The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 2 Review: To War Rather Than To Bed
The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 2, “To War Rather Than To Bed,” sows the seeds of political discord while a tantalizing yet subtle battle breaks out at court.
If there’s one combination proven to create unadulterated magic time and again, it’s a period piece female protagonist in a battle of wills with a female antagonist. The result is always juicy, scintillating drama that makes for great entertainment.
Young Catherine finds her first foe at French court, waging war against Diane de Poitiers in a thrilling figurative tennis match. Once again, Liv Hill steals the show, imbuing young Catherine with a serrated-edge wit and an impressive intellect. Despite her “green” nature, the cunning Catherine maneuvers her new surroundings with the ease of a royal pro.
“To War Rather Than To Bed” boasts other players who float to the fore, including the deliciously wicked Ludivine Sagnier as Diane, who keeps Catherine’s enemy cousin in a grounded place even amid the heightened dramatics. Diane charms her way into getting what she wants, and watching her back and forth with Catherine is fun.
While the politics of the time smack of misogyny and sexism, The Serpent Queen maintains a surprisingly pro-women stance as the ladies of the series rule the roost. Catherine and Diane’s biting intelligence keeps the unsuspecting and impressionable Henri in his place. At the same time, Mathilde takes what she wants from the Dauphin, and Rahima overpowers her relentlessly racist bully in the show’s present setting.
SEBASTIO: They look exactly like the girls who came before them and exactly like the girls who will come after them. They’re forgettable. You are one of a kind.
Whereas period dramas like Game of Thrones frequently resort to submitting their female characters to sexual violence and unspeakable trauma, this show doesn’t seem interested in doing that (yet). It’s utterly refreshing.
That’s not to say the stakes aren’t sky high for the women, especially in “To War Rather Than To Bed.” Catherine finds her role in a precarious position when her uncle, the pope, is murdered, leaving her dowry unpaid. In addition, Henri spends all his time frolicking with Diane and goes down on her during Bible time, meaning Catherine’s still not pregnant.
This series takes the time to show us what genuinely shapes Catherine De Medici into the formidable, brilliant queen she becomes, and “To War Rather Than To Bed” is no exception. We see how specific interactions with others impact Catherine’s ability to manipulate and charm her way to success.
YOUNG CATHERINE: One must learn to exploit an opponent’s weaknesses.
It makes for a fascinating character study. While we don’t see much of Samantha Morton, what little screen time she has is just as impactful as Liv Hill’s star-making role. Morton’s commanding presence cannot, and should not, be ignored.
In addition to all the succulent, savory royal drama, “To War Rather Than To Bed” blesses us with ethereal costumes, gorgeous makeup, and jaw-dropping hairdos. There’s nothing like marveling at the beauty of a character’s outfit and living vicariously through them without having to wear said outfit. Costume designer Karen Muller Serreau deserves all the praise for her stunning work.
CATHERINE DE MEDICI: When you find life conspiring against you, you must find a way to change it to your favor, no matter what the cost.
Overall, this week’s episode of The Serpent Queen is as immersive as the pilot, drawing us into the theatrical world of Catherine De Medici as she climbs the hierarchical ladder. “To War Rather Than To Bed” balances character development and plot nicely, propelling the narrative forward and letting the story breathe when necessary.
It’s undoubtedly darker than last week’s premiere, retaining some of that Marie Antoinette whimsy and fourth-wall-breaking magic while injecting a more somber tone into the plot. However, the show finds harmony between levity and darkness, where the sweet spot is.
Stray Observations:
- Even 1500s royalty have better access to abortion care. Is there a Planned Parenthood onsite at the French palace? First, House of the Dragon gives Rhaenyra Plan B in tea form; now, The Serpent Queen helps Aabis out of a jam with natural medicine.
- Loved hearing PJ Harvey in the end credits. Here’s hoping the show finds other badass ’90s female alt artists to feature in future episodes. Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” is always a great option.
- Does Samantha Morton have it in her contract that she can only appear in period pieces with modern soundtracks, i.e., Harlots and The Serpent Queen? Admittedly, it’s an understandable and perfectly acceptable stipulation to have.
- Age difference aside, this reviewer wants Catherine to have fun on the side with Sebastio. He’s intelligent, kind, handsome, and seems to respect women. His comment about Catherine being one of a kind is 50 shades of swoon-worthy.
- The Dauphin Francois is morphing into this show’s version of Joffrey Baratheon. He’s so easy to despise! Props to the actor Louis Landau, who’s knocking it out of the park (The Serpent Queen also marks Landau’s first credit, according to IMDb.).
- Charles Dance really said, “Okay, I’ll do this one episode, and then I’m out.”
What did you think of this episode of The Serpent Queen? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Serpent Queen streams new episodes every Sunday on Starz.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.