The Serpent Queen

Wow, The Serpent Queen is outstanding. Hear me out, I know I am only 2 episodes in, but I was hooked within ten minutes of the first episode.

The series is about Catherine De Medici ( a true person in history) and her rise into French Royalty to become Queen of France.

It is cleverly done, with Catherine relaying the tale to a servant girl.

Samantha Morton is amazing in her role as Catherine, and. The actress Liv Hill as the younger Catherine definitely holds her own.

This series so far is full of wit, magically costumed, and deeply fascinating.

If you love anything historical then this is for you. Don't let the word historical turn you off though. Honestly this series is addictive and brilliant.

The Serpent Queen is one of the most engaging shows out at the moment. Exceptionally well written and acted, it flows along and keeps you watching and waiting for the next instalment.

Samantha Morton dominates, delivering her lines effortlessly with both subtly and deadly force, she becomes Catherine and reminds you of how an actor can take you away.

While other shows with dwarves & dragons spend millions trying create atmosphere, this show does it with the English language.

Catherines story concludes as it does in history, I hope they pick another character from time and give it the same treatment.

I really didn't know what to expect from this show. Episode 1 was really perfect. Without giving away spoilers, it's really hard to give a full review. Samantha Morton and Liv Hill did an excellent job playing Catherine.

The acting, directing, and cinematography was spot on.

Charles Dance from The Game of Thrones was perfect as the Pope.

And Colm Meaney as King Francis was a great choice.

The tone of the first episode was tense, with relief later in the episode.

The bringing of Catherine's court was brilliant.

Breaking the fourth wall was an inspired choice, letting the viewer in on the inner thinking of the queen and queen to be.

The strength and cunning that Liv Hill and Samantha Morton give Catherine makes this a very exciting version of a historical figure.

As a first episode, it was awesome. The fact that it is a miniseries is a little disappointing.

This is an add on to my review. After watching the full series, it was so much better than what I had expected. If you like period pieces, you will love this original take on Queen and Mary. It's just so good.

I think the reason this works for me is because it's Cat De Medici telling her story in a satirical way. It's tongue in cheek, but moments of gritty drama. It reminds me of a cross between Harlots and Another Period, in a way. Young Cat breaking the 4th wall at times works since it is older Cat telling the story about younger Cat. The heavy metal track opener sets the tone on what to expect here. Samantha Morton is a powerhouse, and like Eva Green, plays villainous or sketchy roles with believable precision. She executes (and carries) this pretty well- Ruthless but thoughtful, conniving but kind, ultimately a political survivor. It's not going to be for everyone, but I'm enjoying this.

I've waited until episode 7 to write my review. I was a bit hesitant to form opinions as I did take issue with some of the creative aspects of the series but yet, I kept coming back. I wanted to see what happened next and how certain events would be handled. I've found I even look forward to it. I wasn't sure of Samantha Norton's portrayal of Catherine De Medici in the beginning. I felt her portrayal was a tad bland for such a colorful historic figure. But it didn't take long to see the power in the reserved manner in which she's approached it, something I've come to very much appreciate. The costuming and set design are very well done and the cast delivers their roles convincingly.

This show has exceeded my expectations with a fresh approach to a somewhat tapped genre. And it's done so without cartooning the subject matter, something difficult it seems, when other similar approaches have failed.

I recommend giving it a shot, but give it a few episodes to get in tune with what the show is trying to offer. It's unique in its approach.