I was unsure what to expect of the new series on the life of Casanova, currently being piloted on Amazon Prime. This life has been recreated many times, largely thanks to the many scandalous episodes from Casanova’s past recounted by Casanova himself in his memoirs. A decade ago Casanova was even brought almost simultaneously to the big and small screens, with Heath Ledger seducing women in cinemas whilst David Tennant romped his way across Venice in the BBC mini-series.  From the trailer, Amazon’s latest effort appeared to differ little from those before: lots of naked breasts interspersed with scenes of violence, set to a modern drum and bass soundtrack (a trend which, thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, seems to be going nowhere). But, as is often the case, the story that the series wants to depict is much less sexy than its trailer implies.

Notably, it begins after many of Casanova’s most famous exploits have already occurred, at the point when he broke out of the infamous Leads prison in Venice (where he had been put for a series of dramatic pranks and seductions) and returned to Paris in exile. This Casanova, we are told, is tired of a life of debauchery and is seeking to make a name for himself in the alchemical sciences (although this declaration is a little undermined by the fact that he makes it while attending one of those immensely glamorous brothels where the women all walk around with their tops off having a generally marvellous time).

Unfortunately for Casanova old habits die hard and he is quickly roped into a government plot to dispatch Madame de Pompadour from her position as mistress to the king. A first attempt at seduction fails terribly, so Casanova comes up with another plot to replace Madame de Pompadour with a more attractive, younger woman named Gabrielle. Casanova’s other ambition, to make it in the alchemical sciences, is also set on an uneven path when he arrives at an alchemical soirée only to storm out declaring that everyone there is a quack. Yet, just a few scenes later, he is shown himself duping the soirée’s hostess (an old and gullible Marquise), promising to transform her soul into that of a young man.

While the Pompadour plot has little historical foundation (Casanova earned the admiration of La Pompadour through his alchemical sciences, though it is difficult to believe he would ever have been stupid enough to try and seduce the King’s mistress), Casanova certainly did dupe the unfortunate Marquise d’Urfé with promises of many alchemical cures throughout her life.

Though this mingling of fact and fiction makes for a confusing premise, there are instances in which the series is refreshingly accurate. The backdrop of eighteenth-century Paris, whilst clearly done on a budget, is carefully realised. The series is also to be applauded for its no-holds-barred depiction of the violence and horrors of this time period. The dramatic and unnerving sudden fall from grace of Gabrielle is an effective reminder of the brutal sexual violence women often suffered, and the graphic depiction of Damiens’ execution as he is torn apart by horses is compellingly done (although the series does shirk from depicting the true extent of the execution’s violence).

Unfortunately this sits awkwardly with a reliance on too many of the easy but inaccurate motifs of the eighteenth century as a time of glorious sexual liberation, particularly for women, and of such sexual liberation serving as a broader symbol of female empowerment, a false equation already seen this week in The Scandalous Lady W. With the exception of the older female characters and, notably, Madame de Pompadour, all the women of the story are shown as constantly sexually available to Casanova (although a few put up a bit of a front to begin with). With the exception of Gabrielle, we are never shown the undoubtedly severe repercussions that would have arisen from such relationships, in the same way that we are shown many apparently happy prostitutes living lives of luxury in their twenties, but not the lives of poverty and degradation that such women were forced into after the age of 30. We see the brutality of aristocratic intrigues, but on streets unpopulated by the physically-deformed beggars, syphilitic sex workers and pickpockets and thieves whose presence would have dominated the city during this time.

The curious way in which Amazon Studios commission new TV shows means that it is up to the viewers to decide whether or not this pilot should be green-lit for a full season. If enough viewers vote for Casanova over its rivals it will be extended, gaining the opportunity to deliver on the excellent promise of the pilot. However, if it is extended let us hope that it proves less reliant on the lurid and scandalous stories of its protagonist and pays more attention to the world in which he lived.

The pilot for Casanova, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, is currently available on Amazon Instant Video.