Netflix Original: Marco Polo

Alpha Echo · Dec 16, 2014

Is anyone watching this? Hubs and I started it last night.

I don't know much about this time in history, but from the little I Googled, it doesn't seem to be entirely accurate.

However...wow. Netflix just makes good TV! The writing and acting is excellent, the scenery is beautiful and lavish...

I will say if you don't like sex on TV...or women on women...you may need to steer clear. There is at least one (fairly lengthy) scene from the Kubla Kahn's harem in each episode (we're finished ep. 1-3). Many naked women...doing naked women things, often to each other.

And there is one (so far) *spoiler?* naked lady fighting scene that is pretty awesome.

angeliz2k · Dec 16, 2014

I saw a nasty review from the WaPo, but I plan to check it out anyway.

[Although I'm not big on what sounds to be utterly gratuitous nudity and sex.]

Alpha Echo · Dec 16, 2014

It is definitely gratuitous nudity and sex, but I think the rest of it has been done pretty well. Plus, Marco is kinda cute.

Maryn · Dec 16, 2014

I haven't yet begun it, but Netflix does indeed do good TV, such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.

I presume the gratuitous sex is to compete with HBO, which has plenty of it, most intended to appeal to the young male demographic groups.

So, besides this aspect, is it actually any good?

Manuel Royal · Dec 16, 2014

I don't recall any woman-on-woman action in Marco's written account (though he did report seeing a man-carrying kite used for military reconnaissance).

Sounds more like a silly novel that came out a couple of decades ago, taking Marco's Book of the Marvels of the World and adding an improbable amount of sex.

Maryn · Dec 16, 2014

Oh, I saw that novel, and read another by the same author. The one I read was about the Aztecs and managed to incorporate an unseemly amount of sex and kink into what appeared to me to be a well-researched but perhaps somewhat dry story. You're thinking of The Journeyer by Gary Jennings, I imagine.

Maryn, who read part of another novel by the guy, about circuses, but stopped

Zoombie · Dec 16, 2014

Manuel Royal said:
Sounds more like a silly novel that came out a couple of decades ago, taking Marco's Book of the Marvels of the World and adding an improbable amount of sex.

Maybe I am a silly person, but...I think there is something charming about these kinds of stories and shows.

Yeah, it's pandering, but so long as you are aware and know what you're going in for, and don't pretend it is anything else...there are worse things out there.

I watched the first episode and thought it was a LITTLE disjointed - like it was trying to set up too many things too quickly. But I will say this, I did like that A) They got the fact that the Mongols were religiously tolerant right and B) the guy playing Kublic khan sold the kind of "asshole charisma" that I think most effective kings had.

Asshole charisma: acting like a dick, but still kind of being a mixture of likable, imposing, and impressive.

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 16, 2014

Alpha Echo said:
I will say if you don't like sex on TV...

Thanks. I'll pass.

Alpha Echo · Dec 16, 2014

Maryn said:
I haven't yet begun it, but Netflix does indeed do good TV, such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.

I presume the gratuitous sex is to compete with HBO, which has plenty of it, most intended to appeal to the young male demographic groups.

So, besides this aspect, is it actually any good?

I think it is. But that's just me, and I really don't know much about the history of Marco Polo...so I can't speak to the historical accuracy or lack thereof.

Zoombie said:
Maybe I am a silly person, but...I think there is something charming about these kinds of stories and shows.

Yeah, it's pandering, but so long as you are aware and know what you're going in for, and don't pretend it is anything else...there are worse things out there.

I watched the first episode and thought it was a LITTLE disjointed - like it was trying to set up too many things too quickly. But I will say this, I did like that A) They got the fact that the Mongols were religiously tolerant right and B) the guy playing Kublic khan sold the kind of "asshole charisma" that I think most effective kings had.

Asshole charisma: acting like a dick, but still kind of being a mixture of likable, imposing, and impressive.

I agree! Yay! Yes...as long as you know what you're in for...I didn't, but I guessed before we started watching. I guess because all of the Netflix shows I've seen (House of Cards, Orange) has a lot of sex. Mostly Orange. But I remember wondering if there would be lots of sex in Marco as well.

I agree that they did try to throw a lot in the first episode, but I also agree that I was actually thrown by Kubla's religious tolerance! As I said, I don't know much about the time period, but given our own general lack of tolerance, I was surprised that way back then, they may have been MORE tolerant.

And he is one of those likeable bad guys. He is a dick. But he is impressive as well.

Zoombie · Dec 16, 2014

Another thing about Mongol territory: It was said a merchant could walk from one end of the Silk Road to the other with a silver plate on his head, and never fear from bandits.

Of course, this is because the Mongols were grade A murder masters - skilled blitzkriegers in a world without tanks or airplanes or radio.

Like, it's a mixture of appalling and awe inspiring to realize just how stupendously GOOD the Golden Horde was at killing everything they set their mind to do so.

...kinda puts the whole "religious tolerance" thing in a different light, doesn't it?

Yourg · Dec 17, 2014

Thanks for the review. I'm more likely to watch now. Good news.

I don't think we should expect good history from something like this. You watch this sort of thing for lavish sets, costumes, action, fantasy and adventure...not to mention skin.

I hope the story is entertaining, too, and not fundamentally flawed like that of House of Cards.

Rags99 · Dec 17, 2014

I also watched the series and enjoyed it.

I will watch anything with Samurai or Mongols.

The sex is gratuitous. The fighting is ala old style kung fu movies. So not for everyone.

The secondary characters shine (Kublai, Chabi, Kaidu,Hundred Eyes and Kokachin). Marco himself is ok, but I find his performance, sometimes off in comparison to his cast. He never steals scenes, like say Kublai does.

Any scene with the Mongol culture is fascinating. I wish they would delve deeper into that aspect and forget the Marco (daddy issues) thing.

Other than that, the scenery is fantastic. I enjoyed it.

snafu1056 · Dec 17, 2014

Yourg said:
Thanks for the review. I'm more likely to watch now. Good news.

I don't think we should expect good history from something like this. You watch this sort of thing for lavish sets, costumes, action, fantasy and adventure...not to mention skin.

Actually, all things considered, the history is pretty good. It's definitely the most accurate depiction of Mongols a western production has ever given us. The guy playing Kublai Khan pretty much nails it. He even looks like him. There are some liberties taken with dates of events, and I don't like how grubby Kubilai's city looks (the real thing knocked Marco Polo's socks off). And the kung fu stuff is pretty goofy, but I can live with that. Even the uniforms of the Chinese footsoldiers are right for the era, so I'll give them that much credit.

Rags99 · Dec 17, 2014

Oh one more thing. They also get a golden cookie for casting actors that fit the part.

An Italian actor playing an Italian historical figure? What madness is this?

snafu1056 · Dec 17, 2014

The last Marco Polo mini-series from the 80's had Leonard Nimoy(!) as Kubilai Khan, so we've come a long way.

CrastersBabies · Dec 17, 2014

I didn't even know about this. Sounds like something to check out. Thanks for starting the thread.

Alpha Echo · Dec 18, 2014

snafu1056 said:
Actually, all things considered, the history is pretty good. It's definitely the most accurate depiction of Mongols a western production has ever given us. The guy playing Kublai Khan pretty much nails it. He even looks like him. There are some liberties taken with dates of events, and I don't like how grubby Kubilai's city looks (the real thing knocked Marco Polo's socks off). And the kung fu stuff is pretty goofy, but I can live with that. Even the uniforms of the Chinese footsoldiers are right for the era, so I'll give them that much credit.

I'll take your word on all of that, but I do know that Kublai Khan did not kill his brother, as he does in the TV show. Right?

CrastersBabies said:
I didn't even know about this. Sounds like something to check out. Thanks for starting the thread.

Yay! I hope you enjoy it. We certainly are. Watched another episode last night.

I really am so impressed with Netflix and their originals. There's only one we started and didn't really like. Sort of a detective series, I think?

snafu1056 · Dec 18, 2014

Alpha Echo said:
I'll take your word on all of that, but I do know that Kublai Khan did not __________Right?

Nah. In real life his brother eventually surrendered and was allowed to live. But I guess that's not as exciting.

Alpha Echo · Dec 19, 2014

That's what I thought. Yeah...need more drama than that, I guess.

DH and I will probably finish watching season 1 this weekend. All our shopping and wrapping is complete, and we don't have DD this weekend.

Calla Lily · Dec 19, 2014

We finished the first ep and were both "meh." I'm tired of gratuitous sex in movies that aren't porn. Call me a dichotomist, but I like actors to retain their clothes in non-porn. :tongue

Plot and acting: Fine, I guess. It reminded me of Shogun, which wasn't one of my favorites. Certainly more nekkididity in MP! We'll probably watch more eps now that football is winding down.

Taran · Dec 19, 2014

Oh God I read The Journeyer when I was 12. Looking back I can't believe I finished it. It's awful. Awful awful awful. And no matter what they show in this show, nothing will come close to the stuff that happens in that book e.g. bloody sex with gorilla lips.

This show: The first episode was disappointing, but the second one was a huge improvement so I'm hoping for a Spartacus: Blood and Sand situation here where the improvement just keeps continuing on to the last episode.

Marco Polo is a pretty boring character so far. Kublai Khan steals every scene he's in. They should have just made a "Kublai" series with this guy, he's awesome.

Manuel Royal · Dec 21, 2014

Taran said:
Marco Polo is a pretty boring character so far. Kublai Khan steals every scene he's in. They should have just made a "Kublai" series with this guy, he's awesome.

Well, that actually makes me respect the production more. If I recall (it's been a few decades since I read Marco's book) he doesn't say very much about himself, but reports all sorts of details about what he saw.

If I recall, Kublai (who'd been elected Khan) defeated his younger brother (who'd also declared himself Khan) in battle, but didn't kill him. (I'm not going to use spoiler codes to talk about historical events of the thirteenth century.)

Kublai was certainly a more competent ruler than your general run of Khans. They all ran into the physical reality that, as the saying goes, it's easier to conquer land on horseback than to govern it on horseback.

Yourg · Dec 21, 2014

Taran said:
This show: The first episode was disappointing, but the second one was a huge improvement so I'm hoping for a Spartacus: Blood and Sand situation here where the improvement just keeps continuing on to the last episode.

I'm on episode six now, and that does seem to be the case...at this point. And Marco, it seems to me, is getting less "boring."

I'm certainly not going to complain about the nudity in Marco Polo. I will say that it does seem a bit flat when compared to shows like Game of Thrones or Spartacus. People complain about the nudity and sex in Game of Thrones. I think they're crazy. But while I find it sexy in GoT, I, like I said, admit that it's a bit ineffective in MP...so far.

And I'd say that the hottest sex scene in MP, so far, is likely the one in which Marco and the wrestler girl have sex with their clothes more-or-less on.

Anyway, I'mma keep watching for now, and hope it stays and keeps getting more interesting.

snafu1056 · Dec 22, 2014

The wrestler chick being model-skinny is kinda ridiculous though. Female empowerment aside, we're talking about a sport that's more like Sumo wrestling than MMA. It's all about huge guys throwing each other around. A 95 pound woman would've been picked up and thrown many yards by your average Mongol wrestler, regardless of how feisty she was. The woman the character is based on did exist and was a badass, but she was also probably a very big gal (as many Mongolian women were). Feels like they blew a good opportunity to do some non-traditional casting.

Alpha Echo · Dec 23, 2014

Well, we did finish this past weekend. I read that this was just a miniseries, but the ending sure did leave it wide open for more adventures! It is called Marco Polo, after all. Not Kublai Khan.

I agree with those who said Kublai outshone Marco. He most certainly did. I also enjoyed the blind monk. Marco is decent, but he just seems...well, like an observer. But isn't that what he did?

snafu - I was thinking the same thing about the female wrestler. She was so tiny! I bet she could whip my butt because of her skill, but those dudes are huge. Unless they allowed themselves to be whipped...which why would they when her "virginity" was on the line? (not sure if that's a show-related spoiler or history, hence the white-out)

Those who saw the ending - do you think they will do another season? There's a whole new story there, though it doesn't seem to be historically based, if they go in that direction.

Netflix Original: Marco Polo

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