In Netflix‘s “The Decameron,” a group of nobles and servants hide out in a fancy villa in Tuscany to get away from the Black Plague. The show is set during the bubonic plague in the 1400s and has a mix of comedy, drama, and social commentary as the characters enjoy wealth and vice while trying to deal with the truth of their situation. But is there any truth to this dark comedy-drama?
IS THE DECAMERON ON NETFLIX INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY?
The Decameron is based on Giovanni Boccaccio‘s collection of short stories from the 1400s that has the same name. The new Netflix show The Decameron was created by Kathleen Jordan, who is known for her work on Teenage Bounty Hunters and American Princess. It takes place in Florence in 1348, at the height of the bubonic plague. The show is about a group of misfits who go to a fancy villa to get away from the plague. It deals with issues of class struggle.
The Netflix version stays true to the basic idea of a group of people looking for safety from the plague, but it is very different from Boccaccio’s stories. The show, which was made by Kathleen Jordan, is more of a modern take on the story than a true retelling. Jordan and her writers, who include Megan King Kelly and Marie Hanhnhon Nguyen, change the setting from medieval times to modern times by adding humor and irreverence.
Kathleen’s version builds on Boccaccio’s idea to look at issues of class inequality and how people act when they are under a lot of pressure. The show shows how the upper classes try to escape reality while the lower classes have to deal with harsh realities. This is similar to how crises make differences worse in the real world. Jordan got ideas from watching the difference between the rich and the poor during lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. This modern point of view criticizes how privilege can change how people see hardship.
The show’s creator and showrunner, Kathleen Jordan, got ideas from Boccaccio’s The Decameron but changed the story to fit modern issues. Jordan emphasizes, “And when at times of crisis, the chasm between the haves and the have-nots grows wider and wider. Obviously, that’s something we’ve seen in the last few years, in particular with COVID.”
In the interview, Kathleen said Initially, I wanted to prove I was smart, but it’s more about taking inspiration from the book rather than adapting it directly. My take was to explore the contrast between the wealthy escaping to drink wine and the suffering of the poor. The show has a similar thematic feel to the original stories but with a modern twist.
Kathleen has said in interviews that the show isn’t trying to be historically accurate. She instead wanted to look into how people act and how social norms change when they face existential threats. “I think an Italian medievalist will be let down if they come to this show hoping to see their favorite Decameron stories acted out,” Jordan said, emphasizing that she was going to update and change the source material instead of copying it.
The Decameron is mostly about how to stay alive during a deadly plague. The show is based on the real-life COVID-19 pandemic, when there were lockdowns and major changes in society that put people’s survival instincts to the test. The Black Plague is used as a metaphor for modern problems, and the series looks at how different characters deal with the threat of death.
The people who worked on The Decameron took ideas from reality TV and survival shows and used them to improve the story. Through looking at how power and privilege work during a pandemic, the show makes a statement about people and society’s values. Comparisons between the show and Lord of the Flies by William Golding emphasize the change from indulgence to survival, showing more about the characters and people in general.
Filomena is played by Jessica Plummer, who says that the show is like a historical reality show: “Think Love Island, but back in the day.” A great deal of action, sex, and, well, crazy stuff. This mix of historical settings and modern ideas should make for an interesting and one-of-a-kind viewing experience.
The Decameron on Netflix is not a direct adaptation of Boccaccio’s work. Instead, it is a modern take on the work that was inspired by it. The series explores themes of survival, privilege, and human behavior through the lens of the Black Plague, which mixes historical and modern issues. The show is based on historical and literary events, but its main goal is not to tell a true story about the past, but to reflect and make fun of how society works today.
Make sure to check tvacute.com again soon for the latest news, previews, and recaps about The Decameron and other interesting TV shows.
