The Young Pope Premiere

The Young Pope is not for everyone and that’s something you’ll figure out in the first few moments. If you’re unaware of what the show is about, it involves Lenny Belardo (Jude Law) who has recently become the new Pope, Pope Pius XIII. He’s very Trump-like in that it appears his only role as Pope is to do away with tradition and harass nearly anyone he can while doing so. He’s also quite the snappy dresser as his style choices resemble that of Beyonce. Law plays it well although his range wasn’t displayed within this episode, but I’m interested to see what else he brings to this role, if anything at all. In one of his first attempts to upend tradition, aside from asking for a Cherry Coke for breakfast and smoking indoors, is he asks that a nun who raised him, Sister Mary (Diane Keaton) join him at the Vatican in order to assist and guide him in the new role. Not all agree, however, that the new Pope is worthy of the title, as Cardinal Michael Spencer (James Cromwell) whose relationship to Lenny, what a ridiculous name by the way, is not yet clear to me, is very upset that he has not become the next Pope. To get a better idea as to what is occurring within this show, check out the trailer below.

Now like I said from the top, this show is not for everyone. At times, it doesn’t appear to know what it wants to be as often it gravitates from the absurd, like Lenny demanding a Cherry Coke for breakfast, to something more in HBO’s wheelhouse, cardinals devising a plan to destroy the new Pop behind his back. The music for this first episode, by Lele Marchitelli, only made it more jarring and again I wasn’t quite sure what it wanted to be. Don’t get me wrong, I’m more than willing to stay on this ride and I’m interested in what Paolo Sorrentino has to show us but I’m not sure how many people will actually like this show. It may scratch the itch of those who miss the Sopranos as it hits upon similar themes, a protagonist who is equal parts broken and a monster, while the absurdity of it may rub individuals who loved the Sopranos the wrong way. I’m just not entirely sure how this fits into HBO’s collection. Maybe that’s why it’s only a limited series and not a full one.

But with all that being said, I’m still going to watch all 10 episodes. What did you think of the show? Let me know below.