The Serpent Queen Reviews: How Many Episodes of the Series?

By Willie Neal Last updated Nov 29, 2022

A new series on Starz will be created by Justin Haythe, who is best known for authoring Revolutionary Road and Red Sparrow. This new series will be based on the Renaissance period and will focus on a strong female monarch at that time. The nonfiction book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France, which was published by Swedish author Leonie Frieda, served as the primary inspiration for the majority of The Serpent Queen.

The historical drama will be broken up into eight different episodes. The Jewish American director Stacie Passon, who wrote and directed the thriller We Have Always Lived in the Castle in 2018 and who most recently directed four episodes of Dickinson in 2019, will direct the premiere episode as well as several other episodes of the show. The following is a rundown of all we know about the new series, from the illustrious cast to the documented history that served as the show’s inspiration.

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The Serpent Queen Plot

In “The Serpent Queen,” Samantha Morton portrays Catherine de Medici, who overcame all obstacles to become one of France’s most powerful and enduring monarchs. Through flashbacks, Catherine’s story is told as she defends her decisions and teaches her new servant girl, Rahima, the lessons she has learned (Sennia Nanua). Liv Hill’s young, orphaned Catherine marries into the 16th-century French court at the age of 14. Despite the fact that she is a commoner, her uncle Pope Clement (Charles Dance) has negotiated a hefty dowry, a geopolitical alliance, and the expectation of several heirs in exchange for the match.

On the other hand, Catherine discovers on her wedding night that her new husband is in love with Diane de Poitiers (Ludivine Sagnier), a stunning lady-in-waiting who is twice his age. In order to survive at all costs, Catherine must swiftly learn who she may trust, both among her own personal courtiers’ entourage and among the members of the royal court. Her future is suddenly uncertain, and she has little chance of becoming pregnant.

The Serpent Queen may be the most devious story of one of the most powerful ladies to hold a monarchy ever told by Starz, according to Christina Davis, the company’s president of original programming. We are overjoyed to be collaborating with a group of people outstanding, who will give this series a contemporary voice against a breathtaking historical backdrop.

Haythe continued, “Writing Catherine and her story have been truly exciting as she is a very complex leading character who develops into a skilled ruler, overcoming extraordinary political and personal odds throughout her reign. She is a Queen who defies convention, as she relies on her intelligence, her unusual entourage, and a ready supply of black magic inspiring, centuries later, the Evil Queen of fairy tales.

The Serpent Queen Cast

The following list includes the series’ principal cast members:

Catherine de Medici, played by Samantha Morton
Aabis in Amrita Acharia’s portrayal of Cosimo Ruggeri in Enzo Cilenti
As Montmorency, Barry Atsma
As Antoine de Bourbon, Nicholas Burns
Louis de Bourbon is played by Danny Kirrane.
As Rahima, Sennia Nanua
Antoinette de Guise is played by Beth Goddard.
Mary, Queen of Scots, played by Antonia Clarke
Francis II, played by George Jaques

The Serpent Queen Official Trailer

View the official promotional video for “The Serpent Queen” here. Have a peek at the official trailer that’s been provided down below:

The Serpent Queen Reviews

You would be forgiven for assuming that “The Serpent Queen,” a new series on Starz about the infamous life of one Catherine de Medici, is a showcase for Samantha Morton in a historical drama with modern touches, following in the footsteps of her recent turn in “Harlots.” If you were to see the trailer or pretty much any promotional material for the series, however, you would be wrong. “The Serpent Queen” is about Catherine de Medici.

There is a core group of people who are consistent over both times, despite the fact that Hill and Morton divide up the royal responsibilities. There’s also Henry’s maternal mistress Diane de Poitiers, who is portrayed by Ludivine Sagnier with all the melodramatic flair you could want. Mathilde, Aabis, and Angelica are Catherine’s Italian ladies-in-waiting. Mathilde is played by the captivating Kiruna Stamell, and Aabis and Angelica are played by Amrita Acharia (Ruby Bentall).

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Colm Meaney’s performance as King Francis, Catherine’s loving father-in-law, veers from being pompous, affectionate, and unstable during the course of the show. When the series picks up 15 years after Catherine’s first pregnancy, none of these characters seem to have aged at all, with the exception of Hill’s transformation into the steely Morton. It seems that plotting one’s way to a more secure spot atop the throne tends to make a person appear much older than her actual years.

How to Watch the Serpent Queen

The Serpent Queen is an original production from STARZ. You can add it as a premium channel to your cable bundle through your cable operator if you already have a cable plan, or you can subscribe to STARZ directly and view it wherever you have internet access. After you have subscribed to STARZ, you will be able to watch the channel on any device, including Roku, Apple TV, Android, Prime Video, XBOX, Samsung, LG, or Vizio televisions.

STARZ may be accessed in the United Kingdom using the STARZPLAY app (opens in a new tab). In addition, you may get it as a standalone subscription through either Prime Video or Virgin TV.

Frequently Asked Question

How Many Episodes of the Serpent Queen?

There are two episodes of “the Serpent Queen.”

What Channel is the Serpent Queen on?

A historical drama based on the life of Catherine de Medici that takes place in the past. You can pay an extra $8.99 per month to upgrade any Hulu plan to include STARZ®.

Who is the Serpent Queen in Riverdale?

Toni Topaz has taken advantage of her time in Riverdale to work her way up through The Southside Serpents’ organization and become the queen of the group.

Conclusion

Samantha Morton stars as Catherine de Medici in “The Serpent Queen”. The historical drama will be broken up into eight different episodes. Director Stacie Passon, who wrote and directed “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” will direct. Catherine is considered one of the most devious monarchs ever told by a filmmaker. “The Serpent Queen” is based on the life of Catherine de Medici.

Samantha Morton plays her in a historical drama with modern touches. Mathilde, Aabis, and Angelica are Catherine’s Italian ladies-in-waiting. They’re played by Amrita Acharia, Kiruna Stamell, and Nicole Hill. The Serpent Queen is based on the life of Catherine de Medici. The series picks up 15 years after Catherine’s first pregnancy. Colm Meaney’s performance as King Francis, Catherine’s loving father-in-law, veers from being pompous to affectionate.