The Big Picture

The Serpent Queen
Season 2 returns with a more confident and furious approach, picking up ten years after the Season 1 finale.
The cast expands, adding new characters and depth to the portrayal of court life during Catherine’s reign.
Samantha Morton remains
The Serpent Queen
‘s greatest strength, but not every character is given equal weight in the story.

Nearly two years ago, The Serpent Queen premiered with far less fanfare than a show of its caliber deserved. Anchored by the always-brilliant Samantha Morton, the historical series offered a fictionalized take on the life and reign of Catherine de’ Medici, the so-called “Serpent Queen of France,” who exercised considerable influence in French politics throughout the mid-to-late 16th century.

Made in the same vein as Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite and Hulu’s The Great, The Serpent Queen Season 1 presented a biting and darkly humorous take on one of history’s most influential women. Now, the series returns for a second season that is evenmore confident and furious than before. We pick up ten years after the Season 1 finale, which saw Catherine become regent of France while her second son, then 11-year-old Charles IX, came of age. At the start of Season 2, Catherine has been in full control over the court for the past decade, maintaining relative peace in the country despite the rise of Protestantism amid the increasing unrest from the Catholics. The season proceeds to chronicle Catherine’s struggles in both her personal and political lives, with the line between the two growing increasingly blurry.

The Serpent Queen Series based on Leonie Frieda’s book “Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France.”Release Date September 11, 2022 Cast Samantha Morton , Amrita Acharia , Barry Atsma , Enzo Cilenti , Sennia Nanua , Kiruna Stamell Main Genre Drama Seasons 2 Creator(s) Justin Haythe Writers Justin Haythe Network Starz Showrunner Justin Haythe Expand

‘The Serpent Queen’ Season 2 Expands in Cast and Scope
The cast greatly expands this season, painting an addictive and rich portrayal of scheming court life. The largely ineffective but wholly entertaining Bourbon brothers Antoine (Nicholas Burns) and Louis (Danny Kirrane) are back, joined by Antoine’s estranged wife and Queen of Navarre, Jean D’Albret (Rosalie Craig), and his equally foreign son, the future Henry IV (Angus Imrie). For their part, the de Guise brothers, Francois (Raza Jaffrey) and Charles (Ray Panthaki), and their scene-stealing mother, Antoinette (Beth Goddard), also return, ready to give Catherine even more trouble. Catherine’s Romani maid Aabis (Amrita Acharia), the treacherous Angelica (Ruby Bentall), and the fascinating Cosimo Ruggeri (Enzo Cilenti), Catherine’s confidant and fortune teller, also return.

Joining them is a collection of new blood. Bill Milner, Stanley Morgan, Philippine Velge, Laura Marcus, and Scott Folan step into the roles of Catherine’s children, Charles, Anjou, Margot, Elizabeth, and Hercule. Alexandre Willaume replaces Barry Asthma as Montmorency, one of Catherine’s main allies at court, and Isobel Jasper Jones joins the cast as Edith, a mysterious protestant preacher. The crucial character of Rahima, beautifully played by Sennia Nanua in Season 1, is now portrayed by Emma McDonald, and Ashley Thomas arrives to play an unexpected figure from Catherine’s Italian roots. Of course, the most high-profile arrival is that of Oscar nominee Minnie Driver as Elizabeth II, England’s Virgin Queen and Catherine’s greatest foe so far.

Samantha Morton Remains ‘The Serpent Queen’s Greatest Weapon
Image via Starz

The Serpent Queen’s greatest strength has always been the mighty Samantha Morton, who is back with a vengeance in Season 2. While Season 1 went to great lengths to avoid committing Catherine to either the light or the dark, Season 2 finally chooses where the character stands. Ever the consummate pro, Morton delivers everything that’s asked of her and much more, making Catherine so mesmerizing that it’s impossible to take one’s eyes off her. Luckily, The Serpent Queen never stays too far away from her; this is her show, and everyone is dancing to her tune, whether they know it or not.

Indeed, nearly every character in The Serpent Queen exists in service to Catherine. The Bourbons and de Guises are there to oppose her, although none do it better than the deliciously biting Antoinette, who thankfully gets more screen time this season. Catherine’s children also stand for different facets of her persona: Charles represents her sense of duty to the crown; Anjou, her latent insecurities and self-doubt; Margot, her desire for love and romance; Elizabeth, her self-sacrificing side; and Hercule, the last remnants of innocence left in her. Everyone else, from Montmorency to Ruggeri, is there to serve Catherine’s storyline, which could easily get tiring fast. Alas, Morton is such a larger-than-life presence that the gamble pays off.

Of course, a show like this would be nothing without a great antagonist. Season 1 had two: Ludivine Sagnier’s seductively cunning Madame de Poitiers and Antonia Clarke’s absurdly pious Mary Queen of Scots. A tough act to follow, especially the César-nominated Sagnier, whose take on the legendary French mistress gave Morton a run for her money. Both actresses are back in Season 2, albeit far too briefly. However, The Serpent Queen’s sophomore season makes up for their noticeable absence by giving Catherine two new challengers. First is Jesper Jones’ Edith, a religious zealot who perfectly fits the show’s critique of religious fanaticism and the dangerous and inherent nature of misplaced faith. The role might not be three-dimensional, but that’s why it works; Edith is so underdeveloped that she effortlessly becomes an icon, and Jesper Jones milks every drop of deranged fervor from this religious extremist.

Then there’s Minnie Driver, who plays the most unhinged and inspired version of Queen Elizabeth I that we’ve seen since Quentin Crisp took on the role in 1992’s Orlando. Driver plays the Virgin Queen with all the subtlety of a hammer, Lorraine Finster in an Elizabethan collar, announcing her arrival in The Serpent Queen with volcanic enthusiasm. Her scenery-chewing absurdism is the perfect contrast to Morton’s icy, clinical delivery, crafting a clash of wills and egos that is as entertaining as it is surprisingly revealing.

Not All of ‘The Serpent Queen’s Characters Are Given Equal Weight in Season 2

The Serpent Queen understands that, at this point, historical characters are no different from literary figures, open to interpretation and perfect for conveying social and political issues, depending on each version’s context. The show adopts a strong feminist approach, not by surrendering to common tropes of female liberation, but rather by embracing the pernicious nature of its main players. Practically every female character in the show — Catherine, Elizabeth I, Antoinette, Madame de Poitiers, Rahima, Angelica — is a product of a terrible time and must be terrible to survive. By not only acknowledging but actually embracing this dark nature, The Serpent Queen rises above so many other historical shows that aim to reinterpret their female characters through a modern lens.

It’s not all perfect, though. Many characters who made Season 1 of The Serpent Queen so rich get far less to do this time, and the outright omission of Kiruna Stamell’s Mathilde, arguably the most interesting non-Catherine character from Season 1, is sorely felt. The ever-increasing farcical tone in certain scenes, including but not limited to those involving Driver’s Elizabeth, often makes the narrative feel cheaper than it should. Lastly, the production values remain only fine, although the camera choices in some pivotal scenes are as puzzling as they were in season 1. Certain abrupt close-ups and more than a few establishing shots feel out of place, to the point where eagle-eyed viewers might be taken out of the series’ otherwise effective spell.

Even so, The Serpent Queen remains a riveting and addictive watch. The show’s anachronistic elements — most notably Catherine’s fourth-wall breaks, which, thankfully, remain few and precisely placed — are as satisfying and revealing as they were in Season 1. The use of biting songs is also a highlight this season, particularly a haunting and beautifully staged sequence to the tune of PJ Harvey’s “Down by the Water” and a brilliant use of the late Amy Winehouse’s “Me & Mr. Jones.”

Season 2 of The Serpent Queen moves at a brisk pace, making full use of its eight episodes to lead to a furious and bravura ending that offers a highly stylized take on a real-life event that lives in infamy. Historical lovers and those knowledgeable of French history will know where the season is heading almost from the get-go; after all, Catherine de’ Medici’s notorious reputation was largely solidified by her actions during Charles IX’s reign, whether it was warranted or not. Overall, The Serpent Queen Season 2 is a continuation of everything the show did so well in Season 1. Letting Samantha Morton do what she does best, the series continues the extraordinary story of its larger-than-life central character with conviction, bravado, and pitch-black, relentless humor that never outstays its welcome. If more shows had half the daring nature of The Serpent Queen, television would be in much better shape.

The Serpent Queen The Serpent Queen Season 2 is bolder and more ruthless in its depiction of one of history’s most important women.ProsSamantha Morton is at her most commanding and mesmerizing in Season 2.A great supporting cast, most notably the scene-stealing Minnie Driver and Beth Goddard, keeps things wickedly interesting.The narrative is tight and biting, heading toward a darker future for the show. ConsThe production values remain somewhat unimpressive.

The Serpent Queen premieres July 12 on Starz, with new episodes released each Friday.

Watch on Starz