What Is the Story About?
Inspired by 14th-century Italian writer Giovanni Boccaccio’s short story collection of the same name, The Decameron unfolds in the time of the Black Death, where a group of nobles and their servants seek refuge in a villa to escape the wrath of the pandemic. However, their joyous country retreat takes an ugly turn amidst internal/external squabbles for power.
Performances?
Zosia Mamet and Saoirse-Monica Jackson’s camaraderie is a delight to watch and the actors, with their firebrand performances, let the complex, messy dimensions of their characters come to the fore effectively. Continuing her good run after Sex Education, Tanya Reynolds is aptly cast as Licisca, a braveheart who makes the most of the opportunities presented to her.
Amar Chadha Patel’s manipulative medico-act as Dioneo is passable, though the character could’ve been fleshed out better. Leila Farzad has the right spirit to pull off Stratilia, while Lou Gala grows on you as a performer with every episode. Karan Gill brings in an appealing mystery to the portrayal of Panfilo and Tony Hale passes muster as Sirisco.
Douggie McMeekin is incredibly convincing in showcasing Tindaro’s transition with time, lending an endearing quality to the performance. Jessica Plummer delivers the goods as Filomena, who comes of age and makes amends for her questionable past. Aston Wray is a fine choice to play Jacopo, the child who gives a shot at the throne.
Analysis
The Decameron may position itself as a black comedy as much as a regal satire in the backdrop of a pandemic in Italy in the 13th- 14th century. Still, it is more of a story where the world hits a reset button after a calamity. As a king succumbs to the plague, the opportunity is ripe for the rise of a new social order. Many set their eyes on the throne but undergo life-changing experiences through their pursuits.
For most of the show, The Decameron is staged like a retro version of Bigg Boss, where a bunch of oddball men and women – from imposters to flatterers to incapable princes to doctors and servants – are confined to the same household. Many remain self-centred and delusional about their capabilities until a crisis forces them to get their priorities sorted.
After years of trauma in the shoes of a servant, Licisca makes the most of her identity as a noblewoman, albeit a short-lived one. Filomena gets a reality check with the change in power equations. Despising women for a long time in his life, Tindaro has a change of heart after he meets Licisca. Meanwhile, Panfilo and Neifile’s marital life goes haywire with their conflicting belief systems.
Many are also after a dashingly handsome doctor – Dioneo – who accompanies Licisca to the villa. Sirisco, guarding the secret about the king’s death, is desperate to utilise the vulnerable political situation to his advantage. Pampinea’s dreams of a royal marriage are shattered by the untimely demise of the king and she keeps gaslighting her servant Misia for her selfish needs.
The show is off to an obnoxious start, as it decodes the dual identities of its pivotal characters in the villa. Even as the characters, their motives and the backstories impress, the treatment is the real party-pooper, alternating between satire and absurdist humour. The high-pitched storytelling is an attack on the senses and the verbal diarrhoea is hard to tolerate for a long time.
The series is most impressive when it tackles questions about the existence of God, debating ethical and moral standards imposed by religion on women. Neifile’s conflict between social obligations and her innate desires, and the gradual evolution of her character are fascinating to watch. Panfilo and Neifile’s relationship takes different turns, after which the couple understands each other better.
The contrast in the noblewoman-servant equations with Pampinea-Misia and Licisca-Filomena adds to the show’s intrigue. While Misia prefers to be a submissive slave initially, it’s Filomena who challenges her conscience and transforms her for the better. Pampinea holds a mirror to the power-hungry, short-sighted leaders of our times.
The Decameron gains momentum only after the fifth episode, where characters and their interpersonal relationships start making some sense. The character trajectories get more interesting, the writing is more eventful and the drama sharpens with Stratilia’s growing prominence in the story. All hell breaks loose in a reasonably captivating finale, where the characters take charge of their destinies and prioritise survival to power.
On the whole, the show, despite its compelling source material, is too wayward and farcical, to begin with, and some of its most poignant moments are diluted by the chaotic execution. The unstable political scenario and the pandemic backdrop did present a timely chance to establish modern-day parallels, but The Decameron only succeeds in being a muddled mess with very few takeaways.
Music and Other Departments?
Ruth Barrett has quite a blast with her score, given the frequent change in the show’s tonality providing an opportunity to showcase her versatility. There’s a playful spirit in the songs and the soundtrack that springs momentum into the storytelling too. Michael McDonough and Emiliano Leurini pack a punch with the cinematography, well-aided by Luca Tranchino’s production design.
The costumes (Gabriella Pesucci, Uliva Pizzetti) provide an additional degree of authenticity to the setting. In terms of the narrative, the creator uses too much time in establishing the ambience that dilutes the impact of the (well-crafted) latter episodes (5-8). The dialogues are too casual and lazily written, paying little heed to its milieu. The action sequences are the main reason you don’t doze off halfway.
Highlights?
The unusual premise
Well-etched characters
The impact created by the final set of episodes
Drawbacks?
Black comedy/satire
Struggles to start well
Inconsistent tonality and narration
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
Provided you have the patience to tolerate the initial episodes
The Decameron Series Review by Binged Bureau
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