The Borgias and Game of Thrones are two new series that premiered on Premium Cable in April, 2011. The two stories are very different, but they also have similarities. The dramas are both set in historic periods and are about power and family.
The Borgias on Showtine TV
The Borgias is a Showtime Series, starring Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI. The story is based on the historic Borgia family, the powerful Renaissance Era family whose name became synonymous with deceit and treachery. The Showtime story of "The Borgias" begins as Rodrigo Borgia takes power in Rome, in 1492.
The Borgias is a lavish production, with extravagance and luxury shown in the elaborate robes, golden coaches and lavishly appointed palaces. The Renaissance was a more refined era than the preceding Middle Ages. The Borgias on Showtime
Game of Thornes on HBO
Game of Thrones is a HBO series with a large ensemble cast, headed by Mark Addy and Sean Bean. The story is set during the Medieval era, or the Middle Ages. The dates and the location are non-specific, as the story is a fantasy. The Medieval Era in Europe was the time period that spanned from the 5Th to 15Th centuries, so there is large span of time in which the story could be taking place.
Game of Thrones is set is a rugged setting, with much of the action taking place in the outdoors, amidst rough mountains, rocks, tall trees and a mountain of ice. The terrain is dangerous in Game of Thrones, but not as dangerous as the warrior enemies.
Game of Thrones and The Borgias are both family dramas, set in a historic era. The stories are melodramatic and may even be compared to period soap operas. The families in both shows are hungry for power and money. The powerful will stop at nothing to keep their power, and their underlings are eager to grab power for themselves.
Intrigue and Power
Both shows are about intrigue, deceit and murder. It is dangerous to cross the characters of The Borgias and Game of Thrones. The Borgias were prone to use poison to get rid of their enemies, while the warriors of "Game of Thrones" were bloodier and less sophisticated.
Daenerys Targaryen and Lucrezia Borgia
Most striking, in watching these two episodes back-to-back, was that each show had a virginal high-born daughter who was given in marriage to cement an alliance with another kingdom. It was a strange sense of deja vu to watch each tearful girl lose her innocence to a powerful husband.
The first episode of Game of Thrones showed terrified, tearful 13 year old Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) face her wedding night with the Dothraki warrior king Khal Drogo (Jason Monoa). Daenerys had been given to the king in marriage by her brother Verserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) who traded his sister for the alliance of the warrior in the hope of being returned to the throne he had lost.
The wedding of Lucrezia Borgia (Holliday Grainger) was equally painful to watch. Her father, Pope Alexander VI (Jeremy Irons), gave her in marriage to Giovanni Sforza to seal an allegiance and gain additional power. The wedding itself was disastrous, as the dysfunctional Borgia family ruined the day with their agendas. Lucrezia was spared the wedding night until she was back at the palace of her new husband, where she learned that he was emotionally and physically abusive. He called the wedding a farce and took her roughly, as she cried.
The young heroines, if that be called, started out as innocents, but they do not stay innocent. Each of these young women grows to be powerful in her own right, and will turn out to be a major character her respective story. Daenerys will be the first woman to lead the Dothraki people. Lucrezia will be, well Lucrezia Borgia, a name connected to poison and power.
Showtime debuts new episodes of "The Borgias" on Sunday nights. HBO debuts new episodes of "Game of Thrones" on Sunday nights. Watching them back-to-back may be a little too much immersion in the Medieval/Renaissance Eras for one night. Fortunately, they are both available on On Demand.
