Leonardo da Vinci is often remembered as an artist, as a genius and as a remarkable man – the creator of the famous “Mona Lisa” and the man whose dreams were without limit. The Da Vinci depicted in Starz’s new series “Da Vinci’s Demons” is all of those things, but something more as well. In this period drama, audiences are introduced to a Da Vinci (Tom Riley, “Return to House on Haunted Hill”) they’ve never met before, one who is young, vibrant, rebellious and impossibly charming.
Written and directed by David S. Goyer, the series premiere follows the young artist’s quest for greatness in Renaissance-era Florence, as well as his search for the truth when he meets a mysterious Turk who claims to be a member of an ancient fraternity that predates the birth of Christ. According to the Turk, Da Vinci is destined for greatness, but only if he joins the fraternity in search of a lost religious text known as the “Book of Leaves.” As Da Vinci becomes entangled in an impending war between Florence and the Vatican, he must decide whether he will become a slave to fate or deny its very existence to forge his own path.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the premiere episode is the look audiences are given into the inner workings of Da Vinci’s mind. Much of the episode centers around his obsession with flight, and as we see Da Vinci studying the natural flight of birds, we also see the calculations being performed within him in the form of illustrations integrated into live action film. This marriage of creativity and science adds a sense of mystical wonder to the pilot episode, and further confirms viewers’ impression of Da Vinci as a genius in all aspects.
Riley delivers a mesmerizing performance as Da Vinci, simultaneously surprising the audience with his wit and charm and reminding viewers what makes this man such a fascinating part of history. It is a truly enthralling experience to see the famed Da Vinci come alive through Riley, so full of zest, curiosity and youth. Laura Haddock (“The Inbetweeners Movie”) also impresses as Lucrezia Doneti, the mistress of Count Lorenzo Medici (Elliot Cowan) and the prize of Da Vinci’s eye. Haddock plays her part with an enigmatic smugness, making viewers question her motives as well as her true allegiance in the quickly escalating conflict between Florence and Rome.
Unfortunately, the pilot episode is slightly flawed in that there are too many characters and plot arcs to keep track of. Between the Book of Leaves, the upcoming war, Da Vinci’s romantic escapades and the fleeting images we are given of his uncertain past, the many interweaving story lines within the series premiere can often become overwhelming and confusing. Viewers will need to pay close attention to catch every detail, and even so some aspects of the plot are not explained fully and require an extremely keen eye to be detected.
Yet “Da Vinci’s Demons” brings a fresh new look at the revered Da Vinci to the small screen, allowing audiences to see him as he’s never been seen before. In fact, the series premiere presents audiences with an exciting, mystical world in which Da Vinci yearns to achieve greatness. If writer and director David Goyer would only slow down a little and allow his audience to catch up, this new series could be one of the most watched programs of 2013.
