Netflix’s The Decameron is an ensemble-driven show with a good mix of unlikable and enjoyable characters that shape the plot of the raunchy dark comedy. Set in 1348 Firenze (Florance, Italy), members of the nobility and their servants flee to a villa to escape the horrors of the Black Plague in The Decameron. While they begin the series trying to drink and be merry, their worst traits emerge as they fight to stay alive and gain ownership of Villa Santa.

Part of the reason The Decameron is so entertaining is that it follows mostly terrible people doing terrible things. Very few characters are empathetic or likable, but they’re all undoubtedly fun to watch. It’s gratifying to watch the worst characters get their comeuppance. On the other hand, the loss of likable characters in The Decameron reflects the painful reality of loss and death during a pandemic.

10Pampinea

Played By Zosia Mamet

Pampinea stands out as the most unlikable character in The Decameron, with her horrible attitude, entitlement, selfishness, and greed setting her apart. Unlike other unlikable characters, she’s devoid of humor. Her only moments of levity stem from the audience’s laughter at her satirical-like rich-person behavior. The character exhibits zero compassion or care for others, particularly her servant, Misia. Paminea treats her abominably, demanding unreasonable and murderous tasks. Like an abusive partner, she only shows Misia praise or empathy when she needs to draw her back in.

On top of all this, she’s even tyrannical towards the other nobles, lying and cheating to keep the villa under her control. This includes Pampinea lying about being pregnant and trying to steal a child from his mother, actions that significantly affect the lives of those involved and the overall plot. Her actions make it impossible to offer her an iota of empathy. Ultimately, it’s satisfying when she dies at the end of The Decameron, as it brings a sense of justice and closure to the story.

9Tindaro

Played By Douggie McMeekin

Next to Pampinea, the most detestable character in The Decameron is Tindaro. He behaves like a petulant child throughout most of the series, his irritating, bumbling, and incompetent nature making him hard to tolerate. It’s rough that his doctor is taking advantage of him, but that doesn’t change his abhorrent behavior. The most despicable aspect of his personality is his rampant misogyny.

While it initially seems like he’s simply rude towards everyone, Tindaro’s hatred of women becomes more apparent after he gets engaged to Licisca. He treats her like an object, controlling how she interacts with others. He then only sees Stratilia for what she can offer him, namely kinky sex and a son. Tindaro only lands second worse because of two reasons. Firstly, Pampinea is that bad. Secondly, he delays the mercenaries so the group can escape.

8Sirisco

Played By Tony Hale

Though he seems kind and welcoming initially, Sirisco progressively becomes one of the most unlikable characters in The Decameron. His greed is just as insatiable as the nobles, attaching himself to whomever he believes will give him power. Whenever he realizes his alliance won’t benefit him, he moves on to the next person. This behavior becomes even more frustrating when Arriguccio and his friend welcome him into their home, but he manipulates them into going after the villa.

If he put their needs first when they returned to the villa, it would come across as caring and a righteous desire for justice. Unfortunately, when forced to decide between his lust for power and saving Arriguccio and his friends, he refuses to listen to the few people who actually care about him. This makes him barely better than the nobles, who he views as less righteous.

7Filomena

Played By Jessica Plummer

Filomena is a challenging character to rank in terms of likability. She starts out the series treating Licisca just as terribly as the other nobles treat their servants. With hindsight about Licisca and Filomena being sisters, her cruel comments about Licisca being an orphan with nobody who loves her seem especially insidious. The fact that she continues to lie even after she has supposedly changed draws into question whether she really understands how hurtful her actions were as a noble person.

However, Filomena’s character undergoes a significant transformation towards the end of The Decameron. She becomes more empathetic, patient, and affectionate. She even defends Misia, albeit after starting a romance with her. The question arises whether her change in behavior is enough to warrant forgiveness. Because many of her actions are still self-serving, she still falls into the unlikable category, though higher than others.

6Misia

Played By Saoirse-Monica Jackson

Like her girlfriend Filomena, Misia is a complex character in The Decameron who is difficult to love or hate entirely. She behaves in immoral and murderous ways at the behest of her master. Any time she tries to get out from underneath the noble’s thumb, Pampinea reels her back in. This creates a complicated dynamic where she acts in ways that don’t align with her morals, like stabbing Ruggiero. Sadly, Misia also finds her self-worth in the approval of the person who hurts her the most.

It’s challenging to watch Misia fall back into Pampinea’s grasp in The Decameron because nobody deserves to exist in that kind of unhealthy, codependent dynamic. Misia’s behaviors are a sobering reminder that people can’t take steps to break free until they’re ready. All things considered, Misia is in the middle of the pack in terms of likability due to her pure intentions but destructive behaviors.

Netflix’s The Decameron used a mix of onsite locations in Italy and studio sets to create medieval Florence, Italy, and the Villa Santa estate.

5Stratilia

Played By Stratilia

The character Stratilia is the backbone of the Netflix TV show, holding everything at Villa Santa together. She’s levelheaded, observant, and relatively quiet. She has an omniscient quality, seemingly seeing and knowing everything that goes on with the rest of the characters. Unfortunately, Stratilia is the epitome of a wallflower in that she blends into the setting instead of standing out. She’s so unnoticeable sometimes that she doesn’t elicit strong positive or negative emotions.

All of Stratilia’s relationships feel underdeveloped, including the one with her child. This makes her seem unapproachable and unrelatable. The only moments in The Decameron that make her slightly more likable than neutral occur in the last two episodes when she tries to take over the villa for her son. It’s sweet to see a mother care for her child even when situations aren’t ideal.

4Neifile

Played By Lou Gala

Though she starts out an insufferable and holier-than-thou character, Neifile becomes an enjoyable and relatable character before her death in The Decameron. Over the course of a few episodes, she goes through a faith crisis, confronting questions like why God would give her a high libido but scorn sexuality and why God would allow the plague.

While it causes her some emotional distress, Neifile’s faith crisis enables her to connect with the people around her and her sexuality in a way that she couldn’t before. This version of Neifile is less judgmental, much funnier, and more unhinged. The nihilism allows her to embrace her sexual urges instead of burying them. Ultimately, she finds peace in admitting that she has always had doubts about God, which is an excellent resolution to her character arc before she succumbs to the Black Plague.

3Dioneo

Played By Amar Chadha-Patel

Though he is a scoundrel who poisons his patient, Dioneo is one of the most entertaining characters in The Decameron. He gives off medieval Casanova energy, willing to flirt and get sexually involved with anything that moves. Dioneo fits in with both the nobility and the servants because his job rides the line between the high class and the low class. This makes him enjoyable when interacting with all the other characters.

He and Panfilo are by far the funniest characters regarding being laughed with instead of laughed at. The moment that sticks out as the most hilarious is when he’s instructing everyone on how to get rid of the pestilence by waving around onions and shouting. Ultimately, he isn’t the most likable, not because of faults in his character but because of the strengths of Licisca and Panfilo.

2Licisca

Played By Tanya Reynolds

Because of the strong COVID-19 allegory throughout The Decameron, Licisca is the most significant and relatable character for the average viewer. She doesn’t have the riches and privileges of the nobles. Unlike the other servants, she doesn’t forget her position in the world, though, making her empathetic to those who have less than her. Licisca doesn’t tolerate disrespect because of her strong sense of morality and justice. The moment when she gives a starving man bread sets the tone for her character throughout The Decameron.

It’s easy to cheer Licisca on as she infiltrates the nobility, pretending to be one of them so that she can have an easier life. However, it’s also enjoyable when she reaches her breaking point, deciding to leave rather than stay with the insufferable nobles. In the long run, she’s the perfect audience stand-in.

1Panfilo

Played By Karan Gill

Because of his confidence, charm, and devil-may-care attitude, Panfilo is the most likable character in The Decameron. He may be greedy like all the other nobles, but he doesn’t cross societal moral boundaries to get what he wants. It also doesn’t hurt that his actions only intentionally hurt Pampinea, an unbearable tyrant. Panfilo is also the only noble person who is likable from start to finish, being forthright about who he is as a person (minus his sexuality). He doesn’t need a redemption arc like the others.

Additionally, he’s one of the few genuinely witty and funny characters, rather than being written in comical circumstances. His flippant and unhinged reaction to grief is also hilarious to watch. Lastly, he carries a genuine love for Neifile that’s heartwarming to see in a show that’s so cynical about love and romance. It doesn’t matter that they’re in a marriage of convenience in The Decameron; Panfilo still treats her with love, patience, and kindness