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.
“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 Borgias - Season 1
The show was frequently criticized for prioritizing entertainment over accuracy, with some reviewers noting that it smoothed over the era's more shocking realities to appeal to modern sensibilities. Human Voice Quotes The season followed Rodrigo’s rise to the papacy