The Serpent Queen, a period drama with a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is currently streaming free on Channel 4. Viewers have described it as 'masterpiece' and 'completely enthralling', with many binge-watching the series in two days.
Based on True Events
Created by Justin Haythe and based on Leonie Frieda's 2004 non-fiction novel Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France, the series dramatizes the life of Catherine de' Medici, the 16th century Queen of France. Samantha Morton stars in the lead role, delivering a performance that has wowed critics and audiences alike.
Critical Acclaim
The series holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic wrote: 'The Serpent Queen promises to be a darkly comedic and enthralling take on a fascinating historical figure.' Another reviewer said: 'The Serpent Queen proves to be more than worth getting wrapped up in, with the story only luring us in — much like the snake in its title.'
Critics also praised Morton's performance: 'In a series of this nature, it would be easy to overact, to feed into the innate drama of it all. However, Morton is a pro, and she maintains a seamless groundedness, holding us captive in Catherine’s unwavering resolve.'
Audience Reactions
Fans have been equally enthralled. One viewer commented: 'The wit, humor, and clever writing has made this series an absolute diehard favorite. Samantha Morton never fails to stun with her to-be-expected savagery while displaying the most kick-a** "checkmate" strategies.' Another said: 'Masterpiece of character development and what a set of actors. Love it from start to end.'
An IMDB review reads: 'Best historical drama this year. Came across Serpent Queen & I was totally transfixed & binged it in 2 days. Samantha Morton was excellent & her co-star held her own. The entire production was top notch from the acting, writing, costumes. Much thought & imagination went into this show. Words cannot begin to describe how much I enjoyed this show. Bravo!!'
Another viewer lauded Morton: 'I was hooked from the first episode and binged watched it in 2 days. Excellent tv series. Catherine Medici was such a complex and powerful figure in history. This series gave us a glimpse into how women yielded their soft powers during the era. The actress Samantha Morton was simply divine. Her soft spoken delivery of dialogue was chilling and on point throughout the whole season. I was so captured by the scenes that after the first episode, she became THE Catherine Medici. The mark of a truly spectacular actress. I could not recommend this tv series more. You will surely not be disappointed.'
Cast and Production
The series stars Samantha Morton alongside Minnie Driver, Amrita Acharia, Barry Atsma, Ruby Bentall, Enzo Cilenti, Sennia Nanua, Kiruna Stamell, and Nicholas Burns. It first aired in September 2022 on Starz and ran for two seasons of eight episodes each, before being cancelled in October 2024. Filming took place in Marseille and the Loire Valley in France, as well as the Papal Palace in Italy.
The Serpent Queen is available to stream for free on Channel 4.
