TV Review: 'Medici' Season 3 Magnificently Concludes Its Epic Run

Image by Big Light Productions and Lux Vide Produzione

How do you bring the story of an epic family to a close? In the case of “Medici,” it is with swift pacing, enthralling execution, and brilliant delivery. The series picks up with a slightly older, Lorenzo de’ Medici (Daniel Sharman), more determined than ever to avenge his murdered brother and keep his family (the House of Medici) on top.

Power is the only the play that a person has, and Lorenzo works his to gain every advantage he can maneuver or design during “Medici” Season 3. A brilliant man haunted by the vicious execution of his beloved brother, Giuliano (Bradley James), Lorenzo’s lens on the world is darker than ever before.

Who can blame him for that? There are those who can, and they make their voices heard throughout Season 3. Sadly, that means “Medici” putting distance between Lorenzo and his devoted wife, Clarice, with whom he shared a moving love story last season. It goes without saying, this fan is saddened by the turn, albeit resigned to it without issue.

On that note, Lorenzo walks alone in his bid for vengeance, until a newcomer (Bruno Bernardi) comes along to help him, ushering Lorenzo to make his darkest moves. Bernardi is just one of the sly characters to come Season 3’s way as “Medici” welcomes the awesome abilities of Rose Williams (“Reign”), who captivates as Caterina Sforza Riario. More on her turn later.

The Performances

Playing the highs and lows of Lorenzo, “Medici” boasts the impressive performance of Daniel Sharman. As terrific as Sharman was playing Lorenzo during the prime of his youth, he takes the once idealistic Medici through his older years as a patriarch with confidence, and zeal. Few actors have seized the opportunity to carry a character through so much timeline terrain and done it as wonderfully.

It is a lot of ground to cover and Daniel Sharman manages to play all of the pathos in between. The weight of Lorenzo’s responsibilities and the ambition that makes them happen are all present. So is Sharman’s ability to bring a tremendous gravitas to the proceedings, which is an impressive feat considering the age of Lorenzo by the series’ end.

Sharman could not have asked for a better screen partner in Synnøve Karlsen. Once again, neither Karlsen nor Sharman misses a beat as they play out the complex and chemistry-filled marriage of Lorenzo and Clarice. What stands out about “Medici” and Karlsen’s performance is that she plays Clarice’s vulnerabilities and her respectable yet complicated devotion to Lorenzo on her sleave up until the very end. The result is resoundingly impactful.

A Tremendous Lead Character

Aside from the performances, is the spellbinding storytelling of “Medici,” which is powered by co-creators/writers Frank Spotnitz and Nicholas Meyer. Their work gets an added boost from the jaw-dropping history that surrounds it. 

For instance, Lorenzo de’ Medici’s hand in establishing the career of Michelangelo as shown in Season 3 is a startlingly true fact. It is safe to say the world owes Lorenzo for supporting a supernova who changed the world. That said, “Medici” casts some shadows on that legacy without history I am aware of. 

What I do know is that Lorenzo de’ Medici was the Renaissance Man. He had his hand in almost every avenue of life at the time and what he did to revolutionize his surroundings was monumental. “Medici” gives viewers a peek at his genius and somehow fluently transmits it in the ambitious window of Season 3’s eight episodes.

Could the series have been twice as long and further extrapolated on Lorenzo moving Michelangelo into his house to raise alongside his children? Yes. Could Lorenzo and Clarice’s marriage have used a few more upbeat moments as history indicates they shared towards the end? Yes. Is this “Medici” fan satisfied with what did occur in Season 3? Yes.

Final Thoughts, Final Season

To grab every nuance and flourish of Lorenzo’s life is a stunning accomplishment. It is one that this viewer can appreciate even more so having devoured a “Empires” docuseries about the Medicis prior to Season 3’s release. Throughout its spectacular final chapter, “Medici” comes up golden again with its magnificent poise, presence, and soundtrack.

You will not find a more fittingly epic soundtrack to back a costume drama than “Medici” and that is saying something, considering the competition. Season 3’s bearing is that of an elegant final piece to Lorenzo’s last stands, maneuvers, and contemplations. It is music that plays as Lorenzo leaves his mark on a world left unrecognizable by his influence.

Sadly, Season 3 is the final season of the series, which streams on Netflix as an original in the United States. “Medici” remains one of the finest period dramas streaming on the popular platform and it truly has no equal in its era. It is a drama that proves human nature and its will remain a timeless template for intrigue and there is nothing like showcasing the Medici family to make the case.

Rating: 10/10

All three seasons of “Medici” are currently streaming on Netflix, along with a lot of other excellent TV dramas.