Freedom060286 This series is much better scripted and overall has a better cast than The Borgias. Marta Gastini was brilliant as Giulia Farnese, and Mark Ryder is much more believable as Cesare than François Arnaud. Supporting actors such as Christian McKay and Iain Glen were wisely chosen. Girolamo Savonarola was just age 46 when he was burned, but The Borgias series has him played by a man well into his 70s, Iain Glen at about age 52 is a much better fit for the role. The only real casting mistake in Borgia is the choice of John Doman as Rodrigo Borgia - not that he's a bad actor, but he just doesn't fit the role very well, especially with his strong American accent. However, after a few episodes I became used to him. Although there is a lot of sex and violence in Borgia, and some shocking scenes, it's never as sickening as the incest in the third season of The Borgias. And the story is completed by the end of the third season in Borgia, it doesn't try to create new history just to keep the series going, as we saw in The Borgias - for example, the real historical Micheletto was not known to be gay and otherwise, other than being very loyal to Cesare, was quite different from the way he was portrayed. Borgia isn't perfectly historically accurate - no historical TV series ever is. But at least, unlike The Borgias, they followed the interesting historical framework without straying too far from what actually happened.

freyafae-16447 I definitely enjoyed Netflix version of Borgia so much better than the Showtime version. I already watched all three seasons of Netflix version and it was phenomenal as were the actors. I also found the actors more diverse, accurate and aesthetically pleasing than the Showtime version. Netflix version was more believable and historically accurate. I loved the different accents as it made the atmosphere and overall characters more realistic. I'm just starting the 2nd season of the Showtime version and it's such a different world all together from Netflix's Borgia. The Showtime version is just too Hollywood, fake and almost comical at times. I expected more of Showtime considering I love most of their shows i.e. loved The Tudors, Dexter, Weeds, Camelot and White Queen. Netflix is definitely a great competitor since they have a few pretty cool shows of their own. Sorry Showtime, have to go with the Netflix Borgia on this one. :-) Such an amazing show and cast especially Mark Ryder(Cesare), John Doman(Rodrigo Borgia) and Isolda Dychauk(Lucrezia). Mark Ryder was nice to look at and I loved every moment of Isolda's beautiful accent. (was quite pleasant)

Lisa S Honestly, I'm looking forward to a Season 3. Like many others wrote, Doman's American accent really stuck out and seemed out of place. But I watched the The Borgia with Irons (I adore Irons and watch everything he is in) as he delivers lines as I should expect, but Irons portrayal seems so small in comparison to Doman and I think the right choice was to make Rodrigo Borgia a larger than life figure. He just seems so raw and rash and loud and the events just made me feel Doman was a better choice. All the actors get better as the series goes forward. I think by concentrating less on certain actors abilities, you just begin to feel your way through this series and the circumstances that befall the characters. They appear to be the "outsiders" fighting for and defending their place in the world, ruthlessly.The Borgias with Irons wasn't bad, but I found myself slightly bored with it. It was well dressed and the actors and characters were flawless, but maybe that was the problem for me. They didn't seem "outside." they seemed too much the same as what was around them, but made to look worse.

hugobolso-1 Jeremy Irons has the talent and the voice, but he is not Alexander VI. He doesn't look like Rodrigo Borja.- Showtime has success in the suntous technical aspects, the Jordan direction, and a great Cesar Borgia by Francois Arnaud.-This one has a much better script, more historically accurate (even there some huge historical mistakes) and better actors in the supporting roles.-Specially great are the ladies Vanossa, Julia and LucreziaI love all the intrigues between the cardinals, and the roman families.- People complain about the languages. but real life Rodrigo Borgia probably sound exactly like Pope Francis, speaking an intelligible Italian.Any way all the actors looks much more the historical figures, than in the show time miniseries. And this is another point in favor.There are good reasons why this TV was renewed and the Irons was canceled.-