Dickhead
In Episode 2 of The Great, Archie comes out of hiding following Peter’s abdication. The empress assures the Patriarch that he will die at Orlo’s hand, but Archie isn’t so easily scared. He leverages Russia’s respect for the church against her. Added to that, she has no better replacement than himself for the role of Patriarch.
Catherine reluctantly accepts his petition to serve her. However, she threatens that he will die once she finds a replacement.
Prince Peter is enjoying his time in the palace while under house arrest. Elizabeth visits him to try and get him to make Catherine fall in love with him in order to increase their chances of having a child that will keep their line alive. If Catherine has a miscarriage, they will be worthless to the court and Prince Peter would be better off giving her more children. Royal ties would then protect their status. ..
Orlo has been trying to find a way to get Catherine to stop coronating. He’s not happy with the changes that have come about, and he doesn’t want Catherine to be seen as weak.
Peter struggles with his new status as a “dickhead.”
Catherine, Orlo, and Velementov celebrated their victory and enacted their first daily agenda. They were all aware that Catherine must act quickly to show she was a great leader. Her life was only safe until the baby was born. After that, someone might just decide to kill her and raise the child to be emperor. ..
Catherine’s new school for girls has only one attendant. She tries to sway mothers to send their daughters. They give lip service to her wonderful ideas, but admit that they don’t want their daughters to grow up to be like her.
Peter’s guards struggle to keep him in his quarters. The former emperor determines to attend the coronation. He wants it to look as if he willingly gives the crown to Catherine. Catherine of course protests, wanting everyone to know she took the throne by force. ..
Catherine butts heads with several of her friends and advisors throughout the episode. She upsets Orlo by keeping Archie on, Velementov by refusing to go to war, and Marial by disregarding her advice on what to wear for the coronation.
According to Archie, there are no Muslims left in Russia, and Catherine ponders this, but doesn’t say anything on the subject. ..
Various subjects come to court to see Catherine. Count Tarzinsky is extremely disrespectful. There is Father Basil, however, who reveals himself to be Leo’s cousin. He gives the empress letters that Leo sent him, and he applauds her kind heart. ..
Peter does not attend the coronation, but Catherine does not allow him to give his speech. Once she is crowned “Catherine the Great,” she surprises everyone with her very first decree.
She announces that Russia will no longer be a “one-church country.” People can worship however they want, or not at all. Everyone but Archie and Peter responds with a “huzzah.”
Archie is in trouble. Catherine, the new head of the household, is clearly determined to replace Father Basil as the family’s spiritual leader. Archie seems powerless to stop her. ..
After the coronation, Peter feels down. He no longer enjoys his hobbies, and he sees Count Tarzinsky walking alone at night.
He feels an overwhelming impulse to push past his guards and stride outside, and murder his offender.
After the coronation, several young girls follow Catherine around. They were enchanted by her traditional Russian garb and her coronation.
The empress encourages her subjects to be themselves and not what their parents want them to be. She leads them to her new school, excited for what the future holds.
The Episode Review
This episode does an excellent job of building up a lot of potential conflict, resolving it only temporarily, and leaving threads of discord to be explored as the story progresses.
In her latest film, “The Lobster,” Elle Fanning shines as a woman who is determined to make Russia the greatest country in the world. Even in her stubborn moments, she convinces that she’ll do exactly that. Her portrayal of a woman who wants just two things - for everyone to like her and for Russia to be the best country in the world - is compelling and well-done.
Catherine has won the day, but she’s clearly overwhelmed with her new responsibilities at court and all the people she has to please. Tension is building. I feel as though we’re not in the “meat” of the story yet, but the stage is set.
Catherine’s rule has been met with criticism from many, with alliances crumbling and Peter continuing to accept his house arrest. Will anyone contest her rule? Will the economy improve?
