Revisiting Netflix's Marco Polo: 'The Wayfarer' and 'The Wolf and the Deer'

Note: These two posts were originally published on my old blog on January 27 and 29, 2016. I have been wanting to write more about Marco Polo, to finally complete the recaps I started writing nine (!) years ago. As a step toward that, I am re-publishing some of my earlier Marco Polo writing that are no longer available anywhere else.

Marco Polo Season 1 Episode 1

I avoided Marco Polo for a long time because of the rough reviews I read of it. I wish I could claim not to be affected by reviews but the truth is, given how little time I have outside of work, I do use reviews and word of mouth as filter in deciding what to watch. Thankfully, I did get around to watching Marco Polo, and I am glad I did. Is it a brilliant show? I wouldn't go that far. Is it immensely watchable? Absolutely. Is it peopled with compelling characters wonderfully performed? Yes.

As the title suggests, the show is centred on a young Marco Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy) as he joined the father he barely knew and his Uncle as they tried to secure trade routes from the immensely powerful Kublai Khan (Benedict Wong). When they faced banishment for their failure to bring priests as the great Khan demanded, Niccolo Polo (Pierfranceso Favino) offered young Marco to be left behind as the Khan's servant. The Khan, impressed by Marco's lyrical description of the desert, agreed.

The first episode did what first episodes do -- establish the setting and introduce the characters. At this time, the only one left challenging Kublai's power was what was left of the Song dynasty. Secure within their high walls, China was ruled by a dying emperor with a very young son, and Chancellor Jia Sidao (a more overtly powerful Littlefinger, with mean Kung fu moves). Jia Sidao (Chin Han) secures more money and power by selling off his sister's favours, his sister Mei Lin (Olivia Cheng) being the Emperor's favourite concubine and mother to his daughter.

In the court of Kublai Khan, there is Empress Chabi (Joan Chen), his most beloved wife, and his heir, the Chinese-educated Jingim (Remy Hii). There is also Byamba (Kublai Khan's bastard son, played by Uli Latukefu), Ahmad (Minister of Finance and practically an adopted son of the Khan, played by Mahesh Jadu), Yusuf (Kublai Khan's loyal and wise Vice Regent, played by Amr Waked), and the Blue Princess (Zhu Zhu), a captive royalty of a land captured and massacred by the Khan's forces (and the lovely lady Marco gets to make googly eyes with). 

Already a fan favourite and one of the show's most intriguing characters is Hundred Eyes (Tom Wu), a blind Chinese monk held at Court to educate and train the Khan's sons, and who was tasked to train Marco as well. Hundred Eyes is so awesome, he got his own Christmas special.

At the time of this writing, I have already seen all 10 episodes. Having become familiar with the almost genial presence of the Khan, it was such a stark contrast to the mark of violence at the beginning of this episode, a village raided by the Mongols where they left corpses impaled on sticks. I'm not sure what was the point of the Khan's test to Marco -- walk past beautiful, nked women skilled in the arts of pleasure without touching them -- but there, that happened. The Wayfarer is not a particularly compelling beginning, but it was enough to make me keep watching, and I am glad I did.

Marco Polo Season 1 Episode 2

To be honest, the first time I watched Marco Polo, I feel asleep a few times during this episode. That is not a commentary on the overall quality of the episode, simply how tired I was when I initially watched this. As such, when I re-watched this episode so I could write this recap, it was actually the first time I saw the fight between Kublai and Ariq. 

Following Kublai's victory against his treacherous brother, the camera kept panning from the Khan to Marco, and back again. I could only assume it was to underscore the alien-ness of what Marco just witnessed from his Venetian merchant son's point of view. Still, the camera movement also served to underscore perhaps the show's biggest challenge --- it's main character is not nearly as compelling as the supporting cast who surround him.

As a lead, Lorenzo Richelmy isn't bad. I cannot fault the creative choice of viewing 13th century Mongolia and China from the eyes of a foreigner who has never before travelled outside the confines of a thriving European city. It is just that the other characters are so good, the awkward beginning's of Marco's romance (you just know it is going there the first time they see each other) with the Blue Princess feels juvenile. 

Kublai Khan (Benedict Wong) has filled the hole left in my TV viewer's heart by Robert Baratheon. We meet Kublai at the height of his empire, though he is no longer a young man. When he fought his brother in single combat, that it was difficult for him to even get off his horse made the scene even more poignant. This was a man who has led with strength, and must once more prove it when physically, he was not at his strongest anymore. The way he blocked a broadsword's thrust with his armoured arm showcased the force of this leader's will more than his palace, or his harem, or the disciplined line of soldiers who followed him.  

When we met Mei Lin in the Pilot, she was providing her particular brand of services to a government official at her brother Jia Sidao's bidding. Here, the Chancellor went too far and actually gave three soldiers permission to bed his sister, an Imperial Consort and mother to the now dead emperor's daughter. Mei Lin initially did a seductive dance, then, when she was nked, killed all three soldiers with such graceful expertise, it made me wonder why she did not turn her talents against her brother, especially when he threatened her daughter's life. Mei Lin now has a new assignment --- travel to Cambulac, win the favour of the Khan, and report back to Jia Sidao.

I welcome Mei Lin's move to Cambulac, mostly because it would give her a chance to interact with other fascinating characters like the Khan's favoured wife Lady Chabi. Jia Sidao is perfectly capable of making the scenes within the Song dynasty compelling on his own. The cricket minister struggling not to roll his eyes at the new child emperor is a more exciting character moment than Marco's night time rides. 

Strays

👑Whereas ravens are the preferred messengers of the Westerosi, the people of Cambulac use falcons.

👑Marco accidentally got the genial tax collector Sanga killed. He was given an honourable death, according to Jingim --- rolled up in a carpet and trampled by dozens of horses.

👑The Jingim-led army was defeated at Wuchang, partly because of Ariq's treachery, partly because the young Prince so wanted to prove he was Mongol despite his Chinese education.

👑I wish I had taken down a few of Hundred Eyes's lines in this episode. The way Tom Wu delivered them was golden.

👑Marco figured out Ariq's treachery by looking at the army's grain supplies. Jingim so does not like Marco.

👑Marco tried to escape but was prevented by Hundred Eyes, who knew there was no way for the Venetian to survive and remain free for long.