Marco Polo

I love big costume productions and this is a product right up my alley. Monumental, narrative, no expense was spared. Moreover, the plot is interesting and the cast is excellent (may favourite is F. Murray Abraham, who, other than Salieri in Amadeus, hasn’t had many big roles). There’s also a beautiful musical motif that will always stay in my head. There is simply nothing to discuss here and the highest rating is completely appropriate. I recommend it to everyone. (23.03.2003)

Probably Marco sums up best just where this series falls short in perfection in the (fifth?) episode, when he recounts to the khan with almost infectious enthusiasm what he saw and experienced along his journey from Venice. But none of it appeared here. The trouble with this series is mainly that it’s too short; about eight hour-long episodes too short to cover all of Polo’s adventures, especially when it wastes time with “showcase" footage of different cultures during feasts here and there. But when they don’t happen to be eating, it’s hard to have any objections. (12.06.2010)