MovieChat Forums > Medici (2016) Discussion > No payoff to the show

No payoff to the show

posted 7 years ago by billanubis
6 replies | jump to latest

Honestly, the main character is a joyless husk who rarely ever smiles - so I never found myself caring for him or his family.
And yet, despite this, Cosimo still does barely anything. And SO MUCH time is wasted on him feeling guilty, that it drags everything to a halt.

But by the end of the show literally nothing is accomplished. His enemies aren't defeated, he hasn't learned anything, he hasn't gotten more ruthless or interesting as a character.

I was ultimately left cold by the show - because so little happens, and whenever it does, the characters spend a bloody age and a half flagellating themselves for it.

I really hope Cosimo changes in season 2. He's got two children on the way, so maybe he'll stop moping about and actually act like a human being?

[–] BluehairedWitch 7 years ago

I am halfway though the first season, and I have to say I am disappointed so far. I find the production and acting to be less than stellar and very artificial. A very minor point, but I really dislike the fact that all the female characters wear bright red lipstick and the men wear hair gel. It's very distracting and only adds to the staged look of the production. I'll watch it to the end, but more because there isn't much else to watch right now rather than being engrossed in the tale.

[–] deniseactress 7 years ago

OP this is exactly how I felt. I kept thinking the sets are great, costumes on point..But there is something uneventful about the series. The lead is so bland. Good looking yes, but I felt no draw to his character. I think there was some miscasting in chunks of this show. Definitely felt his wife was dull as dishwater.

I can't even begin with Dustin Hoffman. There are at least half dozen international actors I would have cast as Cosimo's father i.e., Giancarlo Giannini. Why on earth did they ask Dustin Hoffman.

what Jordie?

[–] ChrisOlliYo 7 years ago

I think Richard Madden's performance as Cosimo is spot on. If you compare him with his younger ages especically when he met Bianca, it all make sense. His lover was deprived from him along with his passion being an artist. Then he was forced to marry a woman he barely knew and to take on the burden of the family business. Part of his inside died and that's the main reason why he seldom smiles.

[–] Top_Shelf 7 years ago

I agree with you. However, some people have no empathy. They can't relate to another's deprivation, how it can make them joyless and soulless.

Some have such a low esteem they create reasons to hate everyone else.

[–] ick_99 7 years ago

Watch the scene when they are negotiation the marriage and when Lorenzo says to Cosimo, "romantic, isn't it?" And you can see clearly on Madden's face, a little bit (or a lot) of Cosimo died inside.

I felt his performance was spot on as well. And you are 100% accurate the idealism of Cosimo was stomped on: his lover was taken away from him and his dreams of being an artist were also unfulfilled.

I think this is why he did not want Lorenzo to tell the father how they got the one cardinal to vote for Cossa (threatening to reveal his affair with Donatello's young lover) because he wanted his father to see him as unsuitable for the job and see Lorenzo as suitable...

It didn't work out that way and probably never would have though. Giovanni wanted Cosimo as his successor and that's just how it was going to be.

[–] KatharineFanatic 7 years ago

Great cast.
Poorly written show.

I had a hard time staying interested.