Da Vinci's Demons: The Complete Second Season

A wide gap separates historical fiction from historical fantasy and Da Vinci's Demons falls somewhere to the far left of the latter. Silly, although not necessarily simpleminded, the second season of this Starz series is best viewed as escapist entertainment with only a cursory glance at the reality of the titular renowned Renaissance man. Tom Riley plays Leonardo as a clever hipster who swaggers around like a 15th-century MacGyver, carrying a trick up his sleeve for every tight spot. Affairs involving the Italian dynasties of the Medicis, Borgias, and Pazzis, along with the Catholic Church, are still at the center of Leonardo's exploits. Here, Leonardo parts ways with pal Lorenzo de Medici (Elliot Cowan) to begin a journey to the future Americas, where his continued quest for the mysterious Book of Leaves introduces him to the Incas and a mythical Machu Picchu (an odyssey crosscut with unfolding events back home in Florence and elsewhere). Mona Lisa makes an appearance, as do whimsical inventions such as a public address system, blood transfusions, heliocentrism, and parachutes. Season two broadens the scope with much more globetrotting and a bigger production budget, which may have caused creator David Goyer to overindulge on some of the flightier flights of fancy. But if you don't think too hard, Da Vinci's Demons is a reasonably satisfying adventure full of special effects, period costumes, sex, violence, and sometimes even a little history. Extras include a season one recap and behind-the-scenes featurettes. A strong optional purchase. (T. Fry)