After many delays and procrastinations, I have finally settled down and watched the first two episodes of Netflix's Marco Polo. I must say, so far I enjoy the series thoroughly. Netflix has managed to create a show that gives faithful deference to the source material while sprinkling in the action and drama that audiences need to stay engaged and entertained with the show.
There were several details that delighted me with the first episode, in particular a tiny moment that no one else likely gave much thought. When the Polos are crossing the Taklamakan Desert, they encounter a sandstorm that sends the caravan scrambling for cover. However, this is no ordinary sandstorm! A man, presumably a bandit, rides out of the whipping clouds of dust, looking for some travelers to pillage. He retreats into the storm, finding no quary, and the scene ends. I was losing my mind as this scene was taking place, because this is from my favorite part of the entire book of The Travels. This bandit was of the Karaunas, a band of riders quoted in The Travels as having Mongol fathers and Indian mothers. The sandstorm was a representation of a "black art" Polo described them as wielding, stating that when they mean to attack a village, they whip up a cloud of dust that goes before them to blacken the sky, keeping their movements invisible to their victims until they strike. It is a fascinating portion of Polo's narrative, and that the show would even include a visual reference to the Karaunas sold me on it instantly. I was very pleased by this.
I was also very surprised that the show was so close to The Travels in its' treatment of Polo's position as observer and information gatherer for Kublai Khan. In his time at court, Polo was able to travel over much of Kublai Khan's realm. He would then report to the Khan all that he had seen on these trips, with that information comprising mostly mercantile assets, observations of local custom and stories he heard on those travels. This intel gave Kublai valuable information that informed strategy, as witnessed in the second episode, when Kublai moved against his treacherous brother, Aric. It was very surprising to see how faithfully the show kept Polo's reports and observational skills at the forefront of his character, since such things in and of themselves are not deeply entertaining (The Travels is an informative, but not really entertaining, read). However, the show was able to incorporate this aspect of the narrative and of Polo's character from the books in such a way as to make him not only useful, but very important and interesting to the show and its plot. Kudos to the writing staff for pulling off that feat.
I like that the cosmpolitan make-up of Kublai Khan's court and empire is addressed in this show. There are Persians, Arabs, Chinese, Mongols, and all sorts of other races and religions on display. Uighurs and Xiong-nu even came up in conversation in the first two episodes. The character of Ahmad, who is in the book as well as on the show, is described as an Arab, and lo and behold, he was cast accurately! That the show even cared to take time and effort with casting like that is delightful. It brings the show that much closer to portraying something that I feel is lost in the historical narrative: The Ancient World did not really care about race and racial divisions. More emphasis was placed on religion and religious interractions and divisions. And the show does address some of these things, and it may address them further in later episodes.
I can tell where they have added things in for dramatic and entertainment purposes, but none of those changes really bother me. I know why they are there and I appreciate the additions. The show is visually interesting and the set and costume design is very rich and compelling. I have detected no inaccuracies, but I am also not an authority on clothing and costume of Yuan Dynasty China. So far, so good, Marco.
I was also very surprised that the show was so close to The Travels in its' treatment of Polo's position as observer and information gatherer for Kublai Khan. In his time at court, Polo was able to travel over much of Kublai Khan's realm. He would then report to the Khan all that he had seen on these trips, with that information comprising mostly mercantile assets, observations of local custom and stories he heard on those travels. This intel gave Kublai valuable information that informed strategy, as witnessed in the second episode, when Kublai moved against his treacherous brother, Aric. It was very surprising to see how faithfully the show kept Polo's reports and observational skills at the forefront of his character, since such things in and of themselves are not deeply entertaining (The Travels is an informative, but not really entertaining, read). However, the show was able to incorporate this aspect of the narrative and of Polo's character from the books in such a way as to make him not only useful, but very important and interesting to the show and its plot. Kudos to the writing staff for pulling off that feat.
I like that the cosmpolitan make-up of Kublai Khan's court and empire is addressed in this show. There are Persians, Arabs, Chinese, Mongols, and all sorts of other races and religions on display. Uighurs and Xiong-nu even came up in conversation in the first two episodes. The character of Ahmad, who is in the book as well as on the show, is described as an Arab, and lo and behold, he was cast accurately! That the show even cared to take time and effort with casting like that is delightful. It brings the show that much closer to portraying something that I feel is lost in the historical narrative: The Ancient World did not really care about race and racial divisions. More emphasis was placed on religion and religious interractions and divisions. And the show does address some of these things, and it may address them further in later episodes.
I can tell where they have added things in for dramatic and entertainment purposes, but none of those changes really bother me. I know why they are there and I appreciate the additions. The show is visually interesting and the set and costume design is very rich and compelling. I have detected no inaccuracies, but I am also not an authority on clothing and costume of Yuan Dynasty China. So far, so good, Marco.
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| Again, not a costuming expert, but this looks pretty good. |
Addendum:
I just wanted to add that one aspect of the show I was pleased with was Marco's description of the Taklamakan Desert. When he spoke of the whispers of the desert, it reminded me of a description of the Taklamakan Desert in the biography of Xuanzang by his student, Hwui Li:
"On the morrow at sundown he (Xuanzang) proceeded towards the bush, where shortly afterwards the foreigner with an old greybeard, likewise a foreign person, riding on a lean horse of a red colour, came to meet (Xuanzang). The Master of the Law was not easy in his mind; on which the young foreigner said: 'This venerable greybeard is intimately acquainted with the Western roads...I have brought him to go with you, hoping it may give you assurance.' Then the senior man said: 'The Western roads are difficult and bad; sand-streams stretch far and wide; evil sprites and hot winds, when they come, cannot be avoided: numbers of men travelling together, although so many, are miseld and lost; how much rather you, sir, going alone!'" (1)
1. Li, Hwui. The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang: With an Introduction Containing an Account of The Works of I-Tsing. trans. Samuel Beal. (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. 1911), 15.
I just wanted to add that one aspect of the show I was pleased with was Marco's description of the Taklamakan Desert. When he spoke of the whispers of the desert, it reminded me of a description of the Taklamakan Desert in the biography of Xuanzang by his student, Hwui Li:
"On the morrow at sundown he (Xuanzang) proceeded towards the bush, where shortly afterwards the foreigner with an old greybeard, likewise a foreign person, riding on a lean horse of a red colour, came to meet (Xuanzang). The Master of the Law was not easy in his mind; on which the young foreigner said: 'This venerable greybeard is intimately acquainted with the Western roads...I have brought him to go with you, hoping it may give you assurance.' Then the senior man said: 'The Western roads are difficult and bad; sand-streams stretch far and wide; evil sprites and hot winds, when they come, cannot be avoided: numbers of men travelling together, although so many, are miseld and lost; how much rather you, sir, going alone!'" (1)
1. Li, Hwui. The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang: With an Introduction Containing an Account of The Works of I-Tsing. trans. Samuel Beal. (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. 1911), 15.
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