"The Hanged Man" is an explosive start to the series. It is loud, fast-paced, and occasionally campy, but it is anchored by Tom Riley’s magnetic performance. By the end of the episode, the stakes are raised from local politics to a globe-spanning mystery. It successfully invites the viewer to look past the history books and imagine the young man behind the legend—flaws, failures, and all.

The episode’s title, “The Hanged Man,” is the first of many Tarot references that structure the season. In Tarot, The Hanged Man represents suspension, self-sacrifice, and seeing the world from a new perspective. The pilot uses this literally: Leonardo is arrested and hung by his heels from a beam by the Medici guards. While hanging upside down, blood rushing to his brain, he experiences a moment of psychedelic clarity—visions of impossible machines, a mysterious woman with a labyrinth, and the secret of flight.

: He uses "opium" (hallucinogenic tobacco) to quiet his "endlessly raging thoughts".

The pilot establishes several recurring themes that define the series: en.wikipedia.org

The episode also introduces us to Lorenzo de' Medici (played by Kerry Armstrong), the ruler of Florence, who recognizes Da Vinci's genius and offers him a place at his court. This pivotal moment sets the stage for Da Vinci's rise to prominence as a court artist and engineer.