The Serpent Queen

There are few moments in history as rich in potential for story telling as 16th century Europe. And fewer still lineages as fabled as that of the Medici's. The Serpent Queen makes full use of the vast accoutrements offered up by this period and delivers an engaging historical drama.

Wit, a spectacular cast, clever dialogue, novel direction, and beautiful cinematography are just a small sample of this wonder series.

Though there's nothing new about period dramas, there is little to no rehashing here of the same. Every scene seems inventive in its delivery. Leading the effort is the brilliantly executed character of Catherine. No small role, both Liv Hill and Samantha Morton are equal to the task. Hill in particular is outstanding.

In a time where every series seems filled to the brim with magic or flying reptiles it is refreshing to watch something that takes a real story and hits it out of the park.

Wow, The Serpent Queen is outstanding. Hear me out, I know I am only 2 episodes in, but I was hooked within ten minutes of the first episode.

The series is about Catherine De Medici ( a true person in history) and her rise into French Royalty to become Queen of France.

It is cleverly done, with Catherine relaying the tale to a servant girl.

Samantha Morton is amazing in her role as Catherine, and. The actress Liv Hill as the younger Catherine definitely holds her own.

This series so far is full of wit, magically costumed, and deeply fascinating.

If you love anything historical then this is for you. Don't let the word historical turn you off though. Honestly this series is addictive and brilliant.

I think the reason this works for me is because it's Cat De Medici telling her story in a satirical way. It's tongue in cheek, but moments of gritty drama. It reminds me of a cross between Harlots and Another Period, in a way. Young Cat breaking the 4th wall at times works since it is older Cat telling the story about younger Cat. The heavy metal track opener sets the tone on what to expect here. Samantha Morton is a powerhouse, and like Eva Green, plays villainous or sketchy roles with believable precision. She executes (and carries) this pretty well- Ruthless but thoughtful, conniving but kind, ultimately a political survivor. It's not going to be for everyone, but I'm enjoying this.

Firstly, remember this is not a documentary. Its a show. A show on TV. Not sure why some are dissatisfied because it steers from actual. Its great fun and dark and twisted, and, wasn't it brutal in the 15 hundreds? Betcha it was.

I love the humour and style used in this. I stir up inside when I see the treatment of some. This makes me realize that the actors, writing, etc is so good that I start caring about the characters.

Samantha Jane Morton Is absolutely fantastic. Liv Hill Is also very good. Never seen Hill before but I will now look for her.

Im on episode 4 and I think I will wait until all the episodes are released because I hate having to wait to watch each one. Doing that with HoD.

I've waited until episode 7 to write my review. I was a bit hesitant to form opinions as I did take issue with some of the creative aspects of the series but yet, I kept coming back. I wanted to see what happened next and how certain events would be handled. I've found I even look forward to it. I wasn't sure of Samantha Norton's portrayal of Catherine De Medici in the beginning. I felt her portrayal was a tad bland for such a colorful historic figure. But it didn't take long to see the power in the reserved manner in which she's approached it, something I've come to very much appreciate. The costuming and set design are very well done and the cast delivers their roles convincingly.

This show has exceeded my expectations with a fresh approach to a somewhat tapped genre. And it's done so without cartooning the subject matter, something difficult it seems, when other similar approaches have failed.

I recommend giving it a shot, but give it a few episodes to get in tune with what the show is trying to offer. It's unique in its approach.