ROYALS WITH CHEESE

The Great

In an early episode of this satire about idealistic young Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning, fantastic) plotting to overthrow her obliviously piggish husband, Emperor Peter of Russia (Nicholas Hoult, hilarious), His Royal Highness says, “You probably don’t remember this, but a week or two ago, I shot your bear and punched you.” Like our heroine, you will naturally remember — and be shocked as much at your amusement as at the acts themselves. Created by The Favourite co-writer Tony McNamara, the horrors of the show are vivid, but so are the dark laughs. (Catherine’s handmaiden brags she avoided rape that evening. Catherine: “Same. If anyone ever invents something easier than buttons, we are all in trouble.”) At times, The Great feels like a collection of comedy sketches spread out over a 10-hour story, but many of those sketches live up to the show’s title. Huzzah!