You may remember from previous posts that I am a fan of TV ‘historical’ dramas, but due to the lack of such ‘history-lite’ productions in recent weeks, I have once more resorted to watching that highly entertaining, load of ‘old cobblers’ .. “Game of Thrones”, although I must confess that I am still struggling with the plot. However, by the oath of the ‘Night’s Watch’ I swear that one day, despite watching some pretty ‘wooden’ acting, I will be able to tell my Arya from my Daenerys.
Now, I am pleased to say that a new Renaissance romp has reached our TV screens. It’s titled “Da Vinci’s Demons” and is supposedly about the young Leonardo Da Vinci, although I must say that I was a bit confused at first when the opening scene of episode one showed a naked Earl of Grantham, not in a bathroom at Downton Abbey, but walking about a palace in 15th century Milan. He gets bloodily bumped off in the next scene. I suspect that this is a ‘taste of things to come’.
It’s a bit early in the game to get right into the story line, but, as you would expect, the Vatican is ruled by a very nasty gay Pope Sixtus IV (naked boy in the bath time) who seems to have had something to do with Lord Grantham’s the Duke of Milan’s death. This pisses off Lorenzo de’Medici of Florence, who engages Leonardo to paint his mistress, and then, on the strength of seeing a few sketches, gives him a well paid job as a military engineer. Oh! .. and before I forget, the mistress turns out to be a spy and, of course, jumps into the old four poster with our opium smoking boy genius.
As a Florentine ‘fantasy’ (Shakespeare it ain’t) it’s all very melodramatic and a bit ‘camp’ at times, but I’m enjoying it, and I can hardly wait for …
… “Vitruvian Man” to put in an appearance !
bigjohn 
