HBO's "The Young Pope"

[Jack4]

One problem among many is its strawman version of pro-life opposition to abortion. See a discussion here.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Jack4

[Nihil Obstat]

I know some rad trads who rather liked it. Since it was HBO and the Church I gave it a hard miss.

[Guest]

 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Guest

[dUSt]

I finished watching this.

I'm so confused by it. It's a weird show.

I like the fact that Jude Law plays a traditional pope, but I'm skeptical (because HBO) that it might end up being a great big mockery of traditionalism--even though it has yet to be this at the end of the first season.

The artistic elements of the show are really good, and it is engaging. It kept my interest because of the characters and the acting. Even though the main character is the pope with most of the other characters being cardinals and religious, it doesn't have a lot to do with the Church. The Church is used more of the canvas to tell stories through an "artsy" presentation.

I think there might have been two scenes the entire first season that contained sexual nudity, but it was nothing like the other over-sexualized HBO shows.

Again, the show is a bit weird and abstract. Sometimes you get the feeling that this pope doesn't believe in God, and it's even flat out said that he doesn't at one point, even though his prayers cause miracles. This makes me think that there is a possibility that the story will imply this pope might be Jesus. I wouldn't be surprised if this show went there. 

At times, I felt like I was watching a dream instead of an actual story (even at the times when the pope wasn't dreaming, which he does sometimes in the show).

Even though there were a few theology cringes here and there, I liked it overall. If there's a second season, I'm in.

[Amppax]

An interesting article, if only because First Things used to never go this route: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2017/03/waiting-for-a-young-pope

The line which, above all, makes me want to watch the show is this, quoted from the above article: 

Quote

“You surprise me, Holy Father. You are young, and yet you have such old ideas.”
“You’re wrong about that. I’m an orphan, and orphans are never young.”
“But the majority of churchgoers are not orphans.”
“Says who? You really think the only orphans are those without a mother and father?”

 

 

[dUSt]

23 minutes ago, Amppax said:

An interesting article, if only because First Things used to never go this route: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2017/03/waiting-for-a-young-pope

The line which, above all, makes me want to watch the show is this, quoted from the above article: 

 

Great article. Yes, as I was watching this show, I must admit I was wishing that the Church would actually go in the direction this show is taking it (although not so extreme). lol

[truthfinder]

I haven't watched it, but this show is definitely a launching point for conversation. I've had a couple of my colleagues ask me what I think - possibly because I'm the only practising Catholic they know.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

I love this show and encourage everyone over age 18 to watch it. May be a bit too provocative for younger audiences. 

[Era Might]

Haven't seen it but I'm watching a miniseries on Netflix called Call Me Francis, about Pope Francis and Argentina in the 70s dictatorship. It's pretty good. I don't know how close it sticks to his life. In the beginning he apparently has an affair, but his vocation as a Jesuit wins out.

Edited March 12, 2017 by Era Might

[Jack4]

Eastern Catholic

Edited April 6, 2017 by Jack4