My Review - The Young Pope- My Rating 8/10
This magnificently filmed series wouldn't be everyone's choice of an evening's entertainment. It took me 2 attempts to appreciate its Avant- Garde style and underlying sarcasm and dark humour.
On 14 July 2017, The Young Pope received two nominations for the 69th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, becoming the first Italian TV series to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.
Jude Law is sensational in the role of Pope Pius X111 an ambitious yet reclusive Pope shunning public appearances yet controlling and manipulative at the same time. Its one of Jude Law's finest performances if not his finest.
Imagine the most unlikely choice of Pope young , radicle with the most conservative and right ring approach the Roman Catholic Church has experienced in a Century. It reminded me a little of the Trump scenario and it's affect on American Politics, who could have imagined 5 years ago that a man like Donald Trump could reach the highest office in the United States of America?
The Young Pope is a drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino for Sky Atlantic, HBO, and Canal+. It's a sumptuous lavishly produced series financed by Sky, Canal+ and HBO, which contributed 40 million euros, with part of the money coming from the European Regional Development Fund. Production took three years between 2014 and 2016.
The first episode sets the tone for the Vatican politics of power and control when
Lenny Belardo becomes the first American Pope and takes the name of Pius XIII. Shortly after his election, he causes upheaval in the Vatican with his desire to reject both publicity and the liberal philosophy of his predecessor. Sister Mary, beautifully played by Diane Keaton as the nun who raised Lenny and is brought in as his personal secretary, and immediately establishes herself as the chief rival of the powerful Cardinal Voiello, the Vatican's Secretary of State.
The series which was so successful that a spin off series currently being streamed on SBS titled The New Pope gained very mixed reaction from The Catholic Church which was to be expected . Some reviewers complained about anti-Catholicism in the entertainment industry more broadly. However, some conservative reviewers praised the show for its portrayal of tradition and authentic religious devotion. In Italy, the two-hour premiere drew the highest rating ever for the pay TV network Sky. With 953,000 viewers overnight, it beat the initial release of Gomorrah and the Italian release of Game of Thrones. I'm looking forward to watching series 2 by the same creator Director "The New Pope " also starring Jude Law opposite John Malkovich and with the plot line Two Popes. Only one Vatican. A holy war to come. Stick with this one it's well worth a look nothing like the recent excellent series The Two Popes but a fiction fantasy journey into one of the most powerful and self protective Religious dynasties on Earth .
Lenny Belardo becomes the first American Pope and takes the name of Pius XIII. Shortly after his election, he causes upheaval in the Vatican with his desire to reject both publicity and the liberal philosophy of his predecessor. Sister Mary, beautifully played by Diane Keaton as the nun who raised Lenny and is brought in as his personal secretary, and immediately establishes herself as the chief rival of the powerful Cardinal Voiello, the Vatican's Secretary of State.
The series which was so successful that a spin off series currently being streamed on SBS titled The New Pope gained very mixed reaction from The Catholic Church which was to be expected . Some reviewers complained about anti-Catholicism in the entertainment industry more broadly. However, some conservative reviewers praised the show for its portrayal of tradition and authentic religious devotion. In Italy, the two-hour premiere drew the highest rating ever for the pay TV network Sky. With 953,000 viewers overnight, it beat the initial release of Gomorrah and the Italian release of Game of Thrones. I'm looking forward to watching series 2 by the same creator Director "The New Pope " also starring Jude Law opposite John Malkovich and with the plot line Two Popes. Only one Vatican. A holy war to come. Stick with this one it's well worth a look nothing like the recent excellent series The Two Popes but a fiction fantasy journey into one of the most powerful and self protective Religious dynasties on Earth .