Reviewer Rating: 4.5/5.0
4.5
If there’s one thing you never want to do, it’s piss off the Snake Queen.
The aptly titled “Judas” episode throws all the drama of the royal family and court into a blender.
What we are seeing now is the calm before the storm.
Because there is no doubt that once Catherine finished her mourning for Hercules, heads would turn.
Not only does she have to deal with the death of her youngest son, but an outright religious uprising is literally on her doorstep.
However, with a diverse cast of characters, each with their own agenda, some problems may find solutions.
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Snake Queen raises the ante for new standard in period dramas
While period dramas are nothing new, especially if you watch the BBC, the quality of shows has steadily improved.
Distinguishing one series from another becomes even more relevant.
But Snake Queen seems to have been handpicked from some of the best shows out there.
As a satire of the historical record, the show takes advantage of its loose retelling and adds carefully placed visual details.
From the Duke’s gorgeous hair to Abyss’s septum piercing, the series certainly loves clever references to its entirely fictional story.
Even with some nods to modernized characters, the Starz series still excels at living in the era of the show.
Minnie Driver’s Queen Elizabeth is an absolute icon and statement, with her face smeared with powder, contrasting with an incredible red wig.
When you combine great performances with perfectly styled costumes and sharp dialogue, you have a show that cuts like a knife through other period dramas.
By putting so much effort into every aspect of The Snake Queen, the series goes from feeling like a Renaissance festival to a surreal look at history.
The show’s strength, however, is that despite the obvious era gap, the writers do a good job of bringing the characters into something that resonates with the audience.
A mother’s work is never done and Catherine is one hell of a mother
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Speaking of disparities, Catherine returns home to see not only her dying son, but the ongoing divisions among the French people.
The Queen can’t seem to get a break from one end to the other.
It’s impressive how much the writers have packed into the first few episodes of the season.
But what is certain is that Catherine had to deal with religious fanatics and internal strife within the family and court.
And now she has multiple monarchs on her doorstep.
Both literally and figuratively.
Even though she now has a brother, that hasn’t been seen as good or bad yet.
Alessandro de Medici, played by Black Cake’s Ashley Thomas, has yet to prove where his loyalties lie.
By now, Catherine knew all too well that family relationships could quickly sour.
Especially in a time when marriage was the key glue that held a kingdom together.
As much as Catherine loved her children, there was bound to be a reckoning.
I’m almost certain that the only thing that saved everyone from being guillotined was the loss of Hercules.
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Once the grief subsides, it will no doubt be replaced by the vicious rage the Serpent Queen unleashes on all who oppose her.
Even if it means her own son Charles.
Snake Queen gives birth to a horde of self-destructive snakes
Although it was hinted at in the first episode of The Snake Queen Season 1, Catherine made it clear that there were unnatural feelings between the royals.
You’d have to be blind to miss it.
She bluntly tells Margot to use her brother Charles’ feelings for her to blackmail him.
You may remember that she wanted the Duke to be released from prison.
The king only agreed after Margot expressed that she had no feelings for the Guise brothers.
I don’t think anyone is ready for another House of Dragons situation.
I don’t know if Margot is as innocent as she seems or if she’s just playing cards in her mind, but she needs help.
If her feelings for the Duke are genuine, the Princess needs a reality check.
Also, it would be helpful if someone told her that he prefers to be with other men rather than women.
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So, here’s a king with incestuous tendencies and a princess with rose-tinted glasses.
Another prince had a bad temper, and another died young.
It’s a wonder Elizabeth managed to avoid all family drama.
However, Catherine’s youngest daughter was likely to be doomed.
“Snake Queen” is a game of cat and mouse, the snake is waiting for an opportunity to move
With the introduction of Philip, the Holy Roman Emperor’s son, Elizabeth may have wanted to trade in her clothes for a suit of armor.
From setting a maid on fire to nearly violating a horse with a hot poker, this guy has caused more trouble than he’s worth.
Still, it’s hilarious to watch him get kicked back into the Dark Ages by a royal charger.
However, no family drama can compare to the ever-increasing number of enemies and the coming war.
It’s scary enough that Catherine has to face the Guise brothers and their constant machinations.
Raza Jaffrey (“Code Black”) plays a brother who attempts to woo a princess despite having no persuasive appeal to women.
And then there’s the Cardinal, who’s as crafty as a shotgun.
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As a religious man, it was disconcerting to see him whispering in Anjou’s ears like a devil on his shoulder.
To be fair, Charles de Guise wore red.
Speaking of red, who knew Queen Elizabeth had so many crafty ways to wear her frilly, puffy sleeves
If she was so strategic about getting Louis to sign some papers, imagine what she’ll look like when she doesn’t get her way.
Beyond all the royals, however, there’s a real cause for concern.
I don’t know what game Edith was playing, but the so-called prophet survived the fire just to play it.
If you think things are headed toward a similar storyline in Game of Thrones, you’re not the only one.
If there’s one thing The Snake Queen deserves praise for, it’s its seamless handling of so many stakes without any one stake detracting from the overall plot.
Normally, a story with so many angles and arcs can feel complicated, but the more there are, the more interesting the series is.
The Snake Queen is as cold and sharp as the blades the characters use to cut down their enemies!
What shocked you most about this episode?
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Do you think Edith’s popularity is about to decline, or is she here to stay?
Let us know in the comments below and join me again as I review the next episode of The Snake Queen!
