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 Barksdale wrote:
Watching this now. Just finished the first episode. Looks like it might turn into a marathon....

Holiday weekend coming...MARATHON!!

So, if I just received some Fireforge Mongols, how motivated would this show make me to assemble them?

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
So, if I just received some Fireforge Mongols, how motivated would this show make me to assemble them?

Your going to be stuck watching the show but I can see you slapping them together with a few cameo mini's from the show

Finished the last episode. I am pretty pissed off there are no more to watch yet. Anyone know when season 2 is supposed to be released? Might have a go at season 3 of Borgia while I finish off this bottle of CC.

 Barksdale wrote:
Finished the last episode. I am pretty pissed off there are no more to watch yet. Anyone know when season 2 is supposed to be released? Might have a go at season 3 of Borgia while I finish off this bottle of CC.

I did the Star Wars" The Clone Wars marathon after Marco Polo

 Jihadin wrote:

I did the Star Wars" The Clone Wars marathon after Marco Polo

Sounds like a plan!

Watched it recently. I enjoyed it. Not sure why it got such horrible critical reviews. There is certainly a lot worse on TV today.

Just done the last episode. Overall thought it was very good and Benedict Wong does outstanding work as Kublai Khan. Great support also from Chin Han as the Chancellor (basically a less stupid version of Joffrey) and Joan Chen is beautifully dignified as the Khan's Empress...



I have two criticisms - Firstly, the title character is pretty bland and boring. This is not make or break as the main hero of any saga is usually pretty bland and boring (see also Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter etc etc), but found myself wishing there was a bit more to him.

Secondly (and this is mainly Mrs Flashman's criticism), the portrayal of women is pretty poor. An argument could be made that this is reflective of the period blah blah but seriously, this show out does GoT for pointless nude scenes. Why does Mei Lin strip before defeating her would be rapists, when it's later shown that she's just as adept with her clothes on. Make the period argument all you like, but this is a TV show for a modern audience and women will just be turned off by this kind of thing (Mrs Flashman showed no further interest after the first episode). This is a shame as a fair few interesting female characters are introduced as the show progresses.

Regardless, it gets a from me and I'll be back for Season 2.

One moment that puzzled me...

 Flashman wrote:
Just done the last episode. Overall thought it was very good and Benedict Wong does outstanding work as Kublai Khan. Great support also from Chin Han as the Chancellor (basically a less stupid version of Joffrey) and Joan Chen is beautifully dignified as the Khan's Empress...

Spoiler:

...and bad ass enough to stop her own assassination attempt

I have two criticisms - Firstly, the title character is pretty bland and boring. This is not make or break as the main hero of any saga is usually pretty bland and boring (see also Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter etc etc), but found myself wishing there was a bit more to him.

Secondly (and this is mainly Mrs Flashman's criticism), the portrayal of women is pretty poor. An argument could be made that this is reflective of the period blah blah but seriously, this show out does GoT for pointless nude scenes. Why does Mei Lin strip before defeating her would be rapists, when it's later shown that she's just as adept with her clothes on. Make the period argument all you like, but this is a TV show for a modern audience and women will just be turned off by this kind of thing (Mrs Flashman showed no further interest after the first episode). This is a shame as a fair few interesting female characters are introduced as the show progresses.

Regardless, it gets a from me and I'll be back for Season 2.

One moment that puzzled me...

Spoiler:

... was that it was never made clear why the blind monk abandoned his first attempt on the Chancellor's life, especially given that he made short work of the task in the final episode

Polo was not in control of his situation. As for the blind monk

 Flashman wrote:
I have two criticisms - Firstly, the title character is pretty bland and boring. This is not make or break as the main hero of any saga is usually pretty bland and boring (see also Luke Skywalker, Frodo Baggins, Harry Potter etc etc), but found myself wishing there was a bit more to him.

I don't know. I quite like him. Simple merchant trader abandoned by his father into a life he never dreamt of nor wanted does his damnedest to make it. He stays despite repeated opportunities to flee shows and some pretty strong will in the face of death. There's themes of love, duty, truth, and honour woven into his character, all of which I find quite appealing.

 Flashman wrote:

Secondly (and this is mainly Mrs Flashman's criticism), the portrayal of women is pretty poor. An argument could be made that this is reflective of the period blah blah but seriously, this show out does GoT for pointless nude scenes. Why does Mei Lin strip before defeating her would be rapists, when it's later shown that she's just as adept with her clothes on. Make the period argument all you like, but this is a TV show for a modern audience and women will just be turned off by this kind of thing (Mrs Flashman showed no further interest after the first episode). This is a shame as a fair few interesting female characters are introduced as the show progresses.

This I do not agree with. I definitely think the portrayal of women is reflective of the period and that it's done very well. If I was in charge of selecting my khans whores you can be damned sure I'd be checking out their naughty bits, and that is conveyed well in that scene. Mei Lin strips before defeating her rapists for a couple reasons. Firstly, it builds dramatic effect for the viewer...What's going to happen? Is she giving in? Secondly, it let her even the odds a little bit by taking out one of the assailants with her nifty throw hair pin to the throat move. It's certainly not over the top in my mind. Women occupy some powerful characters slots, most notably (for me anyway) Khutulun played by Claudia Kim.