Young and charming, newly elected Pius XIII, aka Lenny Belardo, is the first American Pope in history. His ascension appears to be the result of a simple, effective media strategy implemented by the College of Cardinals. In the Vatican, however, the prevailing wisdom is the church’s leaders have chosen a mysterious figure as their guiding force. And Pius XIII proves to be the most mysterious and contradictory of them all. As Belardo begins his reign, he is stubbornly resistant to the Vatican stewards, instead relying on Sister Mary to serve as his chief adviser. While she urges him to focus on leading his billion followers, the young pope shows little interest in making himself known, either to the College of Cardinals or to the masses. The 10-episode drama series stars Jude Law in the title role and Diane Keaton as Sister Mary, a nun from the U.S. now living in Vatican City. HBO
Q-tips say: YES, we are enjoying it. Mrs. Q says: The setting is, Vatican City, so it’s gorgeous to look at too.
The Young Pope” certainly offers an alternative to most recent television in that it’s unafraid to take its time or deal with complex moral and religious issues. It’s a smart show; I just wish it didn’t feel the need to so often remind us how smart it is.
It should be obvious that The Young Pope is not for everyone. It’s a show that seems designed to imitate a host of different genres, then dive deeper and deeper into them until it emerges as something beyond, immune to parody. This is an intriguing series and worth watching as well but mind you there are references which are very Catholic and might be lost on those not aware of the tradition or mysteries.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SERIES.