Huzzah! We have waited seemingly centuries for the return of one of the most rich, intriguing, immersive, addicting series to ever grace our screens, and now the time has finally come. Season 2 of Da Vinci’s Demons premieres tonight at 9/8c on Starz, and we have all you need to prepare yourself, right here. Well, except the spoiler-free review, that comes separately.
Here to start is one of the Season 2 trailers:
Trailer: Da Vinci’s Demons – Season 2: Closer Look
Those who didn’t watch Season 1 (which, by the way, is currently available for free to all in its entirety at Starz.com) may wonder why SciFi Mafia is covering the show. The answer is because they’ve included a mystical aspect to the series, centering on the mysterious Book of Leaves you heard mentioned in the trailer, which purportedly contains knowledge which will, amongst other things, bring an end to all wars.
Stars Tom Riley and Laura Haddock took some time recently to answer questions from the media, and I asked about the part that the Book of Leaves plays in the second season.
SciFi Mafia: It seems as if the Book of Leaves is taking as big if not a bigger role in the second season. Is that the case, and will we be learning more about it?
Tom Riley: It certainly is true; the quest won’t be stalled any longer. We’ve been hinting at it since the second episode of the first season with that map on the wall of Leonardo’s workshop that he found in the pages of the Jew’s book, and so we are now finally literally setting off in pursuit of it.
Will we learn more about it? Yeeeeesss and no, but we’ll certainly learn how important it is to at least two of the characters in the show if not more.
Looking ahead in the season, the fourth episode will be a flashback for Laura Haddock‘s character Lucrezia, as we’ll be seeing her at about 15 or 16 years old. Haddock calls that her favorite episode, as it gave her the opportunity to play Lucretia before and during a tragic event that changed her life forever. “I got to play and meet the girl before this happened, and I have a clearer understanding of why she is the way she is.”
Riley also loves the fourth episode (“I think it’s an incredible episode, though I’m not in it much, so I got a break, which is nice”), but also really likes episode 5, “which is around the time where the wider, more expansive version of our show really shows its hand, and we experience the new world for the first time. I think that’s really going to please people.”
We’ve known for a while that the show will be traveling to the New World, as we saw in the trailer, and now we know we won’t be seeing that in full for a while, though we’ll get glimpses. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of everything we love about Da Vinci’s Demons before that. This series is never slow.
If you’re not familiar with the characters, or if you need a reminder, or if you’d just like to see the cast in da Vinci-style gallery photos, this is for you:
CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
LEONARDO DA VINCI
(Tom Riley)
Leonardo da Vinci is a genius, unrelentingly driven to solve the world’s mysteries. His quest will require him to make great sacrifices for Florence and those he loves.
LUCREZIA DONATI
(Laura Haddock)
Ex-mistress of Lorenzo de Medici and Florence’s celebrated beauty, Lucrezia’s quest for justice takes her far from home. Fearless and manipulative, she will not rest until she has succeeded in protecting those she loves.
COUNT GIROLAMO RIARIO
(Blake Ritson)
Riario gladly led the mission to destroy the Medicis, but the siren call of The Book of Leaves shakes this resolve. His quest for the Book is perilous, taking him on a journey of discovery that threatens his all-consuming faith.
LORENZO DE MEDICI
(Elliot Cowan)
Lorenzo is the de facto ruler of Florence, fervently loyal to his citizens. When the Republic is threatened, he is forced to undertake a difficult journey and must confront past demons in order to bring about peace.
CLARICE ORSINI
(Lara Pulver)
Clarice is a devoted wife and successful, yet ruthless, leader. After Lorenzo’s departure, she learns to rule in a world governed by men. This boldness serves her well, but with Lorenzo’s imminent return, she may pay a price.
POPE SIXTUS IV
(James Faulkner)
Pope Sixtus IV remains unwaveringly committed to expanding the power and scope of the Roman Catholic Church. While Riario has temporarily abdicated his position as the sword of the Church, Sixtus searches out a potential new
ally.
THE PRISONER
(James Faulkner)
Not content to live out the rest of his days as a secret prisoner of Pope Sixtus’ in the highly fortified Castel Sant’Angelo, the Prisoner is busy making plans of his own. And God help those he plots against.
ZOROASTER
(Gregg Chillin)
A hustler, grave robber and jack of underhanded trades, Zoroaster never stops looking for an angle. Witty and charming, he brightens the darkest moments on da Vinci’s perilous journey while helping his friend in the New World.
NICO
(Eros Vlahos)
Once a wide-eyed innocent who was caught in the gravitational pull of da Vinci’s intellect and charisma, Nico is eventually forced to confront evil. These challenges force him to mature beyond his years, laying a foundation for the great man he is destined to become, in order to survive.
VANESSA
(Hera Hilmar)
As the expectant mother of the Medici heir, Vanessa is kept under lock and key in the palace by Clarice. Surrounded by enemies, Vanessa must grow up fast, and prepare for the challenges that face an ally of the Medicis.
Yes, all those characters will be back in the new season. But we’ll also be meeting some new characters in the coming weeks:
Featurette: Da Vinci’s Demons – Season 2: New Characters
And to complete your study aids, here is a featurette from showrunner David Goyer that sets up the Season 2 premiere for us, as well as pointing out something to watch for, plus two clips from the episode:
Featurette: Da Vinci’s Demons – 201 A Glimpse from Goyer
[youtube]http://youtu.be/d_Gh4MnRpdY[/youtube]
Clip: Da Vinci’s Demons – 201: Greater Story
Clip: Da Vinci’s Demons – 201: What I’m Capable Of
Now that you’ve studied up, once you check out the Episode 1 spoiler-free review here on SciFi Mafia, you’ll be fully prepared to return to the world of Da Vinci’s Demons.
Da Vinci’s Demons, starring Tom Riley, Laura Haddock, Blake Ritson, Elliot Cowan, Lara Pulver, Greg Chillin, Eros Vlahos, Hera Hilman, Carolina Guerra, and Kieran Bew airs its Season 2 premiere on Saturday, March 22 at 9/8c on Starz.
