Yuletide Promotions: Leonardo
What is it?
A two-series, 21-episode long CBBC comedy-drama about the exploits of a teenage Leonardo da Vinci, living in Florence with his friends Lorenzo de’ Medici, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Lisa Gherardhini.
What is it about?
Leonardo da Vinci is an apprentice artist in the Verrochio’s workshop in 15th century Florence, where he is working hard to become an artist, except when he’s inventing flying machines, bicycles, Iron Man armour and the electric keyboard pianoforte, or when he’s getting into exploits with Lorenzo, the son of the most powerful man in Florence; Mac, the leader of a gang of plucky street urchins, and Lisa, a girl who just wants to be a painter, so disguises herself as a boy to work in Verrochio’s workshop.
It is utterly ridiculous. And if you’ve already seen Da Vinci’s Demons you might want to call it Da Vinci’s Demons for kids. I, obviously, sw this show first, so I think of Da Vinci’s Demons as being “Leonardo with more fucking.” Also better, because in the episode of dVD I saw, Leo didn’t invent the Iron Man armor.
Why is it great?
Let me just quote from that massive Season One post I did two years ago:
- mad genius easily distractable teenage genius polymath!
- awesome male-male friendship built on absolute loyalty and secret handshakes!
- conflict of interests between family and friends, portrayed with sense and with real affection.
- unconvincing cross-dressing!
- An unresolved love triangle that never gets resolved because everyone has better things to do. Might get resolved in Season Two? WATCH THIS SPACE!
- Secret societies that meet in the catacombs!
- Michelangelo in red and purple!
- Historically accurate sneakers!
- Renaissance Iron Man!
- Random inexplicable Italian phrases!
- INTRIGUE
- MYSTERY
- And 1,000 elephants!
Actually, there aren’t any elephants. But there should be.
How can I watch it?
Ah. There, we might have a problem. Because AFAIK it’s never been released on DVD.
BUT if you are in the UK, then season 2 is currently being repeated daily, and you can catch the last week’s worth of episodes on iPlayer. Once they’re gone, you’ll just have to hope they repeat.
This post can also be found at Thagomizer.net. Feel free to join in the conversation wherever you feel most comfortable.