Marco Polo (2014)

:

Season 2
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Dec 12, 2014
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 37
  3. Negative: 3 out of 37

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User Reviews

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  1. jakefabo
    Aug 10, 2016
    9
    Marco polo is a joy to watch, and beautiful on many levels. Firstly, the costume is amazing, especially when it comes to the royalty and the knights (keshiks) around them. From the gowns on the princess to the Armour on the guards, the detail is stunning, really really well done. The music sets the scenes so well... in the military camps, or in temples, it’s perfect. The sets and landscapeMarco polo is a joy to watch, and beautiful on many levels. Firstly, the costume is amazing, especially when it comes to the royalty and the knights (keshiks) around them. From the gowns on the princess to the Armour on the guards, the detail is stunning, really really well done. The music sets the scenes so well... in the military camps, or in temples, it’s perfect. The sets and landscape are also perfect... I find a lot of this shows appeal for me is just how well executed everything is. It never feels fake or unoriginal at all and sets itself apart from all the other medieval-themed (I use that term loosely) shows I watch (Game of Thrones, Vikings, The Last Kingdom)

    The acting I found very good, not perfect, but I appreciate the actors because I don’t recognize most of them, and for a big budget show (seemingly) that’s refreshing. Some scenes may seem awkward or just slow and I acknowledge some of the plot and writing faults, but it doesn’t break the show for me.

    The fighting (from wrestling, to martial arts to swords) has been fantastic - really well choreographed so far in both seasons.    … Expand
  2. denysep
    Dec 8, 2016
    9
    This is a terrific series! Beautifully filmed, the acting is above average, the action scenes are hypnotic and the plot and characters are well-developed. Highly recommended!
  3. bluewaves
    Feb 8, 2017
    10
    Fantastic once again, beautiful scenes, tortured and real characters, I love how Akmed develops and we are shown his motives. Its very interesting to see the introspective view of how individuals can become the people they are in the present. As one character mentions it is only someone who has lived many lives who truly knows how to live in the present. Great script writing and memorableFantastic once again, beautiful scenes, tortured and real characters, I love how Akmed develops and we are shown his motives. Its very interesting to see the introspective view of how individuals can become the people they are in the present. As one character mentions it is only someone who has lived many lives who truly knows how to live in the present. Great script writing and memorable lines. I hope they commission a third!… Expand
  4. Seffer
    Jul 25, 2016
    10
    This is a great show. I wrote a review for season 1 as well, so I won't repeat everything. If you liked season 1, I think you'd also like season 2, which adds Michelle Yeoh and some more great fight scenes.

    As with season 1, the story can drag sometimes, but overall it was fun to watch, and the end is very satisfying. I'd love to see another season.
  5. DuffyD0g
    Jul 25, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I enjoyed both Season 1 and Season 2 tremendously. I had held off watching the show due to poor critic reviews, and I found that they were wildly unwarranted - in my view. This is a visually stunning show, with some fantastic acting, good action, and a range of characters I quickly was intrigued by or came to care about. The martial arts sequences and music have been outstanding. Who knew that Mongolian throat singing could be so mesmerizing? My own experiences with long-term stays in foreign countries led me to appreciate the show's presentation of Marco's perception of and reactions to what he's seeing and experiencing, including notable culture shock at times. I found the developing Stockholm Syndrome-like relationship between Kublai Khan and Marco Polo in Season 1 irresistible, and loved how that relationship continued to develop in Season 2. The fleshing out of other characters, and the exploration of family and loyalty in Season 2 was welcome and intriguing (again, with some weak spots/plot points). Wong, the actor portraying Kublai, is a gem - he can turn from one emotion to the next on a dime and draws you in like a moth to flame. Richelmy, portraying Polo, is incredibly expressive, while simultaneously contained, and the direction to have him communicate much of his character's deeper emotions/conflicts/shocks nonverbally fits perfectly with Marco's situation in the show where he is a captive outsider surrounded by powerful others. Season 3 can't come soon enough. I am hoping for a father-son-father triangle centered on Marco as ONE of the major plot lines, and have already invested time in learning what history has to say about "Prester John" and Christianity in the East.

    There are weak elements (and actors - looking at you, Khultulun), true. Some critiques are uninformed about Marco Polo's travel accounts, accusing the show of adding elements to titillate today's viewers: Too much sex, Mongol women wrestler/warriors, etc. Go read the Marco Polo accounts - these (and other things) are actually in them (regardless of whether you believe his accounts to be accurate). I approached this show as entertainment, with some roots in history at best, and it excelled in that for me. I learned quite a bit about the actual history and customs of the people, times, and places - not as "data" from the show (it is NOT a documentary folks), but from the show spurring me to investigate the historical accuracy of things that came up while viewing it. A show that can draw me in to doing that, and simultaneously be great entertainment, is a great show.    … Expand
  6. PoeticDumpling
    Jul 3, 2016
    5
    I enjoyed Season 1 a lot more than the critics did. That said, it had its weaknesses like occasionally weak or obvious dialogue and weak acting. Having viewed all of Season 2 I have to say that the one critic review is pretty accurate. Season 2 feels a lot like Season 1 and the salvations are the style of the show, the beautiful action/music sequences, cinematography, and some of theI enjoyed Season 1 a lot more than the critics did. That said, it had its weaknesses like occasionally weak or obvious dialogue and weak acting. Having viewed all of Season 2 I have to say that the one critic review is pretty accurate. Season 2 feels a lot like Season 1 and the salvations are the style of the show, the beautiful action/music sequences, cinematography, and some of the core acting like Khan. Other than that I kept hoping Season 2 was going to pick up more pace. Occasionally it did and occasionally it delivered above average scenes, but a great series builds upon each season making each new one better than the one before. I felt that Season 2 was weaker overall than Season 1. Season 3 could be really better and intense with where the story has been left off; however, this show really needs to focus on stronger writing, dialogue, and tighter episodes. Also, I feel a season with One Hundred eyes more centric would automatically make a more interesting season. His character dynamic is really intriguing. Season 2 ended with me questioning if I want to invest in future seasons. The pay off felt a bit underwhelming. If it gets renewed for S3 I might give it one more chance, but it might be the last chance. If they can't build a really strong S3 they really should cancel it. There were points during Season 1 when I loved it... now I merely like the show and question the merit of that like.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 1 Critic Review

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: Mitchel Broussard
    Jun 27, 2016
    60
    It recovers its stride eventually, but anyone who wasn’t already into Marco’s adventures helping raise--and potentially decimate--the Mongol Empire won’t be won over by a second year that’s, by and large, exactly the same as the first. And, unfortunately, with a lot of the same problems. On the positive side, that means it’s still got style.
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