The Borgia 20062006 Top -

The 2006 show was made for European and Canadian cable (CBC’s bold experiment), not US premium cable. Consequently, it does not shy away from the incestuous relationships (Lucrezia and Cesare) or the graphic brutality of the Italian Wars. The 2011 version romanticized the family; the 2006 version treats them as the first crime family.

So why did Borgia (2006) fade into obscurity while the Showtime series got Emmy nominations? the borgia 20062006 top

But for fans of historical drama that doesn't pull punches—for those who think The Sopranos or I, Claudius is the gold standard—hunt down Borgia (2006/2011). The 2006 show was made for European and

It is streaming on various platforms (check Amazon Prime or Hoopla). Ignore the dated CGI in the first two episodes. Push through the grim lighting. By the end of Season 1, you won’t be able to look away. By the end of Season 3 (the final season), you’ll be ruined for all other Renaissance dramas. But for fans of historical drama that doesn't

The Borgias were monsters. Finally, there’s a show brave enough to believe it.

Have you seen the Canal+ Borgia? Or are you Team Showtime? Let me know in the comments—just don’t invite me to dinner at the Vatican.

The 2011 series featured the elegant, Shakespearean Jeremy Irons. The 2006 series features John Doman (The Wire) as Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI). Doman is not glamorous; he is a bull-necked, brutal politician. He looks like a Renaissance thug who bribed his way to the papacy. This realism tops the charts for historical accuracy.