Critics Rating: 5 / 5.0
5
The wolves are no longer at the gate as they roam the corridors of the Serpent Queen.
It must be said that the story of this series is truly amazing.
From wardrobe, hairstyles, and locations, the Serpent Queen is a force of entertainment creativity.
For most people, historical pieces can be a hard sell because most audiences crave action and laughter.
But the writers of “The Serpent Queen” brought an unprecedented expertise in storytelling.
This series is sparkling and attractive with a shine that can be seen reflected on any dagger.
However, in “The Serpent Queen,” the real danger lies not in the weapons, but in the people who don’t need a blade to cut down their enemies.
Viewers get a crash course in royal warfare with an exemplary level of historical retelling.
Minnie Driver chews every scene as the not-so-virgin Queen Elizabeth.
Speaking of over-the-top, how gorgeous was Queen Elizabeth? She ran down the palace corridor at the opening like a lion stalking her many victims.
I can’t get over how awesome this character is, from her dialogue to her wig.
She has come to France to cause chaos, unrest and disaster. While this is not good for the other characters, it is very entertaining.
Queen Elizabeth is a force of nature as she manipulates her way through the royal court.
Minnie Driver (The Witcher: Blood Origins) performs every scene in a role that was specifically designed for her.
The fact that she is able to deliver such an amazing performance while sweating under all those layers is a talent of the highest order.
There wasn’t a single moment where she wasn’t 100 percent herself. She had the intelligence to fill the space under those huge dresses.
There’s plenty of room down there for Louis and his queen to smile all the way to war.
Bourbon continues to play against the Queen of Snakes with continued comic failure.
If this episode makes one thing clear about the Bourbons, it’s that they’re complete idiots. At least Louis and Antoine are.
Antoine’s wife and son seem to be very intelligent. Jeanne is undoubtedly a favorite among viewers because the Queen of Navarre is very funny.
The way she and Antoine argue is very similar to the way the couple argues on I Love Lucy. It’s absolutely hysterical.
Jeanne is not at all interested in the illicit relationship between Antoine and Antoinette.
The writers strive to achieve this with the Bourbon family in The Serpent Queen because the entire family feels like the comedic relief of the show.
Louis, played by Danny Kieran from The Sandman, and Antoine, played by Nicholas Burns from Black Mirror, have to be the worst conspirators in history.
Antoine is definitely not a fan of Edith, but watching him squirm when he returned to her camp was pretty funny.
These brothers act as if they were part of the first royal family, with enormous entitlements.
I really hope they don’t go anywhere because it’s so funny to see how easily these men are manipulated by the women around them.
Appearances fall apart as Antoinette tries to find a needle.
When we talk about manipulation, what happens with the cardinal? People usually get better once they find God.
He seems to be on a downward spiral. The way he treats everyone around him makes him seem like he is in a bad mood.
I must admit that some of Edith’s teachings are not entirely wrong, but they are ideals that can be reached without the need for a religious institution.
Now Antoinette must intervene because the Holy Order with baggy clothes and huge crosses has shown up to investigate her son.
At least Francois is out of the loop of punishment and imprisonment for the time being.
However, I don’t think it’s possible for him to do anything drastic about his brother.
Their relationship seems to stem from fulfilling their mother’s expectations, and their siblings seem fragile at best.
So while I don’t think Francois, played by Code Black’s Raza Jaffrey, will kill his brother, it’s likely the Duke will do something extreme to bring his brother back to reality.
The Cardinal will suddenly wake up when he discovers that God did not decree that Edith should survive because of the poison.
Queen of Serpents continues to defy expectations by tapping into inspiring stories.
One of the biggest mysteries since the second episode of season two of The Serpent Queen is how Edith managed to survive the attempts on her life.
Now we know. Or at least we know how she survived the poison.
If we are to take Catherine’s conversation with Angelica seriously, Edith never gave the poison.
While this is a sound and logical explanation, it would be more interesting if it was actually poison.
While Angelica is likely still on the Queen’s hit list, the Serpent Queen has more serious issues to deal with.
First, there’s her brother, who we’re pretty sure is actually close to her but is plotting against her.
Perhaps his plan was less focused on Catherine and more focused on gaining the power, wealth, and respect he felt he deserved.
Lord knows Catherine can’t afford to lose any more children. Hercules is dead, Elizabeth is married, and the only family left are Charles, Anjou, and Margot.
Some of Katherine’s kids won’t be around long on this Starz series.
Charles is about to die. Margot is a naive princess with dreamy eyes and a grumble.
Then there’s Anjou – the handsome prince with a temperament that could rival a bull.
However, I will say that one of the best parts of the episode was watching the sarcastic skirmishes between Anjou and Queen Elizabeth.
There might be more of their heated dialogue if Charles ends up the same way Hercules did.
The non-virgin queen declared that she would marry the winner of the jousting match.
That messy red-haired agent knew tea and didn’t hesitate to force everyone to do it.
I don’t care if Elizabeth is the artistic villain. Minnie Driver serves the Queen while Catherine continues to be the mother.
With only two episodes left of The Serpent Queen season 2, it’s possible more bodies will fall to the ground before we reach the end.
This does not bode well for Anjou and Margot.
But really, is anyone other than Queen Elizabeth having an easy time this season?
Serpent Queen continues to defy expectations by using inspiring stories with exceptional acting, award-winning costumes and makeup.
So, make sure you keep your sword drawn. We may only have two episodes, but this was just the calm before the storm.
Do you think Charles will survive his injuries?
How do you think Catherine would handle it if she lost another child?
Leave a comment below to let us know, and join me again when I review the next episode of The Serpent Queen!
