The Decameron: Limited Season-Full Season
July 27, 2024 10:35 PM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe
In 1348, The Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history, ravages Florence. A group of servants, nobles, and scoundrels are invited to a villa in the Italian countryside.
This ensemble series features the talents of Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet, Tonya Reynolds, Amar Chadha-Patel, and Lou Gala. Directed by Michael Uppendahl, Andrew DeYoung, and Anya Adams.
This ensemble series features the talents of Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet, Tonya Reynolds, Amar Chadha-Patel, and Lou Gala. Directed by Michael Uppendahl, Andrew DeYoung, and Anya Adams.
So, I really REALLY like the book. It's a Canterbury-tales kind of thing, where the frame story kind of takes a back seat to the smaller stories within; 20-something singles who've all lived through the Plague and decide they want to get out of town for a bit of a break, and decide to tell stories while they're on vacay - and because they've just been through a tragedy a lot of stories are all fun and escapist, and because they're all in their 20s and a lot of them have crushes on each other, a lot of the stories are all about sex.
From what I've read about the series, they also get into stuff with the servants that accompany the nobles (you don't hear from them much in the book), and I am....partially intrigued, but partly scared. Like, I don't want this to be Downton Abbey 1348, I want this to be The Decameron, where the story Filostratto tells has a heroine who looks just like Fiametta, and they're both blushing a lot as he's telling it and so everyone is wondering "ooooh, I bet there's something going on there".
If you've not read the book, I really recommend it. If you have read the book and seen this - how do they compare?
....As long as the character Dioneo is still a wise-ass, I think I'll be okay.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:01 AM on July 28 [2 favorites]
From what I've read about the series, they also get into stuff with the servants that accompany the nobles (you don't hear from them much in the book), and I am....partially intrigued, but partly scared. Like, I don't want this to be Downton Abbey 1348, I want this to be The Decameron, where the story Filostratto tells has a heroine who looks just like Fiametta, and they're both blushing a lot as he's telling it and so everyone is wondering "ooooh, I bet there's something going on there".
If you've not read the book, I really recommend it. If you have read the book and seen this - how do they compare?
....As long as the character Dioneo is still a wise-ass, I think I'll be okay.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:01 AM on July 28 [2 favorites]
Everything about this just reminds me that I've never read this book. Which I've been meaning to do for like twenty years. So I guess I'll watch this after I read the book, which, if I'm being honest with myself, I will probably never do. It's very long.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 5:16 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 5:16 AM on July 28 [1 favorite]
KFB, it's long but it's very friendly to dipping in-and-out - and it's a fun read! It's all short stories with a framing story; so it's definitely rewarding to chip away at it slowly, you still get complete stories. And some of the stories are way fun, and some of them are gloriously bawdy (Playboy magazine ran some of the stories in some of its issues in the 60s, that's how raunchy some of them are).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:46 AM on July 28 [4 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:46 AM on July 28 [4 favorites]
Tanya Reynolds (Licisca) is brilliant here.
posted by porpoise at 11:46 AM on July 28 [3 favorites]
posted by porpoise at 11:46 AM on July 28 [3 favorites]
I'd say it's kinda like the Decameron got the Mike Flanagan treatment, which is to say if you're expecting this to hew closely to the book, you're not going to be pleased. But the spirit of it is there with some raunchiness, some tragedy, and some comedy. It just depends on how true of an adaptation you're expecting.
posted by miss-lapin at 5:23 PM on July 28 [2 favorites]
posted by miss-lapin at 5:23 PM on July 28 [2 favorites]
If you've not read the book, I really recommend it.Seconding EC here, both on the fun element and the bawdiness. And for whatever reason, I found it much less of a slog than the Canterbury Tales to which it is frequently compared.
posted by Nerd of the North at 6:59 PM on July 28 [1 favorite]
I watched the whole thing and loved it. It spanned a range of emotions and appetites and said smart things about love and class. "Love has long claws" has really stuck with me. Fantastic cast playing characters that develop over time. Well, maybe not Pampinea. So many standout performances like those from Tanya Reynolds, Douggie McKeekin, and Karan Gill. And of course Amar Chanda-Patel's torso. I also loved the costumes and art design. Not authentic 15th century, but it was in there, and the result was typically beautiful. Ensemble extraordinaire. A silly and sometimes somber romp. And I loved the ending. I'm pretty sure I'm going to watch it again with my wife. Don't touch my egg!
posted by Stanczyk at 5:55 AM on July 29 [5 favorites]
posted by Stanczyk at 5:55 AM on July 29 [5 favorites]
How does it compare to the previous recent film adaptation "The Little Hours"? I found that one very amusing, and apparently the whole thing is on yubtub for free.
posted by FatherDagon at 12:27 PM on July 30 [1 favorite]
posted by FatherDagon at 12:27 PM on July 30 [1 favorite]
I watched the first episode - I really wanted to like it, and it has a lot of the right elements, but something about it didn't quick 'click' for me (my partner felt the same). I loved The Great, and was hoping this would be a similar combo of sharpness + goofiness, but I dunno...something was off...maybe it felt too rushed and some of the jokes forced? I'll give it another episode.
posted by coffeecat at 1:40 PM on July 30
posted by coffeecat at 1:40 PM on July 30
I really liked this overall. Crazy soap opera drama for sure. Dynasty during the Black Death!!!!
* Licisca's journey to independence and friendship with her employer/sister was probably the best part of it, along with Philomena becoming a better person. Licisca was just a delight the entire time and you rooted for her.
* Panfilo and Neifile were adorable and sweet, and I was sad at their deaths. It was a beautiful way for her to go, and him making life choices that would take him out so he could be with her...awwwww. Adorable and sad.
* Tindaro is a mixed bag and only next to Pampinea in disturbing-ness at times. but he improves before his death. (Also, literally this man is named Douggie McMeekin IRL. With two G's. The man matches his name so well. He should be in whatever sort of movies Seth Rogen is in.)
* Stratilia was a dark horse candidate I didn't expect much from, but she really stood out in the latter half of the show.
* Dioneo: poisoning his employer while fucking his way about, wowza.
* I have never really been into Tony Hale, as he's kind of one of those weasel-y guys normally. But with shaggy hair and beard? Looking good. Naked from behind? Looking very good, sir. And his frozen horror/sadness look when Pamplinea was screaming at him in public...brilliant, brilliant acting there.
* Pampinea...oh good lord. She has her moments of sweetness, you feel bad for her when they have to break the bad news to her (with a duck!), everyone rolls along with her fake marriage. We find out Leonardo's a dead horndog, etc....but when she turns on Sirisco and then got poor Misia to commit murder...Broken Bird, indeed. By the time her "best friend" literally nails her into a barrel and then sets her on fire....DAAAAAAAAAAAMN. DAAAAAAAAAAMN.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:14 AM on August 12 [5 favorites]
* Licisca's journey to independence and friendship with her employer/sister was probably the best part of it, along with Philomena becoming a better person. Licisca was just a delight the entire time and you rooted for her.
* Panfilo and Neifile were adorable and sweet, and I was sad at their deaths. It was a beautiful way for her to go, and him making life choices that would take him out so he could be with her...awwwww. Adorable and sad.
* Tindaro is a mixed bag and only next to Pampinea in disturbing-ness at times. but he improves before his death. (Also, literally this man is named Douggie McMeekin IRL. With two G's. The man matches his name so well. He should be in whatever sort of movies Seth Rogen is in.)
* Stratilia was a dark horse candidate I didn't expect much from, but she really stood out in the latter half of the show.
* Dioneo: poisoning his employer while fucking his way about, wowza.
* I have never really been into Tony Hale, as he's kind of one of those weasel-y guys normally. But with shaggy hair and beard? Looking good. Naked from behind? Looking very good, sir. And his frozen horror/sadness look when Pamplinea was screaming at him in public...brilliant, brilliant acting there.
* Pampinea...oh good lord. She has her moments of sweetness, you feel bad for her when they have to break the bad news to her (with a duck!), everyone rolls along with her fake marriage. We find out Leonardo's a dead horndog, etc....but when she turns on Sirisco and then got poor Misia to commit murder...Broken Bird, indeed. By the time her "best friend" literally nails her into a barrel and then sets her on fire....DAAAAAAAAAAAMN. DAAAAAAAAAAMN.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:14 AM on August 12 [5 favorites]
Such a panoply of noses in this cast - love it!
The clowning and the life-and-death of it all appealed to me. Just finished and oh Panfilo!
posted by Lookinguppy at 8:11 AM on August 28 [1 favorite]
The clowning and the life-and-death of it all appealed to me. Just finished and oh Panfilo!
posted by Lookinguppy at 8:11 AM on August 28 [1 favorite]
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posted by Paul Slade at 12:23 AM on July 28 [2 favorites]