The Great

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Overview

A genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th century Russia following the rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great and her explosive relationship with husband Peter, the emperor of Russia.

Media

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The Great Season 1 Teaser | Rotten Tomatoes TV

Cast

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Nicholas Hoult
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Douglas Hodge
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Gwilym Lee
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Elle Fanning

Review

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  1. Insomniacs Reviews
    8 Based on 1 Votes
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    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10 THE SUMMARY The Hulu/Channel 4 "occasionally true" history of Catherine the Great that treats the Russian monarchy like a high-speed car crash in a palace. *The Great* stars Elle Fanning as the idealistic Catherine and Nicholas Hoult as the capricious, narcissistic Emperor Peter. Spanning three seasons from 2020 to 2023, the show chronicles Catherine’s rise from a naïve bride to a ruthless leader who has to decide if she can modernize a country while being married to its biggest obstacle. It is a bawdy, anarchic archive of sex, violence, and enlightenment philosophy, delivered with a razor-sharp, modern tongue. THE PROS The central duo is a 100% authentic win; Nicholas Hoult’s performance as Peter is a total win for anyone who loves "lovable monsters," while Elle Fanning brings a sincere, steely resolve to Catherine that carries the entire archive. The writing by Tony McNamara (*The Favourite*) is a gripping feat of fanged comedy—it’s witty, cruel, and profoundly human all at once. The production design is a visceral triumph, utilizing regal costumes and lush locations to create a world that looks like a traditional period drama but feels like a punk-rock riot. It is the "Go To" for historical satire that isn't afraid to be messy. THE CONS It hits an 8/10 because, as brilliant as the dialogue is, the "ruthless absurdity" can become a bit of a maze across 30 episodes. For some, the pacing in Season 2 and 3 felt slightly languid as it recycled certain plot points, making the original "coup" tension feel like a bit of a damp squib. It misses the 9/10 mark because the sheer level of "gratuitous" crudeness and violence occasionally overstepped the satirical mark, leading to a few episodes in the 2023 archive that felt like a total head-scratcher for those wanting more substance and less "vomit-humor." THE VERDICT An 8/10. It is a genuine, rip-roaring triumph that redefined how we look at "Great" leaders. It’s a bit of a let-down that it was cancelled after three seasons, but as a complete archive of Catherine’s radicalization, it is a crown jewel of satirical television. As of April 2026, it remains a sincere benchmark for "anti-historical" storytelling, though it just misses the epic heights required for a 9. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA * The "Favourite" Connection: Writer Tony McNamara wittyly used many of the same satirical muscles he developed for his regal, Oscar-winning film *The Favourite*. * Real History: While it is "occasionally true," the 100% authentic Catherine actually took over in a visceral coup that involved her husband being "disappeared" much more quickly than in the show's three-season maze. * Accent Choice: In a regal decision to keep the flow sincere, the production allowed all actors to use their 100% authentic British or American accents rather than attempting "stagey" Russian ones. * Cancelled Peak: Despite its critical acclaim, Hulu chose to end the archive after Season 3 in 2023, a move that fans still find to be a visceral damp squib to this day. * Animal Logic: The show features a total win for weird animal symbolism, including Peter’s visceral obsession with bears and Catherine’s sincere attempts to use "science" on the palace livestock. THE VIBE Like a glass of vodka being thrown into a fire. It smells of expensive gunpowder, stale macaroons, damp fur, and the distinct, electric scent of a revolution that’s being planned behind a polite smile.

Creator:
Tony McNamara
Fist Air Date:
2020-05-15
Episode Runtime:
undefinedm
Production Companies:
MRC, Echo Lake Entertainment, Thruline Entertainment, MacGowan Films
Genres:
Comedy Drama
Keywords:
18th century alternate history costume drama king palace intrigue queen russian empire slapstick comedy
More Show Details

Vote Average: 8.1/10

Vote Count: 1136 Votes

Show Popularity: 14.1739

Show Status: Canceled

Show Type: Scripted

Spoken Languages: English

TV Show Poster

Season 1

10 Episodes

Air Date: 2020-05-15

TV Show Poster

Season 2

10 Episodes

Air Date: 2021-11-19

In season two, Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own — but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother in a bid to bring the enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from much-hated husband, to prisoner? Ally? Lover?

TV Show Poster

Season 3

10 Episodes

Air Date: 2023-05-12

Catherine and Peter attempt to make their marriage work after some seemingly insurmountable problems. Peter witnessed his own attempted murder at Catherine’s hands and she also imprisoned all of his friends. On top of this, Peter is at a loose end playing First Husband to Catherine’s reign, so he busies himself with fathering, hunting and salty culinary ventures. But they’re not enough to keep him contented as visions of his late father, get in his head about his failures as Peter the Great’s son.

Videos

The Great Season 1 Teaser | Rotten Tomatoes TV
The Great - Date Announcement (Official) | Hulu

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The Great

Comment (1)

  1. Insomniacs Reviews

    ⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 8/10

    THE SUMMARY

    The Hulu/Channel 4 “occasionally true” history of Catherine the Great that treats the Russian monarchy like a high-speed car crash in a palace. *The Great* stars Elle Fanning as the idealistic Catherine and Nicholas Hoult as the capricious, narcissistic Emperor Peter. Spanning three seasons from 2020 to 2023, the show chronicles Catherine’s rise from a naïve bride to a ruthless leader who has to decide if she can modernize a country while being married to its biggest obstacle. It is a bawdy, anarchic archive of sex, violence, and enlightenment philosophy, delivered with a razor-sharp, modern tongue.

    THE PROS

    The central duo is a 100% authentic win; Nicholas Hoult’s performance as Peter is a total win for anyone who loves “lovable monsters,” while Elle Fanning brings a sincere, steely resolve to Catherine that carries the entire archive. The writing by Tony McNamara (*The Favourite*) is a gripping feat of fanged comedy—it’s witty, cruel, and profoundly human all at once. The production design is a visceral triumph, utilizing regal costumes and lush locations to create a world that looks like a traditional period drama but feels like a punk-rock riot. It is the “Go To” for historical satire that isn’t afraid to be messy.

    THE CONS

    It hits an 8/10 because, as brilliant as the dialogue is, the “ruthless absurdity” can become a bit of a maze across 30 episodes. For some, the pacing in Season 2 and 3 felt slightly languid as it recycled certain plot points, making the original “coup” tension feel like a bit of a damp squib. It misses the 9/10 mark because the sheer level of “gratuitous” crudeness and violence occasionally overstepped the satirical mark, leading to a few episodes in the 2023 archive that felt like a total head-scratcher for those wanting more substance and less “vomit-humor.”

    THE VERDICT

    An 8/10. It is a genuine, rip-roaring triumph that redefined how we look at “Great” leaders. It’s a bit of a let-down that it was cancelled after three seasons, but as a complete archive of Catherine’s radicalization, it is a crown jewel of satirical television. As of April 2026, it remains a sincere benchmark for “anti-historical” storytelling, though it just misses the epic heights required for a 9.

    INSOMNIAC TRIVIA

    * The “Favourite” Connection: Writer Tony McNamara wittyly used many of the same satirical muscles he developed for his regal, Oscar-winning film *The Favourite*.

    * Real History: While it is “occasionally true,” the 100% authentic Catherine actually took over in a visceral coup that involved her husband being “disappeared” much more quickly than in the show’s three-season maze.

    * Accent Choice: In a regal decision to keep the flow sincere, the production allowed all actors to use their 100% authentic British or American accents rather than attempting “stagey” Russian ones.

    * Cancelled Peak: Despite its critical acclaim, Hulu chose to end the archive after Season 3 in 2023, a move that fans still find to be a visceral damp squib to this day.

    * Animal Logic: The show features a total win for weird animal symbolism, including Peter’s visceral obsession with bears and Catherine’s sincere attempts to use “science” on the palace livestock.

    THE VIBE

    Like a glass of vodka being thrown into a fire. It smells of expensive gunpowder, stale macaroons, damp fur, and the distinct, electric scent of a revolution that’s being planned behind a polite smile.

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