DA VINCI’S DEMONS: A Genius’s Guide to Italian History

Starz! debuts their latest original series tonight, Da Vinci’s Demons, bringing to life the ultimate Renaissance man – Leonardo da Vinci.

Set in 15th century Florence, Da Vinci’s Demons speculates on the “missing” five years of Leonardo’s – or “Leo” as he’s known by his friends – history from age 27-32. Brimming with ideas, inspired by everything around him, insatiably curious, Leo hustles for financial support to build his visions and create his art. He’s a charming roguish genius, ably played by Tom Riley, sure to become the latest British heartthrob. Sexy, inquisitive, and blessed (or cursed?) with a mind that works so fast he has to smoke opium to dull it enough to put ideas on paper, this Leonardo is far from the image of the old man in his famous self portrait.

The series takes place at a time when Italy is comprised of cities and provinces ruled by powerful families, like the infamous Medicis, with the Catholic church attempting to consolidate power in the region. In addition to political tensions, scientific breakthroughs and the rise of Humanism threaten the Church’s hold on the populace. Leo finds himself in the thick of this swirl of politics, religion, learning, and invention; the perfect storm for a genius to upset the status quo.

The first episode sets up a quest, and a conspiracy, plus Leo testing his new design for a hang glider, sketching beautiful women, studying the flight of birds, building a metal dove for the Medicis’ Easter celebration (Da Vinci’s obsession with flight is well represented here), and finagling his way into a lucrative patronage that lands him squarely in the middle of the Medici family’s affairs. In addition to Leo’s various schemes and manipulations, we’re privy to an assassination, political maneuverings, espionage, and a hanging that will have long-ranging repercussions.

As with most first episodes, “The Hanging Man” is packed with exposition as we learn about Leonardo and the world around him. At times the episode drags a bit, but for the most part it keeps up a steady pace laying the foundation for the rest of the season. Tom Riley is a standout as Leonardo. He imbues Leo with intelligence, mischievousness, and impatience with a hint of wistfulness and occasionally a dose of self-destructiveness that make for a complicated man. Laura Haddock is another revelation as Lucrezia Donati, Lorenzo Medici’s mistress and object of Leo’s desire. Stunningly beautiful (think a younger, softer Angelina Jolie), at first she appears to be no more than a prize to be won, but appearances are deceiving. We see a glimpse of her own agenda in this first episode, to be explored further in later installments.

Da Vinci’s motley crew includes muse Vanessa (Hera Hilmer),  game for anything assistant Nico (Eros Vlahos), and ne’er-do-well-with-the-best-lines buddy Zoroaster (Gregg Chillin). On the political front, Elliot Cowan plays Lorenzo Medici as a congenial, intelligent man, until his wishes are disregarded. His cousin, Count Riario (Blake Ritson) is an emissary of Pope Sixtus IV (James Faulkner) and a formidable adversary. The two of them are adept at the art of the elegant insult, put on display at a celebration in the second episode that had me on edge waiting to see what would happen next. Lara Pulver appears briefly in the first two episode as Clairice Orsini, Lorenzo’s wife, but soon earns her top billing as her own manipulations and schemes take shape. Alexander Siddig has a small, but crucial, role in the premiere, sending da Vinci on a quest for ultimate knowledge.

This reimagining of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and times is vibrant and engaging; anything but stuffy. Obviously some creative license has been taken, but I can forgive a few historical exaggerations if the reward is bringing Renaissance Italy to life. The CGI scenery is occasionally laughable, but in general the elaborate costumes, milling crowds, and breathtaking views converge into a sumptuous visual feast.

Be warned, however, that Da Vinci’s Demons is a premium cable series and they do push the envelope with regards to what they can show on TV. Nudity, sex, violence, gore, crude language – it’s all here, albeit slightly less gratuitous than, for example, Game of Thrones. Casual nudity abounds, as does casual sex. Da Vinci’s rumored bisexuality is touched on briefly, and some will likely be offended by depictions of sex within the Catholic church. My well-documented aversion to blood and gore makes me the worst True Blood fan ever, and it nearly did me in a couple of times while screening these first few episodes, so be warned!

Da Vinci’s Demons premieres tonight at 10/9c on STARZ! during their free preview weekend, or watch it online here.