38:
479:. Once more the titillation of orgies and incest are emphasized as concominants to a power struggle at court... Such a lurid retelling of the myths (the facts that are known about the Borgias are capable of various interpretations) might have been expected to figure on ITV instead of BBC2, and such a respectful and serious an adaptation of a modern classic as
146:
1095:
Church, Michael (16 December 1981). "The Pope's battalions... battling to the last. For the BBC schedulers, the contest of "Brideshead" and "The
Borgias" was a triumph. In every other critical respect Granada had a walkover. As the two big pre-Christmas serials approach their ends, Michael Church
534:
acknowledged criticisms of the programme: "I am immensely proud of our TV drama through the years - we may have stumbled over The
Borgias, but we don't stumble very often". As the series drew to a close,
419:
is like a western. Plenty of action. There's incest and nudity. There's beheading and garroting. There's blood. We've had to be harsh. It was a harsh time. But we've also remained true to the subject.
725:: "His intrusive Italian accent is excused by the producer, Mark Shivas, on the grounds that Rodrigo came from Sapin and thus would have had a different accent from the rest of the Vatican court."
737:
made fun of one particular line reading: "Referring to a trip taken by Juan and Cesare, he says: 'They got nipples together.' Eventually you figure out that he means they go to Naples together."
357:
Despite high ratings, the programme was not a critical success, with many commentators focusing on Celi's accented
English and making invidious comparisons with ITV's high-profile competitor
545:
is a critical laughing stock" but added that it had been a "triumph" for ratings, noting that its weekly viewing figures of 8 million were particularly high for BBC2. Its explanation was: "
549:
has gone out on an evening when both BBC1 and ITV have been primarily concerned with sport, and when there has consequently been a spare and sizeable audience waiting to be picked up."
483:
might have been thought more likely for BBC2 than ITV. That they are the other way round says a great deal about the BBC's desperation for ratings and ITV's for respectability.
1255:
1220:
1215:
1250:
1210:
1245:
1190:
822:
1185:
1180:
1240:
1230:
1200:
55:
560:
introducing and contributions from period experts. The nudity that appeared on
British and Australian TV was trimmed for American viewers.
729:
called Celi "almost unintelligible". Michael
Ratcliffe wrote, in a comparatively indulgent review, "Celi has spirit and style... but his
102:
74:
377:
reported the production as the most expensive drama series in the BBC's history; the
Corporation declared the budget as £2.3 million.
81:
1225:
409:, for 12 weeks commencing April 1980. This only accounted for around 30% of footage, as the majority was shot on studio video.
88:
862:
475:, chosen to display its range and approach, I was worried by what appeared to be its attempt to cash in on the success of
487:
Because both networks were concerned about the possibility of a scheduling clash between the two series, BBC2 Controller
354:
The 10 episodes follow events from 1492 when
Rodrigo is elected pope and concludes in 1507 with Cesare's violent death.
70:
591:(2006), nominating it as one of the 20 worst programmes ever made, claimed it had even been condemned by the Vatican.
587:
calls it "one of the most panned series of its day, a fixture of 'all-time worst TV' lists ever since"; the editor of
423:
Transmission was originally meant to be in March 1981, but a union dispute delayed it. The first episode screened on
121:
858:
561:
443:
359:
553:
1195:
59:
170:
20:
520:, Celi did his own voice acting, and several critics commented adversely on his thickly-accented English.
528:
95:
1235:
571:
441:, the series was not a critical success. The BBC screened the series at the same time as ITV's lavish
1205:
437:
48:
994:
574:'s design but found Celi's performance sluggish, the action confusing and the dialogue poor.
1143:
435:
Intended to be a gripping historical melodrama in the same vein as the earlier BBC series,
386:
373:
946:
8:
906:
657:
348:
1078:
Fiddick, Peter (12 December 1981). "New man plans to prod Auntie into being more bold".
867:
566:
508:
304:
24:
1116:(24 October 2006). "Do not adjust your set - these really are the worst shows on TV".
1165:
1021:
990:
726:
697:
687:
667:
344:
202:
531:
324:
145:
1174:
637:
513:
382:
340:
336:
192:
1113:
1080:
1063:
1026:
999:
975:
951:
923:
677:
647:
583:
557:
488:
332:
311:
in 1981, in association with the Second
Network of the Italian broadcaster
166:
1058:
781:
734:
718:
627:
598:
503:
458:
328:
316:
188:
156:
1159:
447:, and critics contrasted the high production values and stellar cast of
1138:
1118:
1098:
1043:
786:
537:
463:
323:
during the late 15th and early 16th centuries and told the story of
37:
506:
was well known to have a heavy
Sicilian accent: as Emilio Largo in
424:
402:
398:
394:
265:
499:
406:
904:
Day-Lewis, Sean (30 June 1980). "Good, bad and the
Borgias".
823:"'The Borgias' -- new BBC TV series a study in harsh reality"
320:
389:
were involved in financing. Location shooting took place in
390:
491:
took the unusual step of letting ITV know informally that
827:
378:
312:
308:
250:
246:
921:
Selway, Jennifer (11 October 1981). "The Week in View".
552:
The series finally screened in America in 1985 via the
455:
seeming focus on frequent graphic violence and nudity.
1041:
Ratcliffe, Michael (15 October 1981). "Roman revels".
799:
797:
62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
882:
794:
751:
1172:
412:Director Brian Farnham announced to the press:
784:(3 October 1981). "Brideshead v The Borgias".
1141:(6 September 1981). "Who shot the Borgias?".
23:. For the series created by Tom Fontana, see
857:
1020:
899:
897:
144:
1256:British English-language television shows
1221:Television series set in the 16th century
1216:Television series set in the 15th century
1040:
989:
903:
122:Learn how and when to remove this message
1251:Cultural depictions of Pope Alexander VI
1211:Television series set in the Renaissance
894:
19:For the Showtime television series, see
1112:
1077:
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
495:would be screened on Wednesday nights.
1246:Cultural depictions of Lucrezia Borgia
1191:1981 British television series endings
1173:
1094:
920:
863:"'The Borgias', a new series on cable"
471:Watching a compilation of scenes from
1186:1981 British television series debuts
1181:1980s British drama television series
1137:
1061:(1 November 1981). "The nose trick".
1057:
940:
938:
936:
934:
888:
853:
851:
849:
847:
845:
820:
816:
814:
812:
803:
780:
757:
1241:Cultural depictions of Cesare Borgia
1231:Television shows set in Vatican City
1201:British historical television series
763:
335:– and his family, including his son
60:adding citations to reliable sources
31:
13:
931:
842:
809:
14:
1267:
1153:
1024:(15 October 1981). "Papal bull".
944:
597:was released on DVD in the UK by
371:Shortly before it was broadcast,
71:"The Borgias" 1981 TV series
1147:. No. 1065. pp. 40–52.
821:Musel, Robert (7 October 1981).
554:Arts & Entertainment Network
36:
1106:
1088:
1071:
1051:
1034:
1014:
983:
966:
712:
47:needs additional citations for
16:British television drama serial
973:"Covert pact over TV series".
914:
527:was still screening, incoming
427:on Wednesday 14 October 1981.
219:
1:
1226:Television shows set in Italy
1122:. No. 68839. p. 33.
1102:. No. 61109. p. 13.
1047:. No. 61056. p. 13.
910:. No. 38897. p. 11.
790:. No. 61046. p. 12.
744:
366:
307:drama serial produced by the
979:. 20 August 1981. p. 4.
430:
21:The Borgias (2011 TV series)
7:
529:Director-General of the BBC
10:
1272:
1130:
721:reported in a preview for
315:. The series, produced by
18:
577:
271:
261:
256:
242:
234:
229:
218:
208:
198:
184:
176:
162:
152:
143:
136:
995:"Robert Rietti obituary"
705:
589:The Penguin TV Companion
512:, he had been dubbed by
461:wrote, in a preview for
604:
1096:inspects the rivals".
733:is very distracting".
644:Giuliano della Rovere
485:
421:
1196:BBC television dramas
947:"Borgias, The (1981)"
469:
414:
1144:The Sunday Telegraph
481:Brideshead Revisited
444:Brideshead Revisited
387:Time Life Television
374:The Sunday Telegraph
360:Brideshead Revisited
331:) – the future Pope
56:improve this article
907:The Daily Telegraph
658:Anne-Louise Lambert
349:Anne Louise Lambert
1022:Banks-Smith, Nancy
991:Freedland, Michael
868:The New York Times
861:(2 October 1985).
624:Pope Alexander VI
567:The New York Times
305:British television
243:Production company
25:Borgia (TV series)
1236:Films about popes
993:(24 April 2015).
859:O'Connor, John J.
727:Nancy Banks-Smith
703:
702:
296:
295:
209:Country of origin
132:
131:
124:
106:
1263:
1148:
1124:
1123:
1110:
1104:
1103:
1092:
1086:
1085:
1075:
1069:
1068:
1055:
1049:
1048:
1038:
1032:
1031:
1018:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
987:
981:
980:
970:
964:
963:
961:
959:
945:Clark, Anthony.
942:
929:
928:
918:
912:
911:
901:
892:
886:
880:
879:
877:
875:
855:
840:
839:
837:
835:
818:
807:
801:
792:
791:
778:
761:
755:
738:
716:
654:Lucrezia Borgia
609:
608:
564:, reviewing for
562:John J. O'Connor
467:of both titles:
292:
290:
285:16 December 1981
282:
280:
257:Original release
221:
148:
134:
133:
127:
120:
116:
113:
107:
105:
64:
40:
32:
1271:
1270:
1266:
1265:
1264:
1262:
1261:
1260:
1206:House of Borgia
1171:
1170:
1156:
1151:
1133:
1128:
1127:
1111:
1107:
1093:
1089:
1076:
1072:
1056:
1052:
1039:
1035:
1019:
1015:
1005:
1003:
988:
984:
972:
971:
967:
957:
955:
943:
932:
919:
915:
902:
895:
887:
883:
873:
871:
856:
843:
833:
831:
819:
810:
802:
795:
779:
764:
756:
752:
747:
742:
741:
717:
713:
708:
698:Serretta Wilson
694:Giulia Farnese
688:Barbara Shelley
684:Vanozza Canale
668:George Camiller
607:
580:
541:reported that "
433:
369:
343:) and daughter
288:
286:
284:
278:
276:
213:
203:Georges Delerue
191:
169:
128:
117:
111:
108:
65:
63:
53:
41:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1269:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1169:
1168:
1155:
1154:External links
1152:
1150:
1149:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1126:
1125:
1105:
1087:
1070:
1050:
1033:
1013:
982:
965:
930:
913:
893:
881:
841:
808:
793:
762:
749:
748:
746:
743:
740:
739:
710:
709:
707:
704:
701:
700:
695:
691:
690:
685:
681:
680:
675:
671:
670:
665:
661:
660:
655:
651:
650:
645:
641:
640:
635:
634:Cesare Borgia
631:
630:
625:
621:
620:
615:
606:
603:
579:
576:
532:Alasdair Milne
432:
429:
368:
365:
325:Rodrigo Borgia
294:
293:
273:
269:
268:
263:
259:
258:
254:
253:
244:
240:
239:
236:
232:
231:
227:
226:
223:
216:
215:
212:United Kingdom
210:
206:
205:
200:
196:
195:
186:
182:
181:
178:
174:
173:
164:
160:
159:
154:
150:
149:
141:
140:
130:
129:
44:
42:
35:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1268:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1178:
1176:
1167:
1163:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1146:
1145:
1140:
1136:
1135:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1114:Sherwin, Adam
1109:
1101:
1100:
1091:
1083:
1082:
1074:
1067:. p. 48.
1066:
1065:
1060:
1054:
1046:
1045:
1037:
1030:. p. 12.
1029:
1028:
1023:
1017:
1002:
1001:
996:
992:
986:
978:
977:
969:
954:
953:
948:
941:
939:
937:
935:
927:. p. 48.
926:
925:
917:
909:
908:
900:
898:
891:, p. 41.
890:
885:
870:
869:
864:
860:
854:
852:
850:
848:
846:
830:
829:
824:
817:
815:
813:
806:, p. 43.
805:
800:
798:
789:
788:
783:
777:
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
760:, p. 40.
759:
754:
750:
736:
732:
728:
724:
720:
715:
711:
699:
696:
693:
692:
689:
686:
683:
682:
679:
676:
674:Jofre Borgia
673:
672:
669:
666:
663:
662:
659:
656:
653:
652:
649:
646:
643:
642:
639:
638:Oliver Cotton
636:
633:
632:
629:
626:
623:
622:
619:
616:
614:
611:
610:
602:
600:
596:
592:
590:
586:
585:
575:
573:
569:
568:
563:
559:
555:
550:
548:
544:
540:
539:
533:
530:
526:
521:
519:
515:
514:Robert Rietti
511:
510:
505:
501:
496:
494:
490:
484:
482:
478:
474:
468:
466:
465:
460:
456:
454:
450:
446:
445:
440:
439:
428:
426:
420:
418:
413:
410:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
383:Seven Network
380:
376:
375:
364:
362:
361:
355:
352:
350:
346:
342:
341:Oliver Cotton
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
319:, was set in
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
301:
274:
270:
267:
264:
260:
255:
252:
248:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
224:
217:
211:
207:
204:
201:
197:
194:
193:Oliver Cotton
190:
187:
183:
180:Brian Farnham
179:
175:
172:
168:
165:
161:
158:
155:
151:
147:
142:
139:
135:
126:
123:
115:
112:December 2023
104:
101:
97:
94:
90:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73: –
72:
68:
67:Find sources:
61:
57:
51:
50:
45:This article
43:
39:
34:
33:
30:
26:
22:
1160:
1142:
1117:
1108:
1097:
1090:
1084:. p. 3.
1081:The Guardian
1079:
1073:
1064:The Observer
1062:
1059:James, Clive
1053:
1042:
1036:
1027:The Guardian
1025:
1016:
1004:. Retrieved
1000:The Guardian
998:
985:
976:The Guardian
974:
968:
956:. Retrieved
952:Screenonline
950:
924:The Observer
922:
916:
905:
884:
872:. Retrieved
866:
832:. Retrieved
826:
785:
782:Allan, Elkan
753:
730:
722:
714:
678:Louis Selwyn
664:Juan Borgia
648:Alfred Burke
617:
612:
594:
593:
588:
584:Screenonline
582:
581:
565:
558:Edwin Newman
551:
546:
542:
536:
524:
522:
517:
507:
502:-born actor
497:
492:
489:Brian Wenham
486:
480:
476:
472:
470:
462:
457:
453:The Borgias'
452:
448:
442:
436:
434:
422:
416:
415:
411:
372:
370:
358:
356:
353:
333:Alexander VI
299:
298:
297:
167:John Prebble
137:
118:
109:
99:
92:
85:
78:
66:
54:Please help
49:verification
46:
29:
1161:The Borgias
1006:24 December
958:24 December
874:24 December
834:24 December
735:Clive James
719:Elkan Allan
628:Adolfo Celi
599:2 Entertain
595:The Borgias
547:The Borgias
543:The Borgias
525:The Borgias
518:The Borgias
509:Thunderball
504:Adolfo Celi
493:The Borgias
477:I, Claudius
473:The Borgias
459:Elkan Allan
438:I, Claudius
417:The Borgias
329:Adolfo Celi
327:(played by
317:Mark Shivas
300:The Borgias
238:Mark Shivas
189:Adolfo Celi
177:Directed by
157:Mark Shivas
138:The Borgias
1175:Categories
1139:Crace, Jim
889:Crace 1981
804:Crace 1981
758:Crace 1981
745:References
572:Tim Harvey
570:, praised
449:Brideshead
367:Production
289:1981-12-16
279:1981-10-14
275:14 October
230:Production
222:of seasons
171:Ken Taylor
163:Written by
153:Created by
82:newspapers
1119:The Times
1099:The Times
1044:The Times
787:The Times
731:inglesish
723:The Times
613:Character
601:in 2016.
538:The Times
464:The Times
431:Reception
500:Sicilian
345:Lucrezia
235:Producer
199:Music by
185:Starring
1131:Sources
556:, with
425:BBC Two
403:Viterbo
399:Spoleto
395:Tuscany
287: (
283: –
277: (
272:Release
266:BBC Two
262:Network
96:scholar
578:Legacy
523:While
407:Urbino
337:Cesare
98:
91:
84:
77:
69:
706:Notes
618:Actor
516:. In
451:with
321:Italy
303:is a
214:Italy
103:JSTOR
89:books
1166:IMDb
1008:2023
960:2023
876:2023
836:2023
605:Cast
498:The
405:and
391:Rome
385:and
75:news
1164:at
828:UPI
379:RAI
351:).
313:RAI
309:BBC
251:RAI
247:BBC
220:No.
58:by
1177::
997:.
949:.
933:^
896:^
865:.
844:^
825:.
811:^
796:^
765:^
401:,
397:,
393:,
381:,
363:.
249:–
1010:.
962:.
878:.
838:.
347:(
339:(
291:)
281:)
225:1
125:)
119:(
114:)
110:(
100:·
93:·
86:·
79:·
52:.
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)