Sissi

Got to admit that I wasn't expecting anything out of it, and yes this isn't for everyone because it's historical BUT the cinematography and the fact that the actress that plays Sisi were great!

Make sure you read up on Emperor Fran's Josef and Elizabeth to learn their true story, because this series is not it.

That being said, it was a very good TV series, well done and entertaining. If you're a stickler for history it will grate for sure, but hopefully will spur viewers to do some research on these characters and the times, and that would not be a bad thing.

The true story of Sisi is actually far more tragic than this portrayal. She did influence her husband in certain matters, particularly in relation to Hungary but her experience as Empress was nowhere near that depicted in this show. She was beloved by the people but spent little time even living in Vienna, and she herself was assassinated when she was in her 60's.

Also interesting is that the Emperor Franz Josef would later be responsible for setting the wheels in motion that resulted in WWI, after his presumptive heir, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, were assassinated in Sarajevo by a Serbian.

To me, the true story -or history - is almost always better than what these writers and producers feel they need to conjure up for whatever reasons. That's disappointing.

But it's a good TV series, "based on a true story", with good acting, and beautiful direction in a beautiful country. You'll just have to bear with the alterations of fact, something I'm not fond of watching happen but as I said hopeful folks will be intrigued enough to do some research and find out the true story.

I'd recommend watching it but with those caveats.

Season One: 5.5/10

Themes: Costume Drama, History, Royalty, Court, Marriage, Nineteenth Century, War, Feminism & German.

Review: I'm not sure how I feel about this series. The main emotion I felt while watching this was frustration or indignation. I think the series harmed itself by naming it Sisi: everything about this plot and the characters were different from what I was hoping or expecting them to be. The love story was also not a love story at all: Franz and Sisi were absolutely horrible together and I still do not know if either of them even knew the other. Franz treated Sisi like dirt and Sisi let him walk all over her. Gone was the strong and beloved woman we associate with Sisi, and instead we had this pathetic girl, desperate to get the attention of a man unworthy of her love. I did think Sisi grew into herself more in the later episodes, especially with how she got involved with the politics, but I still wasn't a fan. Overall, I did enjoy watching the series quite a bit, but it simply wasn't all that great. It could be fun from time to time, but it was ultimately very flawed.

Least favourite character: Franz Jozef.

I saw this series not having expectations about it. With curiosity of a high school history teacher, hunting not the inaccuracy but interested by the manner of director to propose the portrait of Elisabeth of Wittelsbach.

Dissapointment is missing.

For many reasons, it is a correct historical series and Dominique Devenport is an inspired option for main character. It is just unfair to compare it with other adaptations. It is only a fair, surprising well nuanced series , not docu-drama, not documentary, seductive for costumes and locations but not reduced at them.

The cinematography has a great good point and the manner to tell the story is far to be bad. The target is large and one of precious virtues of Sisi remains the historical sketches, good kick to history books.. Jannick Schumann? Yes, he can be a problem. He has the sin, especially the sin, to not be the expeted Franz Joseph. But his work is interesting and the hopes about the second season are not so reduced.

So, just a correct series, nice for atmosphere and for the honest , fair effort to resurrect the air and flavors of a period.

I saw this already the third time. It is Not a Romy Schneider remake. It is a completly new fiction series. Yes it is fiction, But Shows more complex charakters- more like the real Sisi was. You can feel how many passion was put into this.

I definetly Love it. As a kid I loved the Romy Schneider films. You have to be open minded to really enjoy this Show- But then I promise you will:)