Necrotongue

The seventh episode shed the unnecessary baggage from the last episode. The plot picked up pace, the events started moving, and Machiavelli was back to his scheming best. I was thoroughly entertained again. It was a significant improvement compared to the previous episode.

The creators got so caught up in various love affairs that they sidelined or completely sacrificed all the interesting plot points. For the first time, I actually got bored at times, and that's definitely not a good sign.

Even though there was a noticeable shift from church intrigues to the love lives of the Borgia family, I didn't feel the need to lower my rating. The episode balanced things well, keeping the romantic moments to a tolerable level and avoiding overly passionate dialogues. Plus, the conspiracies brewing were just as juicy as those in the Vatican, making it a solid watch overall.

This episode had the rebellious cardinal traveling through the Italian states, landing in Florence, which I loved because we got to see Niccolo Machiavelli. Unlike the usual church schemers, I really like his character. The plot kept a nice, steady pace, and even Lucrezia's wedding didn't slow things down.

I really enjoyed this episode, just like the last two. The creators did a great job weaving in Torquemada's influence on European migration, and the politically motivated wedding added a nice touch to the plot. It might not be a five-star episode, but it definitely earned a solid four stars from me.

The second episode didn’t disappoint. The church prelates were up to their usual scheming and wealth-chasing, and it was thoroughly entertaining. If the creators had leaned even more into showcasing the vices of these high-ranking clergymen, I might’ve bumped it up to five stars.

Even though I'm not exactly a fan of religion, I found the pilot quite entertaining. Though, some parts, like the crowning of the new pope, dragged on a bit too long.

I really enjoyed this glimpse into the life of an American family. As a father, Willem Dafoe was as pleasant as a pain in the ass, Emily Watson was great as usual, and Ryan Reynolds' performance was greatly improved by his full beard. I only wish the creators had developed some of the issues they had brought up instead of leaving it up to me to figure out the rest. I certainly wouldn’t mind if the film was slightly longer, I liked it a lot.

The film was well made, very well cast and the theme was appealing enough for me to be greatly entertained. Gabriel Byrne’s role was a perfect fit for him and I also loved the performance of Sylvester Stallone, whom I like much better in these calmer roles of aging gangsters/gamblers than a retired John Rambo or Rocky Balboa. The problem was that the story was too monotonous, I guess I was expecting a slightly livelier plot.

One of those films that probably won't sit well with everyone. As I don't like religion of any kind, American hypocrisy, or beauty pageants, I greatly enjoyed a film that joyfully satirizes all of these things. The film offered me a good dose of black humor, and even though the humor sometimes went beyond the bounds of good taste, it worked for me as a whole. All those famous faces (although in a much younger version) were certainly a plus. The performance of last year's winner Mary Jo has been indelibly etched in my memory, the second place was taken by the dance with Jesus. Lesson learned: Don't eat anything that carries around its own house.