User Reviews

I thought I would watch the whole season before I wrote a review. This was a well written and acted story. I know it is complete fiction that only swirls around real people in history. It shows how evil and wicked and sad a woman will go to just to be as Catherine states for freedom. Catherine is playing three level chess and all around her are just pawns. Right now she is winning but she has made enemies all around her so she is walking on egg shells. I loved this first season and will want to see a second season. Naming this the serpent queen is a good title. She can strike like a poisonous snake if you step the wrong way. Well worth the watch on this one.

This is a dramatization of the life (some of it, they left enough for a sequel) of Catherine De Medici (Samantha Morton) who would eventually rule France through various circumstances. It starts out when she is 14 when her uncle, Pope Clement (Charles Dance) marries her off to Prince Henry (Lee Ingleby) second in line to the throne of France. She takes with her an entourage of characters that she can trust and use as she enters into a royal messy soap opera. As it turns out Henry enjoys the favors of Diane de Poitiers (Ludivine Sagnier ) the cousin of the plain Catherine. Catherine's intellect becomes known and she has become trusted to some and treacherous to others. The rumors of her involvement in the black arts plays into the film. There are some minor historical facts that are out of place in this intriguing historical fiction. Each episode ends with a modern tune, which for the most part were cover songs. Worth the binge watch. Unlike other films, you have no sympathy for Mary Queen of Scots. (Antonia Clarke) Uses modern English with some slang.

Guide: F-word, sex, nudity (Ludivine Sagnier, Kiruna Stamell + brief extras)

First Impressions:

Some comedy, a lot of thrills, and an exceptionally clever approach to directing and writing resulted in a story about Catherine de Medici that I thoroughly enjoyed. Suffice to say, you won't find this in the history books, but many a moment was most assuredly based on what once happened.

Story Analysis:

What took me most by surprise was the modern comedy angle. It was perfectly balanced with the darker more dramatic plot threads, resulting in a series that felt fresh yet familiar.

Samantha Morton's performance as Catherine de Medici was spectacular. Much the same could be said of the artiste who played her younger version, namely Liv Hill. While the exact nature and behavior of their historical counterpart can't be verified to a fault, Samantha and Liv's acting more than breathed life into Catherine's tested humanity and apparent ruthlessness.

A rich array of characters, most of them based on actual historical figures, enriched the plot. The show captured the 16th century in a crisp and entertaining light. It was fun and games on one side, chaos and turmoil on the other.

Catherine's urgency to get pregnant and hold fast to her title and her life, especially in light of her uncle the Pope's murder/death, and with her distant cousin thwarting her every move in the French royal court, all made for exceptional entertainment.

Hair-makeup and costume design were outstanding. Sound effects and VFX were quite good. Soundtracks were noteworthy. Musical scoring was superb. Production design, art direction, and set decoration were great. Stunts and editing were clever. Writing was amazing. Direction was exemplary.

Final Notes:

Meticulous performances and savvy writing made each episode in season 1 of "The Serpent Queen" better than the last. Catherine's rise from a lowly commoner to queen-regent of France was well-dramatized and more cleverly written than I expected.

The entire season boasted a flair for entertainment more than historical truth, to be sure. But it was less about exercising total power and more about wielding timely wit. That, more than anything else, made "The Serpent Queen" season 1 feel credible and compelling.

#theserpentqueen on @STARZ is nail biting, intense and so intriguing. The unique filming techniques and breaking of the 4th wall is so dynamically integrated! I love that much of it is historically accurate! So fascinating! Not to mention superb performances! Acting and wardrobe is great. Casting was great. The actors look quite like the true historical figures. Diane d' Potiet was real and that's crazy. I thought she was made up to be a spicy character nope she was screwing that 14 yo since before poor Catherine was in the picture. I love the moments when the camera will zoom in slightly for dramatic effect.