Marco Polo - General Discussion

[benteen]

The Yusef actor was terrific.  Sidao raising anyone is not a good proposition.  Though there's something ridiculously funny about using that canon gun.  Like something out of a Looney Tunes cartoon.

 

I thought the Marco actor gave a really strong performance him, particularly when he was brought before the Khan to answer the charges against him.

Edited January 11, 2015 by benteen

[benteen]

Now I see why they held off on that battle scene in episode 8.  I thought they did a great job with it.

 

Great episode and I really enjoyed this series.  It wasn't perfect to be sure.  Lorenzo Richelmy was definitely the weak link in the cast but thankfully, most of the rest of the cast was excellent.  Benedict Wong had a dominating turn as the Khan.  Joan Chen was excellent.  Tom Wu was excellent as Hundred Eyes (and that fight scene with Sidao was awesome).    I alternated between liking Jingim and wanting to slap him but I thought Remy Hii turned in a fascinating portrayal. 

 

Sidao was a bastard but Chin Han owned it.  He had an amazing presence and although Sidao got what he deserved, his character will be sorely missed in Season 2.

 

I'm glad we're getting a Season 2.  Not surprisingly, Littlefinger, I mean Ahmad will be one of the villains.  I agree about the mural...how the hell does he hide something like that?

[lion10]

The face Sidao made when the boy emperor hugged him was so touching.  You could tell he was genuinely surprised and glad that the emperor truly liked him.

Edited January 12, 2015 by lion10

[benteen]

The face Sidao made when the boy emperor hugged him was so touching.  You could tell he was genuinely surprised and glad that the emperor truly like him.

 

Yeah that scene worked surprisingly well despite how F'd up the dynamic is there.

[wanderingstar]

Glad to hear the show is getting a second season. I kind of want to see what comes of Mei Lin and Ahmad's partnership to take down Kublai.

[nodorothyparker]

Really nice episode in what was an engaging if sometimes unevenly written first season.  Marco Polo the character is still one of the least interesting things about Marco Polo the series, although the actor has gotten better in the later episodes.  I do think this is a show that benefits greatly from being able to binge watch it rather than have to try to learn all these characters and storylines on a weekly basis.

 

The battle scenes, from the trebuchets firing at the wall to the warriors on the field, were beautifully executed and shot and the final fight between Sidao and Hundred Eyes was just glorious to behold.  The chancellor will be missed going forward, with Chin Han absolutely owning his role as a magnificent bastard.  I can only hope the Blue Princess's absence at the end means we aren't going to be subjected to whatever that story was supposed to be.

 

Add me to the chorus puzzled by Ahmed's big mural o' treason right there for anybody to see.  Are his private quarters in the palace really that private that this is a good idea?  And are we supposed to believe that Byamba is abandoning his father for Kaidu's forces because Jingim has finally gotten over his tedious jealousy snit with Marco?  Byamba's relationship with Marco is one of the few that really felt natural and there's surely more to it than that.

[eyetotelescope]

What an awful pilot.  Terribly one-dimensional characters (everybody is a complete stereotype - the power-hungry chancellor, the son who has something to prove, the concubine who is willing to sleep with anyone to get ahead, etc.), bad plot pacing and generally insulting to anyone with roots in Asia (there was so much blatant "ooh look at how exotic this is!").  The only thing that I liked was the beautiful cinematography for the outdoor scenes - other than that, just awful.

 

That said, I'll probably watch a few more episodes to see if it gets better.

[eyetotelescope]

Better than the pilot.  There was less jumping back and forth between a million plot lines and characters, which helped keep my interest.  That said, the naked kung fu was completely ridiculous, and I'm already tired of Marco's anvilicious upcoming romance with the princess.

 

I'd like to see more character development for the women on this show (minus the princess, she already bores me) - right now they seem to only kill people while naked, have sex and say shocking things to men.

[eyetotelescope]

I still have a lot of the same problems with this show that I had in the pilot, but for some weird reason I'm still watching.

 

The gratuitous nudity is getting to be comical, and I'm still bored to tears with Marco and his interest in the princess, and I'm definitely more interested in the stuff that focuses more on the Khan.

[eyetotelescope]

I find that some of the dialogue gets muddled and that I'm missing a few crucial words here and there.

 

I'm not sure what the Empress is up to with Mei Lin - what's her angle?

 

I'm still bored to death with the princess's storyline - am I supposed to care about her trying to run away with her lover?

 

Oh, and Marco has the worst family ever.

[wanderingstar]

Add me to the chorus puzzled by Ahmed's big mural o' treason right there for anybody to see.

Can we please call it the Big Mural O' Treason forever? I love that!

Edited February 2, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[Raachel2008]

I binged watched this in one single day - thank you, crap weather - and enjoyed it a great deal.

 

Even though the writing failed at times, there was a really good balance between drama and humor, and some performances were that outstanding - Benjamin Wong, Joan Chen and Amr Waked were my favorites. I would have liked to see more of some characters (hello, Mei Lin), but I have to say that I was positively surprised at how ALL characters were nuanced enough to stand on their own.

 

The photography was really good, the wardrobe department deserves some kind of award, and I appreaciated the small details - like dirty nails and oily skin. I could have lived without that horrifying scene of the Mongols literally butchering the Chineses into pieces, but I get it was necessary to show why they were called barbarians – same goes for the egg virginity test and Mei Lin’s daugther having her feet crushed.

 

I'm not sure I get the complaints about Marco Polo being the "main" character. First, his story is "real" - as real as third party account almost a hundred years later can be, and, second, I don't really think he is the main character, even though he gets a lot of screen time. The center there is Kublai, by every angle you look at it, IMO.

 

Where I think the writing failed big time was that we are supposed to see this whole new world through Marco's eyes but there is not enough cultural shock to make it believable. The only scene he was trully shocked was the mentioned Chinese slaughtering, because the other ocasions he was somewhat horrified where more due the consequences of his actions (the wall trap, Sanga) than the action itself.  Every thing else is almost normal for him. This is a very young men raised in the Middle Ages in a Catholic Venice, but somehow he is okay with Mongols' food, drinking, traditions, costumes, religion, have as many wives as you want society, kill you enemies a thousand times mentality. I know that Marco is so enchanted by Kublaid and the Mongols that he decide to stay, but it rings false for me that he is so accomodating. He lacks a spine, so to speak.

 

After watching "Exodus" and trying to wrap my mind around Christian I'm Pale as Bale playing Moses, I'm glad they resisted the temptation to have, I dunno, a tanned Ed Harris as Khan. So, for me, the biggest asset in this show is its diversity, not only because of diversity itself but because it also allows the audience to know great actors from outside the Hollywood-UK-Australia bubble.

 

The weakest link is Marco/Kokachim's romance. Lorenzo Richelmy or Zhu Zhu are not strong actors, but while they work paired with the right person, as in the Marco/Kublai and Chabi/Kokachim scenes, Marco/Kockachim is a very weak combo with a visible lack of chemistry. I'm already dreading the whole Marco/Kokachim/Jingim triangle in season two.

 

On the other hand, give me all Kublai and Chabi, who are fucking awesome, and Khutulum and Byama, who are too adorable for words.

 

Here hoping Ahmed and Mei Lin jsut spread cahos in season 2.

 

ETA: Big Mural O' Treason. AWESOME.

 

 

,

Edited February 2, 2015 by Raachel2008

[TV Anonymous]

Just finished and not a bad series.  If you check out the reviews on Netflix (besides the highbrow reviews that tend to be all negative for odd reasons) most of the low reviews tend to be for the usual reasons Netflix Orifinal series rated low (Adult content and pervasive language).   Its like we are living in puritanical times.  So a little skin and people go nuts.  That being said....BROTHELS HO!  

 

Yeah, I do not understand the objection either. IMO, the nudity in this show is not even worse than Rome or Spartacus. Even Emmy Rossum shows her tits every other episode on Shameless. As viewer must pay to watch Netflix, I think in a way it can be classified as premium channel, thus sexual content is an acceptable element of its contents.

[KaleyFirefly]

Binge-watched the whole series -- very entertaining! I don't really care that much about historical accuracy, I just like an entertaining show. The final showdown with Hundred Eyes and Jia Sidao was great! I loved Hundred Eyes, so that's really the only reason I was rooting for him.

 

After the episode where Marco is horrified to see the Mongols butchering their Chinese POWs, chopping off arms and legs, I was rooting for the Song Dynasty. I hoped Khan would be killed but knew it wouldn't happen. I also don't like that Marco had FINALLY gotten disgusted with them, realizing, hey these really are barbarians, and was going to leave...but then didn't because of lame-ass Blue girl with whom he has zero chemistry.

 

They had to make Jia Sidao into an evil villain by showing him hurting his niece, because otherwise, it actually seems perfectly reasonable that he would want to defend his people against the Mongols. In a different story, he might have been the hero.

 

I liked when the boy emperor hugged him and he looked so touched -- he had unexpected feelings for his little student. 

 

I am looking forward to a second season! I hope Mei Lin and Ahmed get revenge for their families (and Mei Lin for her people who were conquered by the Khan.) Also, Khutulan and Byamba are awesome. That is all.

[BetterButter]

The 'Kick Ass' Mentor Has His Day in 'Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes' Netflix Special

[wanderingstar]

Super excited for the 100 Eyes special. He was one of my faves in season 1!

[benteen]

Season 2 news.  Michelle Yeoh has been signed on for a recurring role in Season 2.

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/12/22/marco-polo-michelle-yeoh-season-2

[benteen]

Netflix posted a thirty-minute Marco Polo One Hundred Eyes prequel.

[Guest]

One Hundred Eyes origin story.

[TV Anonymous]

Is the spitting cobra not native to Africa? Did Kubilai's Mongol Empire extend to Africa?

[benteen]

I thought this was awesome.  A great look at One Hundred Eyes, who along with the Khan and The Chancellor were the best characters on the show.  I liked seeing his mentorship of Jia and him cutting through the Khan's men was awesome.  Also noticed Michelle Yeoh popping up very briefly.

[wanderingstar]

Loved this special and wished it was longer. Seeing how One Hundred Eyes got his name was great! And watching him train himself was a nice callback to his work with Marco in season 1.

I also loved Hundred Eyes' relationship with the young Jingim. I didn't realize he was the one who gave Jingim his name.

The only disappointment was finding out we have to wait till summer for season 2 :-/

[Meushell]

That was fun. I was kind of avoiding at first because I knew it would make me wish for season two to come faster. I couldn't resist though. LOL. It was great to see Hundred Eyes kicking butt, sight or no sight. Nice little cameos from other characters too.

[Raachel2008]

I liked it, and One Hundred Eyes mentoring Jingim explains why he didn't leave Kublai - and he could since the man is like Darevdevil and could probably live by himself and still beat an army.

[thuganomics85]

Season Two trailer!

Looks interesting, but I'm amused that it felt like there wasn't much of Marco in this.  The show might carry his name, but it really feels like Kubali is the star, and even the others are more important to the story. I don't disagree with that, to be honest.

[Raachel2008]

On 08/06/2016 at 6:45 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Season Two trailer!

 

Looks interesting, but I'm amused that it felt like there wasn't much of Marco in this.  The show might carry his name, but it really feels like Kubali is the star, and even the others are more important to the story. I don't disagree with that, to be honest.

Awesome promo! I don't disagree with it, either. Kublai should always be star, and Benedict Wong does such a fantastic job.

Wow, horses on fire! Brutal, and effective.

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[BindsTheTuna]

I'm on Episode 4, and OMG this season is soooooo much better than Season 1. 

[Raachel2008]

I'm on episode 5 and one thing I noticed is how the dialogue has a more modern feel compared to season 1. Not exactly less pompous, but almost everybody is saying 'shit' and 'fuck' every five minutes in episode 3 (I think it was 3), and there is definetely a change there in the characters' speech.

Is Marco wearing eyeliner? It looks like it.

[benteen]

I've noticed the more modern feel too in the dialogue, particularly with Rick Yune's Kaidu character.  I call him Surfer Dude Mongolian.

I very much enjoyed the show last season and am really enjoying it this season being four episodes in. 

[RCharter]

Overall -- I enjoyed the entire series.  I loved that this episode felt like it could work as a series finale, since I doubt Netflix will want to pay money for a season 3, if season 2 doesn't do well.  Beautifully shot, beautifully acted, sweeping landscapes, gorgeous outfits.

I guess this show doesn't get much consideration for awards because only a few people watch it, but I think the show deserves it, at the very least for benedict wong, who humanizes very unlikable Khan.

[Conan Troutman]

Can we please kill that little brat? He's annoying af. 

[KaleyFirefly]

Rick Yune is hot. So is the guy playing Byamba. 

I was a big fan of season 1 and the "Hundred Eyes" short film. Hopefully there will be more of Hundred Eyes as he is my favorite character. Also, how awesome is Michelle Yeoh??

[KaleyFirefly]

Aww, I thought he was such a cute little kid! And I didn't think Kublai would actually do it...  :-(

I don't remember how things ended with Marco and Blue Princess last season...why did she leave him again?

I still don't understand why Marco stays there...these aren't his people or his war. Why is he so loyal to the Kahn? I like that whats-her-name called him on his BS excuses for not leaving.

[NorthstarATL]

I wish I'd refreshed myself on the previous season before watching this, because there were obviously things I forgot, but I think Marco s in a better position in China than he would be in Italy, and that's a part of why he stays. That last scene was so awful. I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. The series is great, though.

[RCharter]

25 minutes ago, NorthstarATL said:

I wish I'd refreshed myself on the previous season before watching this, because there were obviously things I forgot, but I think Marco s in a better position in China than he would be in Italy, and that's a part of why he stays. That last scene was so awful. I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. The series is great, though.

me too, but I never have the patience to re-watch a series for some reason.  I had a feeling something bad was gonna happen, but I sort of thought he was going to snap the little boy's neck.  That was sort of ugly -- I get the reasoning, but I wish he would have gone with the plan the empress had :(

[RCharter]

1 hour ago, KaleyFirefly said:

Rick Yune is hot. So is the guy playing Byamba. 

I was a big fan of season 1 and the "Hundred Eyes" short film. Hopefully there will be more of Hundred Eyes as he is my favorite character. Also, how awesome is Michelle Yeoh??

100% agree about Byamba.  He is so pretty it hurts.

13 hours ago, Raachel2008 said:

I'm on episode 5 and one thing I noticed is how the dialogue has a more modern feel compared to season 1. Not exactly less pompous, but almost everybody is saying 'shit' and 'fuck' every five minutes in episode 3 (I think it was 3), and there is definetely a change there in the characters' speech.

Is Marco wearing eyeliner? It looks like it.

So, I noticed this as I was watching "The Borgias" as well.  Season 1 was all sorts of pomp and circumstance, and by Season 3, Jeremy Irons was talking about turds.  It was unsettling....but I think it works here because the Khan has never had many airs about him.

[thuganomics85]

Oh, yeah!  It's the return of The Kublai Khan show!  Sure, sure, they may have given Marco the show title, but as usual, Kublai owns the screen and Benedict Wong is just magnetic in every single frame.

To be fair though, I did think Lorenzo Richelmy was a bit better here.  Maybe he's better at being drunk.  Or playing off Mei Lin has given his character a jolt.  I never thought those two would work together, but I was getting a kick out of their interactions.

Jingim and Kokachin are now hitched, even if the latter still doesn't seem happy about it.  Then again, Chabi has to be the world's worst mother in-law.

Michelle Yeoh!  Loved her kicking ass!  Although I did like that Mei Lin at least put up a decent fight, while Marco just mainly got tossed around.  I do like that the show doesn't make him some kind of magical badass.  He still has ways to go to catch up the rest.

Not enough Hundred Eyes, but his two moments were great as always.  But I can't wait for him to kick some ass again!

Didn't know Ron Yuan was going to be on this season.  Unless he was in the first season as well, and I just forgot.

So, it looks like Kaidu is going to be the main advisory this season.  Could be interesting, but I will always miss that little weasel, Sidao.

[KaleyFirefly]

OK I was confused by Ahmed's flashback in this episode. Why did he kill the prostitute? What was the significance of the song she was humming? I must have missed something. 

Kaidu's fire-walk was much appreciated.

[rozen]

I know this is supposed to be a dramatic turning point, but I can't help but roll my eyes. How many crying children have been murdered and dismembered at the orders of the Khan as the price of doing business? It's worse because this kid at least had the chance to plead for his life before getting crushed in Kublai's insecurities? Just ugh.

[rozen]

I didn't get why he killed her either. I presume the lullaby is what his mother was humming while she shielded him from the Khan's men?

 

Ditto to the fire walk.