any word on how good it was?

iguana

kearneybobs wrote: »

Should be pretty good when it is released over here. It will give me my Borgia fix until The Borgias return. Any word on how good it was?

I haven't read any reviews. All I know is that it's a record breaking show for Canal + and that in Italy, where the whole series ran over the summer, it's ratings doubled over the course of the series, which sounds very positive in terms of quality and story.

kearneybobs

iguana wrote: »

I haven't read any reviews. All I know is that it's a record breaking show for Canal + and that in Italy, where the whole series ran over the summer, it's ratings doubled over the course of the series, which sounds very positive in terms of quality and story.

It sounds like it could better The Borgias. Looking forward to this now. Who's airing it here? or in the US/UK?

iguana

kearneybobs wrote: »

It sounds like it could better The Borgias. Looking forward to this now. Who's airing it here? or in the US/UK?

I don't know. Apparently they have sold it to 40 countries altogether. I think Netflix have US rights to it, but I don't know if it will also air on a television channel there too. I'd say we can rule out Showtime anyway. In Italy it was shown by Sky Italia so maybe Sky will show it here? The specifically filmed it in English in order to sell it to the American markets, afaik.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118043554?refCatId=14

I'm a bit surprised by how popular dubbing is on the continent. If I watch foreign films I can't stand to watch dubbed versions and always opt for subtitles. I assumed that in France and Italy they would also air it in English and subtitle it in the home language for those, so their audience would have the option to watch it either way, but apparently they just went for dubbed.

Richard Dower

^ Canal+ have different channels, one aired it dubbed and another aired it in English....i'm sure it'll appear as the French SCENE will pick it up on repeats.

Richard Dower

Managed to come by the first couple of eps. of this, but French dubbed...haven't seen English yet. Had a quick scan, looks lush...loads of sex and nudity, the girls look REALLY young!, like 15/16.

I'll update if the English versions appear.

kday6

The whole first season of Borgia is on Netflix. I am so far on episode 9 and am utterly obsessed its really good.

iguana

I've watched the first episode of this today. Not bad, it throws you right in at the deep end with a lot less exposition than the Showtime version. I'm using US netflix but afaik, it's also available on the Irish version.

expectationlost

iguana wrote: »

I've watched the first episode of this today. Not bad, it throws you right in at the deep end with a lot less exposition than the Showtime version. I'm using US netflix but afaik, it's also available on the Irish version.

less exposition then showtime, could that be possible thy didn't even show the idea of french spainish italian multi kingdom and all the other city states till the third episode in the showtime one

iguana

expectationlost wrote: »

less exposition then showtime, could that be possible thy didn't even show the idea of french spainish italian multi kingdom and all the other city states till the third episode in the showtime one

I thought the Showtime version had a huge amount of exposition through clunky dialogue. Not as much about the history but about the people themselves, use of full names in general conversation, discussions about what a specific relationship means and the consequences of it. Obviously that happens in all new shows but it really stood out to me in The Borgias, I didn't find it as obvious in Borgia.

Borgia is more political. The opening sequence includes a political map of Europe as it was in 1491 and a brief monologue about the political situation internationally, nationally and locally. So there is then no need to explain it within the episode. Also the first episode of Borgia takes place ahead of The Borgias, Innocent VI makes it past the closing credits, whereas the aftermath his death opened The Borgias.

So far I like this version better. It is absolutely beautiful and is shot so that many scenes look like a painting from the era and many of the women look like they have stepped out of those paintings, especially Lucrezia. It's pleasure to look at in a way that the Showtime series wasn't. I wasn't instantly captivated by this series either but I did enjoy it more so far.

djkeogh

I'm about 7 episodes into this on Netflix at the moment. I'm loving it. I think it's far superior to the Showtime version. I found the little description of the state of Italy at the start of the show increased my understanding so much more than anything in the full season run of the Showtime version.

I'm much more pshched about watching this then the other one. It's alot more gruesome too. Great show for political intrigue and double crossing. I'll be following this one over the showtime one from now on I think

Richard Dower

Renewed for a second season, already shooting: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/03/borgia-shooting-of-season-2-starts.html

mikemac1

Watching this now

As said above it's far more political

Less about love and drama and far more scheming and backstabbing over the Showtime version

Richard Dower

Season 3 will be the last, not even shot yet....season 2 kicks off March 11th. I belive Netflix is streaming this and i *think* its available online: http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/01/borgia-season-3-will-be-final-season.html

JohnK

Has the English version of this started back yet? MyEpisodes.com is saying it started back last week but from what I can see its only the french language one

Robbo

JohnK wrote: »

Has the English version of this started back yet? MyEpisodes.com is saying it started back last week but from what I can see its only the french language one

April 14th, I believe.

JohnK

Just got an email from Netflix saying Season 2 is available to watch.

changepartners

I'm three or four episodes into this and I'm really enjoying it.

I found the other series, The Borgias, really dull, miscast and light-hearted at times in a way that just didn't work.

This series so much better.

Liam O

changepartners wrote: »

I'm three or four episodes into this and I'm really enjoying it.

I found the other series, The Borgias, really dull, miscast and light-hearted at times in a way that just didn't work.

This series so much better.

Finished it the other day and really liked it. Tried watching the first episode of the Borgias yesterday and I don't think I can remove the other series from my mind. Borgia is very GoT like in it's depictions of sex and violence while the other one feels a lot tamer.

Some of the dynamics are different as well with Cesare being the older brother in one and Juan in the other so maybe there is something there for me but I'll definitely find motivation a problem after the excellent Borgia.