The Great: Season 2
December 3, 2021 10:49 AM - Season 2 (Full Season) - Subscribe
The Great returns for a second season — huzzah!
Season 2 trailer
Still a great show, the novelty has worn off a bit and Catherine’s struggles with managing the kingdom aren’t as exciting as a coup.
But damn if wit, humor, and schemes aren’t sharp as season 1.
Didn’t believe George’s change for a sec, she’s too invested in the system.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:54 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
But damn if wit, humor, and schemes aren’t sharp as season 1.
Didn’t believe George’s change for a sec, she’s too invested in the system.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:54 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
Huzzah! Thank you for posting! I’m midway through and am quite loving it. Adam Godley is my supporting pick. Archie is opaque and complex. Detestable but he seems to believe what he’s selling.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:38 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 7:38 PM on December 3, 2021 [2 favorites]
I'm a bona fide sucker, because I did believe George for a minute. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Marial and Gregor as a couple, although Maxim does make a perfect husband.
My pick for supporting is Elizabeth. The development of her character, especially against Catherine and Peter as royal parents and Joanna as a mother, was so humane. And she was still one of the funniest characters in the cast.
I'm sort of surprised at what a good dad Peter is.
posted by gladly at 8:11 PM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
My pick for supporting is Elizabeth. The development of her character, especially against Catherine and Peter as royal parents and Joanna as a mother, was so humane. And she was still one of the funniest characters in the cast.
I'm sort of surprised at what a good dad Peter is.
posted by gladly at 8:11 PM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Huzzah!
Only the second episode in, and it's still delightfully grim and absurd.
In e02, Aunt Elizabeth's collar at about 14:15 and on, is that an (almost) fractal? Belinda Bromilow is great, and she's taking it ever so seriously that makes her character pop - are they really batty or not?
I think that Adam Godley (Archie) is under-rated, and maybe overlooked because he's such a chameleon.
Still smitten with Phoebe Fox as Marial, ahem, Lady Marial.
Kind of impressed that they touched on the heavy powder makeup in response to smallpox of the era, and the "fashionable" covering up (and faking of!) of smallpox scars with various (dark, sometimes ... furry?) bling.
--
I'm totally expecting Catherine's efforts to end in tears, but it tickled my STEM bones that she's seducing girls into Rationalism through an appeal to the structures of "popularity" immediately after steamrolling current structures by being retro and using that rebound to hamstring historical authority.
This show is still fun so far.
posted by porpoise at 8:40 PM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
Only the second episode in, and it's still delightfully grim and absurd.
In e02, Aunt Elizabeth's collar at about 14:15 and on, is that an (almost) fractal? Belinda Bromilow is great, and she's taking it ever so seriously that makes her character pop - are they really batty or not?
I think that Adam Godley (Archie) is under-rated, and maybe overlooked because he's such a chameleon.
Still smitten with Phoebe Fox as Marial, ahem, Lady Marial.
Kind of impressed that they touched on the heavy powder makeup in response to smallpox of the era, and the "fashionable" covering up (and faking of!) of smallpox scars with various (dark, sometimes ... furry?) bling.
--
I'm totally expecting Catherine's efforts to end in tears, but it tickled my STEM bones that she's seducing girls into Rationalism through an appeal to the structures of "popularity" immediately after steamrolling current structures by being retro and using that rebound to hamstring historical authority.
This show is still fun so far.
posted by porpoise at 8:40 PM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]
One of great things about the show is the fine line it walks between hilarious antics and brutality. It manages to maintain a generally light touch between the absurdity of politics and humanity, while never letting you forget that the characters live in brutal culture.
I do wonder if Leo is truly dead though. Sure they gave Catherine a head, but there was no viewing of said head, which this show hasn't been shy about previously.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:43 AM on December 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
I do wonder if Leo is truly dead though. Sure they gave Catherine a head, but there was no viewing of said head, which this show hasn't been shy about previously.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:43 AM on December 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
Absolutely excellent season! I missed the initial drop (because Hulu hides all their good shows), but it was the only thing I watched this week. Elizabeth was really standout for me, but reading everyone's comments about the other actors reminded me that Archie, Martial, Peter, and Catherine were also spectacular. This show is going to be like Hannibal, in that I'll be way too excited when I see these actors in other projects.
Some things:
- Remember how squeamish Orlo was first season! I have to confess, I found his bloodthirst very funny at the beginning of the season.
- Catherine was right to be angry at Orlo, and I think the show wasn't clear about that? Building a road to nowhere that benefits your home region and basically no one else seems appropriate to the realm of political favors; straight-up stealing a large sum to give to your sketchy uncle is something you should get in trouble for!
- The deposed Swedish monarchs were a sort of Statler and Waldorf for the second half of the season.
- The weird new rom-com element this season genuinely worked for me! I loved that when Catherine and Peter were daydreaming about each other in the finale, they were both subtly, freakishly wrong. Catherine had tinseled-hair and wore an alarming amount of rouge in Peter's mind, and golden-tanned Peter looked like a pale Mr Darcy in Catherine's thoughts.
- Wait why was Marial arrested when Georgina wasn't? What on earth is happening?
posted by grandiloquiet at 6:18 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
Some things:
- Remember how squeamish Orlo was first season! I have to confess, I found his bloodthirst very funny at the beginning of the season.
- Catherine was right to be angry at Orlo, and I think the show wasn't clear about that? Building a road to nowhere that benefits your home region and basically no one else seems appropriate to the realm of political favors; straight-up stealing a large sum to give to your sketchy uncle is something you should get in trouble for!
- The deposed Swedish monarchs were a sort of Statler and Waldorf for the second half of the season.
- The weird new rom-com element this season genuinely worked for me! I loved that when Catherine and Peter were daydreaming about each other in the finale, they were both subtly, freakishly wrong. Catherine had tinseled-hair and wore an alarming amount of rouge in Peter's mind, and golden-tanned Peter looked like a pale Mr Darcy in Catherine's thoughts.
- Wait why was Marial arrested when Georgina wasn't? What on earth is happening?
posted by grandiloquiet at 6:18 PM on December 5, 2021 [2 favorites]
So I think I get it: marriage is a struggle between wanting to kill your husband and put him under house arrest. Sounds about right.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:46 PM on December 7, 2021
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:46 PM on December 7, 2021
Honestly I can't even focus on anything except Howard Moon as the doctor.
"I will be here to observe, of course."
"Is that necessary?"
"Probably not as necessary as I'm making it sound."
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 8:08 AM on December 20, 2021 [2 favorites]
"I will be here to observe, of course."
"Is that necessary?"
"Probably not as necessary as I'm making it sound."
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 8:08 AM on December 20, 2021 [2 favorites]
Just finished S2. We loved the characters and dialogue, and more happens in each episode than in a half-dozen in many other shows. And the colors, both literally and as the metaphorical antithesis of the "sludge" aesthetic Emily VanDerWerff was recently discussing, are wonderful. But the end was a disappointment. Instead of politics and ideas we get love and marriage, which are framed as analogous but are actually presented in opposition, and Elizabeth's expository moment in the carriage basically affirms the old view that literature/marriage is how and why, not what and should. The whole ending basically turned on a generic third-act misunderstanding, or at least a moment of weakness/betrayal that didn't really connect to any broader ideas being contested. Which in itself is fine -- gotta feed the plot machine -- but lacked the lovely connections to her philosophy and governance going on in the first season. So in the end it was primarily just a marriage plot, a second-season wheel-spinner that is actually a fine metaphor for marriage, but just not very interesting as politics except in its most banal "just keep trying" form.
posted by chortly at 8:31 PM on January 17, 2022
posted by chortly at 8:31 PM on January 17, 2022
I can never seem to stream anything in a timely manner anymore, but I finished this season this week. And that meant I didn't have to wait to find out it's officially renewed for Season 3. Huzzah!
That article from slashfilm.com I linked confirmed something I wasn't sure I remembered correctly - the subtitle does change in the last episode, from "an occasionally true story" to "an almost entirely untrue story." So high hopes for turning the absurdity up even higher (but how?) in the next installment.
The writing is definitely uneven, but the costumes and performances more than make up for the rough bits, in my opinion. I couldn't begin to pick a favorite supporting role.
I do want the bear fireplace and also several of Catherine's dresses, plus the ability to have a rollercoaster invented and built for me from scratch overnight. Please and thank you.
posted by the primroses were over at 7:06 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
That article from slashfilm.com I linked confirmed something I wasn't sure I remembered correctly - the subtitle does change in the last episode, from "an occasionally true story" to "an almost entirely untrue story." So high hopes for turning the absurdity up even higher (but how?) in the next installment.
The writing is definitely uneven, but the costumes and performances more than make up for the rough bits, in my opinion. I couldn't begin to pick a favorite supporting role.
I do want the bear fireplace and also several of Catherine's dresses, plus the ability to have a rollercoaster invented and built for me from scratch overnight. Please and thank you.
posted by the primroses were over at 7:06 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I like the characters and the costumes. Would like a little more exploration of Archie.
The ending, though, left me thinking “oh god, more of this?” I was ready for a new chapter - so to speak.
posted by bunderful at 9:12 AM on January 1, 2023
The ending, though, left me thinking “oh god, more of this?” I was ready for a new chapter - so to speak.
posted by bunderful at 9:12 AM on January 1, 2023
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Also: it figures that Joanna *would* be that kind of parent; manipulative, cold, harsh, scheming, and phony.
Huzzah! Still getting through a few of the episodes; this has become our evening show.
posted by erattacorrige at 11:01 AM on December 3, 2021 [1 favorite]