- “The Decameron” is a medieval black comedy set in the middle of the 14th century.
- The upcoming show’s tone, inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s work, separates it from the popular historical romance series “Bridgerton.”
- While both series involve romance, “The Decameron” offers raunchy humor during the Black Death, taking place more than 400 years before “Bridgerton.”
While Bridgerton takes a (presumably long) hiatus between seasons 3 and 4, Netflix is releasing a new TV series that is seemingly similar to Shonda Rhimes’ popular period drama but is actually very different. The historical romance show, created by Chris Van Dusen, is based on Julia Quinn’s book series of the same name and follows the lives of the Bridgerton family. Falling in line with the set of eight novels, every season of Bridgerton revolves around one Bridgerton sibling and their love story, with Daphne’s being told in season 1, Anthony’s in season 2, and Colin’s in season 3.
Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell previously predicted that season 4 would be released at least two years following the ending of season 3. So, fans should expect new episodes in 2026.
Given that the wait for the release of Bridgerton season 4 (and the mystery concerning which Bridgerton sibling will headline the next set of episodes) is expected to be long, it makes sense why Netflix would want to debut shows that could serve as replacements for the well-received historical romance series. However, just because a TV show is a period piece, that doesn’t mean it is entirely comparable to Bridgerton. While Netflix’s “new Bridgerton” series is set in a past time period, that’s evidently one of the only qualities it shares with Rhimes’ show.
The Decameron’s Source Material Is Nothing Like Bridgerton’s Period Drama
Giovanni Boccaccio’s Collection Of Short Stories Was Written In The 14th Century
Netflix is set to release all eight episodes of The Decameron on Thursday, July 25, 2024. While The Decameron appears to be as raunchy as Bridgerton based on its trailer and occurs in a different time as opposed to the present day, viewers shouldn’t expect it to be exactly like the historical romance series. Bridgerton is based on romance books written in the 21st century. However, Netflix’s upcoming TV show, created by Kathleen Jordan, is inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, a collection of short stories originally written in the mid-1300s, when the Black Death was rampant in Europe.
The Decameron Cast |
Role |
---|---|
Zosia Mamet |
Pampinea |
Saoirse-Monica Jackson |
Misia |
Tanya Reynolds |
Licisca |
Amar Chadha-Pate |
Dioneo |
Leila Farzad |
Stratilia |
Lou Gala |
Neifile |
Karan Gill |
Panfilo |
Tony Hale |
Sirisco |
Douggie McMeekin |
Tindaro |
Jessica Plummer |
Filomena |