We’ve Had A Good Cry – The episode opens with Tindaro (Douggie McMeekin) guarding the villa from a barred window. Behind him, the nobles, peasants, and servants play a game. Stratilia (Leila Farzad) picks Arriguiccio (Dustin Demri-Burns) to be the pig. Sirsco (Tony Hale) places a jester hat on Arriguiccio’s head and hands him an egg. Seeing that Arriguiccio is not a good pig, Misia takes over and runs around before handing the egg to Filomena (Jessica Plummer). Tindaro leaves his post unguarded to join in the fun. A knock at the door sends the occupants scrambling for their armor and weapons. Sirisco looks out to see the visitor is no other than Licisca (Tanya Reynolds). They unbar the door to let her in. Misia asks if she has seen Pampinea (Zosia Mamet). Ignoring everyone, Licisca lights a torch and limps toward the “wh**e door.” Filomena pursues her and badgers her with questions. Licisca informs her of the mercenaries’ arrival and wishes her luck. Filomena pleads for a second chance and attributes her change to Misia. Licisca questions if Filomena can love anyone but herself. Exiting through the rear exit, Licisca encounters a deceased Bard (Nikolai Selikovsky). She turns a penis-shaped lever to access a tunnel. Filomena alerts the others of the mercenaries at the gate. Sirisco boasts of the gate’s durability and longevity. In the meantime, the mercenaries pull down the gate and race toward the villa.

Tindaro and Sirisco watch as the mercenaries approach the villa. Tindaro yells, “Cold oil” and compliments Misia’s mightiness. The general of the Disciples of Order/Eric (Matt Patresi) escorts a woman with her head concealed to the door. Removing the head covering, the woman reveals her identity, Pampinea. Misia breaks down in tears. Filomena urges her to remain calm. Pampinea announces a pact with the General. Tindaro permits her to enter. Sirisco and Misia become frantic. Panfilo (Karan Gill) sticks his dagger in the back of his waistband as the others haphazardly prepare for Pampinea and Eric to enter. In the tunnel, Licisca reaches the exit which just happens to be surrounded by mercenaries. Putting out her torch, she races back to the villa to encounter Panfilo pouring himself a drink. He pours another drink for her. Calandrino (Alfredo Pea) unbars the door. Upon entering, Pampinea says Eric has agreed to leave if they give him her dowry which she claims Licisca took from her. Licisca tosses the jewels across the room. As Eric retrieves them, she teases him about his missing eye. Statilia informs Tindaro that Jacopo (Aston Wray) is missing. He assures her that he will be okay. Pampinea asks if she is wearing her dress. Statilia says it belongs to her. Eric breaks his pact with Pampinea and claims the villa for his order and vows to kill them all.

Tindaro yells, “Unleash h*ll.” The response is haphazardly futile. Eric draws his dagger. Tindaro challenges him only to be stabbed in the gut. The nobles and their servants stare in horror as Tindaro collapses on the ground. Calandrino swings wildly at Eric only to hit the floor. Eric stabs him in the nape. Giving his wine to Licisco, Panfilo draws his dagger, jumps on Eric’s back, and stabs him in his only good eye. Eric falls to the ground. With a bit of prompting, everyone cheers. Lying on the floor, Tindaro says they did it. Pampinea tries to justify her actions before fleeing. As Misia prepares to go after her, Filomena accuses her of giving Pampinea her dowry and killing Dionea (Amar Chadha-Patel) for her. Misia says she wouldn’t understand and leaves. Panfilo informs the mercenaries of his killing Eric and threatens to kill them if they don’t leave. Tindaro gives them Pampinea’s jewels in exchange for their service. As the queen of the villa, Stratilia demands they leave. The Monk (Daniele Natali) orders the mercenaries to kill them. They come under attack by dozens of arrows. Sirisco scolds Panfilo for laughing. As the mercenaries work to bring down the door, an injured Tidnaro urges them to flee. Seeing Panfilo unmoved by their dire situation, Licisco questions if she is falling in love with him. They kiss. He pulls away and claims to be married before escorting her away.

Filomena discovers Pampinea hiding in the villa. Pampinea tells her that it is obvious she is a noble because her beauty is unlike that of servants like Misia. Filomena slaps her. A physical dispute breaks out and ends when Misia intervenes and escorts Pampinea away. Filomena hides. Stratilia regrets not leaving with Jacopo. Tindaro says Jacopo is the rightful heir of the villa and he is blessed to have her. He gives Jacobo his armor but takes it back because he won’t need it. The mercenaries break open the door and bombard the villa. The Monk orders them to kill everyone. Sirisco recalls how much Calandrino loved bees. Arriguccio suggests surrendering to the mercenaries but Sirisco refuses. While everyone is detained, Arriguccio retrieves a white cloth and leaves. The gossipy peasant (Sun Hee You) suggests they pretend to be monsters. Panfilo and Licisco watch the mercenaries from a second-floor balcony and reminisce about Neifile (Lou Gala). He throws a peanut, hitting a mercenary’s hat. She asks if he wants to die. Smiling, he asks what is there for her. A mercenary finds Filomena. Licisco hears Filomena’s screams. Panfilo points out that the door is unguarded. She decides to stay to save Filomena. He creates a distraction by shattering a vase on the ground below. As he continues to throw things from the upper balcony, she sneaks past the Monk and into a chamber where Filomena is being held captive.

The mercenary ascends the stairs after Licisco. When he gets close, she shoves him down the steps. Filomena says she saved her again and embraces her. A dying Tindaro gives Stratilia a valuable necklace and hopes Jacopo will see him as a father. Stratilia quietly prompts him to say yes. When Jacopo says, Yes,” Tindaro stops breathing but only temporarily. Pampinea tells Misia that her love is the greatest gift and vows to never let her go. Filomena and Licisco’s departure is thwarted when the mercenaries break through the rear door. Sirisco urges the peasants to think of ways they can defeat the mercenaries. Arriguccio arrives with a sword in his gut. Sirsco weeps. Misia puts Pampinea into a barrel with the promise to free her later. Pampinea thanks her. Misia urges her to sing while she waits and seals the lid. She places Pampinea’s hat on top of the barrel before torching it. As the fire spreads, Misia walks away with a smile on her face. An irate Sirisco vows to burn the villa to the ground but it won’t catch fire. Filomena and Licisca realize the cellar is on fire. Misia smiles at her. The villa fills with smoke and no one wants to fight. Panfilo believes he can help them escape.

The mercenaries pile all the valuables into one chamber while the Monk and assistant doctor peasant (Vincenzo Di Rosa) watch. Panfilo sneaks into a chamber where a Neifile’s corpse is lying in bed. He asks for help in dying. The nobles, peasants, and servants retrieve large paintings from the mercenaries. Tindaro kills a mercenary. Panfilo approaches with Neifile’s corpse. Utilizing the paintings as shields, they make their way to the exit. Tindaro arms himself with two swords. Panfilo repeatedly yells pestilence. The Monk orders the mercenaries to retreat. Tindaro gives the swords to Stratilia and Jacopo before fighting off a mercenary. Jacopo races back to save him. Tindaro throws himself at the mercenary, knocking him down. Panfilo and Neifile’s corpse is hit by an onslaught of arrows. Stratilia and Jacobo are watching the mercenary stab Tindaro through the heart when they come under attack. The survivors flee. Panfilo is killed.

A short time later, the bony peasant (Enrico Nobili), the cute peasant (Roberta Mengozzi), and the gossipy peasant refuse to let Sirisco go to their village. Licisica urges him to cheer up because they survived. Later, the distraught survivors shelter under a tree from the rain. Licisca escorts them to the cave that she and Filomena previously found. She warns them of the wicked witch, Vitrucchia. They begin to chant, “Vitrucchia, Vitrucchia the devil cursed your name.” Later, Filomena says if Eduardo (John Hannah) is alive, he will be angry with her. Licisca professes to love her. Filomena claims to love her more.

The next day, Misia tells a story about Peronella and Giannello. Jacopo says Tindaro and Panfilo died and there is nothing they can do about it. Stratilia offers him an imaginary orange. He shares the imaginary orange with Filomena.  Sirisco tells them a love story as the episode ends.

 

The Decameron Review

The finale is a disappointment which is not surprising. The story tries to take a serious tone but fails miserably. The direction has been haphazardly chaotic from the start. Characters running wild to and fro with nothing of significance happening, a trend throughout the series. It fails to capture the true essence of Boccaccio’s phenomenal piece.

Historical dramas are being replaced with modern slapstick, politically correct parodies. It is very unfortunate for people like myself, who love period dramas. The finale deserves a 5 out of 10.

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