I've watched the first episode and I must say that, even as a Leonardo da Vinci enthusiast who is very nitpicky about history, I likes it.
Sure, don't expect a documentary. Don't expect a accurate account of maestro's life.
But expect a truthful depiction of what Da Vinci represented in his period and in the art history.
There are many things that are very different from know history:
But that's not important. No one who read the synopsis or watched the trailer and knew a bit about Da Vinci could possibly expect accuracy. This is fiction, made for entertainment. And it's a pretty well done. It's goal is not to tell what Vasari wrote about Leonardo. It's goal is to entertain us with story about a person who we all know and yet no one really does. And I think it does it very well.
There are many things that are very different from know history:
- Leonardo was much younger when the story with Verrocchio and the angel took place
- he was also very light-haired
- the whole murder thing is made up. Leonardo was detained, but for sodomy
- Caterina da Cremona is made up
- I could probably continue
But that's not important. No one who read the synopsis or watched the trailer and knew a bit about Da Vinci could possibly expect accuracy. This is fiction, made for entertainment. And it's a pretty well done. It's goal is not to tell what Vasari wrote about Leonardo. It's goal is to entertain us with story about a person who we all know and yet no one really does. And I think it does it very well.