‘The Serpent Queen’ 1×02 Review: “To War Rather Than To Bed”

When it comes to historical dramas, we’re used to a certain way of doing things. Everything feels somewhat the same, with prettier costumes and prettier settings, and a different tale to tell. But perhaps that’s why to a certain point we’ve grown bored of them.

That is until The Serpent Queen came to be.

Starz newest drama, is all about the life of the 16th century French queen, Catherine de’ Medici. At first, you may be thinking, oh great, another drama. But this one is proving week after week that it’s insanely different, gives no fucks, and takes no prisoners.

Samantha Morton and Liv Hill shine as Catherine de’ Medici. Yes, both of them, as the story is told in dual storylines.

We’re learning of Medici’s rise to power and some of the strongest stories are told in the flashback storyline. The young queen is afraid of having to return to Italy, that something will happen with her marriage if the dowry hasn’t been paid. She’s yet to be pregnant and her husband really doesn’t want to return to her bed.

So, yet, her and her people are trying to hide it, burning her clothes. Her sadistic cousin is trying to get anything that she can on her, because she’s obsessed with Henry. What Catherines cousin needs to be obsessed with is not being a complete and total hag. But I guess the reality of the situation is – in this time, life was all about staying alive, finding your way, and making sure that you had one up on everyone, because life was definitely going to fuck you over one way or another.

The thing is, it’s hard when the person that wants to fuck you over the most is family. I feel as though none of these people know the meaning of loyalty. Even her lady’s maid is willing to screw over for a chance to have sex with the future king.

But what Catherine is learning with every step is that she is in control. You just need to find your way to manipulate the situations to her advantage. While Diane may want Catherine dead or gone and is doing everything to make that happen, she is learning quickly that it may be more challenging than she planned on.

With family like her, who needs enemies.

Catherine knows though, that she’s going to need to exploit peoples weaknesses. She manages to get Henry on her side when she her father in law asks if Henry’s been doing his duty (trying to get her pregnant) and she says that he has most diligently.

This leads Henry to warming up to Catherine and you see that he’s just this awkward boy who is being forced to be a man. It’s quite sad, but typical for the time.

Diane is obsessed with him and is standing in the way of him and Catherine moving forward. She’s doing everything that she can to try and get Henry to see her as a possible wife – a replacement if Catherine is banished.

But, dear dear Diane, a hoe can not always be made into a housewife. Dream big.

I thought that I would have the fourth wall being broken, but when Liv Hill delivers her lines, I don’t mind it. Maybe it’s the writing, sure, but I think that Hills performance as a young Catherine, rivals the greatness of Morton‘s performance as an older one. Both draw you into the story – one being one you’re rooting for and one you’re terrified of.

And I admit, we haven’t talked enough about Alex Heath, who plays the young Henry or Sennia Nanua, who plays the Queen’s maid, Rahima. Both are the chefs kiss and the only actors that can draw attention away from Hill or Morton.

It’s the four of these characters that keep you in the show (granted we’re only in episode 2) but I can deal with that. Because it’s them I want to know more about.

Back to the episode – we have to talk about how Henry is so different than his family. They are all about power, whereas Henry is all about sensitivity and being loved. It’s the difference between Henry and his brother and father. They treat Henry as if he is less than because he’s not about violence.

He’s not about conquering.

Yet, the two force his hand at every turn and he even ends up murdering a man, to prove how “man enough” he is, because that’s what his father wanted. It’s a weird situation. The whole family dynamic is fucking nuts.

When Catherine knows that she’s gained Henry’s friendship, but she hasn’t gotten pregnant, she needs to find a way to secure her life. So she manages to find a way to get her husband to go away to war, to gain a way to keep her life, and hopefully keep her status.

And the whole time Henry seems to think that she’s doing what is best for him and being the ever dutiful wife. But she’s not. There is no lose in the situation in this situation for her, right? He comes back and she’s given his a way to have his father and brothers respect or he doesn’t come back and she’s a widow.

Didn’t Diane tell her a widow is the best thing that she can be? Right? That would cement her at court for the rest of her life, even if she didn’t produce an heir.

The Serpent Queen is such a fresh take on history, that I am laughing, in awe, and also like what the fuck most of the time. You definitely need to be watching.