I think when you accept it is only loosely based on Leonardo's life then you can just enjoy it for what it is.
I do still think it is worth watching.
As a counter argument, why bother, as there is some reasonable certainty about some things in some of the historical evidence and biographies surrounding his life.
Relatively little is known about his love life as there is almost nothing documented about this, other than a few brief sentences in some manuscripts, and it is almost certain he had no wife/children - but this has the show illustrating his life as "Confessions of a Painter', and in some other interpretations he is portrayed as having homosexual tendencies. The documented comments merely indicate a sentence where he thinks reproduction is gross, like a child does. The rest has been hugely embellished/extrapolated beyond belief.
Other stuff like the story arc about flying the mechanical birds were self-evidently made up, as the technology in those days to make and fly them did not exist, and to be honest you'd struggle even today to make flying metal mechanical birds of even the small scale one - without electrical or internal combustion power to keep them aloft.
'Based upon the life', in TV speak, mean make up a load of ol' cock, add some gratuitous violence, and continual very large dash of indiscriminate shagging.
There would be an outcry if there was a TV show done on Jesus or Mohammed, 'based on their lives' that portrayed them as some sort of Warrior Prophets like you see armies of god in Supernatural, or Lost Girl, and shagging everything that moves.
Show's that step beyond what is reasonable and credible, become Science Fiction/Fantasy, and make a mockery of established historical events.
The whole lead up to the show had the tagline "His story is a lie". If that doesn't tell you it's a completely fictionalised story of Leonardo Di Vinci, I don't know what would.
I am enjoying it as a period fantasy, as I believe it was intended, and if you want historical accuracy, there are plenty of documentaries you could be watching instead.
I am loving the show. It reminds me of Assassins Creed 2. Maybe that's why I like it so much. The acting is good, and the story is strong enough. Its a keeper for me.
Interesting third episode, though not much advancement on the whole Book Of Leaves plot but at least we got some pay off with Riario's scheme with Lucrezia from the previous episode.
Possessed nuns, guards and DaVinci was interesting enough, especially for the latter's rather visceral hallucinations as well but again, nothing too groundbreaking with the main plots of the week.
I think it's pretty obvious who Riario was playing that game with, wasn't it?
Clarice's confrontation with Lucrezia was nicely done. Way to make your love rival feel pretty small with a few choice words there.
Framing the advisor, smart move there as well, Lucrezia.
Pope Sixtus IV still remains a nasty creep and Lupo was another one too. He did seem a little too strangle happy here, didn't he?
Liked the grudging team up with DaVinci and Guiliano in this one as well, 7/10.
Interesting third episode, though not much advancement on the whole Book Of Leaves plot but at least we got some pay off with Riario's scheme with Lucrezia from the previous episode.
Possessed nuns, guards and DaVinci was interesting enough, especially for the latter's rather visceral hallucinations as well but again, nothing too groundbreaking with the main plots of the week.
I think it's pretty obvious who Riario was playing that game with, wasn't it?
Clarice's confrontation with Lucrezia was nicely done. Way to make your love rival feel pretty small with a few choice words there.
Framing the advisor, smart move there as well, Lucrezia.
Pope Sixtus IV still remains a nasty creep and Lupo was another one too. He did seem a little too strangle happy here, didn't he?
Liked the grudging team up with DaVinci and Guiliano in this one as well, 7/10.
Good episode with the 'Trouble at Convent'...with Da Vinci as the Detective....never guest who it turned out to be.;)
I'm having eyes for Clarice now..... not just Lucrezia...;)
And I haven't got a clue who, what's his name, was playing Gomoku {was it} with, did I miss something...... Lucrezia can be very distracting.:D
The whole lead up to the show had the tagline "His story is a lie". If that doesn't tell you it's a completely fictionalised story of Leonardo Di Vinci, I don't know what would.
I am enjoying it as a period fantasy, as I believe it was intended, and if you want historical accuracy, there are plenty of documentaries you could be watching instead.
From my perspective, you don't do 'a good period fantasy', based on historical figures. Esp one that an awful lot is known about their life, and their are large collections of their work in major galleries or libraries in the work - e.g. The Da Vinci stuff int e Royal Collection, though agreed there are lots of gaps too. The actual stuff he is most famous for as in his art, anatomical drawings, mechanical inventions/designs etc are all being sidelined by the 'bawdy historical romp' shagging, random and indiscriminate murder, and over-emphasis on homosexuality.
There is more 'room for maneuver', where accepted history is a bit scant - Arthurian Legend, Robin Hood, Roman Empire (Spartacus TV etc).
That was interesting enough but I'm surprised they did the sodomy charges with DaVinci now. I assumed that was going to be a finale cliffhanger type of plotline but I guess not.
I wish we would actually see DaVinci indulging in some guy on guy action onscreen because his sex scenes with Lucrezia really do nothing for me and I don't mind her as a character.
I'm surprised Lucrezia killed Becchi but did she do it because she was instructed to or was it down to her own fear of being caught out instead?
Felt bad for Becchi in this one, especially given his scenes with Giuliano as well.
Giuliano is a lot smarter than Lorenzo gives him credit for and clearly Lucrezia sensed that too as well as Clarice.
Nice to see some interactions with DaVinci and Clarice in this one and I did enjoy the scenes with DaVinci, Lorenzo and Riario in this one too, 7/10.
Interesting interview with Tom Riley on the Backlot, discussing fan reaction to DaVinci being straight washed and some spoilers for upcoming episodes. The comments are interesting too ...
Here’s what I don’t get, he's supposed to be bisexual, right? So why do people have a problem with him having sex with a woman, he's currently obsessed with Lucrezia so it makes sense he's the only one he's sleeping with at the moment. He's most likely been with men in the past (it seems this is about to be explored), and probably will be in future episodes. I don't see it as 'straight-washing' especially since there's only been 4 episodes so far, they're just showing one side of things and they'll no doubt explore the other soon.
Bisexuality is rarely portrayed well on TV with only one side shown and the other hinted at, the only recent bisexual character that’s been done well imo is Nolan in Revenge, although even then it remains mainly in the background. I’m going to give this at least the first season, especially since it’s only 8 episodes, before I judge it too harshly on the matter.
I'm loving Blake Ritson in this, so delightfully evil.
Here’s what I don’t get, he's supposed to be bisexual, right? So why do people have a problem with him having sex with a woman, he's currently obsessed with Lucrezia so it makes sense he's the only one he's sleeping with at the moment. He's most likely been with men in the past (it seems this is about to be explored), and probably will be in future episodes. I don't see it as 'straight-washing' especially since there's only been 4 episodes so far, they're just showing one side of things and they'll no doubt explore the other soon.
Bisexuality is rarely portrayed well on TV with only one side shown and the other hinted at, the only recent bisexual character that’s been done well imo is Nolan in Revenge, although even then it remains mainly in the background. I’m going to give this at least the first season, especially since it’s only 8 episodes, before I judge it too harshly on the matter.
I'm loving Blake Ritson in this, so delightfully evil.
He's a great character....and the sunglasses....:cool:
Good episode with the Cluster Bomb Bluff and the Pomegranate, but Lucrezia with the Poison Knife...covering her back, hope she never gets found out.;)
Here’s what I don’t get, he's supposed to be bisexual, right? So why do people have a problem with him having sex with a woman, he's currently obsessed with Lucrezia so it makes sense he's the only one he's sleeping with at the moment. He's most likely been with men in the past (it seems this is about to be explored), and probably will be in future episodes. I don't see it as 'straight-washing' especially since there's only been 4 episodes so far, they're just showing one side of things and they'll no doubt explore the other soon.
Bisexuality is rarely portrayed well on TV with only one side shown and the other hinted at, the only recent bisexual character that’s been done well imo is Nolan in Revenge, although even then it remains mainly in the background. I’m going to give this at least the first season, especially since it’s only 8 episodes, before I judge it too harshly on the matter.
I'm loving Blake Ritson in this, so delightfully evil.
LDV;'s sexuality is a bit of a mystery - there is next to nothing known about it, except a scrawl made on a manuscript about his rather negative view on the act of procreation.
History is reasonably certain he had no wife/children, but anything past that is totally made up fiction.
LDV - A randy Luc. Medici shagger - doubtful, even if he was hetero.
LDV - Gay, no evidence either way
LDV - Bisexual, no evidence either way
Labeling LDV is gay/bisexual, is little more than wishful unsubstantiated gay advocacy.
It's also doubtful, he was the Medici's principle weapon's supplier/architect too.
People's view on the show on seems to come from 'historical romp' v's historical accuracy, v's Gay Advocacy offense of 'their man' being portrayed as a randy hetero shag-monster.
-
The show is enjoyable but I can understand why the handling of DaVinci's sexuality is annoying certain viewers though.
I think it should focus on the Art, Manuscripts, Anatomy, Science and Engineering - What he is actually famous for, and what there is historical certainty on, as opposed to a bawdy historical romp. Evan a pop science telling does not need to be dumb, see Numb3rs as a great example of how to mix science with drama.
It's similar to the ideological discourse surrounding Alan Turing OBE, where the actual brilliant work they carried out, is drowned by the story of his social life, and the work of other people heavily involved at the time and who made just as big a contribution like Tommy Flowers/Polish Secret Service and other key contributors is pretty much ignored by a vocal minority guiding the argument.
Comments
Did like the 'Gun' working at the end....and more Lucrezia please.:p
As a counter argument, why bother, as there is some reasonable certainty about some things in some of the historical evidence and biographies surrounding his life.
Relatively little is known about his love life as there is almost nothing documented about this, other than a few brief sentences in some manuscripts, and it is almost certain he had no wife/children - but this has the show illustrating his life as "Confessions of a Painter', and in some other interpretations he is portrayed as having homosexual tendencies. The documented comments merely indicate a sentence where he thinks reproduction is gross, like a child does. The rest has been hugely embellished/extrapolated beyond belief.
Other stuff like the story arc about flying the mechanical birds were self-evidently made up, as the technology in those days to make and fly them did not exist, and to be honest you'd struggle even today to make flying metal mechanical birds of even the small scale one - without electrical or internal combustion power to keep them aloft.
'Based upon the life', in TV speak, mean make up a load of ol' cock, add some gratuitous violence, and continual very large dash of indiscriminate shagging.
There would be an outcry if there was a TV show done on Jesus or Mohammed, 'based on their lives' that portrayed them as some sort of Warrior Prophets like you see armies of god in Supernatural, or Lost Girl, and shagging everything that moves.
Show's that step beyond what is reasonable and credible, become Science Fiction/Fantasy, and make a mockery of established historical events.
The show doesn't pretend to be anything other than a fantasy so I don't see what the problem is.
No-one is going to believe that it is a genuine representation of the "real" life of Leonardo da Vinci
It is dividing viewers though.
I am enjoying it as a period fantasy, as I believe it was intended, and if you want historical accuracy, there are plenty of documentaries you could be watching instead.
Possessed nuns, guards and DaVinci was interesting enough, especially for the latter's rather visceral hallucinations as well but again, nothing too groundbreaking with the main plots of the week.
I think it's pretty obvious who Riario was playing that game with, wasn't it?
Clarice's confrontation with Lucrezia was nicely done. Way to make your love rival feel pretty small with a few choice words there.
Framing the advisor, smart move there as well, Lucrezia.
Pope Sixtus IV still remains a nasty creep and Lupo was another one too. He did seem a little too strangle happy here, didn't he?
Liked the grudging team up with DaVinci and Guiliano in this one as well, 7/10.
I'm having eyes for Clarice now..... not just Lucrezia...;)
And I haven't got a clue who, what's his name, was playing Gomoku {was it} with, did I miss something...... Lucrezia can be very distracting.:D
From my perspective, you don't do 'a good period fantasy', based on historical figures. Esp one that an awful lot is known about their life, and their are large collections of their work in major galleries or libraries in the work - e.g. The Da Vinci stuff int e Royal Collection, though agreed there are lots of gaps too. The actual stuff he is most famous for as in his art, anatomical drawings, mechanical inventions/designs etc are all being sidelined by the 'bawdy historical romp' shagging, random and indiscriminate murder, and over-emphasis on homosexuality.
There is more 'room for maneuver', where accepted history is a bit scant - Arthurian Legend, Robin Hood, Roman Empire (Spartacus TV etc).
I wish we would actually see DaVinci indulging in some guy on guy action onscreen because his sex scenes with Lucrezia really do nothing for me and I don't mind her as a character.
I'm surprised Lucrezia killed Becchi but did she do it because she was instructed to or was it down to her own fear of being caught out instead?
Felt bad for Becchi in this one, especially given his scenes with Giuliano as well.
Giuliano is a lot smarter than Lorenzo gives him credit for and clearly Lucrezia sensed that too as well as Clarice.
Nice to see some interactions with DaVinci and Clarice in this one and I did enjoy the scenes with DaVinci, Lorenzo and Riario in this one too, 7/10.
But the Prisoner.....
I think ....
I could be wrong though.
its a bit like that Young Einstein film !
well , I expected a few sly nods and references to his designs for flying machines and machine guns , but he basically knocks them all up in a week !
it is very silly , but as you say its just best to treat it as a fantasy .
the guy playing the villain (the one with the key) is quite good , it's all very Batman meets Borgias meets Davinci Code .
I'll probably stick with it , it is funny , but I'm not sure its meant to be .
looks like they spent some money on it tho .
http://www.thebacklot.com/defining-da-vinci-tom-riley-previews-this-weeks-revealing-episode/05/2013/
Bisexuality is rarely portrayed well on TV with only one side shown and the other hinted at, the only recent bisexual character that’s been done well imo is Nolan in Revenge, although even then it remains mainly in the background. I’m going to give this at least the first season, especially since it’s only 8 episodes, before I judge it too harshly on the matter.
I'm loving Blake Ritson in this, so delightfully evil.
Not really, though the Sons Of Mithras plot seems to have bits of it but not a great deal.
OK, thanks. I was a bit unsure as to what type of show it was.
Good episode with the Cluster Bomb Bluff and the Pomegranate, but Lucrezia with the Poison Knife...covering her back, hope she never gets found out.;)
And Da Vinci's arrest at the end.:o
LDV;'s sexuality is a bit of a mystery - there is next to nothing known about it, except a scrawl made on a manuscript about his rather negative view on the act of procreation.
History is reasonably certain he had no wife/children, but anything past that is totally made up fiction.
LDV - A randy Luc. Medici shagger - doubtful, even if he was hetero.
LDV - Gay, no evidence either way
LDV - Bisexual, no evidence either way
Labeling LDV is gay/bisexual, is little more than wishful unsubstantiated gay advocacy.
It's also doubtful, he was the Medici's principle weapon's supplier/architect too.
People's view on the show on seems to come from 'historical romp' v's historical accuracy, v's Gay Advocacy offense of 'their man' being portrayed as a randy hetero shag-monster.
-
Loving Revenge though.
I think it should focus on the Art, Manuscripts, Anatomy, Science and Engineering - What he is actually famous for, and what there is historical certainty on, as opposed to a bawdy historical romp. Evan a pop science telling does not need to be dumb, see Numb3rs as a great example of how to mix science with drama.
It's similar to the ideological discourse surrounding Alan Turing OBE, where the actual brilliant work they carried out, is drowned by the story of his social life, and the work of other people heavily involved at the time and who made just as big a contribution like Tommy Flowers/Polish Secret Service and other key contributors is pretty much ignored by a vocal minority guiding the argument.