When it was originally on: 2020-2023

Original network: Hulu

Where you can stream it now: Hulu

Had I seen it before: I think I’ve seen at least part of this pilot before and maybe even more than one episode, but I don’t remember.

What IMDb says: A royal woman living in rural Russia during the 18th century is forced to choose between her own personal happiness and the future of Russia, when she marries an Emperor.

Why I picked it: I always like to make sure I’m including streaming originals besides Netflix, and this is one of the higher profile ones from Hulu. If you look at the stats on paper, it seems so good. It has a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, it never felt like a huge cultural success, and it seems like it should’ve been given such high profile talent like Elle Fanning and Nicholaus Hoult and created by Tony McNamara. I thought it would be interesting to compare it to other shows that caught on in a way this one didn’t.

What I liked: Elle Fanning is an absolute tour de force in this. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a pilot that felt like such a good showcase of its lead actor. Over the course of this pilot we see Catherine go from starry-eyed optimist to disillusioned and broken-hearted. The script is so well paced and Fanning nails every scene she’s in which makes so seamless. Between the writing and the performance, we get a protagonist who is vulnerable, yet strong. Discouraged, yet determined. She’s the kind of character that can hold the screen for an entire episode all by herself. I don’t even have THAT much more to say about this one and I’m totally fine with it. Catherine being the only good thing would be more than enough.

I also enjoy the friendship established between Catherine and her servant, Mariel. It provides Catherine a place to express her feelings that still feels organic and natural, and it also makes us like Catherine more when we see her treat her servant with such dignity. It’s also Mariel who plants the seed of overthrowing Peter. She’s not just Catherine’s friend, but a co-conspirator.

What I didn’t like: I’m still not 100% sure that I love the tone. The pilot initially presents itself as irrelevant and sometimes crass, but then by the end this is a full-on abusive relationship. The show is clearly making Peter the villain, but I’m slightly worried about how much this show is going to ask me to see his antics as funny. However, we know that Catherine ultimately comes out on top which makes it a little easier to watch.

Do I want to watch Ep. 2?: Yes! Super curious to see where it goes next, and also just want to spend more time with Catherine.