# The Great (2020)

> An anti-historical comedy following Catherine the Nothing's rise to Catherine the Great and her volatile marriage to Emperor Peter.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/79346

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 30
- Episode runtime: 52 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy, drama, history
- Created by: Tony McNamara
- Network: Hulu
- Cast: Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Gwilym Lee, Adam Godley, Douglas Hodge, Belinda Bromilow, Bayo Gbadamosi
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2235759/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: irreverent, bawdy, witty, breezy

## What critics say

Critics and audiences broadly admire the sharp, irreverent writing and the lead performances, while finding the anti-historical comedy uneven at times.

## Synopsis

The Great is a US period comedy-drama created by Tony McNamara for Hulu. Elle Fanning plays Catherine, a naive outsider who arrives at the Russian court as Catherine the Nothing and fights her way toward becoming Catherine the Great, while Nicholas Hoult plays her volatile husband Peter III. Around them, courtiers and clergy scheme and keep the palace in constant turmoil. Each episode is a sharp, anachronistic romp in which modern slang and irreverent banter sit inside lavish 18th century Russian costumes and sets. The engine is Catherine's ambition colliding with the ruthless politics of a court that wants her gone, and the marriage itself is a battleground of rivalry and reluctant affection. The series plays as a single continuing story with a strong comic rhythm. Fans of The Favourite and Blackadder will find its mix of bawdy satire, royal scandal and sharp wit familiar, and its breezy, cheeky tone rewards viewers who enjoy history played for laughs.

## Shows like The Great

- [Catherine the Great (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/66403)
- [The Crown (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/57845)
- [My Lady Jane (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/126406)
- [The Spanish Princess (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/73417)
- [Domina (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/89159)
- [The Regime (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/129206)
- [Mary & George (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/133629)
- [Poor Nastya (2003)](https://ember.film/tv/8696)
- [Wolf Hall (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/54963)
- [Marie Antoinette (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/120387)

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