Sorrentino's first attempt at TV falls flat in 'The Young Pope'

If his magnum opus “The Great Beauty” (2013) proves anything, Italian director Paolo Sorrentino is not afraid to explore heavy themes in his feature films. Deeply philosophical, “The Great Beauty” explores death, art and religion so effortlessly that at times, it even triumphs over the Fellini movies it gives a nod to. When a director is invested in preserving auteur cinema, it might seem shocking to see him involved in a mainstream television project. That being said, Sorrentino’s humor is also arguably bizarre and lowbrow, and the rise of “peak TV” has proven that television is as prestigious as movies at the moment. While the director’s latest television series titled the “The Young Pope” (2016) is indeed Sorrentino-esque with its humor, premise and cinematography, it falls flat due to poor casting choices and a lack of focus. In fact, “The Young Pope” leads viewers to question whether or not television is the right medium for every director.

“The Young Pope” centers on Pope Pius XIII (Jude Law), the newly elected leader of the Catholic Church. In his 40s, Pope Pius XIII appears power-hungry and ambitious, much to the other cardinals’ dismay as they wished he were easier to manipulate. Pius is also an odd choice for the pope: he is immature to the point that his ideal breakfast consists of a Cherry Coke, he seems to be unconcerned about the power dynamic of the church and it is later revealed in the pilot (spoiler!) that he does not even believe in God.

He is also terribly unlikeable. Having an antihero is essentially the most important ingredient of the peak TV formula, but Pius is unable to show any vulnerability to the viewers. His bitter, childish rants and unnecessary power trips ultimately get annoying to watch. And when the whole premise of the show is built around a young pope shaking things up in the Vatican, one would expect the lead to be more charming.

Casting Jude Law certainly does not help. Law’s Italian-American impression is so overstated that it is reminiscent of Robert De Niro’s character in Taxi Driver (1976). Of the two non-Italian cast members, Diane Keaton is certainly the stronger one. She plays Sister Mary, Pius' mentor who is appointed as the secretary to the Pope. Unlike Pius, Sister Mary is more difficult to judge. It seems that she is just as ambitious and maybe as corrupt as Pius, but there is an idealistic side to her as well. Although she is barely in the pilot, viewers will see more of Sister Mary in subsequent episodes.

The show's ultimate goal is not entirely clear. Does the show simply aspire to be another "The Borgias" (2013) type of soap, the twist being that it is set in contemporary times? How much will Pius' identity as a young, American non-believer factor into the show? Will the show comment on the Catholic Church's conventional practices?  All of these questions are left unanswered in the pilot episode.

The show is not bad in its entirety. The cinematography evidences Sorrentino's eye for beauty, and it is arguably one of the most visually haunting series to air on TV. Similarly, the dialogues are admittedly funny. Sorrentino's humor might seem strange to American viewers, but because the show features so many unlikeable characters, it's definitely necessary.

If "The Young Pope" were a movie, it would have the critical acclaim "The Great Beauty" had. Yet the multiple episode format distracts Sorrentino from focusing on a single goal, inevitably resulting in a show that is inexcusably messy. In addition, the idea of casting Hollywood stars in an attempt to bring in a more mainstream audience fails, as Jude Law is not able to carry the show by himself. "The Young Pope" has the potential to become one of the greatest TV shows ever, but Sorrentino has to learn how to transition into another medium first.

"The Young Pope" airs Sundays and Mondays at 9 p.m. on HBO.