YMMV / The Young Pope

• Alternative Character Interpretation: From a traditional Catholic perspective, Lenny is the anti-hero. He performs miracles and starts a crusade against the corrupt, money-driven Church. He, however, uses deception to achieve his goals, his attempt to regain the respect for the Papacy is based on image of Dark Messiah and he is proud enough to almost call himself God, while openly doubting if he even believes in the first place.
• Awesome Music: The opening theme. That guitar riff!
• Memetic Mutation: The audacious premise of the series as a Hotter and Sexier religious drama turned it into a meme months before the first episode ran.
• Misaimed Fandom: The show has a great deal of far-right fans or Christian fundamentalist fans who fully support Lenny's extreme views, ignoring the fact that the show presents them as flawed.
• Just Here for Godzilla: Many were the viewers who came in merely on the premise of a hot Pope. Perhaps aware of this, the show decides to get it all out of the way swiftly and more or less starts with a naked Jude Law.
• So Okay, It's Average: Ever since the initial controversy has died out, the general consensus is the series starts with an interesting premise and can't execute it, with the plot being too choppy to get anyone invested. At the same time it's balanced with good performances and gorgeous shots. This makes for a good show to watch, but with barely anything to follow in it.
• Too Bleak, Stopped Caring: For many viewers, Pope Pius XIII is too flawed to be sympathetic, but his machinations are not diabolical enough to make him a true Villain Protagonist or a Hate Sink. The other clergymen are also flawed and can't seem to make up their minds whether to follow or oppose him. This can frustrate viewers looking for a clear side to root for. There are only a few characters who remain sympathetic through the whole show, and they don't affect the greater plot much.

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