Episode Two of the lavish historical drama sees Alexander VI, newly elected Pope, start an elicit affair whilst securing his power in the papal throne by appointing thirteen new cardinals to sway the majority of the College. Helping him are his son, Cesare, a newly appointed cardinal, and an assassin/spy employed by Cesare to keep . Among his enemies looking to depose Alexander is Guliano, who accuses him of lechery by having an affair with a whore and of simony after Cesare is chosen to be a cardinal. However, before he can act, he is framed for the murder of the witness to the Pope's affair and flees. Meanwhile, Alexander begins an affair with a new mistress, who quickly befriends his daughter.
Jeremy Irons dominates every scene he is in once again, playing Alexander as a wary patriarch bored with his peers and his family. His reaction to Guliano's slander was the best moment in the episode. This being the second episode, we are used to the characters by now, and they all are memorable and comfortable. Sean Harris as Cesare's spy/assassin had his fare share of good moments, and the scenes with Alexander's daughter and mistress were a treat. I'm still not sure about the sons, though. It seems what we see is what we get with most characters. We know their motivations and goals, there is no mystery you might in dramas such as Mad Men or The Wire. Being historical fiction, there may be limited source material to adapt, but we shall see. The Borgias has the potential to be a winner, but so far only potential.
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