The New Pope (1×06) Episode 6 Review

For our review of the last episode of The New Pope, click here.

Synopsis: A confrontation with Spalletta leads Brannox to deliver some unwelcome news to Voiello. Sofia learns what her husband has been keeping from her. Voiello ties up loose ends. Ester expands her business and takes drastic action when she is met with opposition. Brannox agrees to a live televised interview that asks him to delve into his past. (HBO)

In our review for last week’s episode, it was mentioned that the series felt like it was running out of steam. And that certainly still feels like the case come this week’s episode, the sixth episode of what was set to be a ten episode series. The deliberate and considered pacing that felt important in the first few episodes now makes these latter episodes slightly drag. Meanwhile, Malkovich as Brannox continues to be an excellent centre point of the series and episode six does start to see some of the series’ smaller storylines fleshed out into something more. However, where the series is ultimately going feels unimportant at this point as the narrative feels aimless and it’s hard to find much to like about any of the characters on screen.

This week’s episode continues the series’ habit of being incredibly beautifully shot, looking and sounding very nice. Though at a time where there is so much television and on-demand series to watch, a lot of which has fast-moving and impactful narratives designed for binge-watching, The New Pope‘s slow and steady approach to storytelling just feels a bit lacklustre at this point. Its pacing was the attraction of the first, Jude Law-fronted series which gave us time to bask in the sun of such a well-made programme but now, it just feels like we need a bit more.

Two of the smaller storylines which kick up a notch in this episode are that of Orlando’s Cardinal Voiello and his position in the church and Sagnier as Esther whose role has become something of a morally problematic one. Both of these storylines are now more interesting than that main one of Malkovich’s papacy and the will he won’t he of whether Law’s Pius XIII is going to wake up. In fact, it was quite easy to forget that the title figure of the first series is laying somewhere in a coma until well into the episode.

At the end of the day, now with four episodes left, it does feel like these smaller storylines give The New Pope enough intrigue to continue watching. But unfortunately the things that made the series an interesting prospect at the beginning have somewhat dissipated. Fingers crossed that there’s enough to keep it afloat for three more hours of television.

Find me on Twitter and Instagram as @Martin_Izzard and at TalkAboutMovies.co.uk.

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Guest Writer