It’s time to accept Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) as our benevolent ruler once again.
That’s right: Season 2 of The Great, Hulu’s (very liberal) retelling of the Russian Empress’s life, is coming soon, premiering on Nov. 19. While Season 1 saw Catherine planning a coup behind her husband Emperor Peter’s (Nicholas Hoult) back, Season 2 sees her seize the Russian throne and deal with the fallout. Orchestrating a coup was one thing, but ruling a country as unruly as Russia? That’s a different beast entirely.
As Catherine works to bring Enlightenment-era ideals to Russia, she’ll have to contend with her court, her mother (Gillian Anderson), and her ever-changing relationship with Peter, who, at least for the moment, appears very much alive.
Season 2 of The Great premieres November 19 on Hulu.