Marco Polo (2014 TV series)

Cast and characters

Main

• Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco Polo, the son of a Venetian merchant who travels to China and is ultimately left there as a guest of Kublai Khan, rising to official position in the court.
• Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan, the fifth Great Khan of the Mongol Empire. Wong also stars in the Christmas special "One Hundred Eyes".
• Joan Chen as Empress Chabi, the Khan's favorite and most important wife who is a valued unofficial adviser.
• Rick Yune as Kaidu, the Khan's cousin and rival, leader of the House of Ögedei
• Amr Waked as Yusuf (season 1), the Khan's Vice Regent
• Remy Hii as Prince Jingim, the Khan's lawful son and heir.
• Zhu Zhu as Nergui Princess Kokachin, a servant of Princess Kokachin, the Blue Princess of the Bayaut tribe, who disguises herself as the Princess.
• Tom Wu as Hundred Eyes, a blind Taoist monk willfully enslaved to the Khan and sifu to Jingim and Marco Polo. Wu also stars in the Christmas special "One Hundred Eyes".
• Mahesh Jadu as Ahmad, a Persian Muslim from Bukhara who is the Khan's Minister of Finance and adopted son.
• Olivia Cheng as Jia Mei Lin, concubine of the late Emperor Lizong of Song and sister to chancellor Jia Sidao
• Uli Latukefu as Byamba, the Khan's bastard son, a general of both the imperial army and the Mongol horde
• Chin Han as Jia Sidao, the chancellor to the Song Emperors Huaizong and Duanzong, and Mei Lin's brother
• Pierfrancesco Favino as Niccolò Polo, a Venetian merchant and Marco's father
• Ron Yuan as Prince Nayan (season 2), Kublai's uncle and a Nestorian Christian
• Claudia Kim as Khutulun (season 2; recurring, season 1), Kaidu's daughter and favored child, niece of the Khan, and a superb warrior
• Jacqueline Chan as Shabkana (season 2), Kaidu's mother
• Leonard Wu as Orus (season 2), Kaidu's son
• Thomas Chaanhing as Gerel (season 2), a khan loyal to Kaidu
• Chris Pang as Arban (season 2), a khan loyal to Kaidu
• Gabriel Byrne as Pope Gregory X (season 2)
• Michelle Yeoh as Lotus (season 2), a Taoist nun and the designated protector of the Song Dynasty's boy emperor. Yeoh also stars in the Christmas special "One Hundred Eyes".

Recurring

• Corrado Invernizzi as Maffeo Polo (season 1), Marco's uncle
• Tan Kheng Hua as Xie Daoqing (season 1), empress dowager of the Song Dynasty
• Lawrence Makoare as Za Bing (season 1), Princess Kokachin's eunuch protector
• Vanessa Vanderstraaten as Princess Sorga (season 1), one of Jingim's wives
• Patrick Teoh as General Red Brow (season 1)
• Shu An Oon as Jing Fei (season 1), Mei Lin's friend, also an imperial concubine
• Chloe Luthi (season 1) and Jaime Chew (season 2) as Ling Ling, the daughter of Mei Lin and the former Emperor of the Song Dynasty
• Nicholas Bloodworth as Tulga (season 1), Kokachin's guardian
• Max Kellady as Emperor Duzong, the son of the empress dowager and the former Emperor of the Song Dynasty
• Soffi Jikan as Milo Boy (season 1)
• Mano Maniam as The Old Man / Hassan-i Sabbah (season 1)
• Daniel Tuiara as Sukh (season 2), Ahmad's sworn Burmese warrior
• Tosh Zhang as Bai (season 2)
• Byambadorj Altanhuyag as General Qaban (season 2)
• Esther Low as Kokachin (season 2; guest, season 1), the real Blue Princess of the Mongol Bayaut tribe
• Jason Chong as General Kasar (season 2)
• Chew Kin Wah as Song Loyalist 1 (season 2)
• Karishma Ahluwalia as Oksana, Ahmad's mother (season 2)

Notable guest stars

• Baljinnyamyn Amarsaikhan as Ariq Böke (season 1), the Khan's brother, overseer of Karakorum
• Darwin Shaw as Sabbah (season 1)
• Togo Igawa as Chuluun (season 2)

Production

The series was originally developed at Starz, which had picked up the series in January 2012. After attempts to film in China failed, the project was released back to The Weinstein Company. Netflix then picked up the series for a 10-episode season, for approximately $90 million, making it one of the most expensive TV shows in the world, second to Game of Thrones. The project was officially announced at Netflix in January 2014. Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg serve as executive producers and directed the pilot and second episodes, "The Wayfarer" and "The Wolf and the Deer", respectively. The series was filmed in Kazakhstan, Italy, and at Pinewood Studios in Malaysia, as well as at outdoor locations in Malaysia, particularly tropical wilderness, as well as Slovakia and Hungary. Kazakhstan doubled as the steppes of Mongolia, Malaysia was the base of operations as well as serving as a location, Hungary provided a setting for Renaissance Rome, and Slovakia provided some mountain settings for Season 2.

Stuntman Ju Kun was working on the show alongside fight choreographer Brett Chan, but went missing with the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 during pre-production.

To prepare for her role as Chabi, Joan Chen read the book The Secret History of the Mongol Queens by Jack Weatherford, as she wanted her performance to reflect the culture of the time period.

During his extensive research, show creator John Fusco traveled the Silk Road by horseback and also crossed the Ming Sha Dunes of Western China on camel. In Venice he sought out and studied the last will and testament of Marco Polo. While some Mongolian viewers and experts view it as "riddled with historical errors", many have praised the series. Orgil Makhaan, who played Genghis Khan in a BBC documentary, said it was more accurate than any previous foreign portrayal of Mongolian culture. "As a Mongol and an artist, Marco Polo makes me feel like our dreams are coming true," he told AFP. "I watched all 10 episodes in just one day."

Music

The series featured music by Mongolian bands Altan Urag and Batzorig Vaanchig, a famous throat singer, who cameoed as a singer. Daniele Luppi composed the main theme, whilst Peter Nashel and Eric V. Hachikian are the composers of the original score.

Episodes

Season 1 (2014)

Christmas special (2015)

Season 2 (2016)

It isn't long before the day of celebrations are spoiled, though. Kublai's bastard child Byamba shows up with a message from Kaidu, Kublai's cousin. Kaidu is still angry about not being handed the lead during the sack of Xiangyang, and he's prepared a form of retaliation. He's going to challenge the Kublai's rule as Khan in an attempt to secure the position for himself. Kublai does not accept such a ridiculous claim, but that's not the news Byamba brings back to Kaidu. There's a confrontation on the horizon this season, and it's taking place within filial boundaries.

Marco Polo, along with Mei Lin, is looking for the boy emperor, the last heir of the Song Dynasty that Jia Sidao defended last season. The journey leads them past an outpost after Mei Lin uses her ties with the Red Lotus to bargain for safe passage. That leads them to a small house in the middle of the jungle where they believe the emperor is. After encountering a fight with a woman there, they find the boy emperor stashed away under the floorboards.

Meanwhile, Kaidu is doing everything he can to secure support for his claim to Kublai's throne. While on the one hand it's not a difficult sell because many believe Kublai stole the election long ago, there are also those who see going against Kublai as a dangerous act. Back in the new capital of Cambulac, Kublai is taking advice from his wife. She says that he needs to accept the challenge to his throne because Kaidu is operating within the law, and any other approach would suggest weakness or deceit.

Next, Marco and Mei Lin return with the boy emperor. The return sparks all kinds of intriguing relationships and power struggles. There's Kublai asserting his power over Mei Lin, even as Marco asks for leniency. There's Marco being "introduced" to the Blue Princess by Jingim and the awkwardness that follows from them being former secret romantic partners. There's also the issue of what to do with the boy emperor. While Jingim and Marco suggest letting the boy fade from the public's memory by stashing him in a safe place, Ahmad suggests killing him and parading his head through the streets to send a message. This is the same man who's working with Mei Lin to overthrow Kublai, even telling her that she could see her daughter in exchange for bringing the boy emperor to the capital.

The Blue Princess has a miscarriage, but Jingim is forgiving and understanding. Kaidu has his meeting with Nayan, who's preaching Christianity to the Mongolian masses, but they can't come to an agreement for him to back Kaidu's claim to the throne. Marco also tells Kublai of the many people in south China killing themselves, as they see the Mongolian presence not as liberation but as occupation.

The whole episode revolves around a single decision: Will Kublai kill the boy emperor? As Ahmad brings the boy to Kublai, and leaves the two of them alone, it's clear the emperor is conflicted. He first brandishes a dagger but then hugs the boy and consoles him for he knows he's innocent. But, as he's hugging him, he suffocates him, the boy's limp body falling to the floor as Marco stumbles upon the scene. A look of disgust crosses his face before the credits roll.

The Handmaiden confronts Mei Lin - they both agree they have a common enemy. Meanwhile, the mounting pressure on the Blue Princess to produce an heir before Kaidu's claim comes to pass leads the Empress to force a stable boy with similar features to Jingim to impregnate the Blue Princess while the Empress holds her down. The Blue Princess tries to object that the resulting infant would not contain full royal blood to which the Empress responds, "actually, the baby will have no royal blood."

While this is happening, Jingim goes to Karakorum to help persuade people to side with his father. That means taking down a large warrior in a wrestling match and earning some respect, though that doesn't stop Kaidu's two children from attacking them on their way home. Furthermore, Kaidu makes a bold decision and insists that his daughter Khutulun, rather than his son, will be the next heir.

This episode is focused mainly on the hike. Marco and Kublai discuss death, responsibility, and fate, and they come face-to-face with a wolf several times. Kublai and Marco stare the wolf down, and Marco has to eventually shoot it when it attacks Kublai. This helps Marco's relationship with Kublai. Similarly, Kublai plans to stare down Kaidu's claim until it becomes too dangerous.

Meanwhile, the hunt is on for Jingim and Ahmad. Kaidu is pissed at his son because of his actions, which have brought Kublai to his doorstep. Together they all go out to search for the Khan's missing sons. Along the way, Kaidu and Kublai connect with memories of their childhood but also remain divided on the prospects of the Mongol empire. Things get particularly heated when the insults start flying and Kaidu pulls his sword on Kublai. Ultimately, nothing comes of the moment as Jingim and Ahmad are found.

The other dangling plot thread is that of the Blue Princess and her potential pregnancy. Here she finds out that the stable boy who impregnated her has been killed, and when she goes to see the body for herself, she stumbles upon his wife and spends the day with her and her baby. It almost seems as if she'll abandon her position, especially if Jingim isn't found.

Jingim is found after some bonding with Ahmad, who almost reveals his plans to overthrow the Khan. When Jingim returns, the Blue Princess greets him with the good news of her pregnancy.

Meanwhile, Khutulun makes it clear to Kaidu that she's not happy about being the heir because it would mean sacrificing her own goals. Byamba, who she's now separated from, is demoted to foot soldier by Ahmad, who's still working on his own plans to dethrone Kublai.

Ahmad gains even more control when a guard tells him about the Empress leading a stableboy into Princess Kokachin's chambers. The situation is about to get even more complicated because the real Princess Kokachin shows up, apparently not dead like we all believed, and wants her life back. At the same time, Marco continues to grow suspicious of Ahmad, especially as he decides to send nearly 60,000 troops to battle the uprising and only 7,000 with Kublai to Xanadu.

"Lullaby" also spends a bit of time filling in Ahmad's backstory. He was once simply a tax collector for the Khan, wanting to travel and learn about the people in Kublai's empire. He unknowingly has sex with his mother, a prostitute. When he realizes this, he kills her. This explains why he is secretly against Kublai.

The Handmaiden and Hundred Eyes have a strange fight/dance showdown, Kublai is leaving for Xanadu with little protection and an uncertain meeting with Kaidu, and Ahmad is gaining more power.

Meanwhile, Kublai is in Xanadu petitioning for votes and arguing for his vision of empirical expansion, complete with fireworks, to the people there. There are harbingers of death all around, though. Horses that were gifted to Kublai are attacked, found with their eyes carved out. Marco and Jingim believe it's the work of Kaidu, but Kublai doesn't seem worried. Eventually, after a night of passion with an exotic dancer who's traveled the world, the Blue Princess visits Marco and the mystery of the horses is solved.

Under pressure from her pregnancy and guilt over her child and the dead stableboy, the impostor Blue Princess suffers a nervous breakdown; the real Blue Princess that had been demanding her life back was nothing more than her hallucination and it was the impostor Kokachin that had been gouging out the eyes of the Khan's horses. Marco points out to her the blood all over her hands.

"Serpent's Terms" ends with Ahmad, Nayan, and Kaidu forming an alliance - one which Khutulun isn't happy about - while Kublai remains unaware. Byamba is off on his own following barrels of black powder that he believes will reveal something corrupt.

The second attack is undertaken by Khutulun and Orus on the order of Kaidu. He's conducting murderous raids under the banner of Kublai, having his children and warriors wear masks to conceal their identities. Essentially he's framing Kublai in the hopes of drumming up support for his ascension to the throne.

Meanwhile, the Blue Princess's visions threaten to reveal the true nature of the baby. Jingim is upset by his wife's condition. However, after Kublai finds out about Kaidu's attacks under his own banner, Jingim is ordered to ride East to engage in their own attacks. That's all part of Ahmad's grand scheme, though: send Jingim east to die while Nayan and Kaidu amass troops in the west.

There's a twist that Ahmad doesn't expect: Mei Lin turns on him after he fails to deliver on his promise for her to see her daughter. That sends her to Marco, who gives her time with her daughter, and in return she tells him everything. Marco goes to the Khan and asks for his permission to head west even though he can't reveal why. He's asking for trust, and Kublai gives it.

Byamba saves Marco and Jingim from two of Kaidu's men. Additionally, as Marco and Jingim ride West, they discover the gathering forces and one big surprise: Marco's father, Niccolò Polo.

At the same time, Niccolò goes missing from Nayan's camp near the Twin Rivers, captured by Marco and Byamba. They spend the entirety of "Whitehorse" hiding in the woods, Marco questioning his father about where they will attack the Khan, and his father essentially calling him a traitor to his Christian people. For a while it looks like Marco has no choice but to kill his father, but a last-minute attack leaves the elder Polo's fate hanging in the balance.

As for Mei Lin, she's escaped her entrapment with Ahmad, daughter in tow, and when Mongols attack her on the road, Lotus comes to her aid. That forces Mei Lin to accept that the Mongols will keep coming after her and her daughter until she ends this feud, so she leaves her daughter in the care of Lotus, the same woman who couldn't protect the boy emperor.

Essentially, "Whitehorse" is about bringing the conflicts to the forefront before the season's climax. Kublai learns of Ahmad's betrayal when Jingim arrives home safe, and he's devastated, crying in his wife's arms when he realizes Ahmad tricked him into killing the boy emperor. With Nayan and Kaidu set on destroying Kublai, and Kublai realizing it now that Ahmad's been outed, the forces are set to collide in the final two episodes of the season. And Marco's caught in the middle.

Moments before the Khan's cavalry charge into the camp, Niccolò orders Kaidu to escape to Karakorum in order to preserve their plan of dethroning the Khan at the Kurultai. After some hesitance, Kaidu relents. During the melee, Byamba and Marco fight side by side. Hundred Eyes encounters a knight in chain mail, whom he dispatches with a well-placed jab to the neck. Khutulun and Orus face Jingim but she leaves to save Byamba from a rebel. This allows Jingim to overpower Orus and bash his skull in with a rock. Marco intervenes and saves his father from the Khan's men, allowing him to escape, which the Khan sees from a distance and once again sows doubt about Marco's loyalty in the Khan's mind.

When the battle is over, Nayan is crucified and the Khan must reckon with the fact that Ahmad has betrayed him. Ahmad is holed up in Cambulac under the false pretense of the Khan's orders. The Khan also feels betrayed by Marco. The arrival of Jingim's heir - or "Heirs," as the Blue Princess gives birth to both a girl and a boy - should bring some joy to the lives of the Khan and his people, but it's clear there's more darkness on the horizon. Marco is banished from the tent, but only after the Blue Princess whispers her secret to him, and Kublai heads toward a vote that will impact his empire and legacy.

Two storylines make up "The Fellowship." The first involves the cases both Kaidu and the Khan give at the Kurultai as to why they should earn the Mongolian noblemen's votes in order to be selected as the Khan of Khans. It looks as if the vote is all but settled, with the people siding with Kublai and protesting Kaidu's aggressive tactics. The Kurultai doesn't go down without a hitch. Ahmad, backed into a corner by the presence of Jingim, Byamba, and Hundred Eyes, sends word to Kaidu revealing the truth about Jingim's son and Kublai's heir.

Kaidu uses that knowledge to blackmail the Khan and the Empress, but they're more determined than Kaidu gives them credit for. First, the Empress helps the Blue Princess drown herself, and Kublai attempts to poison Kaidu, hoping to stop the potential leak of the information. Kaidu gets the upper hand, though, and is moments away from killing Kublai when Marco saves him. He has come back from his banishment to inform the Khan about Prester John's approaching Christian army. He kills Kaidu, thereby proving his loyalty to Kublai in the process.

Back at Cambulac, Jingim, Hundred Eyes, and Byamba expertly pull off a raid that sees them take back control of the capital as Ahmad runs and hides. Unfortunately for him, Mei Lin is waiting for him in his room. She kills him and, in return, Jingim allows her to leave the capital freely, with Hundred Eyes offering to escort her back to her daughter.

Thus, "The Fellowship" re-establishes Kublai as the Khan of Khans, and Ahmad, Kaidu, and the Blue Princess are dead. Ahmad hangs from the entrance to Cambulac, though, things aren't exactly peaceful. As the episode cuts to black, Byamba and Jingim look out at the empty camp where the Kurultai was meant to be held. The camera focuses in on a bloodied cross. Kublai may be back in control, but Prester John and his Crusader army are moving East.

Reception

DO NOT ADD VIEWER RECEPTION TO THIS SECTION, including IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes/TV.com user scores.-- The first season of Marco Polo received mixed to negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a rating of 33%, based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 4.79/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "An all-around disappointment, Marco Polo is less entertaining than a round of the game that shares its name." On Metacritic, the show's first season has a score of 48 out of 100 based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

In his review for Entertainment Weekly, Jeff Jensen gave the first season a "B−" rating, calling the premise "stale", but added "Somewhere in the middle of episode 2, though, Marco Polo becomes surprisingly watchable. The filmmaking becomes bolder." Writing for People, Tom Gliatto praised the series, calling it "... a fun, body-flinging, old-fashioned epic". USA Today reviewer Robert Bianco gave the series 1 stars out of 4, saying, "Clearly what Netflix hopes you'll see a [sic] big-bucks, prestige entertainment along the lines of that HBO fantasy epic, but in truth, Marco is far closer to one of those cheesy international syndicated adventures."

The second season was met with more positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a rating of 100%, based on 6 reviews, with a rating average of 7.2/10.

In 2015, the President of Mongolia, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, presented John Fusco and the Marco Polo creative team with an award, honoring their positive portrayal and global presentation of Mongolian subject matter. Fusco himself has described the series as historical fiction based on the accounts of the Italian traveler Marco Polo.

Accolades

Notes

References

References

1. (September 11, 2015). "Marco Polo TV series finishes shooting in Slovakia".
2. (July 5, 2019). "'Triple Frontier' Leads Netflix to Cut Back on Huge Spending for Films — Report".
3. (August 28, 2014). "Netflix's 'Marco Polo' Sets December Premiere Date".
4. (April 8, 2014). "Netflix's 'Marco Polo' Sets Its Cast".
5. Fowle, Kyle. (July 1, 2016). "A mega Marco Polo recap: Let's talk about all of season 2".
6. (December 12, 2016). "'Marco Polo' Canceled at Netflix After Two Seasons". The Hollywood Reporter.
7. (May 15, 2014). "Joan Chen Joins Netflix Series 'Marco Polo'". [[Variety (magazine).
8. (May 20, 2014). "Egyptian Star Amr Waked Joins 'Marco Polo' Cast (EXCLUSIVE)".
9. (May 16, 2014). "Chin Han joins Marco Polo cast".
10. Villareal, Yvonne. (13 January 2012). "Marco Polo to get the Starz treatment with new original series". [[Los Angeles Times]].
11. (25 November 2013). "The Weinstein Company, Seeking Hits, Shifts to TV". The New York Times.
12. "Netflix Is Creating One Of The Most Expensive TV Shows In The World — Here's Why It's So Important".
13. (January 14, 2014). "It's Official: Netflix Orders Series 'Marco Polo' From Weinstein Co".
14. [https://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/33473/20170106/top-5-filming-locations-of-netflix-s-marco-polo.htm "Top 5 Filming Locations of Netflix's Marco Polo"], by FG Dullin, ''Travelers Today'', 6 Jan. 2017. [Retrieved 9 Dec. 2018]
15. [http://www.thelocationguide.com/2014/12/ng-television-netflix-drama-marco-polo-films-at-pinewood-iskandar-malaysia-studios/# "Netflix drama Marco Polo films at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios"], ''TheLocationGuide'', 15 Dec. 2014. [Retrieved 9 Dec. 2018]
16. (7 April 2014). "Malaysia Airlines MH370 passengers include stuntman, honeymooners".
17. Mike Ayers. (December 12, 2014). "Inside 'Marco Polo,' Netflix's $90 Million Epic".
18. (December 10, 2014). "Riding the Silk Road".
19. AFP. (January 29, 2015). "Netflix Marco Polo Series 'Riddled With Errors'". [[Seeker (media company).
20. "MARCO POLO: SEASON 1".
21. "Marco Polo (2014) : Season 1".
22. Jensen, Jeff. (January 7, 2015). "Marco Polo Review".
23. Gliatto, Tom. (December 12, 2014). "Netflix's Fun New Marco Polo Is All About the Wrath of Kublai Khan".
24. Bianco, Robert. (December 12, 2014). "'Marco Polo' gets lost on the Silk Road to nowhere".
25. "Marco Polo: Season 2".
26. Newbould, Chris. (28 June 2016). "New season of Marco Polo to reveal the dark side of characters, says actor Lorenzo Richelmy".
27. Makinen, Julie. (19 September 2014). "'Marco Polo' brings the court of Kublai Khan to Netflix".
28. (September 12, 2015). "Creative Arts Emmys: The Complete Winners List".
29. (November 2, 2015). "2015 Music In Visual Media Nominations".
30. "Best Teaser/Trailer for a TV Series or Mini-Series (GTA16/2015)".