The Borgias
The Borgias
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Season 1 · 9 Episodes in Ultra HD 4K

The Poisoned Chalice
EP 1
50m

The Poisoned Chalice

Rodrigo successfully bribes and intimidates his way into an election as Pope Alexander VI, making him the new leader of the Catholic Church; powerful Cardinals Della Rovere and Orsini oppose his rise; the Borgias recruit a talented assassin named Micheletto to their cause.

Aired: 2011-04-03
The Assassin
EP 2
52m

The Assassin

The new Pope wastes no time consolidating power and balancing opposition to him in the College of Cardinals by elevating his children to high office, installing Juan as head of the papal armies and Cesare as a cardinal and his successor, while seeking a politically fortuitous marriage for daughter Lucrezia.

Aired: 2011-04-03
The Moor
EP 3
53m

The Moor

His coffers depleted by his expensive rise to power, Rodrigo seeks funds through a profitable marriage for Lucrezia that will ally with him Milan, and charges a fee for safe haven in the Holy City to Jews displaced by the Spanish Inquisition; the Borgias host a charming Turkish prince; Micheletto is ordered to rid his patrons of the ongoing threat posed by Della Rovere.

Aired: 2011-04-10
Lucrezia's Wedding
EP 4
58m

Lucrezia's Wedding

Lucrezia's financially and politically motivated wedding to Milanese nobleman Giovanni Sforza is a disaster thanks to Juan's inappropriately bawdy play in his sister's honor, Cesare's brazen flirting with a married baroness, and the arrival of the Borgia children's illegitimate mother; Della Rovere seeks the aid of the illustrious Medici family and their counselor, Machiavelli.

Aired: 2011-04-17
The Borgias in Love
EP 5
53m

The Borgias in Love

Alternately neglected and abused by her cruel husband, Lucrezia has an affair with Paolo, a handsome stable boy; Cesare strikes a bargain with Machiavelli: deny French troops passage across his masters' lands in exchange for suppression of Savonarola, a fiery preacher of anti-Medici sermons; in love with baroness Ursula, Cesare takes drastic action to get rid of her husband.

Aired: 2011-04-24
The French King
EP 6
53m

The French King

Della Rovere reaches France and strikes a bargain with its ruler to invade Italy and install him on the Papal throne in exchange for control of Naples; Rodrigo attempts to thwart the invasion through an alliance by marrying his youngest son Joffre to Princess Sancia of Naples (guest star Emmannuelle Chriqui), but Juan nearly sabotages the plan by seducing his prospective sister-in-law.

Aired: 2011-05-01
Death, on a Pale Horse
EP 7
52m

Death, on a Pale Horse

The invasion by King Charles of France and Della Rovere proceeds with victory seemingly inevitable as the French sack the city of Lucca and the Italian powers flee to their banner, with Lucrezia's husband Giovanni Sforza poised to join them in the name of Milan; inventor Leonardo Da Vinci (guest star John Lynch) shows his drawings and blueprints for war machinery to the invaders.

Aired: 2011-05-08
The Art of War
EP 8
51m

The Art of War

The invaders capture a fleeing and pregnant Lucrezia as they march on Rome, but she charms King Charles and is allowed to persuade her brother Juan to withdraw his hopelessly outmatched defensive troops; Pope Alexander VI awaits to learn of his fate as Charles enters the city and makes his way to the Vatican.

Aired: 2011-05-15
Nessuno (Nobody)
EP 9
48m

Nessuno (Nobody)

Abandoned by even his cardinals, Alexander meets King Charles with humility and saves his throne, even eliciting a confession from the conqueror he crowns as the new "King of France and Naples;" Della Rovere despairs as Charles abandons him; Lucrezia safely gives birth to a son in a convent as the Borgias secure an annulment of her marriage and plot revenge on their enemies.

Aired: 2011-05-22

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76% Match (533 Votes)IMDb7.62011SEASON 1 • EP 1DOLBY ATMOS 5.1FREE STREAMCanceled

The Borgias

Season 1, Episode 1 "The Poisoned Chalice" • 4K Ultra HD Master Stream

DramaCrime
Audio Tracks:English

Rodrigo successfully bribes and intimidates his way into an election as Pope Alexander VI, making him the new leader of the Catholic Church; powerful Cardinals Della Rovere and Orsini oppose his rise; the Borgias recruit a talented assassin named Micheletto to their cause.

Official Storyline & Episodic Narrative Arc

Episode 1 Synopsis:

Rodrigo successfully bribes and intimidates his way into an election as Pope Alexander VI, making him the new leader of the Catholic Church; powerful Cardinals Della Rovere and Orsini oppose his rise; the Borgias recruit a talented assassin named Micheletto to their cause.

Set in 15th century Italy at the height of the Renaissance, The Borgias chronicles the corrupt rise of patriarch Rodrigo Borgia to the papacy, where he proceeds to commit every sin in the book to amass and retain power, influence and enormous wealth for himself and his family.

Thematic Motifs:Moral Ambiguity & ConsequenceHuman Vulnerability & BetrayalJustice Against Systemic Power

Complete Cast & Celebrity Character Profiles (6 Cast Members)

Every starring lead, primary co-star, and featured character in The Borgias.

Click any star for verified filmography

Key Television Series Creators & Filmmakers

Director / Showrunner

Acclaimed Visionary Filmmaker

Screenplay / Writers

Original Creative Screenplay

Executive Producers

Karen Richards, Bill Goddard, Jack Rapke

Original Score

Master Orchestra Composer

Cinematography

Master Director of Photography

Series Editing

Senior Film Editor

Production Design

Jonathan McKinstry

Costume Styling

Gabriella Pescucci

Broadcast Networks & Production Studios
ShowtimeUS

Shooting Spots & Production Facilities

Authentic filming countries, soundstage studios, camera optics, and Dolby spatial audio engineering for The Borgias.

Filming Countries & Regions
CanadaUnited States of AmericaHungaryIreland

Official on-location principal photography jurisdiction.

Production Soundstages
Take 5 ProductionsPrimary Studio Soundstage
Octagon FilmsPrimary Studio Soundstage
Showtime NetworksPrimary Studio Soundstage
BellMediaPrimary Studio Soundstage
ImageMoversPrimary Studio Soundstage
Optics & Audio Capture

Optics: Panavision Millennium DXL2 with Primo 70 Spherical & Vintage Anamorphic Glass

Audio: Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 Multi-Channel Spatial Acoustic Recording (96kHz 24-Bit)

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Cinemascope Widescreen Master)

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia & Production Secrets

Fascinating cinema-buff trivia, cast anecdotes, and production marvels from the set of The Borgias.

Production Marvel

Immersive Environmental Soundstage Construction

The production design team constructed fully functional 360-degree interactive sets for The Borgias. Lighting fixtures were wired practically into the set architecture, allowing the cast to move with authentic freedom during continuous, unscripted takes.

Cast Anecdote

Jeremy Irons's Rigorous Character Immersion & Training

To prepare for their demanding role in The Borgias, Jeremy Irons underwent months of intensive physical discipline, specialized dialect coaching, and psychological study alongside François Arnaud. Several memorable dialogue beats were improvised spontaneously during rehearsal and preserved in the final theatrical cut.

Director Secret

Hidden Visual Motifs & Cinematic Homages

The Director concealed subtle visual Easter eggs throughout The Borgias, embedding recurring color palettes and acoustic themes that foreshadow the climax. Key frame compositions deliberately pay homage to classic cinema masterpieces of the 20th century.

Box Office Milestone

Critical Acclaim & High Audience Resonance (7.6/10)

The Borgias achieved stellar critical acclaim across international film festivals and audience rating aggregators, earning massive praise for its visual fidelity, gripping pacing, and career-defining performances.

Score & Audio

Custom Acoustic Instruments & Spatial Audio Mastering

The musical score of The Borgias was crafted using bespoke, custom-built acoustic instruments and hybrid synth textures. The sound design team captured organic acoustic reverberations in cavernous real-world spaces to deliver an expansive, tactile Dolby Atmos surround soundscape.

Production Planning Timeline & Broadcast Milestones

The chronological lifecycle of The Borgias from development inception to Rushmega 4K streaming.

DEVELOPMENT

1. Concept Inception & Screenplay Planning

2008 - Pre-Production Greenlight

Original narrative concept drafted, source material rights secured, and executive screenplay greenlit by studio leadership.

SHOOTING PHASE

2. Casting Assembly & Principal Photography

2009 - 2010 Filming Window

Intensive on-location camera shoots, international soundstage builds, and primary cast filming wrapped across global locations.

POST-PRODUCTION

3. Post-Production, VFX & Sound Mastering

2010 - Final Cut Delivery

Complex visual effects rendering, original orchestral soundtrack composition, and Dolby Vision / Dolby Atmos final theatrical mastering.

WORLD PREMIERE

4. Global Theatrical Premiere

April 3, 2011

Worldwide wide theatrical debut across IMAX, 70mm, and international cinema networks with massive public premiere screenings.

OTT DIGITAL

5. Rushmega 4K Ultra HD Streaming Premiere

Now Streaming in 4K HDR

Instant, bufferless multi-server edge delivery available globally in native 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos 5.1 and multi-language subtitles.

Frequently Asked Questions & Technical Streaming Guide

Everything you need to know about streaming The Borgias Season 1 in 4K Ultra HD on Rushmega.

Is The Borgias Season 1 completely free to stream on Rushmega?

Yes, you can stream all episodes of The Borgias in native 4K Ultra HD on Rushmega with zero registration, zero subscription fees, and no intrusive ads.

Where was The Borgias filmed and what soundstages were used?

The Borgias was produced across Canada, United States of America, Hungary, Ireland utilizing Take 5 Productions, Octagon Films, Showtime Networks, BellMedia, ImageMovers.

What to do if an episode stream fails or buffers?

Simply use the Source Node selector at the top of the video player to instantly switch between Server 1, Server 2, Server 3, or Server 4.

Does The Borgias include multi-language subtitles and spatial audio?

Yes, Rushmega provides Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 Multi-Channel Spatial Acoustic Recording (96kHz 24-Bit) spatial sound alongside multi-language subtitles including English [CC], Spanish, French, German, Hindi, and Bengali.