Scripted series · Hulu
The Great
An occasionally true story.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Elle Fanning
Catherine II of Russia
30 eps
Nicholas Hoult
Peter III of Russia
30 eps
Phoebe Fox
Marial
30 eps
Gwilym Lee
Grigor Dymov
30 eps
Adam Godley
Archbishop
30 eps
Belinda Bromilow
Elizabeth Petrovna
30 eps
Bayo Gbadamosi
Arkady
30 eps
Sacha Dhawan
Orlo
20 eps
Charity Wakefield
Georgina Dymova
22 eps
Florence Keith-Roach
Tatyana
30 eps
Grace Molony
Queen Agnes
13 eps
Freddie Fox
King Hugo
12 eps
Liv Hill
Angeline
1 eps
Liam Fleming
Guard #1
1 eps
John Sessions
Bishop Tarcinkus
1 eps
Kemi-Bo Jacobs
Marina
4 eps
Mark Ramsay
Bishop Kalinka
1 eps
Miles Jupp
Maxim the Painter
1 eps
Christianne Oliveira
Countess Belanova
1 eps
Ezra Faroque Khan
Bishop Leontius
2 eps
Jordan Kagaba
Footman
3 eps
Daniel Tuite
Lieutenant One
1 eps
Dan Wyllie
Garry Illych Brezhnev
1 eps
Asheq Akhtar
Chef Louis
2 eps
Natalie Dew
Lizaveta
1 eps
Charlie Price
Ivan
3 eps
Waleed Akhtar
Oleg Kaminsky
1 eps
Komal Amin
Unknown Lady of the Court
1 eps
Louis Hynes
Vlad
6 eps
Lorenzo Vigevano
Guard
1 eps
Blake Harrison
Colonel Svenska
2 eps
Grace Chilton
Serf Khristina
2 eps
Raphael Sowole
Ambassador Anders
1 eps
Geoff Bell
General Ekberg
1 eps
James Smith
Count Gorky of Norilsk
1 eps
Sebastian de Souza
Leo
8 eps
Christophe Tek
Tartar Nick
4 eps
Stewart Scudamore
Tolsten
3 eps
Abraham Popoola
Rostov
2 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The Great actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The Great reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Humour.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
A genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th century Russia following the rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great and her explosive relationship with husband Peter, the emperor of Russia.
The run
Seasons
3 seasons · 30 episodes.
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
202010 episodes
7.3IMDbBest episode · S01E01 The Great
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
202110 episodes
7.0IMDbIn season two, Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own — but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of ‘liberating’ a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother in a bid to bring the enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from much-hated husband, to prisoner? Ally? Lover?
Best episode · S02E01 Heads It's Me
Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
202310 episodes
6.6IMDbCatherine and Peter attempt to make their marriage work after some seemingly insurmountable problems. Peter witnessed his own attempted murder at Catherine's hands and she also imprisoned all of his friends. On top of this, Peter is at a loose end playing First Husband to Catherine's reign, so he busies himself with fathering, hunting and salty culinary ventures. But they're not enough to keep him contented as visions of his late father, get in his head about his failures as Peter the Great's son.
Best episode · S03E01 The Bullet or the Bear
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E01 · Signature episode
The Great
In 1761, Catherine travels to Russia and becomes the Empress by marrying the Emperor of Russia, Peter. With hopes of marrying a great love, Catherine soon realizes Peter is a selfish brat who stands against everything she values. Catherine is feeling hopeless and verging on suicide when her servant, Marial, presents her with an alternative path – to overthrow Peter.
- Directed by Matt Shakman
- Written by Tony McNamara
S02E01 · Signature episode
Heads It's Me
Four months after she launched a coup against her husband, a pregnant Catherine is gaining the upper hand in her war against Peter. The fact that he is deeply in love with Catherine and their unborn child does little to dissuade her from taking his throne.
- Directed by Colin Bucksey
S03E01 · Signature episode
The Bullet or the Bear
Catherine and Peter seek some marriage guidance after the chaotic events of the previous day left them in an awkward place in their relationship.
- Directed by Matthew Moore
S01E08 · Signature episode
Meatballs at the Dacha
Catherine's political abilities are tested when she's given an opportunity to travel abroad with Peter and Velementov to discuss ending the war with Swedish king. Velementov finally sees the potential of her leadership and decides to support the coup. Back at the palace, Leo wants to leave court. Marial tries to keep him there by telling him about the coup.
- Directed by Colin Bucksey
- Written by Tony McNamara
S01E02 · Signature episode
A Fake Beard
Catherine takes her first steps toward a coup. Taking advice from Marial, she attempts to seduce and recruit palace intellectual Count Orlo. It's a disaster. However, after seeing Peter's brutal treatment of local nobles and unwillingness to listen, he decides to join Catherine's coup.
- Directed by Colin Bucksey
- Written by Tony McNamara
S02E10
Wedding
Catherine makes a devastating discovery about Peter before traveling to the war front for a meeting with the Sultan. Peter considers his options now Catherine knows his secret and all parties come together for a final showdown at Marial's wedding.
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S03E03
You the People
S03E01 · Signature episode
The Bullet or the Bear
- Directed by Matthew Moore
S03E04
Stag
S03E06
Ice
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Tony McNamara
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Doug Mankoff
Executive producer
Mark Winemaker
Executive producer
Brittany Kahan Ward
Executive producer
Elle Fanning
Executive producer
Matt Shakman
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Andrew Spaulding
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Josh Kesselman
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Marian Macgowan
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Ron West
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Tess Morris
Writer
- Photo unavailable
James Wood
Writer
Ava Pickett
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Gretel Vella
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Doug MankoffExecutive Producer
- Tony McNamaraExecutive Producer
- Mark WinemakerExecutive Producer
- Brittany Kahan WardExecutive Producer
- Elle FanningExecutive Producer
- Dean O'TooleProducer
Writing
- Tony McNamaraWriter
- Tess MorrisWriter
- James WoodWriter
- Ava PickettWriter
- Gretel VellaWriter
Direction
- Geeta PatelDirector
- Matthew MooreDirector
- BertDirector
- BertieDirector
- Matt ShakmanDirector
- Zetna FuentesDirector
Cinematography
- Maja ZamojdaDirector of Photography
- John BrawleyDirector of Photography
- Anette HaellmigkDirector of Photography
Music
- Nathan BarrOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- HuluStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- YouTube TVStreaming
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