The Borgias

Are you watching The Borgias series on Showtime? The show merges the sexiness of Renaissance-era opulence with the scandal of a crime family saga, telling the story of the infamous Borgia family, whose corrupt patriarch, Rodrigo Borgia, gained political power in 15th century Italy. To kick off the premiere of the second season, Showtime selected designers in 10 cities to create gorgeous Borgias-themed displays in exclusive storefront windows, with each window representing a single word that resonates with the series.


San Francisco-based designer Nicole Hollis tackled the theme of power by creating a stunning display at Zinc Details. We caught up with Nicole to get her styling secrets for pulling off old-world style in a modern storefront. Keep reading to find out which Renaissance trends are still hot today, her go-to design resources, and tricks for creating high-impact style in any home.

• The Borgias has been picked up for a second season — Zap2it
• Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart strip down in their final scenes for Breaking Dawn — Moviefone
• Get excited for Fast Five with these clips — Rotten Tomatoes
• Angela Chase and five deep TV teens — TV Squad
• Dominic Cooper gets creepy in a dual role in The Devil's Double trailer — Pajiba
• Decorating ideas to steal from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — CasaSugar
• Mindy Kaling has joined the cast of Five Year Engagement — The Wrap
• Find out which Hangover II star will host SNL next month — PopWatch

Now that The Tudors is long gone, the folks over at Showtime are attempting to fill the void with their brand new historical series, The Borgias. Before the show premieres tonight, here's a rundown on everything you need to know.

What it's about: Jeremy Irons stars as Rodrigo Borgia, a cardinal who rises to power when he seizes the Roman papacy through corrupt means during the Renaissance. As Pope Alexander VI, he struggles to stay one step ahead of his enemies and protect his family, which includes sons Cesare and Juan, and daughter Lucrezia. Cesare has his own inner conflict as a bishop who would rather be a warrior like his brother Juan, while teenage Lucrezia represents an opportunity to add to her family's power through a conveniently arranged marriage with someone of her father's choosing — even if that's not what she wants.

Where it works: It's hard to deny the gorgeous sets and costumes as The Borgias takes us back to Renaissance Italy and all that comes with it. Irons gives a rich performance that's entertaining and sparks intrigue, and I was also impressed with François Arnaud as Cesare.

Where it doesn't: Showtime has been touting the show as a historical version of The Godfather, as it centers on one of the biggest crime families in history. Unfortunately, the pilot just doesn't pack much punch. It's pretty, but the plot moves at a snail's pace and none of the characters are truly captivating. It's possible that we're just getting the tip of the iceberg here, but I wanted more soapiness and drama — even with a few sex scenes, this is no substitute for The Tudors.

Am I hooked? I'm sorry to say that I'm not. I'll stick with it for a few more episodes, but if it doesn't pick up the pace soon, I'm afraid it's going to have a hard time finding an audience that will keep coming back.

To watch a preview for the show, just read more

One of the sexier shows to take the stage at the Winter TCA was Showtime's lusty historical drama The Borgias. Its cast, including Jeremy Irons and Colm Feore, and the creator, renowned filmmaker Neil Jordan, took the stage to talk about the new series. They touched on the historical accuracy of the story of the Borgia family, the scandals we can expect to see onscreen, and just how steamy things are going to get.

• Irons leads the cast as Rodrigo Borgia, a character that's been called the original Tony Soprano. Irons is well-equipped to sink his teeth into the role of the family head who eventually becomes Pope in 1492, citing the juicy goings-on of the time period: "murder, poisonings . . . incest here, sodomy there."
• Jordan said that the "entire series is about God and power" and seems to have found a minefield of drama in the scandalous history of the Borgias. He said he "didn't have to manipulate events to make them dramatically engaging" and that the events are pretty well documented: "I didn't have to make things up to make these people seem crazy."
• I, for one, am excited about the costumes, which Irons called "amazing" and added that he got so used to the period garb that he felt uncomfortable in a pair of pants. He said the women's costumes are "extraordinary," and pointed out that it's just one example of what makes the show on the whole a sumptuous affair.
• There is an incestuous storyline in store on the series, as there had been rumors during the Renaissance of an affair between brother and sister Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia. Jordan says that they were people who were simply "utterly fascinated by each other," and it won't be "a story about incest, it's a story about two people who were enraptured with each other."

Don't forget to check out all of my coverage from the Winter TCA

If Boardwalk Empire isn't serving as a good enough crime-infused replacement for The Sopranos, then Showtime has another suggestion. The network's newest drama series, The Borgias, focuses on the titular notorious family as they rose to power in Rome during the Renaissance. Led by Pope-to-be Rodrigo (Jeremy Irons), The Borgias will pack in religion, sex, and scandal galore — all from inside the Vatican City.

I'm pretty excited about this one: Italy is gorgeous all on its own, and I'm looking forward to seeing a slice of the Renaissance. Plus, Irons is already creepy and commanding as the show's leading man, so you can count me in. Showtime is hoping that this new historical drama will entice fans of The Tudors, so see if the preview lives up to its predecessor when you read more

The 2010 Winter TCA is in full swing in Pasadena, CA, and now that I've brought you some highlights from Peter Facinelli and an update on the NBC shakeup, let's talk about what else has been going down for CBS and Showtime.

• As far as programming is concerned, CBS has confirmed the cancellation of Three Rivers, and we got sneak peeks at two new shows: Miami Medical and Undercover Boss.Miami Medical looks a bit like a knockoff of Grey's Anatomy, except we're at a trauma hospital instead of a surgical wing, and most of the patients are in the midst of a sunny vacation gone awry.
• At the Showtime panel, I got my first taste of Laura Linney in The Big C. I was happy to see that the promo had me intrigued, and there seem to be even more laughs than heartbreaking moments (though, given the subject matter, I'm sure that will change a bit). Bonus: even just a few seconds of Gabourey Sidibe outside of her Precious role was enough to make me giddy.
• With The Tudors on the way out, the Showtime execs also announced a new period drama called The Borgias. Starring Jeremy Irons, the show will chronicle the infamous family during the Italian Renaissance. It will be added to Showtime's lineup Spring 2011.

For more about Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara, just read more