# Versailles (2015)

> A young Louis XIV rises from a fractious childhood to build Versailles and become the Sun King amid court betrayal and political maneuvering.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/56948

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 30
- Episode runtime: 52 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, history
- Created by: David Wolstencroft, Simon Mirren
- Network: Canal+
- Cast: George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos, Tygh Runyan, Stuart Bowman, Elisa Lasowski, Anna Brewster, Evan Williams, Maddison Jaizani
- TMDB rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3830558/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: opulent, conspiratorial, sumptuous, harsh, tense

## What critics say

Audiences rate the series positively overall, praising its lavish production and court intrigue, while the later seasons drew weaker ratings.

## Synopsis

Versailles (2015-2018) is a French-produced historical period drama series created by David Wolstencroft and Simon Mirren for Canal+. Set in 17th century France, it follows the young King Louis XIV, played by George Blagden, as he struggles through the Fronde uprising and sets out to transform a hunting lodge into the grand palace that will make him the Sun King. Alongside him, Alexander Vlahos plays his flamboyant brother Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, while Tygh Runyan plays the ruthless police chief Fabien Marchal and Stuart Bowman plays the loyal valet Alexandre Bontemps. The engine of the show is the king's ambition colliding with rival nobles, scheming courtiers and a restless family, so every episode trades in secret alliances, threats and quiet power plays inside the palace walls. Across three seasons of ten episodes each, the story moves steadily forward as one continuing arc rather than standalone cases. The tone is lush and sumptuous, with costume spectacle and opulent interiors, yet it stays harsh and conspiratorial, with a bleak sense of the cost of absolute power. Fans of The Tudors, Reign and The Crown will find a similar appetite for royal intrigue and court spectacle.

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