David Farnor | On 03, Sep 2023

There’ll be no “huzzah”s in VODzilla.co towers this week, as Hulu has cancelled The Great after three seasons.

The satirical history drama created by Tony McNamara – the writer of The Favourite – retells the story of Catherine the Great, the longest reigning female ruler in Russia’s history. Skirting away from historical fact, it is the fictionalised, fun and anachronistic story of an idealistic, romantic young girl, who arrives in Russia for an arranged marriage to the mercurial Emperor Peter. Hoping for love and sunshine, she finds instead a dangerous, depraved, backward world that she resolves to change.

Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult as Catherine and Peter, the series has become a firm favourite among viewers, helping to usher in a wave of anachronistic historical comedies and dramas in recent years, from Dickinson, Harlots and The Pursuit of Love to Gentleman Jack and Bridgerton.

“The Great has all the visual gravitas of a sumptuous period drama with none of the airs and graces. It’s at once a romp, a rousing feminist thriller and the most fun history lesson you’ve had in your life,” we wrote in our review of the show when it debuted back in 2020.

Now, though, Hulu has decided not to renew the show, several months after its third run dropped on Hulu in the US. The move comes despite seven Emmy nominations over the years, but does arrive at a time when streaming platformers are becoming increasingly cautious when it comes to renewing projects and are weighing up viewership with costs. In the UK, the series has been on Lionsgate+ UK (previously known as STARZPLAY), which has likely held back its potential for mainstream popularity, but has aired on Channel 4 too. Either way, it’s a sad day at court knowing that Catherine and Peter won’t be back on our screens again.

Add to Watchlist