The Great

                                                                                                          Fanning in Elle.com

An amazing period comedy- one which both creates and perfects its own genre. What goes into history turns into the emotional language of today, and the mores of the period are not significantly different from the power structures of today. The series tackles with the power relations within the court, and within a ruling couple. We understand how and why two people are supposed to love one another and rule; over a large area which they call Russia. What happened to the olden empires?

A beautiful young lady is almost brought to the court in order to marry an irresponsible patriarch. The irresponsible patriarch is looked up to by everyone. Each opportunist and hypocritical person of the 'Court' flatters and obeys this almost good looking boyish incompetent thinker. The court was the palace and it seemd to have a significantly different lifestlye in it than that of the society. We actually are not given much information about the 'people' as some call it, or the society. What are their habits? Do they also welcome the experiments in arts and sciences? Is it only the women of the court who wear hideous wigs believing that it makes them more beautiful?

We don't know. We know that there are men dying in a battle who are visited by the emperess and the Emperor's aunt. They are offered macarons. They accept them graciously. As they should. Disobedience lurks around indoors while a chubby army commander brings questions of power closer to the partially attractive but intellectually incompetent Emperor. On what does justice lie? A most interesting historical documentary which teaches as it entertains. I'll wait for the second season.