This was a great disappointment. I understand that to condense an expansive life into a 4 part TV series requires selective content and a seminole focus but to define Catherine the Great's life by a fabricated love story was just too hard for me to stomach. I'm a huge Helen Mirrren fan but there was just no motivation for her character nor chemistry with her co-star Jason Clarke. What a waste of talent. What a deconstruction of history. What a disappointment. I give the series a 5 (meh) out of 10. [Historical? Drama]

Catherine had Paul when she was 24 (I think), which means, she would have been around 44 for his 20th birthday. As great as Helen Mirren is as an actress, why on Earth did they cast a 70 year-old lady to play a 40 year-old (and knowing Catherine died in her sixties)? I don't know if Paul had any living grandparents by the time he reached 20, but Helen would have been more believable and better casted as his grandmother than as Catherine. Also, Jason Clarke as a heartthrob? I'm sorry, but I don't see it. There are plenty of older, handsome british men. I just don't think he is one of them. I feel like they messed up the whole thing by doing bad casting choices. A pity.

[HBO] Hstory reduced to bedroom tales. Helen Mirren the Great.

As entertaining as this was, I do feel like I want more. The story feels incredibly condensed, glossing over major areas of Catherine's reign. Personally, I would have liked to have the series span over multiple seasons, similar to how The Tudors ran, that way more time can be spent building and executing the story of Catherine (I also would've liked to have seen the coup d'état that put Catherine on the throne in the first place). This is basically like if you've never read Harry Potter before and you decide to start from Goblet of Fire onwards, skimming through the chapters that you're reading. The actors were fantastic though, especially Helen Mirren and Jason Clarke, which isn't that surprising.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves history and/or period dramas. Sumptious, well-paced and balances look at the Russians Expresses years in power, including her beautiful love affair with Potemkin. Would definitely watch again.