Of Swords and Parasols

Today I watched the preview episode of Camelot that aired a few weeks back,and the pilot episode of The Borgias that leaked.

Camelot

( I think most of these spoilers have made the rounds but just in case... )
In short and with no spoilers: I can only assume we are meant to root for Morgan, and that this version of Arthur and Merlin exists purely to encourage us to do so. Morgan is awesome, Lot is quite the nice arm decoration, Kay is adorable, Leontes has potential, I have hopes for Ygraine but not necessarily faith in the writers, and, sadly, there is no Guenevere worth speaking of yet. It’s not necessarily good (seriously) but it largely entertained me and keeps saying things I always want to be said. Also, since the official premier is supposed to be 2 hours, I assume that what aired is only the first half, especially with the abrupt ending.

The Borgias

I have less to say and no spoilers here, but I…largely uncritically enjoyed this? I know enough about the history to know the historians will understandably be sobbing and ripping hair out, but not enough to rip my own hair out. Except for Juan (who I’m not supposed to like) I enjoyed pretty much every character. I have…issues with something that happens near the end, but it made sense in context. I’m told Cesare’s actor says there is no hanky-panky between Cesare and Lucrezia. I assume that his agent told him no incest-sex, and he hadn’t read the scripts yet. Because if you take out the times he refers to Lucrezia as his sister, every line and every camera shot plays out like epic childhood-love-that’s-soon-to-be-forbidden-but-is-still-70%-innocent.

No, really.




(I had things running in the background, so the picture glitched at times, and this was obviously one of hose times.  But you get my point.)

Jeremy Irons is, of course, Jeremy Irons, and so awesome. But no one told me Joanne Whalley was in it! (As Mama Borgia, whose name I cannot spell without looking it up.) She has aged quite well! And, uhm, may be my favorite.

Also, I have to remind myself that Cantarella absolutely is not the proper thing to compare this too or or go “but in Cantarella…

Both shows either technically do or do not pass Bechdel, depending on your interpretation. Because there are, like, decorative men in the background, but they’re pretty much inconsequential to what are some of the best scenes in the respective shows. The Borgias is technically the better of the two, as such things go, but Camelot is more likely to engage me on the met narrative level.

Hmm...I am now reminded that I tracked down the 1981 BBC Borgias series a while back and haven't watched it yet...

Wow, some of these have been sitting in my hard drive for months.

20 x Cantarella
13 x Seimaden
20 x Misc. Higuri You Art
24 x Tarot Cafe
21 x Dichen Lachman

Teasers:

  


( the rest )

 
Meanwhile(and I knew this from  oyceter's post on the volume) the book went on hiatus so the mangaka could do a manga about a princess and her 3 protectors, but she's supposed to be starting Cantarella back up.  Go!Comi, I EXPECT YOU TO PUBLISH THAT ONE TOO!!!

Also, am deeply amused by the oberwhelming ambiguity in the editors note about romantic hopes.  (Look, unless they can all find a place where bisexual incestuous OT3s are OK, NO ONE IS GOING TO END UP HAPPY!!!)

Ok, seriously, is anyone in this AU NOT in love with their sibling?

( it's all going to end in a giant ball of angst, i can feel it )

 

 
I need a "triangle of epic doom" icon or some such.

Uhm...ok, I don't care that it's probably amazingly anachronistic, but Lucrezia managing to avoid sleeping with her skeevy husband for months has my utmost approval.  As does her having a spine and standing up to him.

 

With 

crumpeteer's unintentional help, I have finally realized who it is that Chiaro reminds me of:  Madmartigan from Willow.  Complete badass when you give him a weapon, a dork otherwise...who tries to be otherwise.

Anyway...