The Young Pope

The Young Pope is an ambitious and provocative drama that first aired in 2016. Produced by an international network of production companies including Sky Atlantic, HBO, and Canal+, the series serves as a brilliant showcase of modern storytelling and filmmaking. Created and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, The Young Pope introduces us to a character whose profound complexity, ambiguity and unpredictability make it a must-watch series.

The story revolves around the central character, Lenny Belardo, who becomes the first American Pope in history. Chosen as the youngest cardinal for the Holy Chair, Lenny takes the name Pius XIII. The series subtly moves between past and present and shows us the journey of Lenny Belardo from being an orphan in New York to becoming the Pope, one of the most influential figures in the world.

To define Lenny merely as ‘young’ and as a ‘pope’ would be a gross oversimplification of the vast nuances that this character entails. Played skilfully by the talented Jude Law, Lenny is a character fraught with contradictions and mystery. Despite his relative youth, he is deeply conservative in his religious beliefs yet holds a somewhat unconventional and perplexing aura around him. From the outset, it’s clear he is not going to conform to the traditional image of a Pope and wants to reorganise the Vatican on his own terms.

Diane Keaton stars as Sister Mary, the nun who raised Lenny and is now his closest advisor. The portraiture of Sister Mary reinforces the narrative’s exploration of faith, commitment, and complexities of personal relations. Paradoxically, she serves as both motherly influence and devout servant to Lenny, showing the audience an intimate side to an institution usually viewed with detachment.

The Young Pope is beautifully shot, displaying the opulence and grandeur of the Vatican City with an aesthetic richness that is striking. Beautiful cinematography, grand set designs, and intricate costume detailing create a majestically immersive ambiance. The series uses its visual narrative quite seriously, not simply as a backdrop but rather as a storyteller, often creating sharp contrasts between the radiant Vatican and the internal crises plaguing its characters.

This series also stands out for its unique treatment of cardinal themes like faith, devotion, power, and loneliness, all the while maintaining a subtle undercurrent of humor - not an easy task to balance in narrative storytelling. The screenplay is meticulously crafted with unique dialogues and metaphors that make each episode deeply engaging.

The Young Pope is not simply about the Church’s politics or Lenny’s personal story. It dives far deeper into the fiercely debated issues of faith, truth, dogma, love, and the human necessity for a spiritual path. Through its charismatic, yet often contradictory central character, it explores a variety of important questions surrounding organised religion and its role in contemporary society.

The series fearlessly explores the dichotomy of modernity and antiquity, youth and age, skepticism and faith. Its unapologetic portrayal of ambiguity and paradox creates a chastening paradox within the viewer - the fascination and repulsion, reverence and irreverence, empathy and disdain, that one inspires for the characters and the larger institution they represent.

Artful and engrossing, The Young Pope is a sublime blend of aesthetics, narrative and character. Its dialogue with the audience is intense, its characters unforgettably poignant, and its impact long-lasting. This show weaves a rich tapestry of intrigue that goes beyond the confines of a conventional Vatican narrative. Sorrentino’s unfailing ability to visually and narratively surprise his viewers, matched with Law’s enigmatic portrayal of Lenny, makes The Young Pope a series that opens up layers of interpretation and arguable meanings.

As a contemporary piece of television, The Young Pope shatters many conventions. It is richly layered and daring, offering an experience that may create more questions than it answers. It is audacious, controversial, and yet spiritually introspective. But beyond everything, this series is an intimate exploration of the inner workings of a man in power, dealing with the human aspects of divinity, the divine aspects of humanity and the uncanny interplay of power, faith and doubt. The Young Pope, therefore, is not just television folks; it is a piece of art, meant to be savoured and experienced.