The Decameron

The main narrative revolves around modern identity struggles. It focuses heavily on the class conflict between wealthy, incompetent nobles and their oppressed servants. Romantic arcs are driven by queer identity, specifically a central lesbian love story and a nobleman's hidden gay affairs, which directly challenge traditional heterosexual family structures of the era.

The show heavily satirizes core Western institutions, especially the Catholic Church and the concept of religious piety, which it frames as hypocritical and sexually repressed. It critiques traditional marriage as a toxic trap and depicts wealthy land-owning structures as completely corrupt and useless.

The show strips away the actual storytelling premise of Giovanni Boccaccio's classic 14th-century text. It replaces the original Italian characters with a modern, racially diverse, and highly queer-focused ensemble. It also rewrites the wise female leader Pampinea from the original book into a selfish, abusive villain.

Right-leaning critics and traditional viewers complained that the series gave Boccaccio's work the "Bridgerton treatment." Backlash focused on the forced modernization, the insertion of 21st-century queer and feminist politics into a medieval setting, and the use of modern colorblind casting for historical figures.

Creator Kathleen Jordan has a track record of progressive, LGBTQ-focused comedy writing. Executive producer Jenji Kohan is known for creating Orange Is the New Black, which centers race, gender, and sexual identity. This aligns with the show's emphasis on queer representation and class satire.