No products in the cart.
The Empress seasonseason 2 review:review: TwoTwo womenwomen holdhold anan empireempire togethertogether
Autumn is upon us, and long dark evenings are begging to be filled with binge-worthy drama. It is high time I turned the spotlight on Netflix’s underrated German international period drama: The Empress (season 2).
I can’t wait to get into just why this series had me gripping the edge of my seat. I was choking back tears as the sublime second season rapidly flew towards a dramatic conclusion. As a period drama, it stuns and excites in equal measure, and ultimately, the second season delivers so much more than I thought possible.
In short, this historical drama is better than it has any right to be.
WARNING: Spoilers for The Empress seasons 1 and 2 ahead!
Characters discussed in order of first mention:
- Devrim Lingnau plays Elisabeth of Austria
- Melika Foroutan plays Princess Sophie
- Philip Froissant plays Franz Joseph
- Alexander Finkenwirth plays Alexander von Bach
The Empress: Sisi
Elisabeth (Sisi) of Austria was a remarkable woman in her own time, and her portrayal here by Devrim Lingnau is no less mesmerising. A fiercely independent-minded and powerful individual, Lingnau does not shy away from capturing us in every moment of emotional anguish, every downward glance of insecurity, and every outburst of marital frustration. In this series, the very personality Elisabeth possesses pushes the formal and pious Habsburg court to its limits.
As viewers, we cannot help but sympathise with this young girl who marries for love as well as dynastic expectation, only to drown in etiquette and the perilous politics of her newfound position. Motherhood proves no less of a challenge. Every moment of self-doubt is beautifully shot and conveyed. Every loss is magnified tenfold as our eyes brim with tears.
Throughout the second season, the weight of expectation upon Sisi threatens to crush her as she struggles to embrace her identity as both a mother and a wife, not yet ready to assume the full role of an empress. And yet, we see early signs of her political agency. She cares deeply about the common people, and it may be her diplomatic, even flirtatious, relationship with the Hungarians that ultimately holds the Habsburg Empire together.
The Empress: Sophie
No less driven to achieve this end, albeit through violently different means, is Princess Sophie, the mother of Franz Joseph. She is the foil to Sisi: traditional, conservative, composed, graceful, and so adept at hiding her true feelings that she often feels like an apparition. But this is what makes her the breakout star of season two.
With Elisabeth, we know who she is, and we watch transfixed as her character develops in Season Two. But Sophie is different; she metamorphoses before our very eyes. Desperate to maintain the status quo established after the 1848 Revolution (which cost her husband his crown) and feeling the strain of holding the council, the court, and, as she sees it, the Empire together, she breaks.
Season two is littered with the foreshadowing of the thawing of her heart. She frequently shows that all is not well, despite her stony exterior. We get humanising scenes, conversations with Alexander von Bach, the only councillor she respects, as he works to remove her perfect composure and stoic identity, revealing the woman beneath. These scenes took my breath away; the dinners by candlelight, the smiles and glances across the table. No other series has, to my mind, so completely and successfully shifted my perspective on a character, and utilised such stunning acting and cinematography to achieve it. I was spellbound by Melika’s performance in this criminally underrated drama, one which rivals those of the best historical dramas on offer.
The Empress season 2
The third season of this masterful series airs soon, and I, for one, wait with bated breath. Historically, there is more story than one series can tell. Franz remains emperor of Austria (later Austria-Hungary) until his death in 1916. Sisi’s story I won’t spoil, but I’m eager to see how they’ll wrap up her character’s arc in the third and final season. I daresay, as she grows into her role as Empress Elisabeth, we can expect great things from her!
Once again, as with Dark, Netflix proves that its international series can deliver high-quality content. Whether it be the writing, acting, cinematography or themes, we haven’t seen a royal drama of this calibre since Versailles. Or even, dare I say it, The Crown.
Stay tuned, as I’ll be sure to cover the final season once it’s released; for now, tschüss!
The Empress season 2 is available to stream on Netflix.
(Cover Image source: IMDB, The Empress (2022), Photos).
