Netflix fans are already begging for new episodes of a historical drama after racing through season 2.
The German series The Empress is based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (or Sisi) who ruled for 44 years from her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1854 until her assassination in 1898.
The series stars Devrim Lingnau in the title role, while her husband is played by Philip Froissant.
The first season, which was released in September 2022, was Netflix’s second-most watched series worldwide for two weeks and became one of the most popular non-English series of that year.
It begins with a 16-year-old Sisi falling in love with the Emperor, who was initially the intended fiancé of her older sister.
After arriving in Vienna, she is then faced with navigating court politics and her new husband’s meddling family.
The first season, which holds a rating of 88% on review site Rotten Tomatoes, has been called ‘captivating’ by fans.
After a nearly two-year wait, the six-episode second season was recently released, with fans praising the follow-up too.
‘Starting a little slow, it reaches its dramatic pick by the end, leaving us all breathless. Great season,’ Pavel posted on Rotten Tomatoes.
‘It’s as good as season one if not better,’ Daryl wrote.
‘Season 1 of The Empress was absolutely superb and so far season 2 does not disappoint!’ Helen added.
Meanwhile on Reddit another fan shared: ‘I kinda love it. That’s my weekend comfort show and even though it the costumes look a bit too modern; I find it very entertaining.’
Another called it their ‘weekend comfort show’.
However, many who binged the episodes said they wished the season was longer, especially after waiting so long.
‘Really good. But disappointed how short it was. S2 took really long until it was released, and it was just a hand full of episodes that can be watched on a single afternoon,’ one explained.
In an interview with The Times when season 1 was released, creator Katharina Eyssen drew comparisons between Sisi and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
‘Elisabeth was similar, I think, to Lady Diana. Elisabeth did her own thing and that was unconventional,’ she said.
‘She did lots of things, like Diana, that really moved people, like going into asylums, visiting the wounded in hospitals, even influencing the emperor to liberate the Hungarians from the rule of Vienna. That made her very popular.’
The Empress is streaming on Netflix.
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