The Serpent Queen is the new TV drama series of STARZ and STARPLAY at international level, released in 2022 and reissued on Sky from 23 May 2026. The series is created by Justin Haythe and taken from the book by Leonie Frieda Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France.
Samantha Morton plays Queen Catherine de’ Medici, married by Pope Clement VII to the second son of Francis I of France, Henry. He was Queen consort, mother of three Kings Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III had the role of regent for the last two as the sons were too young to reign independently, after the death of Henry II and their first son Francis II, married to Mary Stuart. The series consists of 8 episodes, it is not presented as miniseries although everything lets think that it is built as such.
The Serpent Queen la trama
The Serpent Queen rereads the story of Catherine de’Medici and her kingdom. Catherine herself tells a young servant of her, Rahima, her story from when orphaned fourteen-year-old, raised in a nun’s convent, is taken to court by Pope Clement VII who offers her in marriage to the second son of the King of France. A political alliance that would also bring a rich gift to the King. Immediately after the wedding Catherine discovers that her husband Henry has a predilection for Diana de Poitiers, a widow who has twice her age and is also a distant cousin of Catherine.
At the death of Clement the court situation for Catherine becomes increasingly dangerous. The husband doesn’t love her, he can’t have children, he seems a useless burden to the court. But with his sagacity and political intelligence he will be able to enter the King’s graces by saving his position, but without ever getting rid of Madame de Poitiers who also influenced his children. The cunning was his best weapon and after Henry’s death, Catherine will have to find a way to assert her position, despite the religious influence of Maria Stuart, a fervent Catholic, wife of Francis II, Catherine’s first son, with a cagable health.
The Serpent Queen la recensione
From the title is evident the goal of the series: The Serpent Queen wants to tell the most ruthless side, ambiguous of Caterina de’ Medici, allowing a part of the historiography of a ruler with a bulky personality. And this is the prevailing aspect of a whole series that tries to get away from the classic drama period looking for a more modern approach in language and style, but never too much of the hand. A modernity that ends up stoning with the story of the past and that translates into the riff of the acronym, excess of blood and some scenes a little provocative and pushed. Too little to really prove something innovative.
The break of the fourth wall with the protagonist looking in the room to explain his moves to the spectators, is becoming a tool far too abused after House of Cards (and if you are not Frank Underwood you can also avoid). All these aspects turn out to be an ornament to a series that has a powerful history at its base. The story of Caterina de’ Medici is rich and fascinating. A girl used for political purposes, only in a foreign court that mocked Italians, able to rise to generate three Kings, to become regent and in fact guide of the nation. A climbed fruit of a great intelligence and culture that sometimes seems to be a bit short of strategic manoeuvres, with “magical” forms that seem almost to develop Catherine’s cultural value.
The series fully meets the need for STARZ to present productions with strong and charismatic female characters that shadow men. A perfectly successful operation that fascinates, intrinsically, thanks to the skill of its protagonists. Liv Hill is a surprising young Catherine, a girl catapulted in a world she does not know but who immediately demonstrates all her qualities, capable of absorbing all the blows that come to her, from insults for the physical aspect to those for her origins. But in the end it is a woman of 1500, her only function was to procreate and indulge in the desires of men, as demonstrated by other court women. The rough streak emerges thanks to Samantha Morton algida and seraphic in the contemporary part, more emotional in the adult flashbacks.
Il cast
Samantha Morton è Caterina
Liv Hill è la giovane Caterina
Ludivine Sagnier è Diane de Poitiers
Amrita Acharia è Aais
Enzo Cilenti è Cosimo Ruggeri
Charles Dance è Papa Clemente
Antonia Clark è Mary Stuart
Beth Goddard è Antoniette de Guise
Sennia Nanua è Rahima
Danny Kirrane è Luigi di Borbone
Nicholas Burns è Antoine di Borbone
Colm Meaney è Re Francesco
Ray Panthaki è Charles de Guise
Raza Jaffrey è Francois de Guise
Alex Harht è il giovane Enrico
George Jaques è Francesco II
Louis Landau è Francesco
Il trailer
É da vedere se…
…if you like the drama period but don’t be so careful about the real story by letting yourself be more fascinated by the story, if you liked The Great, I Tudor, I Borgia, Rome.
L’articolo The Serpent Queen Samantha Morton is Caterina de’ Medici in the lively drama period that “plays” with history proviene da Dituttounpop.it.
