The Young Pope

Oh, it does.

I'd recommend watching the first season, it's essentially the same show and it'll give you a good sense of whether you'll like it even an episode in, probably. Some of season one (the penultimate episode, in particular) is among the best episodic television you'll see, though.

Heh. Yes, I watched the first season with J. Law. If I hadn't, I'd probably not consider going past the 1st ep of the 2nd season..

Oh. I'm confused, then: you said you didn't expect the subject matter to allow for this stuff. But if you already saw the first season, you already know it hasn't precluded them from doing that.

Yes, the 1st season was relatively tame, yet quirky. But the 1st ep of the 2nd season was way out. Hoping the 2nd ep would ameliorate, we watched it, but couldn't make it to the end. It's not for me, although it's possible that it could eventually become more to my taste. I don't feel like wading...

I dont like it. Too vulgar for my taste. I expected it to be something like Pope John Paul II with Jon Voight.

Although Malkovich is doing great so far (well, he wasn't even IN the first episode of this season), I'm finding this season REALLY uneven in its execution compared to the first season. It's like I can almost FEEL the director just off camera, basking in the lovely direction he's giving, and deriving great pleasure in his use of music and odd dancing by nuns, and strange conversations with characters we barely know (the bleached-blond guy with Ester). All the quirky devices used in the first season just aren't working for me this season. They're overshadowing the actual story for me ... which, when I think about JUST the story, feels rather trite and shallow.

For now I'll keep watching, but this season doesn't feel like it's compelling me to watch the way the first season did. Is it that Jude Law is mostly missing? Will Malkovich be able to fill that gap? (Okay, I laughed out loud at the publicist mentioning the actor John Malkovich to John Brannox. Nice fourth-wall bending there.)

We'll see. So far, though, I'm disappointed.

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This ended up being pretty good. Still love the visual flair, it's made me want to watch some of Sorrentino's films.

Also, here's my text-only impersonation of Voiello:

"I em the longest-sourving secretaryofstate in the heestory of de chourch."

Ha! You captured Voiello's accent perfectly! Nice.

I haven't kept up with this since about episode 3. Kept forgetting it was on! Since I'm now caught up on Tiger King and Ozark and a bunch of other shows, should I go back and catch up then?

Yeah, it's worth it. There's some absolutely beautiful moments in the back stretch. Taken as a whole it's almost as good as the first season, and I'd say some of the best of the 20 episodes are in the second half of the second season. Definitely worthwhile. Feels like a real ending, too.