The Decameron

An 8-part series on Netflix
First episode: July 25, 2024
Watch Time: approx. 1 hr. per episode

I am completely enjoying Netflix’s production of The Decameron, which I clicked on out of curiosity. Was it going to have anything to do with The Decameron I read in graduate school – the stories, written in the 14th century by Boccaccio, about a small collection of royals, merchants, and servants that flee the plague consuming Florence for what they hoped was the safety and luxury of a magnificent castle in the countryside?

Yes, it was. But not as a remake meant to stay close to the original. I would have been interested to see that, but what the creators of this series did was better. The stories here are also part Chaucer (with the sort of gentle social satire you get from The Canterbury Tales), part Shakespeare (with the intricate plot twists of his comedies), and part the contemporary British combination of dryness and silliness you get from the Monty Python movies of the 1980s and 1990s. With, as a bonus, the bawdiness and naughtiness of all three.

I thought the first episode was brilliant, but I had several ounces of tequila in my bloodstream at the time, so I was prepared to be disappointed with episode two. Happily, Number Three Son Michael and family were at the beach house with me, so he joined me in watching it and confirmed my initial impression.

The Decameron is an ensemble production. And every one of the main characters is beautifully imagined and wonderfully acted. As a comedic series, I’d give it 4.7 out of 5. But if you never liked Shakespeare and/or Chaucer, you should watch it with caution. And if you never liked Monty Python, don’t even bother.

You can watch the trailer here.

And if you are interested:

You can bone up on the original Decameron here.

On Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales here.

On Shakespeare’s comedies here.

And on the Monty Python movies here.

Benjamin Franklin: A Film by Ken Burns 

A four-part documentary on PBS
Produced and directed by Ken Burns
Narrated by Peter Coyote and Mandy Patinkin
Initial release date: April 4, 2022
Watch Time: 1 hr. per episode

I’ve just started this series and I’m loving it.

I’m eternally interested in the life of Benjamin Franklin. Not just because he played such an important role in the founding of America but because he was a both a genius and a polymath and he led a wildly rich and diverse life.

This series looks to be another Ken Burns gem, with a great balance between facts and stories, history and myth, macro-perspectives and minor fascinations.

I’m only a few episodes into it at this point. But if it holds up, I’d give it 4.6 out of 5.

You can watch the trailer here.