2011

S2.E1 ∙ Illusion

Wed, Sep 19, 2012

Piero De Medici swears revenge on Leonardo and his set for his humiliation. He takes advantage of a feud between Verrocchio and Costa, a dissatisfied client who refused to pay for his portrait and has Costa killed,framing Verrocchio,who is arrested and sentenced to death. Leonardo attempts to spring him from prison,using the art of illusion,but they are caught and both now imprisoned. Though Leonardo's lawyer father speaks up for him it is Lorenzo who convinces De Medici to set the pair free. However De Medici confides in a friend that this latter action was a ploy to make Leonardo trust him. Leonardo is not so sure and still feels unwilling to resume his friendship with Lorenzo.

8.1 /10

S2.E2 ∙ The Betrothal Ball

Wed, Sep 26, 2012

De Medici throws a lavish masked ball for Lorenzo,though Lorenzo is perturbed to discover that it is to celebrate his betrothal to arrogant Angelica Visconti - who is wearing an identical dress and mask to Lisa. When Lisa,in mistake for Angelica,and Lorenzo are abducted Lorenzo's singing allows Leonardo to locate and rescue them. However all of them are unaware that Lorenzo's father engineered the abduction to cause trouble with the rival dukedom of Milan.

7.4 /10

S2.E3 ∙ Cat and Mouse

Wed, Oct 03, 2012

Whilst his parents are away arranging his marriage, a bored Lorenzo falls in with the older Bruno Cafarelli, whom he finds refreshingly fun-loving and ignores Macchiavelli's warning that he is only using him. Bruno stays overnight at the De Medicis but next morning Lorenzo discovers that he has been used as an alibi whilst Bruno robs Mazzola, the scariest fence in Florence, who comes looking for recompense. Lorenzo's skills as a swordsman are put to the test as he forces Bruno, who has tried to frame Macchiavelli, to give back Mazzola's property.

7.2 /10

S2.E4 ∙ Cat and Mouse

Wed, Oct 03, 2012

Lorenzo decides to live life on the wild side when he meets the fun-loving, carefree Bruno, but Mac is convinced Bruno is bad news,Bruno ends up using Lorenzo as an alibi as he steals from his former employer, this leads Lorenzo to discover who his true friends are and be grateful that someone is always watching his back.

7.6 /10

S2.E5 ∙ Diabolical Acts

Wed, Oct 10, 2012

A pair of actors arrive in Florence to perform 'The Shepherd of Love',a play specially commissioned to mark Lorenzo's - reluctant - betrothal to Angelica and they recruit Lisa and Leonardo to star as young lovers. However the actors are really using the play as a diversion whilst they tunnel beneath the stage into the bank vault to steal the De Medici sapphire. Leonardo discovers this and uses his acting skills to bring the couple to justice.

6.7 /10

S2.E6 ∙ Dragon Hunt

Wed, Oct 17, 2012

Salvatore Landucci approaches Leonardo and asks him to decipher a treasure map which will lead to the priceless artefact the silver dragon of Mesopotamia and to Salvatore's brother Adriano,who disappeared whilst searching for it. Too late Leonardo discovers he has been used as he and Adriano are left trapped underground whilst Salvatore escapes with the dragon. Fortunately Macchiavelli mistrusts Salvatore and has hatched a plan to rescue his friend. Meanwhile Piero De Medici,in his bid to be the ruler of the city,has his brother the duke killed.

6.6 /10

S2.E7 ∙ The Mask of Death

Wed, Oct 24, 2012

Having poisoned his brother De Medici claims he was killed by an arrow from a Milanese assassin and stirs up Florence to fight Milan,proclaiming himself leader and asking Leonardo to make a 'secret weapon' for the war. However Leonardo is preparing the duke's death mask and is suspicious to see traces of poison on the face. He persuades De Medici's doctor to perform a post mortem but De Medici arranges for the doctor to be killed in a supposed attempt on his own life. The weapon is a poisoned arrow,a method favoured by the Milanese - which convinces Leonardo that that was how the poison entered the duke's body.

7 /10

S2.E8 ∙ Stupid Cupid

Wed, Oct 31, 2012

Lorenzo asks Macchiavelli to look after Angelica for the day and he sees her sympathetic side as she confides that,like Lorenzo,she is unhappy about a marriage which exists only to form an alliance with Pisa. They are captured by Gorgoni,a vengeful smuggler on whom Macchiavelli has informed,and rescued by Leonardo but Angelica is clearly charmed by Macchiavelli. Leonardo designs his father's wedding invitations using a borrowed baby to model as Cupid but is dismayed when he is denied an invite himself as the bride is unaware of his existence. De Medici prepares for his coronation as duke but is halted by the arrival of his nephew Rocco,who claims that he is the rightful heir.

7.4 /10

S2.E9 ∙ The Tortoise and the Hare

Wed, Nov 07, 2012

Hot-headed Rocco is keen to raise an army against Milan though De Medici dislikes the idea as it could expose him as the murderer. He persuades Leonardo to build a super-weapon,modelled on the hard shell of a tortoise,which will resist bullets and cannonballs. An early trial accidentally blows up a statue of the duke but Rocco is impressed by Leonardo's second attempt and De Medici plans to use it in his attempt on Rocco's life. Angelica realises that she is drawn to Macchiavelli and tells Lorenzo that she wants to call the wedding off but his father insists it go ahead.

7.5 /10

S2.E10 ∙ By the Sword

Wed, Nov 14, 2012

Swaggering Silvio Pirelli, the leading swordsman in Italy, comes to Florence and annoys Lisa with his bragging. As Tom she challenges him to a dual, despite being totally inexperienced, and starts to have second thoughts. However she goes through with it, though things are looking bad for her until Leonardo takes time off from designing the super-weapon to provide an explosive diversion which helps her to give Pirelli his come-uppance. Angelica tells Macchiavelli that, due to the arranged marriage, they can no longer meet but she does agree to keep Lisa's secret.

7.7 /10

S2.E11 ∙ Hitched

Wed, Nov 21, 2012

As the wedding day draws closer for reluctant Lorenzo and Angelica Leonardo forms a plot to get them out of it. Posing as an elderly envoy for the king of Naples he claims that the king wants a suitable husband for his daughter Princess Eleanor and will offer a huge dowry. After Lisa has posed as Eleanor and Angelica's dowry has been conveniently 'stolen' De Medici tells Angelica's father the wedding is off but a relieved Lorenzo is pleased to be jilted when his princess bride fails to show and Angelica's indignant father has taken her back to Pisa.

7.6 /10

S2.E12 ∙ The Fugitive

Wed, Nov 28, 2012

Leonardo has completed his super-weapon,which he hopes will be used as a deterrent to dissuade the Milanese from war. De Medici however intends to take it to war and kill Rocco. With war imminent all Milanese are considered undesirable aliens and Alberto,cousin to De Medici's right hand man Placidi,is charged with rounding them up. Leonardo helps Lucia and her grandmother Carla,accused of being Milanese spies,to escape Florence whilst implicating Alberto as a double agent. The mob get Alberto but Placidi escapes. De Medici,aware that he knows too much about the duke's murder,allows the mob to claim Placidi too but,as he lies at death's door,he is spotted by Leonardo. He decides to tell the young artist something important.

7.9 /10

S2.E13 ∙ The Dogs of War

Wed, Dec 05, 2012

The wounded Placidi tells Leonardo all the murderous things De Medici has done and Leonardo takes him back to the studio,where he hides him,confronting De Medici. Whilst Medici admits everything he is overheard by Rocco but Medici has bribed the guards to imprison Rocco,Macchiavelli and Leonardo,planning to kill Rocco and blame Macchiavelli and Leonardo,whom he will denounce as Milanese spies. Fortunately Lorenzo has been informed of the truth by Placidi and releases all three. They hurry to the city square to destroy the super-weapon,of which De Medici has taken charge and,thanks to Lisa,it is put out of action. However there will be a brace of duels and a hard decision for Lorenzo before Florence can celebrate peace.

8.8 /10