While Irons was the initial draw, Francois Arnaud’s Cesare Borgia emerged as a standout, often overshadowing other characters with his "devious" and strong presence.

“The Borgias is a thing of beauty, aiming for the same rich colors and painterly qualities of some of the era's great artworks.” Rotten Tomatoes

“These kinds of grand historical reimaginings can be a scrumptious combination of costume drama acting, soap opera theatrics and pay cable promiscuousness.” The Hollywood Reporter · 15 years ago

The season followed Rodrigo’s rise to the papacy through bribery and his subsequent transformation into a "holy figure" who left "dirty deeds" to his son, Cesare.