The Empress

I am just a gay man with no talent,just opinions. Netflick does its loyal customers a diservice. They get you hooked on a series then do 6 episodes! If they decide to Do more we wait a year or more for more! In this era of tech,audience sampling Do they really really REALLY need to wait to see how many watchers they get in a month before they decide to renew? This was a great show. I just wanted more! It is tough to wait so long for shows we love. Didn't we have to wait long enough during COVID for shows and movies? The Crown and other Netflick shows have proved 10 episodes should be the minimumum.

I never knew this was based on real history so I watched blind not aware of any inaccuracies which I am sure this show has.

I clicked on it because the tag said romantic and 'kilig', I didn't really find this romantic but I ended up liking it anyway. There was some love thrown about, which is what started Sisi's journey to high court, but they didn't really give focus on that. Just a couple of scenes at the first half. Romantic would be something like Pride and Prejudice or Bridgerton. This was more like Downton Abbey or The Crown, where in the drama is the focus.

Given how I went in blind.. I could feel the tension, I was talking to my screen calling them names since I didn't know what was going to happen so that's a plus on my end. It's a slow burn but at the same time as the plot progresses it also felt fast. There's a certain quiet thrill to it. Not high ecstasy action but just "oh no what's going to happen suspense". And it kept my eyes glued.

The costumes were great, idk if accurate to the time period though. They had plenty of color and the scenery was very royal so that's always a plus for me. The ost was fitting, quite regal in feel. Some of the shots they did I thought felt had good direction in showing the emotions like during more tender scenes or when Sisi was having her moments of feeling strained.

I thought the cast were great. Sisi especially had these transformations to her as she lives the life of being empress. Archduke Maxi as well really conveyed someone who knew his role yet wanted more from it.

I just really wish they had more of the love of Franz and Sisi shown because from what I got it was more like a shallow lusting like an initial high not something deep, emotional, and long lasting to warrant holding on to. Then again this is based on real history so perhaps that was all there was of it?

The first thing that I noticed was that "Sissi" who was supposed to be 15 years old, looked more like 25 years old. The exaggerated hairstyles of some of the female characters were entirely out of place. Why couldn't they just stick to what was correct for the period? And that troupe dance sequence?? Sorry, but that choreography just didn't fit either. The same went for some of the female costumes. Why did they have some of the female actors with a fifties cowl-like top to their gowns?

And did someone say at one point, "whatever floats your boat". Really, trying to paste 21st century slang into the 19th Century ! What are the script writers thinking? Or was it something that got badly distorted in translation? Anyway, it was jarring. That said, much of the camera work was inventive.

Like "The Crown" the film has little relationship to the facts and thus gives a distorted view of the period and the real Empress Elizabeth's story. The facts are just as interesting, and in my view, quite sustainable for television drama. When will someone eventually make a movie of the "true story"?

In any future series, I hope the writers, costumers and hair-stylists move closer to historical accuracy rather than continuing to pursue the quirky distortions of the first series.

The first thing the actress playing Elisabeth does NOT look 16. She's pretty but not drop dead gorgeous like Roma Schneider was in Sissi and she really was 16. The Emperor Waltz indeed was written for Emperor Franz Joseph...in 1889. NOT for his wedding to Elisabeth of Bavaria which was in 1854. And what's with the blonde pageboy hairdo sported by the spurned older sister Helene. And the weird modern dance routine. Wasn't the REAL story of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth interesting enough without these embellishments. And yet all the night scenes lit by torches and candlelight are period authentic and very hard to watch. I will probably continue watching because it's not bad just not great.

...while based on a true story it is far from historically accurate. But don't let that get in the way of enjoying a superb drama and beautifully created production. The acting is first class, and the palace intrigue among all the characters ever vying for power and influence maintains all the suspense.

My hope is that productions like these inspire people to do a little research of their own on these characters, and the history of the times. While this drama takes much license with historical fact, the essence of the Emperor and Empress's plight is not far from reality. Far removed from their subjects by tradition and duty, it took great courage to push the boundaries that even to think of doing so people of those times feared would bring their world crashing down were anyone to even contemplate such. The life of a royal was grand and luxurious but steeped in a mystical and suffocating reality. It took ages, centuries, and wars and revolutions to bring change.

It is a powerful and wonderfully executed drama, one well worth your time...and contemplation.