Courtney McGrailA new drama on the papacy is more ignorant than anti-Catholics, writes Charles Collins
Charles Collins
“I just barely got started with God.” One would hope for more from the Vicar of Christ, but this is where we find the newly elected Pope Pius XIII (Jude Law) in the new television series airing in Ireland on Sky Atlantic The Young Pope.
Still only in his 40s, this young Pontiff is an enigma to all around him. No one knows his views on any subject, and he is immediately dismissive and unpleasant to everyone around him, from the lowest servant to the Cardinal Secretary of State.
Lenny Belardo was a young orphan, who grew up to be Archbishop of New York. In a conclave that happens before the start of the series, he is elected Pope in order to stop the ascent of his longtime patron and predecessor, Cardinal Michael Spencer (James Cromwell).
The young Pope is assisted by Sr Mary (Diane Keaton), who ran the orphanage in which he grew up – and one wonders what she sees in him.
Hints
There are hints of mysticism about him: animals respond to him, and Sr Mary excuses his aversion to being photographed – imagine this in a modern Pope – by saying the world is not ready “to see his eyes”.
Nevertheless, Pius XIII is thoroughly despicable from the start, and offers no hint of any personality trait that might compel any cardinal to vote for him in a papal conclave.
He insults everybody, continually makes bad jokes, and has no plan for his pontificate.
The show is not really anti-Catholic, but it does seem to be inexcusably ignorant of its broader subject matter, which is the contemporary Catholic Church – about which no one associated with the show seems to know anything.
The first two episodes revolve around the fact the Pope has not yet given his first ‘homily’ from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica (in The Young Pope no one says Mass). All the priests at the Vatican act as if the Pope is semi-divine, one even acting suitably enlightened when Pius informs him God lives in outer space, near the Big Dipper.
The costumes seem to come from the 19th Century, and you get little touches like schoolchildren roller-blading on the Vatican City helipad as a helicopter is landing.
The most believable moment is when a group of nuns rush to stop a cardinal from slitting his wrists after he fails to be elected to the Chair of Peter.
The dialogue is terrible, and most of the actors seem to realise it. Law seems to have no grasp of his character, Keaton delivers all of her lines as if she were reading shampoo instructions, and Cromwell spits venom with every word.
Although creator Paolo Sorrentino is known for his fantasy-realist style, it just serves to leave the viewer disorientated.
The premise of the show is intriguing. The scandals that have hit the Vatican over the years could provide some juicy HBO-worthy storylines.
The place of the Vatican in the world – and the role the Catholic Church in modern society – is a subject worthy of insightful television: a West Wing on the Tiber.
The Young Pope is a confusing mess, and a wasted opportunity.
The Young Pope airs on Sky Atlantic on Thursday evenings at 9pm.
Charles Collins is a Rome-based journalist specializing in Vatican affairs.