"And just might be, the next best thing, but not quite me" : Netflix's The Empress (2022) review

    Netflix has done it again, but I sincerely need clarification this time. The Empress (2022), was ist das?! Spoilers ahead!

    Never thought I might say this, but I'm sorry, I was wrong. In my last review, I burst out in anger after watching the second season of RTL's Sisi (2021), but I also said that The Empress is far better and to be honest, it is, but at the same time it is disappointing. 

Short summary: The Empress focuses on Elizabeth's first year as an empress and wife to Franz Joseph I of Austria. It all starts pretty well for the young girl, but she quickly realises the hardships of her new life.

    I was a bit hesitant to watch it at first, that's why I waited for so long, but after reading some reviews in which the show was compared to The Crown (which is very questionable as it doesn't have anything to do with The Crown), I decided to give it a shot. Big mistake, big. 

    First of all, I was unfortunate when I saw the modern style it had, I was expecting a much more realistic narrative just like in The Crown, but that wasn't the case at all. Omg, I don't even know how to talk about modernisations, there are too many. You see, I like period dramas that are a bit modern like Anne with an E, Emma. and others, but this one is just so horribly done, I find it hard to talk about it.

    The outfits have nothing to do with history. And they don't fit the characters because, for example, Elizabeth who is supposed to be the one ahead of her time, wears somewhat correct gowns. Still, Archduchess Sophie, who is supposed to be the most old-fashioned, wears some outfits which in the 19th century would have been considered extraterrestrial. No really, look: 

    Yikes, what the heck is that Tetris pattern on Sophie and her necklace, man?! Again, don't get me wrong, I do like modern gowns and outfits, but only when done right. Marie Antoinette (2006) is literally the definition of what I'm talking about as well as Bridgeton and The Great. In these shows, you can clearly see how the outfits kinda resonate with the theme of the plot.

    Then we have the characters. Some are just so exaggerated (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), but some are just so boring and I've barely felt any compassion for them. Maximillian of Mexico is a Netflix-like, extremely exaggerated character that truly deserved better. In this show they...I don't even know how to say it, they change Max's whole personality in order for Sisi to have another love interest?? Look how they massacred my boy. No really, what was Netlix thinking about? 'Let's turn Franz's brother against him and make him fall for Elizabeth'.

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    I liked that Maximilian was included, but honestly, if he was in the show just to be portrayed so differently from reality, then he shouldn't have been present at all. There was no love story between Max and Elizabeth, they simply got along a little better and Max was no rebel like Elizabeth; true, he didn't like the strict protocol, but he understood and also liked the wealthy life of royalty.

    And speaking of drama, there are just so many unnecessary couples and romances which all felt like a desperate attempt to create more drama. You have an unexistent duke or emperor or something that is implied to be Franz's real father?! And who's going to tell them that Sisi's hardships came later in life, not in her first year as an empress, because yes, the show is set in 1854 and only covers one year into Sisi's royal life. 

    Ok now for an actual comparison between The Empress and RTL's Sisi, which one is better? 

• Story and writing: +1 The Empress; I actually thought the writing was ok even though sometimes, I've found the plot to be predictable and a little boring. RTL's version, on the other hand, was terrible when it comes to plot writing and dialogue (already talked about that here and here).

• Timeframe: +1 RTL Sisi; The timeframe choice was undeniably better in the 2021 version because it covers about ten years or so from Sisi and Franz's marriage which gave it more chances to include different events whilst The Empress, just like I've said, covers only one year from their relationship.

• The cast in terms of historical resemblance: +1 RTL Sisi; In The Empress, Philip Froissant was not a bad choice, but Jannik Schüman looks much closer to the actual Franz Joseph. Dominique Devenport has certain looks that make her suited for the role whereas Devrim Lingnau doesn't really have similarities to the actual Sisi. Of course, appearance is not everything and both shows fail to address the age gap between them. Elizabeth was only 16 years old when she married 23-year-old Franz. And we also know that Sisi's struggles in the Viennese court were mainly the result of her tender age so that's what a TV show could address.

• Acting: +1 The Empress; I thought the acting was much better in The Empress, from the whole cast basically. It was much more credible, much more structured and a little more realistic. RTL's version on the other hand was a complete mess although I can't tell whose fault is it. Maybe it's the writing, maybe it's the cast though I still think it's the writing.

• The relationship portrayal: +1 The Empress; I think The Empress rings in that category too as the relationship between Franz and Elizabeth was ok, not very far from the real start of the relationship, but like I said it was ok. Sisi (2021) however had the worst relationship I've ever seen on screen (already talked about it in the second review) because like I've said, I couldn't understand why these people love each other. Additionally, the writers thought it was ok to romanticise such a violent man and Elizabeth and Franz seem to only be attracted by their good looks.

• Nene and Sisterhood: +1 The Empress; The sisterhood between Sisi and Nene has always been a very interesting story. Two sisters are loving each other, but turn out as rivals because of a man and somehow end up living the life meant for the other. One has a life that started like a fairy tale but turned into a nightmare and the other has to endure rejection and depression before meeting love. In The Empress, what they've done with their relationship and Helene's character was ok while in Sisi (2021), they've completely missed the mark, the whole thing is somehow forgotten and left out, and Nene disappears without a trace.

• Sisi's character: +1 The Empress; Should have added this a little earlier, but I think Sisi's portrayal is better in Netflix's version than in RTL's version. In Sisi (2021) she doesn't have much of a personality while in The Empress she does have that childish and rebellious personality she's known for.

• Franz's character: +1 The Empress; I also think The Empress has a better Franz Joseph. Not only that in RTL's series, he is nothing like the real emperor, but he also has anger issues and no development whatsoever. In the newer show, his portrayal is decent and structured and also has character development.

• Historical accuracy: neither gets the point; I think it's pretty obvious when it comes to this one that both versions fail in this category miserably from the prostitute lady-in-waiting to Maximilian of Mexico. What they did to Max is just unforgivable and you have to watch it to believe it, there is no way I can explain this character. And what they did to Andrassy is also unforgivable.

• Costumes: +1 RTL Sisi; In both versions, the costumes are very modern and honestly, they look cheap (we will have a talk about period gowns soon), but I think the point goes to RTL's series because they at least try to look a little historical while in The Empress, the outfits are beyond a joke. I've already discussed how the gowns fail the characters. No really, I felt like I was watching the Gilded Age Met Gala 💀.

    All in all The Empress wins 6-3 (neither got the point at historical accuracy) and while you may see it as a better alternative I still think that it was disappointing that's why my rating is going to be 4 out of 10 overall and 2 out of 10 for the historical accuracy, just like RTL's version.