The Borgias - Season 1 Instant

“The Borgias is a thing of beauty, aiming for the same rich colors and painterly qualities of some of the era's great artworks.” Rotten Tomatoes

Despite their crimes—including murder, simony, and incest—the Borgias were depicted as a "close-knit and loving family" prioritizing each other's survival. The Borgias - Season 1

Reviewers widely praised the show's production values, often describing it as "a thing of beauty" that captured the rich, painterly quality of Renaissance art. Critics noted that while the first season took time to establish its world, it successfully delivered a blend of "mechanical exposition and soulless melodrama" that kept audiences engaged through intrigue. “The Borgias is a thing of beauty, aiming

“These kinds of grand historical reimaginings can be a scrumptious combination of costume drama acting, soap opera theatrics and pay cable promiscuousness.” The Hollywood Reporter · 15 years ago “These kinds of grand historical reimaginings can be

The show was frequently criticized for prioritizing entertainment over accuracy, with some reviewers noting that it smoothed over the era's more shocking realities to appeal to modern sensibilities. Human Voice Quotes

The season followed Rodrigo’s rise to the papacy through bribery and his subsequent transformation into a "holy figure" who left "dirty deeds" to his son, Cesare.