Sophia

First, I must echo other reviewers-- this is an experience that leaves you longing for more. The plot, complex as it can be, is nevertheless easy to follow and totally engaging. The acting is superb--never did I feel that I was watching "a performance." The characters were far too convincing and complex. The settings capture both the splendor and the squalor of the period.

Do you need to brush up on Russian history first? If you are not familiar with the reign of Ivan III, I suggest watching the series first and learning the facts afterward. Yes, there is much of the epic and the mythic here, but there are also truths transcending accuracy. Critique the historical elements once you have yielded to the world in which the series creates.

Even the subtitles were not bothersome, and unlike many translations, this one was idiomatic and (I think) correct.

Well worth a binge. My sole quibble is that Zoe/Sophia is just too entirely good and "the villain" (unnamed here) just too relentlessly bad. The flaws and virtues of every other character are conveyed, giving the series depth and verisimilitude.

I am no fan or scholar of Russian history, so I was initially reluctant to invest time in the series. Not only did my viewing teach me a lot, however--It made me hungry to learn more.

This series is really great and I really enjoyed it but it is much more about ivan iii and his mother with a little bit thrown in about Sofia

The Russian TV miniseries Sofiya (2016) was shown in the U.S. with the anglicised title Sophia. The series was directed by Vyacheslav Ross and Aleksey Andrianov. Mariya Andreeva is superb in the title role of Sophia Palaiologina, who was a Byzantine princess.

By the time the movie begins--in the late 15th century--Constantinople had been conquered by the Turks. Sophia and her family had escaped to Rome, where they were treated well by the Pope and a cardinal.

Her marriage was arranged with Ivan III, Prince of Muscovy. It was thought that her influence would be enough to lead Russia, which was Eastern Orthodox, back to Roman Catholicism. We learn immediately that four years in Rome had not permanently changed Sophia's belief in Eastern Orthodoxy. Once she crossed into Russia, she returned to her original faith.

One plot of the movie is agents of the Pope trying to kill Sophia. Another is the castle intrigues, heresies, and political infighting. (We call such matters Byzantine for a reason, but they were not restricted to the Byzantine Empire.)

We heard a lecture about the historical Sophia, and as far as I can tell, the plot of the miniseries is historically accurate in the overall sense. Whether the dialog actually played out in real life the way it did on the screen is beyond my knowledge.

Incidentally, the lecturer called the movie a soap opera. Well, yes and no. Most miniseries could be called soap operas if you think of them that way. Episode one--crisis, then resolution, then a teaser. Episode two--crisis, then resolution, then a teaser. Downton Abbey was a soap opera too, if that's how you define soap opera.

My thought is that this is a miniseries about a fascinating episode in Russian history, well acted and well directed. Other raters agreed with me, because Sophia has a very high IMDb rating of 7.8. I thought it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this "historical" account of Sophia. It was interesting and beautifully filmed. However, after a while it got bogged down with the Politics vs Religion wars. I also found it telling that the writers put in contemporary slang for something set in the year 1472. For instance, one of the palaces servants says, "I'll bring snacks in a jiffy." No joke, I immediately wrote it down. Then the Prince later says, "when pigs might fly." I guess they wanted to make sure we were still paying attention. I did. Was it purposely done that the Fydor looked like a dead ringer for Lenin? The only reason why I lowered the score is because of the above, but mainly the ongoing and boring wars between the two factions. Yawn.

Russian historical series related to Zoe-Sophia Palaiologina, niece of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI, Palaiologos, and later Grand Princess of Moscow. She was the grandmother of Ivan IV, the Terrible.

The series is well directed and shut and the acting very good. It is recommended to those who are going to see it and do not know who Zoe-Sophia Palaiologina was, to have a look in a history book, or just in Wikipedia, in order to have a basic idea for her and the history they are going to see.

My vote 10/10.