The Decameron Mini-series Review

The Decameron (2024)
Mini-series - 8 episodes (2024)

Watch The Decameron on Netflix
Created by: Kathleen Jordan
Starring:Zosia Mamet, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Tanya Reynolds, Amar Chadha-Patel, Leila Farzad, Lou Gala, Karan Gill, Tony Hale, Douggie McMeekin, Jessica Plummer
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Set in 1348 during the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic in human history, this explores themes of class systems, power struggles, and survival in a time of pandemic.

Verdict
It's fun enough, if a bit shallow. A bunch of elites retreat to a villa. There's the usual class strife, and while this takes plenty of turns I didn't expect, it always feels like a bit of padding to lengthen the season. The biggest problem is that it's just not funny enough. It's amusing, but that's not enough for me to recommend the show.
Skip it.

Review
This is inspired by the 14th century Italian short-story collection The Decameron, by Giovanni Boccaccio.

It has a great setting and time period. A bunch of royalty hide out during the plague with most of them thinking they don't need to adhere to any rules. There's also an imposter in their midst, but all of them are lying to some degree. That's a great premise that will surely lead to drama when truths are revealed.

Zosia Mamet,  Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Jessica Plummer, Douggie McMeekin play
Pampinea, Misia, Filomena, Tindaro

It's silly and cheesy. The elite are so far removed from daily life, and we've seen that ploy before. They're dumb. It's just never as funny as I want it to be. The plague is also just behind the door, and you imagine at some point one of the guests will get sick.

Jessica Plummer, Tony Hale, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Tanya Reynolds play
Filomena, Sirisco, Misia, Licisca

In a small house, infatuation and romance abounds. It leads to discord a this becomes a 14th century soap opera. This is lies, intrigue, and sex. Of course the lies reach a breaking point, but that's not the end of the season. This seems so much longer than it needs to be. Eventually the house is split and the characters are separated. I kept wondering how there were more episodes.

This started as a cheesy reality period piece, but it evolves to consider class differences while characters ally for survival. It was never great, and while it got better as the season progressed, it was never enough.