Martial Arts Fans Should Revisit This Forgotten Netflix Series Featuring An Oscar Winner

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• What is Marco Polo about?

• Who does Michelle Yeoh play in Marco Polo?

• How Does Marco Polo End?

• Why Marco Polo Deserved More Than Just Two Seasons

Ten years ago, Netflix premiered an original historical fiction series, which was one of its biggest and most expensive projects at the time. Despite being touted as Netflix’s answer to Game of Thrones, the show couldn’t get past two seasons. Today, the same series might have a few redeeming qualities that make it worthy of a revisit, especially for martial arts fans and those interested in watching a popular Oscar-winning cast member in action.

The streaming giant’s habit of canceling its shows has become alarmingly normal now, but back in 2015, Marco Polo was the first Netflix original scripted series to not be renewed for a third season. However, audiences, critics, and the studio might have been a little too harsh on this show.

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What is Marco Polo about?

Blending Real History With Cinematic Drama

Marco Polo revolves around the adventures of the real-life Venetian explorer of the same name. In his youth, the famed historical figure is left behind by his father at the court of Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongol Empire and founder of the Yuan dynasty. The Khan takes Marco in as his servant, and the series explores how he navigates the Mongol Empire. Marco Polo does a good job portraying the power struggles within the Empire, especially Kublai Khan’s ambition to expand it while trying to remain true to his Mongol heritage.

Meanwhile, Marco Polo finds himself torn between loyalty to the Khan and his own personal beliefs. The series follows his journey as a foreigner in this world, where he must learn Mongol customs and politics to survive. He undergoes an interesting arc, transforming from an outsider to someone who earns Kublai Khan’s trust and witnesses history unfold before him. Conflicts are aplenty in this drama, from external enemies to internal strife, including family tensions.

Essentially, it tries to balance historical accuracy with entertainment—keeping names, places, and events consistent while dramatizing finer details and character interactions for storytelling purposes. This Netflix original series is not meant to be perceived as a documentary, but rather as a historical fiction show like Shōgun, which takes inspiration from historical events and builds on them for cinematic value.

Who does Michelle Yeoh play in Marco Polo?

A Fierce Warrior With Some Brilliant Fight Scenes

The cast of Marco Polo is stacked, to say the least. The show stars Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco Polo, Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan, and Joan Chen as Empress Shabi, the Khan’s favorite and most important wife. Season 2 features a recurring star who also happens to be a legendary Oscar winner – Michelle Yeoh. She plays Lotus, who was first introduced in the Christmas special titled One Hundred Eyes, and later in season two as one of the two secondary antagonists.

Lotus is part of the Hundred Eyes sect and has ties to the blind monk of the same name. Yeoh’s character is tasked with protecting the Song Dynasty’s boy emperor. Despite limited screen time, she manages to bring her signature blend of cold elegance and combat prowess to the table. Michelle Yeoh delivers a standout performance that arguably makes Marco Polo more memorable and watchable. Her fights were some of the best-choreographed action sequences in the series.

How Does Marco Polo End?

Cancelation Left Major Storylines Unresolved

Marco Polo‘s premature cancelation meant that the show’s second season left many loose ends. Series creator John Fusco had originally planned a five-season arc, and it’s clear the series needed more time to fully tell its story. Despite concluding some important plotlines, Marco Polo‘s season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, particularly with Princess Kokachin’s death. The unresolved reactions of Marco and Prince Jingim left viewers to wonder where their paths would have led from there.

Empress Chabi was given more political weight in the court’s events, building up to the potential for Joan Chen’s character to gain more prominence in the third season. Moreover, the ending teased the arrival of the Crusaders with an image of a bloody cross. The infamous Prester John was set to be Season 3’s villain. According to some historical accounts, this character once ruled over a vast kingdom. However, Netflix’s decision not to go ahead with the renewal means none of this will ever happen on screen—unless, of course, there is an impossible, miraculous revival.

Why Marco Polo Deserved More Than Just Two Seasons

Netflix and The Weinstein Company canceled Marco Polo after just two seasons, as the series was said to be responsible for a $200 million loss. Marco Polo had a lot going for it, especially in terms of the production effort that went into the series. The set design and costumes are period-accurate, and the cinematography is visually stunning, doing a great job of immersing the audience in this era.

The performances are strong, especially from Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan. However, the characters constantly shift between accents and speech styles, which may detract from the show’s authenticity. The fight sequences, in particular, are solidly executed and might even distract martial arts fans from the show’s lack of pace or proper character development. In an interview with Destinations of the World News in June 2016, Lorenzo Richelmy shared how physically demanding his role as Marco Polo was.

I had to train for about two months before season one with an incredible group of people; Chinese guys teaching me kung fu; Japanese guys teaching me sword fighting; Bulgarian guys teaching me wrestling; then there was archery and horse riding. I loved it. It was really tough.

Granted, the show had issues, such as getting caught between its historical drama tone and soap opera melodrama, as well as some arguably unnecessary sex scenes. However, Marco Polo showed a lot of potential, especially considering that Season 2 was, in fact, better than Season 1. It’s unfortunate that the series didn’t get a proper ending from Netflix, at least through a special, movie-length episode.

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Marco Polo

Cast

Lorenzo Richelmy, Benedict Wong, Joan Chen

Seasons

2

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Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Trend