The irreverent historical series that couldn't be seen anywhere (and that Netflix has recovered)

BarcelonaOne of the drawbacks of the fragmented streaming sector is that some series premiere on smaller platforms and are never seen by the general public despite receiving excellent reviews. This is what happened with The greatAn irreverent take on the life of Catherine the Great, which originally premiered on the now-defunct Starzplay. This small service ceased operations in Spain in 2022 after accumulating financial losses and changing its name to Lionsgate+. With its demise, the possibility of watching the series in its catalog, such as The GreatNow, Netflix has just revived it, and a whole new group of viewers are discovering a show that was once celebrated by series experts and garnered several Emmy nominations (Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult were nominated for best comedy actors).

The Great It was added to the platform's catalog a few days ago and has already entered the ranking of the most-watched shows in Spain. However, the series, which consists of three seasons, originally premiered in 2020. Anyone who approaches The Great Looking for a historically accurate account of the Russian monarch's life? Look no further, because the comedy starring Elle Fanning doesn't venture into that territory (viewers wanting a more orthodox portrayal can turn to Catherine the Great, Starring Helen Mirren and available on SkyShowtime). The series, however, never misleads viewers: at the beginning of each episode, a warning appears alerting them that what they are about to see is not a meticulous historical account and that any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental.

Histrionic characters and current music

That Catherine the Great's life has been turned into a heartbreaking comedy is the fault of playwright Tony McNamara, co-author of the screenplay for The favoriteThe film also subverted the life of a monarch, in this case Anne of Great Britain, the last British sovereign of the Stuart dynasty. McNamara has always said that he never intended to make a conventional historical series, but rather a fictional work that connected with present-day issues. "I like to find some real historical elements within our overall, fast-paced, and informal approach to history. Interesting things come to light: Catherine the Great's involvement in the American Revolutionary War and whether she played a small but pivotal role in the American victory. We also discover that, while trying to implement a progressive agenda aimed at liberating them, she had to fight against her own people. All of this resonates with current events and provides a great political and emotional force to which we can add our own comedic touch," the screenwriter explained in an article. Los Angeles Times.

A The GreatCaterina marries Peter III of Russia (Nicholas Hoult) as part of a business deal and, from the very beginning, detests her husband, a depraved partygoer. In this respect, the series doesn't shy away from racy scenes and high doses of debauchery. Young, cultured, and fed up, she then begins a plot to assassinate her husband and seize power. In the series, all the characters are over the top and often behave in ways that have little to do with 18th-century etiquette. Furthermore, as has become common in many supposedly period dramas, the soundtrack is full of 20th and 21st-century pop hits from artists like Primal Scream, Patti Smith, Cass Elliot, Cat Power, Sharon Van Etten, and Camera Obscura.