Hitched

 

 

We find our heroes where we last left them. Lorenzo is marrying the fair Angelica against his will. She really just wants to be with Mac (and vice versa). Leo is making a fancy weapon for the Duke of Florence and Tom is there for moral support.

 

From left to right: Dangerous weapon, its inventor, moral support

 The Medicis are throwing an elaborate wedding for Lorenzo and Angelica. Angelica's father Felipe Visconti is coming for the lavish event, with her enormous dowry. Lorenzo is very unhappy when he realizes that he will have to start a family with Angelica. 

 

"This sucks!"

 

Tom and Leo are horrified when Mac informs them he can't stand seeing Angelica married to someone else and that he is leaving Florence. Leo takes time from his busy inventing schedule to come up with a plan to ruin the wedding so Mac will stay. He forges a letter from the King of Naples, arranging a meeting with his envoy Old Ludovicio. The envoy is of course Leo disguised as an old man. 

 

A very untrustworthy old man

 

"Old Ludovicio" offers Rocco the hand of the king's daughter, Princess Eleanor, claiming that she has been jilted and needs to save face by immediately marrying a young man from a prominent family. Piero of course sees a prime opportunity to move his family up in the world. He lies and says that Rocco is already married, offering up Lorenzo instead of the Duke. "Old Ludovicio" finds the arrangement quite satisfactory. He pretends that Princess Eleanor can not see Lorenzo before their wedding day so no one will find out about the match. Meanwhile, Lorenzo accidentally walks in on in Leo in his old man makeup and realizes that the whole affair is a plot by his friends. Angelica agrees to elope with Mac if he can hijack the wedding. 

 

"I love you because I'm not taller than you."

 

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

 

 Signor Visconti arrives with the news that he has been robbed by brigands on his way to Florence and the dowry is gone.

 

Who could have possibly done such an awful thing?

 

Without a dowry, Piero cancels the wedding and plans to marry Lorenzo off to Princess Eleanor instead.

 

"Princess Eleanor"

 

 Lorenzo's mother insists on visiting Princess Eleanor in the convent where she is supposedly staying. Unable to get out of it, Leo must find a fake Eleanor. Naturally, it falls to Tom to disguise herself as the fictional princess. The friends pretend to be rat catchers and convince the nuns at a nearby convent that they have a rat problem and need to leave while they do a little pest control. Mac disguises himself as a nun while Lorenzo takes on his Old Ludovicio persona to fool Lorenzo's mother. After some rather snobbish behavior from Tom in her princess disguise, Teresa de' Medici is pleased with Princess Eleanor and satisfied with the match.

 

Mac the nun

 

The Medici household continues with preparations for a wedding; but this time it's a royal extravaganza. Mac prepares to run away with Angelica. At the last minute she decides that she can't disgrace her father by eloping with him. Right before the ceremony, the Medicis receive a letter from the King of Naples informing them that Princess Eleanor has had a better offer and will not be marrying their son after all. A panicked Piero desperately tries to renew the betrothal with the Viscontis, but Signor Visconti knows that Angelica doesn't want to marry Lorenzo so he swans off with daughter and dowry in tow.  

 

"Where will I ever find another girl like Angelica?"

Bit o' history:

The Santa Maria convent where the Medicis go to meet Princess Eleanor is most likely meant to be Santa Maria del Carmine, still standing today.

 

The convent today

How to watch CBBC's Leonardo

So you've heard a bit about Leonardo. It's a television series starring the ubiquitous Jonny Bailey and also Alistair McGowan was on it for a bit or something. One of the main obstacles to becoming a fan of the series is that it can be difficult to get hold of. 

#1 Television

The most obvious option. Watch Leonardo on CBBC 5:00 on Thursday nights. CBBC will occasionally have reruns, generally airing in the morning. Check your listings.

#2 Online

Of course for busy fans you can always catch up on the latest episodes on BBC iPlayer. The only downside is that episodes are only available for a few weeks after airing (and only to UK viewers). If your internet connection is slow it might be easier for you to use BBC iPlayer Desktop. For fans on the go, there is a mobile iPlayer for your phone.

#3 iTunes

Luckily, series one was recently released on iTunes. The bad news is that international fans are out of luck as it has been released on iTunes UK only. We are still crossing our fingers for a DVD copy of series one that we can actually own as opposed to merely leasing it.

By The Sword

Verrocchio's art workshop is transformed into an inventor's room for Leo who is hard at work on his tank prototype. Verrocchio constantly gets in his way trying to sketch and paint in the middle of what has essentially become a munitions factory/laboratory. Leo hurts his feelings when he yells at him for being underfoot. The balance of power has shifted as Leo is now the craftsman whose work is valued.

Close quarters

Excitement ensues when famed swordsman Silvio Pirelli, champion fencer of all of Europe, comes to Florence and is hired to teach Lorenzo how to fence. He turns out to be a total jerk, humiliating a small boy in front of a large crowd. Tom, who is dressed in girl's clothes, confronts the arrogant fencer and challenges him to fight her. 

Tom challenges the braggadocious Silvio to a sword fight

He makes a few choice sexist comments and announces that he doesn't fight girls. Tom stalks away in anger. She returns in boy's clothes and challenges Silvio to a sword fight as he insulted her "sister" Lisa. Not wanting to appear a coward, Silvio accepts her challenge. 

Bow out gracefully? Nah!

 Leo reminds Tom she doesn't know anything about fencing so she decides to tell Lorenzo to cancel the match, but she discovers that he has already cancelled it without telling her. Enraged, Tom is determined to go through with it and tells Silvio that she will definitely fight. She convinces Lorenzo to teach her how to fence.

"Ugh, I need new friends!"

Meanwhile, Angelica sneaks out of the Medici palace to meet Mac at his house and tell him that they can never be together. While he is trying to convince her not to marry Lorenzo, Lorenzo and Tom show up to practice fencing and Angelica hides. 

Tom accidentally runs into the curtain Angelica is concealed behind and her wig falls off.  Lorenzo and Angelica get into a massive row as he realizes she has been seeing Mac behind his back and she accuses him of having a girl (Tom) on the side. There are now only around two people in Florence who don't know that Tom is a girl.

Busted!

 Angelica realizes that Tom is the girl that Mac told her he liked. She is very dismissive of Tom's cross-dressing and much to her rage, tries to lecture her on a woman's role in Florence society. This serves to make Tom only more determined to fight Silvio. 

"Oh yes, I do recall that YOU STOLE MY LOOK!"

Lorenzo learns to his alarm that Silvio is planning on making an example of Tom and has no qualms about wounding her. Lorenzo tries to enlist Leo's help, but he is too caught up in his inventing. As agreed, Tom meets Silvio in the morning for their match. He offers Tom the chance to use real swords without blunted tips and fight until yielding or death. Tom accepts his challenge to the horror of everyone but the unsporting Silvio. 

"Smirk, smirk, little peasant boy. Smirk, smirk."

 Knowing only Leo can change her mind, Mac runs to fetch him. Leo grabs his newest invention, some flash bombs, and runs to save Tom. All of Lorenzo's training goes out the window and Tom uses her rapier like a broadsword against Silvio. He easily avoids her hacking thrusts and dances around her, smacking her with the flat of his blade and making a fool of her. While he is showing off, Tom is able to get a cut in. This enrages the vain Silvio as she has ruined his expensive shirt. Silvio launches a concerted attack and disarms Tom just as Leo arrives. As he is about to stab her in the heart Leo throws a flash bomb into the middle of the fight, stunning Silvio. Silvio accuses Tom of cheating, but she has gotten her second wind and relieves him of his suspenders, using his own tricks against him. 

Imagine his shock if Tom pulled off her wig

 Thoroughly pantsed, the humiliated Silvio flees and Tom is the hero of Florence. Leo is roundly scolded for abandoning his work by Verrocchio which restores the balance of power around the workshop.

The Hero of Florence

 The only downside it that Lorenzo now has no fencing tutor, but really he should be fine as he trained the new default champion fencer of Europe. 

"Back to Placidi! Sigh."

The entire episode seems to be based around that well-known quote by Mark Twain: 

"The best swordsman in the world doesn't need to fear the second best swordsman in the world; no, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn't do the thing he ought to do, and so the expert isn't prepared for him."

The person to be afraid of

The Tortoise and The Hare

 Huzzah! Rocco the true Duke has returned and Piero's evil plans have been thwarted once more! But trouble still looms. Mac is in love with Lorenzo's bride-to-be Angelica and Leo has been tricked into making fabulous and dangerous war machines for the nefarious Piero.

Rocco, the Duke of Milan (But for how long?)

Piero is put into further jeopardy when the enthusiastic Rocco proves ready to invade Milan and avenge his father's death. Naturally Piero (who poisoned the Duke and blamed it on Milan) does not want him anywhere near Milan, so he has to come up with a quick plan to distract him. Leo is working on a war machine designed after his pet turtle Tiberius. This provides a convenient distraction for Rocco.

Tiberius, whose shell gives Leo the idea for a powerful weapon

However, he is skeptical about relying on the designs of a teenaged boy expounding on the defensive potential of his tiny pet. 

Skeptical face

Drama unfolds when a lovestruck Mac confesses his feelings for Angelica to Leo who thinks he should "go for it". Tom is not at all surprised at the revelation as she noticed the couple exchanging lovey dovey glances. Lorenzo does not agree and is furious at Mac for falling in love with his fiancée, even though he thinks she is the most tiresome person on the planet.

Property c. 1467

 Leo decides to test out his new invention which is a panel of wood joined together with brass rivets. He fires a cannon at the panel, which alas splinters and allows the cannonball through.

Luckily, they moved first

 Unfortunately, it also breaks the statue of the former Duke, earning Leo the wrath of his son. He accuses Leo of treason and orders him to be put to death. Despite Verrocchio's pleas for mercy, Leo is lined up to face a firing squad. Tom stubbornly refuses to move out of the way and is soon joined by her friends.

Pulling a Spartacus

 Unwilling to have multiple Florentines cut down in public, Rocco postpones Leo's execution and Lorenzo begs Piero to use his influence and convince Rocco to spare Leo's life. Leo spends his time in jail covering the walls with his latest design: an early prototype of a tank.

In jail... again

Upon seeing this design, Piero decides he must save Leo's life so the ultimate weapon can be built. He discovers that Rocco's anger towards Leo's actions is based on an underlying guilt at his failure to save his father. He persuades Rocco to both pardon Leo and allow him to build his prototype tank. Leo improves his design and successfully demonstrates it to Rocco's satisfaction. Piero is delighted that his evil plans are back on track as all he has to do is polish off Rocco when Leo completes his fabulous weapon.

Pictured: new and improved tank material thingy

Meanwhile, back at the Medici palace Lorenzo confronts Angelica about her relationship with Mac. She readily admits that she is in love with Mac and that she doesn't want to marry Lorenzo. Lorenzo decides to ask his father if they can break the betrothal. Predictably, Piero is not pleased with their decision and tells him in no uncertain terms that the marriage will proceed as planned.

Did we mention that he is evil?

This was probably one of my favorite episodes of the season. Piero's plotting actually had some action to back it up. There was a romance storyline without it dominating the plot and the new Duke Clayton Boyd (looking like a taller version of Errol Flynn) had some pretty funny lines.

"WTF? I'm in charge of funny lines!"

Sadly, I am afraid that enormous creaking noise you hear is the Mac/Tom ship being dismantled for scrap. She seemed unfazed that Mac likes someone else, and is still so into Leo that she almost got shot by a firing squad.

Devotion

Also, the music! In this episode Colin Ryan sings the famous Carnival Song written by Lorenzo de' Medici himself. The original Italian version can be heard below.

 He also sings an English translation of the Italian poem "Una dona el cor m'ha tolto" ("Thus did a lady take my heart"). With luck there'll be more tunes from Colin in future episodes!

Stupid Cupid

Leo's father asks Leo to design the invitations for his wedding to Francesca. The only catch: he still has not told her about Leo's existence. As eager for paternal approval as ever, Leo borrows a baby to pose as Cupid for the invitations and the cute little pest ends up wreaking havoc in Verrocchio's studio. 

Keeping baby happy

When Leo finishes the invitations, his father praises them but has decided to invite only Verrocchio. Leo is shattered as his (cowardly) father wants to keep his only son a secret from his presumably child-hating bride. 

 Meanwhile, Mac lands in hot water when Gorgoni the smuggler comes after him after he turns him in. Little does he know that Gorgoni has escaped from the authorities and is out for revenge. 

The incompetent local authorities

 War with Milan is looming on the horizon and Lorenzo is itching to fight. His mother has other ideas and warns her precious piccolo tortellini that he will not be allowed to fight and must stay home with Angelica. Sick of Angelica, Lorenzo pays Mac to entertain her so he can get some peace. Posing as Lorenzo's cousin Count Gianlucca di Modina di Batista di Lampedusa, Mac shows Angelica around Florence. She forces him to give money to some beggars and demands that he take her to the most expensive restaurant in Florence. 

"Oh my God, the bill!"

Mac discovers another side to Angelica when she tells him about her carefully ordered existence where she has no choice in either the way she wants to live her life or even her husband. Mac in turn tells her about his crush on Lisa. Gorgoni shows up and ruins the convivial atmosphere by kidnapping both Mac and Angelica. 

Conveniently tied up back to back

Lorenzo goes to Leo and Tom for help and Tom remembers that Mac mentioned Gorgoni to her. They race off to find Gorgoni who has decided to sneak out of Florence by posing as Angelica's uncle. Leo finds them at the city gates and creates a diversion by starting a fire with a magnifying glass. Mac is able to disarm the man holding him at gunpoint. Leaving a lovestruck Mac behind, Angelica hurries back to the Medici palace for Piero's coronation as Duke of Florence. Just as Piero is about to be crowned, a man bursts in declaring he is Rocco son of the former Duke, previously believed to be drowned at sea.
(To be continued…)

Called it!

I'd like to gloat point out that I predicted Rocco's appearance a couple of weeks ago. Also, Clayton Boyd who plays Rocco, is reputedly a skilled swordsman so hopefully that means we'll see a lot of swashbuckling in future episodes!

Here's hoping that Angelica doesn't go back to her snooty former self now that she has a handsome young thief lord (Although she's still unhappily engaged to Lorenzo).

It looks like Tom might start looking at Mac differently now that he is interested in someone else; the well-known "I didn't want you, but now you want someone else so I want you" syndrome (aka Green-Eyed Epiphany).

"Leo, Mac just suddenly seems so hot!"

The Mask of Death

The Duke is dead. Long live the new Duke!
Having at last polished off the Duke, Piero is ready to assume power in fair Florence. As we saw last week, he poisoned the Duke and blamed it on Milan, meaning that Florence and Milan will almost certainly go to war. Lorenzo is upset about the Duke's assassination and is determined to fight in the war to avenge him. 

Alone with the dead: Leo and Verrocchio make a cast of the Duke's face

 To tie up loose ends Placidi is sent to deal with the failed assassin Scarpa who demands payment; Placidi only laughs at him. Scarpa next shows up, threatening to tell all unless Piero delivers his promised fee. Naturally, he only ends up enraging Piero who decides to dispose of the wily assassin before he can open his big mouth. When Leonardo is hired to make the death mask of the deceased Duke, Tom is suspicious of Piero's motives. Piero's plot becomes obvious when he tells Leo that Florence will lose a war against Milan unless they use Leo's amazing inventions. Meanwhile, the cast of the death mask cracks and turns a weird red color. Leo realizes that the blemishing is caused by some strange chemical, possibly poison. Leo tests several poisons to see if they match the substance on the mask. He is able to duplicate the cracking effect with a sample of cyanide. 

"Hmm, pretty sure that's not supposed to happen."

To obtain more concrete evidence, Leo and Tom sneak into the crypt to take scrapings from the Duke's mouth, but Piero catches them in the act. Leo quickly makes up a lie to cover his tracks and they are escorted out before he can get evidence. Leo gets the name of the attending physician Dr Pentangeli from Lorenzo and goes around to ask him about the death. He confides in the doctor who agrees to help him do a post-mortem, warning Leo to not tell anyone else about his suspicions. Naturally, the good doctor hotfoots it to Piero and alerts him to Leo's detective work. Piero calls Scarpa and tells him he can have his money if in return he commits a previously unscheduled murder.

Scarpa, winner of The Most Trusting Assassin Award

 Leo is startled when Piero shows up at the post-mortem feigning concern at the possible poisoning of the Duke. The post-mortem is suddenly interrupted by Scarpa who pretends to be targeting Piero, but shoots Dr. Pentangeli as he is (unlike Leonardo) dispensable. With his dying breath the doctor tries to tell Leo that Piero hired the assassin, but dies before he can reveal his secret. Leo examines the arrow and realizes that it is covered in cyanide. His suspicions are put to rest as he now believes the Milanese killers dipped the arrow that killed the Duke in poison. 

"You see Leo, it's because I'm just so very evil."

He agrees to help Piero and designs terrible war machines to use in the upcoming war against Milan. Placidi disposes of the assassin, who in the end turned out to be stupid enough not to see the double-cross coming, but smart enough to warn Placidi that the Duke will one day kill him as well since he knows all his secrets. Placidi declines to burn the poison stained handkerchief that Piero used to wipe the Duke's mouth, clearly hoping to use it one day as insurance.