Hulu’s The Great, is a ten-episode show, created by Tony McNamara and it premiered on May 15, 2020. The plot of the show is loosely based on the life of Catherine the Great of Russia and her plan to throw a coup to overthrow Peter the third of Russia. When I say it’s loosely based on Catherine, it’s truly not that accurate. At the start of every episode, it is stated that this show is occasionally based on a true story. 

A majority of the show is completely inaccurate other than planning the coup, it has a wrong timeline and some other untrue moments. I would highly suggest not watching this show if it is for research purposes, however, I would suggest watching it for the comedy. The Great is a satire comedy that seems as if it was fanfiction on the real-life events of Catherine the Great. The show is filled with more than one hilarious moment spanning from each episode. Such as the rumors about Catherine and the drama between the characters. This show will have you raving about who’s better- Leo or Peter, the mixed emotions about Marisol, rather or not you love or hate Archie, or screaming your support for Catherine to disliking her from moment to moment. 

Potential viewers could find themselves irked by inaccurate content portrayed in each episode as a result of the plot. The entire plot spans from when Catherine is arriving in Russia as a teenager to her planning the coup around the same year of her arrival. In actuality, Catherine was raised in Russia since she was fourteen and does not start a coup until about 20 years after her marriage to Peter the 3rd. By the time of completing the coup, Catherine and Peter already have two children.   

Another thing that caught my attention is how Peter is portrayed in the show. In real life, Peter was a horrible and abusive person and while he is like that in the show, the show portrays him to fall in love with Catherine by the mid-season. He even tries to make up all the wrongdoings he did to her and over and over again gets jealous of the lover he provided for her. In some ways, this show has me rooting for Peter and Catherine, even though I know how much of a horrible person he was in history, but because of how the show makes it seem, it’s hard not to root for the two. I am hoping that Peter returns in the second season, though it is a well-known fact that Peter is killed days after Catherine’s coup. But since this show is completely inaccurate, there is still a possibility that he will return and stay for the whole season. 

Of course, the show would not be so great if it weren’t for the acting provided by each of the cast members. While each of the cast members did amazing with their performances, the actors that really stood out were the main actors, Elle Fanning, and Nicholas Hoult. More especially Nicholas Hoult. The only other movies I have seen him in were the X-Men movies and it is great to see him in other roles. For now,  I’m simply waiting for Season 2. Filming has already begun but no release date has yet to be announced. I have high hopes for the second season and what’s to come.