Medici is an Italian-British television drama series about the Medici dynasty set in 15th-century Florence, starring Dustin Hoffman as Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, Richard Madden as Cosimo de' Medici, and Stuart Martin as Lorenzo de' Medici (The Elder). The series was created by Frank Spotnitz and Nicholas Meyer.[1]
Series overview
Episodes
Season 1 (2016)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Italian Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Italy viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Original Sin" | "Peccato originale" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Story by : Frank Spotnitz & Nicholas Meyer Teleplay by : Nicholas Meyer | 18 October 2016 | 8.04[2] | |
| In 1429, when the Medici patriarch Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici is poisoned, his first son Cosimo takes over the family bank and asks Marco Bello to investigate the murder. Cosimo is elected to his father's seat on the Signoria, where Rinaldo degli Albizzi, the family's rival, is pushing for war with Milan because they attacked Lucca. Twenty years earlier, Giovanni had sent Cosimo and his younger brother Lorenzo to Rome with bribes to install a friendly cardinal as Pope and gain control of the Vatican's banking. Cosimo, who wants to be an artist, meets Donatello and falls in love with his beautiful model Bianca, but when Giovanni finds out, he shuts down the studio and drives Bianca away. | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "The Dome and the Domicile" | "La cupola e la dimora" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Frank Spotnitz & Nicholas Meyer | 18 October 2016 | 7.14[3] | |
| The war with Milan is going badly and Florence's economy is in ruins. Cosimo funds Filippo Brunelleschi to build a dome for the cathedral creating work and brokers a deal between Lucca and the Duke of Milan for peace. Twenty years earlier, Giovanni forces Cosimo to marry Contessina, the strong-willed daughter of a noble banker with financial problems, forcing Cosimo to give up his dreams of being an artist. | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Pestilence" | "La peste" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Sophie Petzal | 25 October 2016 | 6.73[4] | |
| Florence is hit by the Black Plague and Cosimo moves the family to the safety of their estate outside the city. Albizzi turns the people against Cosimo and his dome blaming the plague on God's wrath at the Medici's usury. Cosimo returns to Florence and turns the cathedral into a hospice for plague victims to save the dome. Lorenzo overrules Contessina and sells the family's wool business making their financial problems public. Albizzi has Cosimo arrested after Marco breaks into a house to gather evidence on Giovanni's murder. Twenty years earlier, Cosimo and Contessina struggle to trust each other and make their marriage work. | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Judgment Day" | "Il giorno del giudizio" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Alex von Tunzelmann | 25 October 2016 | 6.32[4] | |
| Albizzi accuses Cosimo of usury and trying to overthrow the republic. Piero and Contessina try to mount a defense but Cosimo is sentenced to death. Lorenzo buys the Sforza army and threatens to invade Florence. Contessina storms the Signoria on horseback and persuades them to exile Cosimo to prevent war. Twenty years earlier, Cosimo's friend Albizzi tells him that his family lost a valuable ship at sea and Giovanni uses the information to have Albizzi's father declared bankrupt and thrown off the Signoria. | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Temptation" | "La tentazione" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Francesca Gardiner | 1 November 2016 | 6.50 | |
| Albizzi hires mercenaries and exiles the Medici's allies to gain control of Florence. Contessina turns down an offer to flee Florence with her old lover, whom she was forced to abandon when she was betrothed to Cosimo. In Venice, Cosimo lobbies the Doge to back his return to Florence, and with information supplied by Contessina, thwarts Albizzi's attempt to make an alliance through marriage. The Doge gives Cosimo a beautiful slave named Maddelena, whom he teaches to draw and then falls for. Albizzi tries to seize the Signoria but he is betrayed by Pazzi and arrested. | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Ascendancy" | "Predominio" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Jonny Stockwood & Mark Denton | 1 November 2016 | 6.02 | |
| Cosimo is welcomed back to Florence and pays off the mercenaries who are terrorising the town because they haven't been paid. Cosimo finally makes up with Contessina and ends his relationship with Maddelena. The Pope Eugene IV seeks sanctuary with the Medici when Rome is attacked. At the Pope's urging, Cosimo persuades the Signoria to show mercy and exile Albizzi instead of executing him. While the Pope blesses Cosimo's cathedral, Albizzi and his son are murdered in the woods by the mercenaries. | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Purgatory" | "Il purgatorio" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | Emilia di Girolamo | 8 November 2016 | 6.42 | |
| Cosimo has a local olive merchant elected to the Signoria to fill Albizzi's vacant seat, but the merchant is murdered and Pazzi is elected while Cosimo is absent. After Marco reveals that the apothecary was killed with Lorenzo's dagger, Cosimo has Lorenzo locked in his room. Marco kisses Maddelena causing tension with Cosimo. Lorenzo claims Marco framed him to cover up his own involvement in Giovanni's murder, which Marco denies and Cosimo allows him to leave. Ugo reveals that Rosa was carrying Lorenzo's child and Giovanni had her shipped off to a home for unmarried mothers where she and the baby died. | ||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Epiphany" | "L'epifania" | Sergio Mimica-Gezzan | John Fay | 8 November 2016 | 6.26 | |
| Rumours of Cosimo's hand in Albizzi's murder result in the Pope transferring the church's banking to Pazzi. Cosimo heads to Rome with money to pay for an army to retake Rome for the Pope. Marco helps Lorenzo to capture Pazzi's assassin and obtain a letter that proves Pazzi's complicity. Pazzi's men kill Lorenzo and free the assassin but Cosimo gives the letter to the Pope and the Medici retain the church's banking. Maddelena is pregnant with Cosimo's child and Contessina decides that Cosimo will acknowledge and raise the bastard. Ugo murdered Giovanni because he ordered him to take Rosa away and she and her child ultimately died in the home to which he had taken her. | ||||||||
Season 2 (2018)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title [5] | Italian Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date [5] | Italy viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Old Scores" | "Vecchi rancori" | Jon Cassar | Frank Spotnitz | 23 October 2018 | 4.53 | |
| 1469. Following years of stable power established by the late Cosimo, the Medici Bank, now led by the 50s-year-old Piero de' Medici, is in trouble. Piero is the target of a harrowing ambush; wounded, he is saved by his 20s-year-old sons Lorenzo and Giuliano, who accuse the family's nemesis Jacopo de' Pazzi of attempted murder. With the mounting tensions in the city, Piero requests the intervention of the army of one of his chief debtors, Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. | ||||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Standing Alone" | "Un uomo solo" | Jon Cassar | Alex von Tunzelmann | 23 October 2018 | 3.82 | |
| Now head of the family, Lorenzo travels to Rome with his mother Lucrezia to gain the Pope's financial support or risk losing everything. But Jacopo Pazzi's cousin Francesco Salviati is a member of the Roman curia and works against them. Sandro Botticelli meets his muse in Simonetta Vespucci. To resolve the situation in Rome, Lucrezia works in the background to secure a marriage alliance between Lorenzo and Clarice Orsini, niece of a highly influential Cardinal, in return for her brother's appointment as Cardinal of Florence. Piero, ailing with gout, dies. A jousting contest takes place between the Pazzi and the Medici. | ||||||||
| 11 | 3 | "Obstacles and Opportunities" | "Ostacoli e opportunità" | Jon Cassar | Mark Denton & Johnny Stockwood & James Dormer | 30 October 2018 | 4.50 | |
| Following the death of Pope Paul II, the new pontiff Sixtus IV appoints the Pazzi cousin Salviati as Archbishop of Pisa, working against the Medici interests. Lorenzo and his brother travel to Milan to form closer ties with Sforza and secure trade for Florence. Jacopo Pazzi attempts to exploit the scandalous elopement of his nephew Guglielmo with Lorenzo's sister Bianca, in order to undermine the Signoria's approval of the alliance with Milan. Lorenzo trades away advantages in order to allow his sister to marry her love. A wedding feast is held following the arrival of Lorenzo's wife Clarice from Rome. Giuliano becomes involved with Simonetta Vespucci. | ||||||||
| 12 | 4 | "Blood with Blood" | "Il prezzo del sangue" | Jon Cassar | Francesco Arlanch | 30 October 2018 | 4.05 | |
| Bianca's wedding takes place. Clarice confronts Lorenzo's mistress and then Lorenzo. The mineral alum is discovered near Volterra, nominally within Florence's realm. Lorenzo strikes a deal with his Volterran friend Steffano Maffei to exploit and trade the discovery. Jacopo's insistence on wiping-out the Medici interferes with Lorenzo's deal with Francesco de' Pazzi to share the wealth of Volterra. Lorenzo proposes a marriage for his brother to allow an alliance with Venice, however Venice ends up looking elsewhere after Clarice intervenes. Volterran politics interfere in Lorenzo's plans when Maffei is murdered. Giuliano and a military contingent attack Volterra but the army cannot be contained and a slaughter takes place. Whilst there is rejoicing in Florence, Lorenzo and Giuliano are distressed by the turn of events. Lorenzo recognises the ally he has in Clarice. | ||||||||
| 13 | 5 | "Ties That Bind" | "Legami" | Jan Michelini | Lulu Raczka & James Dormer | 6 November 2018 | 4.03 | |
| It is a year later. Lorenzo and Clarice, their relationship much improved, celebrate the birth of their child, Piero, with Francesco as godfather. Bianca is pregnant. Lorenzo's alliance of friendship with Francesco Pazzi pays dividends, however this causes much conflict between Francesco and his uncle. Milan acquires the city of Imola. The senior Pazzi sees this as an opportunity to drive a wedge between the Pope and Lorenzo. The Sforza agree to sell Imola to Lorenzo, and Lorenzo wants first his brother and then Francesco as Florence's governor there. However the senior Pazzi's plotting through his cousin Salviati leads to the threat to excommunicate Milan if he does not sell Imola to the Papal States. Giuliano confesses his relationship with Simonetta was the reason for his refusal to accept the Imola post. The senior Pazzi seeks to use Francesco's wife as a wedge between Francesco and Lorenzo, and when Francesco investigates further the circumstances of Novella's arrival in the city, he sees her arrival as part of a Medici plot, and throws her out of his house. Vespucci suspects his wife is having an affair. | ||||||||
| 14 | 6 | "Alliance" | "Alleanza" | Jan Michelini | Francesco Arlanch | 6 November 2018 | 3.79 | |
| The Pazzi foment insurrection in nearby Città di Castello. Giuliano is distraught at the end of his affair and travels to Citta di Castello to try to quell the riots against Castello's leader. The Pope sees the situation there as a representation of all that is bad about the Medici's alliances, and seeks to bring order to the city. Both Pazzi and Lorenzo attempt to win broad support for their candidate to be the new Gonfaloniere of Florence. The struggle to win votes turns violent - Luca Soderini is murdered after vacillating regarding his vote when pressured by the Pazzi. Venice's envoy is upset after his daughter Novella is thrown-out of home by Francesco Pazzi, and this threatens Lorenzo's attempts to broker an alliance between Milan, Florence, and Venice to secure trade routes and interfere with the Pope's plans. Clarice attempts to lobby for her husband's candidate by again approaching her husband's ex mistress. Vespucci discovers who his wife's affair is with, and despite her being very ill, imprisons her when she refuses to renounce her love for Giuliano. Giuliano confronts Vespucci regarding his wife's absence, and is with her as she dies from her illness. He is disconsolate. Luca's son Bastiano is installed on the council, and Lorenzo wins the vote. Support for the alliance has consequences when in Milan, Sforza is brutally murdered. | ||||||||
| 15 | 7 | "Betrayal" | "Tradimento" | Jan Michelini | John Fay | 13 November 2018 | 4.29 | |
| The new 9-year-old Duke of Milan and the regent, his mother, arrive to reaffirm Milan's alliance. Giuliano questions existence after his lover's death. Salviati and the Pazzi determine that they must rid the world of the Medici, and mercenaries are hired to do the deed. Their plans are overheard in Rome and as a result, Lorenzo's uncle Carlo de' Medici is locked-up. Pope Sixtus IV invites Lorenzo to Rome for peace talks however fearing for his safety he instead sends Clarice. Carlo is forced to pretend all is well when Clarice insists on meeting him. The Pazzi realise both Medici brothers must be murdered at once, and their plans are forced to continually change due to them not being together. Whilst stressing he could not countenance murder, the Pope agrees to sanction the removal of the Medici in Florence, and sends his 17-year-old nephew Cardinal Riario as an envoy with a retinue of 600 from the Papal army. | ||||||||
| 16 | 8 | "Mass" | "Consacrazione" | Jan Michelini | John Fay | 13 November 2018 | 4.21 | |
| The Pazzi conspiracy plays out. Having failed to bring to fruition any of their other plans, at High Mass in the Duomo on Sunday 26 April 1478 before a crowd of 10,000, Giuliano is stabbed 19 times by various mercenaries and Francesco Pazzi. He bleeds to death whilst his brother Lorenzo is seriously wounded as panic grips the congregation whilst mercenaries continue their attacks. Lorenzo, Clarice and his mother are kept safe, terrified, in the sacristy. Meanwhile, Salviati, holding the Gonfalionere hostage in the Palazzo della Signoria, talks to the crowds below indicating that the Pope has sanctioned the removal of the Medici. In the piazza, Pazzi and his nephew tell the crowd that the tyranny of the Medici is over, however they are locked out of the Signoria. With the coast clear, Lorenzo leaves the safety of the sacristy and mourns Giuliano. He walks the piazza and the crowd turns on the Pazzi, with many in the crowd highlighting the benefits to their trade of the Medici being in power. The coup fails, and the senior Pazzi attempts to ride out of town to the safety of the Papal Army massing outside, but the gates are closed and he must seek sanctuary. His nephew is hunted down. Lorenzo, now fully in control of the city, orders the destruction of everything to do with the Pazzi. He wants the family, its possessions, its symbols, and its history expunged from the city. An orgy of violence and looting takes place, leading to despair by Botticelli. Meanwhile, Bianca seeks assurances from her husband, a Pazzi, regarding his role and any knowledge of the conspiracy. Lorenzo's childhood memories of his friendship with Francesco, and words from his dying grandmother years ago, cloud his views of what to do with the conspirators. Salviati and Francesco are hanged from the walls of the Palazzo. Jacopo Pazzi is found by Lorenzo and is also hanged. Clarice appeals for Lorenzo to denounce and end the violence. Botticelli calls for Lorenzo to recognise that it is his kindness and not vengeance that had led the city to support him over the Pazzi. Lorenzo exiles Bianca, her husband and their baby. In Rome, the Pope is outraged by developments. | ||||||||
Season 3 (2019)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Italian Title | Directed by [6] | Written by | Original air date | Italy viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | "Survival" | "Sopravvivenza" | Christian Duguay | James Dormer | 2 December 2019 | 4.84 [7] | |
| A few years after the murder of Giuliano de' Medici, Lorenzo is shown more tactful and ruthless in dealing with the newly emerged political challenges spearheaded by Pope Sixtus IV and his ambitious nephew, Girolamo Riario. Riario wants to take the city of Florence by himself to destroy the Medici family. Sixtus asks Lorenzo to visit him in Rome and ask for forgiveness for hanging Bishop Salviati. Meanwhile, the mourning Medici family receives an orphaned young boy named Giulio who appears to have been fathered by the late Giuliano. The boy is embraced by Lucrezia and Clarice, but Lorenzo first denies acknowledgement of him as his nephew, before eventually witnessing Giuliano's ring in Giulio's hands, and accepting the boy. Giulio finds it hard to adjust to his new family. Meanwhile, Lorenzo releases Sixtus' nephew, Cardinal Raffaele, in exchange for his Uncle Carlo from Rome. Carlo is attacked, and barely escapes as he makes his return to Florence. Upon witnessing the deprivation over the Florentine public under excommunication, Clarice warns Lorenzo. After meeting a new priest in Florence, Girolamo Savonarola, and consulting with his newly appointed counselor Bruno Bernardi, Lorenzo convinces the bishops of Florence to challenge Sixtus by lifting the ban thus further enraging the pope and Riario, who respond by attacking Florence with the help of Kingdom of Naples. | ||||||||
| 18 | 2 | "The Ten" | "I Dieci" | Christian Duguay | James Dormer | 2 December 2019 | 4.00 [8] | |
| With the threat of an attack by Naples Lorenzo vows to never let Florence fall yet faces internal opposition. He forms the Council of Ten to take control the unrest in the city. Clarice and her children are sent to the villa in Pistoia where Maddalena de' Medici (1473–1528) is born. Friar Girolamo Savonarola clashes with leadership as wives exert their influence. Lorenzo leaves for Naples to meet with Ferdinand I of Naples. | ||||||||
| 19 | 3 | "Trust" | "Fiducia" | Christian Duguay | Story by : Chris Hurford Teleplay by : Guy Burt | 3 December 2019 | 4.09 [9] | |
| Lorenzo arrives in Naples and makes an appeal to Ferdinand to unite Naples and Florence. Lorenzo befriends Ferdinand by telling him of an Ottoman attack on Naples. He returns to Florence to celebrate his new alliance. | ||||||||
| 20 | 4 | "Innocents" | "Innocenti" | Christian Duguay | Francesco Arlanch | 3 December 2019 | 3.60 [10] | |
| Seven years later, on the eve of a peace conference, Girolamo Riario's men seize Ferrara, 100 miles from Florence and takes their salt. Based on the actions by Riario, Pope Sixtus condemns Riario and accepts Lorenzo's invitation to a peace conference in Bagnolo. His mother Lucrezia confides in Clarice about her illness. Lorenzo's son Giovanni is sent to the Curia, in Rome to become a priest. | ||||||||
| 21 | 5 | "The Holy See" | "La Santa Sede" | Christian Duguay | Guy Burt | 9 December 2019 | 4.10 [11] | |
| In Rome, racked by chaos, Lorenzo and Clarice scramble to safeguard peace by helping to select the next pope. Lorenzo's son Giovanni and his cousin are in Rome to prepare for an ecclesiastical career. Lorenzo picks Cardinal Giovanni Battista Cybo for the next pope. Riario's wife befriends Clarice and she gives him evidence of corruption with certain popes. When Cybo wins, Riario and his men try to escape but are killed by Lorenzo and his guards. Friar Girolamo Savonarola preaches to a growing flock back in Florence. | ||||||||
| 22 | 6 | "A Man of No Importance" | "Un uomo senza importanza" | Christian Duguay | Charlotte Wolfe | 9 December 2019 | 3.56 [12] | |
| Lorenzo returns to Florence. Niccolò Ardinghelli turns up the pressure on the Medicis. Lorenzo brings together painters Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci. Counselor Bruno revisits an old foe, his family. Tommaso Peruzzi is killed by Bernardi to protect Lorenzo. | ||||||||
| 23 | 7 | "Lost Souls" | "Anime perdute" | Christian Duguay | Debbie Oates and Ian Kershaw | 11 December 2019 | 3.53 [13] | |
| An uneasy peace settles on the Medici household and an ailing Lorenzo. Yet Florence is rife with rumors stirred by friar Girolamo Savonarola. Lorenzo's enemies attack Michelangelo's studio and Lorenzo's residence. After the death of Tommaso Peruzzi, Savonarola seeks to find the killer. Piero Medici (Lorenzo's 1st son) is groomed to succeed Lorenzo upon his death. Giovanni Medici (Lorenzo's 2nd son) is to become a cardinal. Lorenzo's wife, Clarice Orsini dies. | ||||||||
| 24 | 8 | "The Fate of the City" | "Il destino della città" | Christian Duguay | James Dormer | 11 December 2019 | 3.31 [14] | |
| There is a funeral for Lorenzo's wife, Clarice. Friar Savonarola still controls the Florence people. Lorenzo decides to assassinate Savonarola but in the end, prevents the assassination attempt. The council of Ten is dissolved and the people rule Florence. Bruno Bernardi is hanged for his misdeeds. Lorenzo, on his deathbed, asks for God's forgiveness from friar Savonarola. Supporters of Savonarola collected and burned thousands of objects in a socalled bonfire of the vanities. | ||||||||
References
- ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (21 October 2016). "'Medici' With Dustin Hoffman, Richard Madden Sets Italy Ratings Record". Variety. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ↑ Lopes, Benjamin (26 October 2018). "Les Médicis, Maîtres de Florence : carton d'audience pour la série de SFR Play". Toute la Tele (in French). Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ↑ Stefanelli, Stefania (19 October 2016). "MARTEDI 18 OTTOBRE 2016. I MEDICI SBANCANO CON IL 29.9%, LIONE-JUVENTUS RISPONDE CON IL 20.3%". Ascolti TV (in Italian). NanoPress. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- 1 2 Buonocore, Mattia (26 October 2016). "MARTEDI 25 OTTOBRE 2016. I MEDICI SI ASSESTANO SUL 25.7% (6,5 MLN), CANALE 5 AL 9.9%. LA7 (4.2%) BATTE RETE 4 (4%), MEDIASET EXTRA OTTAVO CANALE (1.8%) FA QUASI IL DOPPIO DI TV8 (0.9%) E DI NOVE (1%)". Ascolti TV (in Italian). NanoPress. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- 1 2 "Medici: Masters of Florence - Episodes Guide and Summaries". Next Episode. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
- ↑ Vivarelli, Nick (28 August 2018). "Christian Duguay, Francesco Montanari Board 'Medici' Season 3 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 4 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 10 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 10 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 12 December 2019.
- ↑ "Ascolti e Share - Ufficio Stampa RAI". Retrieved 12 December 2019.
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