As a mysterious illness ravages crowded cities, the wealthiest citizens escape to the countryside to wait out the disease in safety. Sound familiar? Sure, it happened in 2020 with the Covid-19 pandemic, but it also describes Florence in the mid-1300s when the Black Plague was decimating the population.
Somehow, showrunner Kathleen Jordan managed to turn this into a comedy — and she did it with great success. The Decameron, which is very loosely based on the 14th-century collection of short stories by Giovanni Boccaccio, is one of Netflix’s most underrated comedy series streaming right now. Here are a few reasons why you should watch it this April.
What Is ‘The Decameron’ About?
The Decameron begins with a series of invitations being sent to Florence’s wealthy elite, inviting them to take refuge at the country estate of the Visconte Leonardo.
Unfortunately, by the time the nobles arrive at the villa, Leonardo has died of the plague. It’s up to Sirisco (Tony Hale), the steward of the estate, to hide the truth about Leonardo’s demise and placate his increasingly demanding guests.
Tony Hale Shines in a Rare Lead Role
One of the biggest scene-stealers of The Decameron is comedy veteran Hale, best known for his work on Arrested Development and Veep. As Sirisco, Hale masters an incredible balance of panic and determination. Things at the villa go from bad to worse as alliances form between the spoiled nobles and the servants, and Sirisco is constantly caught in the middle trying to please everyone.
But Hale doesn’t just show off his comedic chops. Sirisco is a more multifaceted character than he’s gotten to play in the past, and the way he portrays lust, guilt and grief shows how talented he is as an actor.
Every Style of Comedy Is Represented
Because of its ensemble cast and multiple storylines, The Decameron gets to play with different styles of comedy. There’s slapstick, Monty Python-esque physical humor, mostly provided by Douggie McMeekin as Tindaro, an oafish and pompous nobleman who happens to be an enormous hypochondriac. Throughout the series, he keeps falling down stairs, and it gets funnier with each tumble.
There’s also raunchy humor as the various inhabitants of the villa begin switching romantic partners faster than musical chairs. The upstairs/downstairs stories of the villa staff showcase the show’s smart social satire as cook Stratilia (Leila Farzad) and Sirisco chafe at the increasingly absurd demands of the nobles. And there are farcical, over-the-top scenarios reminiscent of What We Do in the Shadows, like when the group tries to distract and mislead a group of marauding monks.
The Social Dynamics Are Unexpected
Zosia Mamet (Girls) plays Pampinea, a noblewoman with a truly terrible personality who is betrothed to the Visconte. Her closest ally and confidante is Misia (Saoirse-Monica Jackson, of Derry Girls), and the show really shines a spotlight on the toxic friendship between them. Pampinea uses Misia’s loyalty against her at every turn, leaving the viewer wondering how much abuse it will take for Misia to finally break free.
On the other hand, The Decameron spotlights an unexpectedly sweet relationship between closeted gay nobleman Panfilo (Karan Gill) and his deeply religious wife Neifile (Lou Gala). Although the two of them are hiding their secrets and desires from one another, their friendship is so genuine and moving that it might bring you to tears.
Other unexpected pairings are the sister-like relationship between self-absorbed noble girl Filomena (Jessica Plummer) and her long-suffering handmaiden Liscisca (Tanya Reynolds), as well as charlatan doctor Dioneo (Amar Chadha-Patel), who seduces nearly every woman in the cast.
By exploring relationships that are more layered and complex than the traditional romances or friendships we see in most comedies, The Decameron stands out as truly unique.
It’s Strangely Inspirational
The Decameron doesn’t wrap up all its storylines with a neat bow. It’s not a spoiler to reveal that in a show about the Bubonic Plague, not everyone makes it out alive. Secrets are revealed that change friendships forever. Love is lost and gained. And the surviving characters are left with a challenge.
They know the world they live in is dangerous, dark and messy. But they find a way to face it with a sense of humor and optimism, knowing they can rely on each other. It’s a reminder that human beings have faced terrifying circumstances many times throughout history and have somehow survived long enough to tell stories about it.
Stream all eight episodes of The Decameron right now on Netflix.
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