When it comes to some of the most popular shows on Netflix, what are some of the first ones you think of? For me, it’s Squid Game, an international show that took over the platform back in 2021 and ended up becoming the biggest show on Netflix. Or, I think of Elite, a teen drama that continues to have fans and big turnouts with each season.
International shows on Netflix have frequently been successful for the platform, and now, we’ve gotten another one that has appeared in the Netflix Top 10 for the last couple of days, and that’s The Empress. While many people have still been tuning into Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story for some time, The Empress has held on to the second spot for several days now.
If you’re looking for a reason to check out this new Netflix series after its rise in popularity, here is what you should know before checking it out.
The Empress Has Six Episodes That Run About 50 To 60 Minutes Each
If you were wondering if you were going to be signing on for a show that has a million episodes, you would be wrong. The Empress actually only has six episodes, telling a concise story. The episodes are also about an hour long, with the shortest being fifty minutes, which is about the standard for plenty of other big Netflix binging shows like Bridgerton or The Witcher.
The Empress Is Originally From Germany
If you were wondering why I was bringing up international shows before, that’s because The Empress is a show that is originally from Germany, so when you watch, expect to view it with subtitles.
This isn’t the first time that a German show has gotten super popular on Netflix in the U.S.. For example, another popular one, Dark, also hailed from the European country and featured a killer (and sometimes perplexing) sci-fi storyline.
It’s A Royal Family Drama With Romance
If you’re a fan of other royal shows like The Crown or even The Great on Hulu, The Empress is the show for you, for sure. The show is actually all about royals in Germany, but features a love story that complicates things even further.
In the series, starring Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant, we see the story of Elisabeth, who is a Bavarian duchess. She ends up falling for the Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph – who, unfortunately, was already intended to be the fiance to Elisabeth’s sister. However, their love overcomes that and they decide to marry, throwing a whole wrench into the plans of their family members, and stepping into a world of politics that Elisabeth is not ready for.
It’s a thrilling experience and one that is truly for fans who enjoy stories about royalty, as they do not hold back from everything there is to enjoy about it. However, I also quite enjoy the romance that is shared between the two lead actors, so I’ll take family royal drama with a side of romance any day.
The Series Is Also Based On Real Events
Like other royal shows out there, The Empress is based on a real story. Obviously it’s not intended to be completely accurate, but the characters of Elisabeth, Franz, and several others are based on their real-life counterparts and their time in court during the 1800s.
With any show that is based on a true story, there are creative liberties taken that are usually just for drama, but all in all, the tale of these two is still entertaining to watch.
The Empress Is Rated TV-MA
Yeah, this show is not for kids. While there are plenty of shows on Netflix that would be perfect for children to watch with the family, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender or even A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Empress is not one of them, as it's rated TV-MA due to the usage of sex, nudity and smoking.
With all of these points in mind, your binge of The Empress will surely be fulfilling and royally fun. Everyone needs a good royal family drama now and again. If you want to check out the trailer, be sure to head out to it on YouTube.
