An “outstanding” period drama, Becoming Elizabeth, is now free to watch on Channel 4 and has been hailed as perfect for Game of Thrones fans. The eight-episode series, which first aired in 2022, follows the only surviving child of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, Elizabeth Tudor, as she navigates the dangerous politics of the Tudor court after her father's death.
The series stars Alicia von Rittburg as the teenage Elizabeth, alongside Romola Garai, Jessica Raine, Tom Cullen, and Bella Ramsey. Viewers have described it as “gripping,” “fantastic,” and “wildly underrated,” with one fan noting that its “gritty, realistic atmosphere” recalls early seasons of Game of Thrones.
Despite critical acclaim, Becoming Elizabeth was cancelled after one season due to low viewership, with its most-watched episode reaching only 158,000 total viewers. Showrunner Anya Reiss had previously teased plans for a second season, but the series was axed just months after its debut.
Reiss is now working on a new BBC legal drama, Reputation, which follows a celebrity libel battle. The six-part series is described as “audacious and glossy” and will explore the fallout of a public feud between a pop star and her ex-husband.
