The surprise cancellation of the anachronistic period comedy series is the latest example of a show taken from us too soon
The Great is one of the most enjoyable shows on television. Created by Tony McNamara, who co-wrote The Favourite, it follows Elle Fanning’s Catherine from the naive beginnings of her marriage to Peter III , to her emergence as a key figure in the Enlightenment and rise to Empress of All Russia in her own right. This doesn’t necessarily sound like the stuff of comedy greatness, but war-addled Russia in the 18th century proved to be surprisingly fertile ground for rambunctious dark humour.
When much-loved series are cancelled, and there is a chorus of online outrage, the cold truth is that there is usually a reason for it, even if fans are loth to see the deadwood for the trees. Trying to work out the popularity of a show on a streaming service is an uphill battle and viewing figures are often obscure, but I would hazard a guess that for the most part, shows get cancelled because there simply aren’t enough people watching them.
But this is not true of The Great, which is what makes its cancellation a shock. It had great writing, great acting and was extremely good-looking. Perhaps it was too expensive to make; its costumes and sets certainly appeared to be appropriately lavish. Perhaps not enough people could be won over by the promise that the court of the Empress of All Russia in the 1760s could be a hotbed of sex, murder and fabulous silliness.
At least the end of season three felt like a proper, conclusive ending, and it did not have to fully address a world in which Catherine’s principal sparring partner was no longer part of the show. Fans of McNamara’s work will get to see more of what he can do, soon, in Yorgos Lanthimos’s delayed Poor Things. But for all of the recent TV cancellations, I think television will seem less creative and inventive now that The Great has gone.
This article was amended on 31 August 2023. Catherine the Great was married to Peter III, and not his grandfather Peter the Great as an earlier version said.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Head to head: the two best OLED TVs money can buyLG’s reply to Samsung’s brilliant S95C TV is emphatic. The LG G3 is amazing.
Read more »
Hot, dry winter breaks weather records across AustraliaWe are saying goodbye to those chilly wintery conditions, and hello to spring.
Read more »
Voice referendum is a ‘great opportunity’ for AustraliaEnvironment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek says the Voice referendum is a 'great opportunity' to take a step forward with Indigenous Australians. “To make sure that our Constitution, our founding document, accurately reflects our history,' she told Sky News Australia. “And to make sure that when we set up a Voice to Parliament, that we’re able to make better decisions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, instead of for them.”
Read more »
Through triumph and tragedy, Damien Oliver is racing’s great survivorDamien Oliver has seen death, despair, triumph and joy, been banned and derided, rehabilitated and restored. Yet through the decades, he has remained on top.
Read more »
Through triumph and tragedy, Damien Oliver is racing’s great survivorDamien Oliver has seen death, despair, triumph and joy, been banned and derided, rehabilitated and restored. Yet through the decades, he has remained on top.
Read more »
‘Strap in’: The ‘huge move’ set to rock AFL giants as great exposes ladder fallacy‘Strap in’: The ‘huge move’ set to rock AFL giants as great exposes ladder fallacy
Read more »