This poster is so awesome. Gave me a ton of hype.

Marco Polo Season 2

If you haven’t, read my review of season 1 so you get an idea of my feelings for this show. If you haven’t and you don’t feel like doing so, I’ll summarize: I enjoyed Marco Polo tremendously. It is show with so much going for it.

Such as:

Benedict Wong as Kublai Khan

He plays Kublai high off of power. Low off of shame. Deep in the murk of intrigue. Forced to make hard choices. Doubting his trust of everyone. Every side of Kublai Khan is perfectly expressed by Benedict Wong.

Compelling Characters

The cast continues to get fleshed out. Explanation and development is given and it feels so natural. Different match-ups and character relationships are explored and seeing how the favorites from season 1 grow and change is spectacular.

Mei Lin, who really came into her own this season and had some great lines.

My favorites were Mei Lin, One Hundred Eyes, Lotus, and Khutulun. The female characters are especially good. I would go so far to say it is a great female empowerment show, along with just being awesome in general.

Amazing Visuals

This show is pretty. I mean pretty. The cinematography is drop dead gorgeous at points. The lighting and landscapes just work.

Look at that! Cool costumes and strong composition.

The costumes of the characters are stunningly intricate and beautiful. I would want to wear the clothes that the characters wear is what I’m saying. The costumes range from Chinese regal to down-to-earth Mongol. It also incorporates some more European-style outfits, but I won’t spoil exactly what they are. The beauty of the show comes from multiple different areas.

Political Intrigue and Drama

Kublai Khan may have won the war, but that does not mean everything is perfect. Rebellions stir in the lands he conquered and dissent from his own family. There are so many angles and problems facing the great Khan and not one of them feels underdeveloped. They all come together, even with their disparate points. The interweaving of the many regions politics together was great and I loved seeing how different parties and religions conspired for political/power reasons.

Martial Arts, Battles, and Fight Scenes

There are some of the most well choreographed scenes I have ever scene. One scene in particular was so striking, emotional, and beautiful. It was simply sublime. Asides from that, there are raw and bloody battles. The intro scene to the season, not being a fight scene per say, was more of a war-time clever trick that blew my mind (whether it is possible or not I’m not sure but it was cool to see.) Then the finale battle had some intense one on one battles that had nothing of the finesse of the martial arts scene. It was raw and brutal and perfect to cap the emotional second season.

The list goes on. This show is fabulous, as I’ve said before. The second season shocked me in good ways. I didn’t see where it was going. I didn’t expect anything and if I did it didn’t happen. It was a great ride and I’m hyped for season 3, which better happen or I’m rioting.