The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Price
The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 3, “The Price,” is propulsive, kickstarting the narrative in an exciting direction while bolstered by well-crafted performances. It’s undoubtedly the show’s best outing yet, brimming with surprises aplenty, both visceral and jaw-dropping.
“The Price” presents multiple turning points for Catherine and her rise to power. She strikes a precarious alliance with Diane after Henri brings a mistress and daughter home after a year away at war. It’s a fun new dynamic The Serpent Queen deftly explores, and one actresses Liv Hill and Ludivine Sagnier execute with aplomb.
CATHERINE DE MEDICI: Be careful not to let it cloud your judgment. One is never safe when one is in love.
It would’ve been easy to keep the enmity between Catherine and Diane brewing, experimenting with its various degrees and states. However, even an occasional tag-teaming thrown into the mix sustains audience interest and keeps us on our toes. How long these two will stay on good terms remains to be seen, and the unpredictability of their volatile rivalry maintains the element of surprise.
Performance-wise, everyone fires on all cylinders, notably Hill, Sagnier, Samantha Morton (as usual), and Louis Landau, who takes his final bow as Dauphin Francois. According to IMDb, this is the young actor’s first role, and he nails it. Landau imbues Francois with unexpected vulnerability and tenderness as we see him foster his relationship with Mathilde.
Sure, his insecurities and fragile masculinity rear their heads when Charles de Bourbon plants the idea of his brother Henri eclipsing him as the more popular figurehead among the masses. He’s self-destructive and miserable, but at least he’s acutely aware of his misery and his penchant for being a dick.
DIANE DE POITIERS: Don’t wish for anything too hard. Holds you back, I find.
Again, The Serpent Queen could’ve taken the simple route by only showing us one side of the dauphin, but that wouldn’t be as fun, would it? It makes Francois’s death worth grieving despite its predictability.
Catherine throwing Sebastio under the bus is shocking considering their relationship, proving this show refuses to pull punches. While Catherine was irritated with Sebastio for his rude remarks about her behind closed doors, said remarks didn’t warrant a death sentence. Hill is a force of nature, immersing us in Catherine’s world and allowing us to experience the young princess’s pain vicariously.
“The Price” carefully lays the foundation for the imposing, formidable player Catherine will become at court. We’ve already seen glimmers of her sharp intellect and keen brilliance. However, this episode perpetually alters her relationships with her allies as they see themselves as potentially expendable — especially with Catherine and Henri’s royal promotion.
DIANE DE POITIERS: Don’t you know what freedom is? Power. Being able to choose the life you want. Nothing else has any worth.
While it’s enjoyable to watch a more seasoned Catherine de Medici dole out wisdom to Rahima in the show’s present, and Morton seamlessly maintains the character’s effortless iron grip on everyone around her, it’s nice to see a narrative change. Adding Mary Queen of Scots to the equation is what the doctor ordered, as we see that Catherine will have to claw her way, tooth and nail, toward the top.
Overall, “The Price” is a meditation on the lengths one will go to obtain their desires and how everything bears a (sometimes fatal) cost. It plays with the show’s devilish character dynamics, sustains the whimsical fourth-wall breaks, and is wickedly entertaining. Long may The Serpent Queen reign.
Stray Observations:
- Diane has a “break the fourth wall” moment, and it’s delightful. Perhaps we’ll see an episode from her perspective where she mingles among the court.
- That Sebastio death scene has to be one of the most uncomfortable ever. This reviewer was squirming and ready to cover her eyes. It sends chills down the spine and makes the body hurt simply thinking about it—what an awful way to go.
- Charles de Bourbon needs to get his comeuppance, and he needed it yesterday.
- We finally meet Mary Queen of Scots! Watching her go toe-to-toe with Catherine will make for delicious fun.
- Is Ruggieri a magician of sorts? Did he cause the downfall of Sebastio and get Catherine pregnant in one fell swoop? Time will tell.
- Catherine taking Rahima under her wing at court is perfect. We love a dynamic, period-piece power duo.
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.