Leonardo drama, Franceschini: "Its success rewards culture." But it's controversy

The TV drama series Leonardo, dedicated to the great genius, was aired last night in its world premiere. The event series garnered 6,950,000 viewers in its premiere night (four in all, divided into eight episodes), reaching a 28.2 percent share. High ratings that were, however, accompanied by discontent on social media due to too many fictional elements, narrative gimmicks that have little to do with the story, and the almost completely invented plot itself.

In a tweet, Culture Minister Dario Franceschini wrote, “The ratings have once again rewarded the choice to unite history, beauty and Italy. Leonardo’s success another indication for Rai to invest more and more in culture, cinema, audiovisual.”

However, criticism goes in the opposite direction: so much misinformation and no culture.

Announced since last year, the event series was created by Frank Spotnitz and Steve Thompson (the same as I Medici), directed by Dan Percival and Alexis Sweet, co-produced by Lux Vide and Sony Pictures Television in collaboration with Rai Fiction, Big Light Productions, in association with France Télévision, RTVE and Alfresco Pictures, distributed by Sony Pictures Television.

The cast, along with Aidan Turner, who plays Leonardo da Vinci, includes Giancarlo Giannini as Andrea del Verrocchio; Matilda De Angelis is Caterina da Cremona; Freddie Highmore is Stefano Giraldi, a young investigator for the Podestà charged with solving the mystery at the center of the story; Carlos Cuevas is Salaì, Leonardo’s apprentice and trusted friend; and James D’Arcy as Ludovico Sforza known as the Moor.

Leonardo drama, Franceschini: "Its success rewards culture." But it's controversy

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