Netflix is dropping a new show this summer that takes a classic old story and spins it into something fresh. “The Decameron” premieres on July 25th, and it’s blending history with modern storytelling in a really cool way.
The show is based on a famous book from the 1400s by an Italian dude named Giovanni Boccaccio. His book, also called “The Decameron,” follows a group of fancy nobles escaping from a nasty plague by telling each other stories for 10 days. This plague, called the Black Death, was sweeping through Italy and everybody was super scared. So these nobles hole up in a nice country house to avoid getting sick.
While there, they pass the time by picking a king or queen each night who gets to pick a theme for the stories. Over the next few hours, each noble has to spin a yarn that fits the theme. Boccaccio jammed 100 different tales into his book, ranging from heroic adventures to juicy love affairs. His stories have been a big influence on authors for centuries.
Now Kathleen Jordan, who created the Netflix version, is taking Boccaccio’s framework and expanding on it to give us something new. Her show will still have the10 nobles telling stories during the plague, but it’ll go deeper into who these characters are and what life was like back then. There’ll be more focus on the servants too and how badly normal peasants suffered compared to the fancy folks in their secluded mansion.
Plus, Jordan says they aren’t striving for total historical realness. The series wants to capture the contrast between partying nobles and a populace dying all around them, as well as other big issues from the feudal system of the 1400s that still resonate now. And with a cast including Tony Hale from “Veep” and Tanya Reynolds from “Sex Education,” these characters are sure to be pretty zany.
Adding to the buzz, the themes of facing a crisis through storytelling and highlighting societal inequalities seem way relevant after the COVID-19 pandemic we all just endured. Other filmmakers have tackled Boccaccio before, but Jordan’s “Decameron” promises to be the most ambitious with its deeper dives. Literary expert Dr. Emma Thompson is excited to see the book’s subtleties unpacked across multiple episodes too.
As Netflix continues rolling out hit period shows, “The Decameron” stands out for mixing history with modern meanings. Through humor, drama and commentary, it looks ready to introduce Boccaccio’s masterpiece to new fans while honoring its legacy in a totally fresh way. So this summer, get ready to travel back to 14th century Italy for some timely tales you won’t want to miss.
