THE DECAMERON SERIES
ORDERED AT NETFLIX
Netflix has ordered an eight episode series from Jenji Kohan and Kathleen Jordan loosely based on Boccaccio's THE DECAMERON! Set in 1348 when the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history which killed as many as 200 million people, strikes hard in the city of Florence. A handful of nobles are invited to retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the Italian countryside and wait out the pestilence with a lavish holiday. But as social rules wear thin, what starts as a wine-soaked sex romp in the hills of Tuscany descends into an all out scramble for survival.
The series examines the timely themes of class systems, power struggles and survival in a time of pandemic with a touch of levity, brought together by a charming and riotous ensemble of characters.
WARLORD CHRONICLES
SERIES ORDERED AT ITVX
Back in April I told you that Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles will be turned into a series and now we know it will be over at ITV's streamer ITVX. First book THE WINTER KING will be turned into a ten episode saga loosely based on the legend of King Arthur. Set in 5th century Britain, then still a landscape of warring nations, the story takes place in an era when life was brutal and fleeting. In this setting, a young Arthur Pendragon goes on a journey to become a warrior, which takes him from prodigal son to legendary leader. With Kate Brooke and Ed Whitmore adapting the books and Otto Bathurst directing, the shooting will start later this year. Epix is apparently no longer involved in the project, but the series will also air later on at regular ITV.
This is a project where Netflix could succeed. It’s mostly sex and piquant anecdotes. it’s anti-clerical, has a feminist angle, plenty of exotic locales where actors of color could fit. They could go all wokey and still preserve the spirit of Boccaccio. All I ask is to watch the language. I gave up on Leonardo because the talk that sounded like an UberEATS commercial put me off. I need historical atmosphere to get into a period piece.
ReplyDeleteLeonardo was terrible for many other reasons too. I think Decameron will be the wokest of woke and the lead romance will be interracial for sure.
DeleteLeonardo was awful, but I tried to give it a chance. In general, I don't do good with XV century drama. I fell asleep with Da Vinci's Demons, and hated Medici, Lords of Florence. The Borgia is the one exception.
DeleteI loved Medici, the first season with Dicky Madden, it is actually my fave of the historical shows ever, then hated the second with Daniel, but found the third one tolerable. I loved the cast in Demons, but found the story became boring quite quickly. I found Borgias also bad and couldn't last more than six or seven eps of the first season. I just found the writing bad and monotonous and Irons terrible as Rodrigo and also Cesare was bad there. Borgia is also bad, but I did like both Juan and Cesare in it.
DeleteYou didn't like Francois Arnaud? Or you didn't like the way Cesare was portrayed in The Borgias? Too sensitive and humane?
DeleteHe is just mediocre, no charisma, no radiance, no beauty, nothing special.
DeleteProbably not for me. I want some kind of scary/supernatural/spooky type of show to hit Netflix.
ReplyDeleteOy, sister, that is pretty much all they have up on Netflix, horror and dark things and Korean garbage LOL Did you watch Sandman?
DeleteWell, if you're going to go out, go out in a blaze of glory in a wine-soaked sex romp.
ReplyDeleteI would like to go in a wild orgy myself LOL
DeleteAt first I was like "NO" for The Decameron b/c I've had enough of pandemics. But then you intrigued me with the fight for survival! Did they run out of necessities or was there a deadly power struggle or did the disease find them?
ReplyDeleteYou will have to read the book! But the series will be based on it only loosely.
Delete