The Empress

The story of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and husband Emperor Franz Joseph, and their families, told in German.

If you don't mind subtitles then it's much better in its original German with English subtitles.. but dubbed in English is available and also good.

While seemingly true to historical timelines and events for these characters from history books, the series obviously takes liberties with the details and is a work of fiction, and definitely feels romanticized.. yet intensity between certain characters well known in history come through, it does at times fanciful considering it's depicting 19th century royal characters and surrounding families, court and villages.

It is quite lavishly presented in costume and production, with great acting. It's a good series. Romantic. I liked it.

The first thing the actress playing Elisabeth does NOT look 16. She's pretty but not drop dead gorgeous like Roma Schneider was in Sissi and she really was 16. The Emperor Waltz indeed was written for Emperor Franz Joseph...in 1889. NOT for his wedding to Elisabeth of Bavaria which was in 1854. And what's with the blonde pageboy hairdo sported by the spurned older sister Helene. And the weird modern dance routine. Wasn't the REAL story of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth interesting enough without these embellishments. And yet all the night scenes lit by torches and candlelight are period authentic and very hard to watch. I will probably continue watching because it's not bad just not great.

Every part of this TV series is top shelf - the acting, scenery, sets, costumes- and the story. Sissi is a famous person in Austrian literature. Just remember that this all occurs in mid-1800s so when they mention Napoleon, it's not the famous one but his nephew Napoleon III who came to power in 1848 in France. But you don't watch this series for history, you watch it for its great characters and story. But knowing some history helps. Just not too much to spoil the suspense. Oh, and the music - it is divine.

You can binge watch this series, but don't watch more thsan two a night - a lot happens and you don't want it to fade from memory.

What an absolutely stunning series. Everything about The Empress was top notch. From the sets, to the costuming and the acting. It was perfection.

If you love a historical series then this is for you.

I could have quite easily started from the beginning again and gone straight into a second viewing.

I do hope that this series comes back for a second season.

The story is about Princess Elisabeth von Wittelsbach and her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary. Their story is one of love at first sight, however Elisabeth is non conventional and not easily controlled and ready to bow to the rules of being an Empress.

Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant have perfect chemistry as Elisabeth and Franz.

Actually all of the acting is amazing throughout this series.

Watch The Empress - the only thing you will be disappointed by - is that it ends.

The huge problem for me, a humble history teacher , was to like it. I saw the first episode with high expectation. After the next five episodes, not exactly the dissapointment was the state but a sort of fatigue.

The series has only a virtue - two good looking young actors in the main roles.

And nothing more.

Sure, clothes, rooms, a lot of sensuality but each of them represents only details.

The good intentions are obvious, in same measure than the try to be original, ignoring the historical truth. And maybe , for a large public, it is just seductive entertainment. For me not, especially for bizarre excesses.

But I am real grateful to director for this series. It is an enough motif for appreciate little more its "adversary" - Sissi by Sven Bohse.