A period drama about European royalty in the late 20th century is hailed as perfect for lovers of Downton Abbey and The Crown. The Empress premiered in September 2022 and is loosely based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (played by Devrim Lingnau).
The rebellious royal was bestowed with the title following her husband’s ascension to the throne as Emperor Franz Joseph I (Philip Froissant). But despite the glamour of her new role, the pressures of duty, the stuffiness of court life, and Franz Joseph’s overbearing mother, Princess Sophia (Melika Foroutan) make life difficult for the free-spirited young royal.
Two series of the German-language drama have been released so far, with the latest hitting screens in November last year. In January, it was confirmed that The Empress would be returning for a third and final season, expected to arrive next year.
Marie Claire called the series a “must-watch show for fans of Bridgerton and The Crown”, and fans have flocked to IMDb to shower it with praise.
One fan said they “simply cannot believe how amazing this series is, and it easily rivals ‘The Crown’, ‘Downton Abbey’, ‘Outlander’, ‘Poldark’ and ‘Vikings’, and surpasses many others”.
A second said after watching the first season that “everything about The Empress was top-notch”.
“From the sets, to the costuming and the acting. It was perfection,” they continued. “If you love a historical series, then this is for you. I could have quite easily started from the beginning again and gone straight into a second viewing.
A third added, “If you like The Crown, you’ll like this”. They added that it didn’t feel it had a strong focus on romance, like Pride and Prejudice or Bridgerton, as they had expected, saying it was “more like Downton Abbey or The Crown, where the drama is the focus”.
A fourth said, “As a history buff, I was pretty sceptical”. “All I can say is, don’t come to this for the history, as many, many liberties were taken,” they added.
“Come instead for the gorgeous production and wonderful acting. I was hooked after the first episode in spite of my eye-rolling during parts of it. You can’t beat Austria for gorgeous exteriors and interiors, and the costumes are breathtaking.
“And the performances are stellar all around. I loved hearing it in German. Once in a while, there’s a slangy clunker in the English subtitles (like “okay”), but for the most part, the translation seems to flow very well. Can’t wait to see more.”
The episodes so far have 15 certificates, and the show features sex, discrimination, and violence – so it may not be for everyone.
Series one and two of The Empress are streaming now on Netflix.
By Chris Samuel
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