More Epics Coming to TV

I have already noted that I am looking forward to the start of the new Starz series Camelot on April 1, and this is just one of many new epic shows coming to television.

On April 3rd, Showtime will premiere The Borgias, which will tell the tale of Italy's most famous Renaissance family.  And, as with Camelot, the series will not skimp on talent.  The story stars Jeremy Irons as Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, who is striving for the papacy.  And of course we need to meet the papal family, for what is a pope without a mistress and children?  One of the sons, Juan, is played by David Oakes, who also played the slimy William Hamleigh in the Starz miniseries Pillars Of The Earth. Having enjoyed Showtime's Tudors, I am not expecting the most accurate historical portrayal, but I do expect a good story.

On April 17th the fun continues with HBO's Game of Thrones. Based on the first book in George R. R. Martin's series, A Song of Fire and Ice, it tells the story of a battle for a throne in the darkest of days. And it is only appropriate that the series stars Sean Bean, Boromir from the Lord of the Rings movies.  Here is a quick summary of the book itself from Publisher's week (we shall see how true the series is to the book):

In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land...Although the romance of chivalry is central to the culture of the Seven Kingdoms, and tournaments, derring-do and handsome knights abound, these trappings merely give cover to dangerous men and women who will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. When Lord Stark of Winterfell, an honest man, comes south to act as the King's chief councilor, no amount of heroism or good intentions can keep the realm under control. It is fascinating to watch Martin's characters mature and grow, particularly Stark's children, who stand at the center of the book.

If you are looking for a particularly obsessive web-site dedicated to this new HBO production (containing a lot of interesting information and photos), check out winter-is-coming.net.

And to think that I mourned for the future of television at one point in time.  2011 promises to be a year filled with weighty, well-made productions.

Update:  The Borgias has been renewed for a second season, according to an April 26th posting by AOLTV.