Did you hear the one about the young pope? The new HBO miniseries The Young Pope, starring Jude Law, has been the subject of some sacrilegious — but pretty clever — ridicule on Twitter.
To be fair, the concept is sort of asking for it, with sexy English rogue Jude Law portraying the holiest person in the Catholic Church (albeit an outlandish version). The show focuses on Law’s character, a freewheeling, neoconservative American cardinal who ends up in the papacy and bucks the Church’s authority. Diane Keaton co-stars as Sister Mary, “a nun from the U.S. now living in Vatican City,” according to HBO.
Esquire’s review sums up the absurdity — and perhaps genius — of the show, which is currently Certified Fresh with a 73% Tomatometer rating: The Young Pope “is roughly what would happen if Ryan Murphy directed House of Cards after simultaneously developing a serious cocaine habit and an obsession with Italian cinema.”
Some of our favorite memes on the subject from the Twitterverse:
A take on the Pope smoke signals…
[white smoke billows from the sistine chapel]
cardinal: behold. a new pope has been chosen
young pope: it’s not smoke it’s vapor— dan mentos (@DanMentos) January 6, 2017
A “Bohemian Rhapsody” riff…
I'm just a young pope, nobody loves me
He's just a young pope, from a pope family— sarah jeong (@sarahjeong) January 5, 2017
This very holy pup… er pope…
Young Pope, 2017. (Photo courtesy of HBO. All rights reserved) pic.twitter.com/JbBFAwhjDr
— chris cheek (@burningdownthe) January 11, 2017
Spoof or real?
Wait, The Young Pope is a real show? I thought that was a joke trailer like the opening of Tropic Thunder.
— Jenny Trout (@Jenny_Trout) January 2, 2017
A Blink-182 fan’s take on it…
?I FELL IN LOVE
with Jude Law as the Young Pope
SHE SAID WHAT
And I told her that he isn't old
HE'S SO COOL
gonna vape outside ur window?— Mark Hoppus (@markhoppus) January 7, 2017
Feminist Pope
?i'm a bitch / i'm a lover / i'm the pope / only younger?
— josh androsky? (@ShutUpAndrosky) January 4, 2017
Feeling inadequate pope…
30 Popes Under 30
— Rachel Sanders (@rachelysanders) January 5, 2017
Leslie Pope…
THE YOUNG KNOPE pic.twitter.com/QC0ilW3B6V
— 1/8th Lively (@jacobtwop) January 5, 2017
And the fashion police take on the Pope…
"of course you don't like my hat. not everyone 'gets' what vetements is doing. but i do. i'm very young." pic.twitter.com/i0pdtYVzbF
— Alex Alvarez (@soalexgoes) January 4, 2017
The Young Pope premieres on HBO January 15
