# Becoming Elizabeth (2022)

> An orphaned teenage Elizabeth Tudor navigates the dangerous politics and sexual intrigue of the Tudor court on her climb toward the crown.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/123832

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
- Episode runtime: 59 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: Anya Reiss
- Network: STARZ
- Cast: Alicia von Rittberg, Romola Garai, Oliver Zetterström, John Heffernan, Jamie Parker, Leo Bill, Ekow Quartey, Jessica Raine
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11444366/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: tense, sober, claustrophobic, intimate

## What critics say

Mixed audience reception, with viewers praising the period production and lead performances while finding the story's focus on Edward VI's reign slow and uneven.

## Synopsis

Becoming Elizabeth (2022) is a British-set historical drama series created by Anya Reiss for STARZ, a single-season limited run of eight hour-long episodes that was later canceled. Alicia von Rittberg plays the orphaned teenager Elizabeth Tudor, who must survive the volatile court of her young brother, King Edward VI (Oliver Zetterström), while her Catholic sister Mary (Romola Garai) watches from the opposing faction. Her struggle is shaped by ambitious nobles such as the Duke of Somerset (John Heffernan) and John Dudley (Jamie Parker), and by the charged presence of Thomas Seymour (Tom Cullen) and the household of Catherine Parr (Jessica Raine). Each episode is built from whispered alliances, shifting religious loyalties, and marriage negotiations in which a young woman's body and reputation are political currency. Set in 1540s-1550s England during the Reformation, the series moves at a measured pace, favoring candlelit interiors and claustrophobic palace rooms over spectacle. Its tone is sober and tense, with an undercurrent of danger that makes survival itself feel like a victory. Viewers who enjoyed The Tudors, The Serpent Queen, or The Crown will find a similar appetite for royal intrigue and the private costs of public power.

## Shows like Becoming Elizabeth

- [Borgia (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/31653)
- [Elizabeth I (2005)](https://ember.film/tv/12403)
- [Wolf Hall (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/54963)
- [Reign (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/43886)
- [Isabel (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/38640)
- [Carlos, rey emperador (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/56539)
- [The Empress (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/108751)
- [Marie Antoinette (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/120387)
- [The Tudors (2007)](https://ember.film/tv/2797)
- [The Serpent Queen (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/98308)

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