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The Real History Behind Netflix's 'The Empress'

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The Big Picture

• The Empress on Netflix offers a fresh take on the love story between Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Emperor Franz Joseph.
• The show mixes historical background with fiction to provide a compelling love story that captivates audiences.
• While not entirely historically accurate, The Empress provides a nuanced portrayal of Elisabeth's struggles at the Viennese Court.

The 6-part Netflix series The Empress tells the poetic story of the early life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Prior to its release, the most well-known film adaptation of Elisabeth's life had been the 1950s Sissi trilogy, with charming Romy Schneider as the leading actress. Seven decades later, The Empress offers a fresh take on the great love story between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph – equally strong and dramatic from its very beginning.

The Empress ’ is focused on the fateful meeting between the young Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth ( Devrim Lingnau ) and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I ( Philip Froissant ). As is often the case with period dramas , The Empress mixes historical background with fiction, not trying to provide ultimate historical accuracy , but rather giving a compelling love story that captivates the hearts and minds of the audience. But who was the real Elisabeth, and what struggles did she have to endure at the Viennese Court to become the legendary Empress of Austria, admired worldwide even a century and a half later?

The Empress

When rebellious Elisabeth falls for Emperor Franz and becomes his unlikely bride, she enters a world of tensions and intrigue at the Viennese court.

What Is Reality vs. Fiction With Empress Sisi?

The third child and second daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and his wife Ludovika, Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie – also known as Sissi (alternative spelling Sisi) – was, indeed, a charming and freedom-loving girl who lived secluded with her family in Possenhofen Castle and dreamed of happiness and true love. Meanwhile, at the Viennese Court, Franz Joseph's authoritarian mother – Archduchess Sophie ( Melika Foroutan ) – considered a prominent alliance for her son. The hastiness to find a wife for the 22-year-old monarch was partially sparked by the recent attempt at his assassination (on 18 February 1853), which would leave Austria without a direct male heir.

Notably, the royal Bavarian House of Wittelsbach was not Sophie’s first choice, however. The young emperor Franz Joseph was quite picky: he liked neither Princess Anna of Prussia nor Princess Sidonie of Saxony. That led his mother to reach out to her sister – Duchess Ludovika of Bavaria – and arrange an engagement between Franz Joseph and Ludovika’s eldest daughter – Helene ( Elisa Schlott ). On August 15, 1853, burning with impatience to see the promised beautiful bride, Franz Joseph rushed to the small Austrian town of Bad Ischl, where Duchess Ludovika was supposed to arrive with her daughter to celebrate Franz Joseph’s birthday. Little did the young emperor know that on that trip, his aunt would also take her youngest daughter – 15-year-old Elisabeth – who would steal Franz Joseph’s heart in the blink of an eye .

How Much of 'The Empress' Is True to Real Historical Events?

The answer is — to a certain degree. The celebration in Bad Ischl was not, in fact, the first time Franz Joseph met his cousins. Technically, the first meeting between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph happened in June 1848 when Duchess Ludovika with children visited her sister, Archduchess Sophie, in Innsbruck. Back then, Elisabeth was too young to spark the interest of the future emperor, who was too busy dealing with revolutionary events that threatened to collapse the monarchy. The romanticized version of their encounter depicted in The Empress – in the woods – is one of many myths circling Elisabeth and her life . Even the bold "two cotillions in a row" move Franz Joseph allowed himself at the ball, inviting Elisabeth one dance after another (which was a telltale sign of an upcoming engagement), was discussed between Franz and his mother prior to the ball.

The engagement proposal itself was made in a much more formal way – through Archduchess Sophie, who approached her sister and arranged the agreement between the families to marry Elisabeth and Franz Joseph. In the series, Helene feels distraught when she finds out that her sister will be the one to get married instead of herself, even cutting her hair and straining her relationship with her younger sibling. Although the two eventually reconcile ahead of the royal wedding, Elisabeth decides to marry her sister off to a man in Bohemia instead of keeping her at court with her. This decision was due to the fact that she was afraid that Helene and Franz would eventually develop feelings for each other .

Soon after the wedding, Elisabeth found out that the fairy tale was merely an illusion. From the first days of enthronement, the young and free-spirited empress felt suffocated by the strict etiquette and court orders, while her arbitrarily controlling mother-in-law immediately started to make a “real” empress out of her niece. However, Elisabeth's confrontations with Archduchess Sophie and her husband's brother Maximilian ( Johannes Nussbaum ), allegedly eager to seize the throne (as seen on several occasions onscreen), were not as one-sided as they are often portrayed in the empress’ biographies . In fact, Elisabeth often broke court rules after she ascended to power, resorting to smoking, riding horses, and even doing gymnastics. Most of these habits aren't shown (except for horseback riding) in the Netflix series, which focuses on the royal's rebelliousness in other ways. The protagonist in the period drama is fond of the common people and sympathizes with their urge for freedom since she sees her title and duties as a roadblock in her quest for liberty . A key moment in the show that demonstrates her eagerness to help the poor is in Episode 5, when she visits a factory where staff are working in terrible conditions and realizes how her extravagant lifestyle is far from the reality of the population that she rules over.

As previously mentioned, although the Sissi trilogy and The Empress portray the lead couple as in love as can be - at least to an extent, in reality their relationship took a turn after their wedding . After all, the young monarch wasn't allowed to meet with her husband whenever she wished and her ultimate role was producing an heir to the throne, not getting involved in political affairs. These implications took a toll on Elisabeth and Franz's marriage, especially because the latter wasn't that understanding when it came to his wife's struggle to follow orders and keep up with tradition. The emperor was indeed enamored, but his love wasn't as mutual as adaptations of their story allude to.

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The Tragedy of 'The Empress' Has Just Begun

The Empress' first season has a dramatic ending that leaves the audience on a cliffhanger. When Elisabeth is determined to head home to Bavaria after a tense conversation with her husband and mother-in-law, she finds out that she is pregnant. Before choosing to leave the palace grounds, the Archduchess gave the main character the option to either stay married to her son and conform to the rules, or have the couple's marriage annulled so that she could return to her home and live according to her own wishes. Given the pressure that Elisabeth was under to have a male heir, the pregnancy news could change everything between the empress and the emperor once the latter finds out in the show's next season.

With a Season 2 apparently still in the works at Netflix , there is a lot more of Sissi's life to explore. The relationship between Elisabeth and her mother-in-law Sophie progressively spiraled down, as the latter was convinced that the young and free-spirited empress could not provide an adequate upbringing for the royal children. In multiple biographies and fiction describing Elisabeth's life, Sophie is often portrayed as a controlling and power-hungry tyrant, ruthlessly submitting her daughter-in-law to her own will . The reality is more nuanced. Sophie was, indeed, an ambitious woman who placed royal duties above anything else . Elisabeth, on the contrary, was increasingly neglecting her official royal duties and indulging herself in an isolated and whimsical lifestyle. Partly because of her battle with depression (which wasn't acknowledged back in the day), and partly because it wasn't common for an empress to have an active role in the upbringing of her children.

From the 1860s on, the Empress spent her time traveling, rarely seeing her husband and hardly ever seeing her children. This behavior was widely condemned among the Austrian nobility , even though Franz Joseph did not try to restrict his wife’s wanderings. In 1857, during one of the trips to Hungary, her eldest daughter – two-year-old Sophie – died of an infection. The death of her first child shocked Sissi so much that she completely handed over the upbringing of her older children (Gisela and Rudolf) to her mother-in-law. Contrary to popular belief, Prince Rudolf's relationship with his mother was not particularly warm. However, when the 30-year-old prince killed himself in 1889, Elisabeth was shaken to her core and from that day on wore only colors of mourning .

Another prominent character in The Empress – Franz Joseph’s younger brother, the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Habsburg – was, indeed, an active figure at the Austrian court. Even though there is no direct evidence of Maximilian's intentions to overthrow Franz Joseph, the fact that Maximilian was under the influence of the most progressive liberal ideas was a dormant threat to his older brother. The tension was slowly rising between the two brothers, so the Emperor preferred to send Maximilian away, appointing him as a viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia (modern Italy). In the early 1860s, Maximilian was crowned the Emperor of Mexico as a result of supporting French intervention in the country . Soon enough, Maximilian faced opposition from the Mexican Republicans, led by Benito Juárez. After the French Expeditionary Force was withdrawn from Mexico, the Emperor’s fate was sealed – he was captured and subsequently executed, despite the pleas of all European monarchs, US President Andrew Johnson, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and Victor Hugo .

Sissi's Legacy Lives On, Beyond What Is Shown in 'The Empress'

Elisabeth met her own tragic death in 1898, in Geneva, where she was assassinated by Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni , who stabbed her in the heart while she was boarding a ship. Despite not feeling the stab at first, the empress fell to the ground and was later reported dead of internal bleeding. During her life, the royal never took her personal safety seriously and refused to be guarded during her multiple trips, which eventually led to her untimely demise. After the death of his beloved wife, Emperor Franz Joseph allegedly went silent for several months. A portrait of Elisabeth hung in his study until the end of his life as a true sign of the eternal love these two were bound by from that fateful meeting in Bad Ischl. Their love story altered the history of Europe, starting a cascade of events that eventually led to the beginning of the Great War .

Empress Elisabeth might've been a controversial figure, but there is more to her than the tragedy she endured . An accomplished equestrian and a supporter of Austria's autonomy at a time when Austria-Hungary morphed together, the ruler became a notable and beautiful historical figure. Her story has inspired several books, films, and TV projects (including the Netflix installment), which only goes to show that her legacy remains untarnished . After all, she is still regarded by many as an outstanding woman who, even 150 years later, excites, puzzles, and fascinates the imagination of generations.

All six episodes of The Empress are available to stream on Netflix.

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Home » Review » The Empress review: An intense and visually splendid period drama »

The Empress review: An intense and visually splendid period drama

Netflix’s six-part limited series revolves around the early life of Empress Elisabeth, who was the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary from 1854 to 1898

• Arya Harikumar

Last Updated: 01.28 PM, Oct 11, 2022

Story: Duchess Helene (Elisa Schlott), the daughter of a Bavarian Duke, is set to marry her cousin and Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant). However, Franz finds Helene too virtuous and predictable and, instead, falls in love with her sixteen-year-old free-spirited and rebellious sister Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau) who is fondly called Sisi. Franz weds Elisabeth but the latter is unprepared for the demanding role of an Empress and finds herself constantly challenging the rigid rules of the 19th-century Viennese Court. Meanwhile, Franz finds his leadership threatened by his own brother Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum) who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal of becoming the next ruler. To make matters worse, a group of rebels plan to launch a revolt against the empire.

Review: There is no denying that the period drama genre is already saturated with a host of movies and TV shows. While period films have failed to impress the critics and audiences in recent years, TV shows such as Bridgerton , Downton Abbey , and The Crown continue to draw viewers across the globe, thanks to opulent set pieces, elaborate costumes, and gripping storylines that transport one to a different time and place. Joining the league is Netflix’s latest German series The Empress (Die Kaiserin) which revolves around Empress Elisabeth, who was the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary between 1854 and 1898. Those who are familiar with her life would agree that her story has all the ingredients that make it nothing short of a compelling film screenplay. And The Empress brings to life her fascinating and eventful story by incorporating everything that one could ask for in a period drama — spellbinding visuals, stellar performances, well-rounded character arcs, and an evocative score.

The first episode starts off at a slow pace as it spends considerable time introducing the characters in the series. Elisabeth aka Sisi (she is not very fond of this name) is the black sheep of the family. Unlike other girls of her age at the time, she spends her days riding her horse or writing poetry, and has no interest in marrying anyone but her ‘true soulmate’. Becoming an empress was never on her bucket list but when she does become one, she finds herself torn between her own individuality and the expectations to conform to royal rules and etiquettes. Her frustration and despair are effectively captured by Devrim Lingnau who gets into the skin of the character with ease. Lingnau puts her all into the character and one would find themselves empathising with her.

Franz, although smitten by Elisabeth, has his own set of problems. He finds himself in the midst of an impending foreign invasion and a revolution back home. Moreover, his overbearing mother and scheming brother make him doubt his worthiness to rule. And although his attitude towards Elisabeth changes as the series progresses, we understand where he is coming from. Froissant puts up a remarkably restrained performance as Franz.

This is one such series where the supporting cast delivers an equally impressive performance as the lead, if not better. Melika Foroutan as Franz's mother Sophie evokes both dislike and sympathy. She is mostly harsh towards Elisabeth but on more than one occasion, we see her in her most vulnerable state, especially when she talks about her dead daughter. Similarly, Johannes Nussbaum delivers a stand-out performance as Archduke Maximilian, who tries to get out of the shadows of his mother and brother and make a name for himself, even if it means betraying his own family.

One of the highlights of the series is the palpable and steamy chemistry between Lingnau and Philip Froissant. But The Empress is not merely a love story. By the third episode, the series kicks into gear as multiple subplots are introduced into the narrative. These subplots are incorporated in such a way that they take the multi-faceted storyline forward instead of bogging it down.

It’s very evident that considerable money and effort have been spent on production design and costumes. The sets and the costumes take us to a different era and the cinematography perfectly captures the claustrophobia that Elisabeth feels while being stuck inside the vast corridors of the palace. The dramatic background score elevates the series to a higher pedestal. The only drawback in the series is its cliffhanger ending. The ending leaves a lot to the imagination and doesn’t seem like an end of a limited series. After watching the series, one is bound to ask if there would be a second season.

Verdict: The Empress is a compelling period drama about an Empress who was way ahead of her time, and we hope there is a second season because Elisabeth’s story deserves to be told. Although the ending leaves a lot to be desired, it is a must-watch series, especially if you are a fan of period dramas.

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'The Empress' Review: Netflix's 'The Crown' for the Austro-Hungarian Empire Deserves More than Just the Fairy Tale

By Alberto Cox Délano | TV | October 12, 2022 |

The cultural hegemony of the Anglo world is such that it even permeates other hegemonic white peoples, case in point, British Monarchies. I wouldn’t go so far as saying that they, ever since Victoria, have become a dull bunch. They have paid their dues to the Gods of Gossip and that’s without having actual political power. But compared to their cousins in Continental Europe , they are nothing but a bunch of petty, misshapen bores. Unfortunately, Anglo cultural hegemony means that their stories dominate film and TV, while we miss out on Royal houses that actually shaped the last two centuries of World History. Mostly for worse, but this is precisely what makes them fascinating characters and stories altogether. Try to find a proper English-language documentary about the Mayerling Affair; now contrast it with the amount of material available on any random cousin of Queen Elizabeth.

As for Empress Sisi of Austria, she might be by far the most widely known royal from Continental Europe … east of France. Star of novels, animated series, and most famously, the movie trilogy starring Romy Schneider. However, these popular depictions have always been told as oversized romantic fantasies, and why wouldn’t they? Sisi was renowned first for her beauty (hard thing to accomplish with all the inbreeding upon inbreeding going on), married in a love-match to a dashing young emperor, heading an Empire that ruled over all of the most picturesque peoples in Europe, inhabiting Baroque and Rococo palaces, much prettier than Buckingham and more elegant than Versailles. But she was also moody, independently-minded, the champion of the Hungarian part of the empire, a lover of poetry and had to face a… complicated mother-in-law. That’s just soap opera catnip.

At the same time, there was a niche for a new retelling of her life and times, one that was more accurate, traded the soap opera fantasy for good melodrama at the very least. One that could explain how she, by pure tragedy and happenstance, was intimately connected with everything that went wrong in European history in the early 20th Century.

I am afraid to tell you that The Empress is not that story. At least not yet, not unless the showrunners decide what story they are trying to tell.

Let’s start with the positive: It has nothing to envy to The Crown , it looks gorgeous and the cinematographers have done a stunning job, working with palatial rooms only lit by candles and oil lamps. I will hold my judgement on the costume design until Karolina Żebrowska or Mina Le do their reviews on historical accuracy. But the acting? I have to admit, whatever you call the approach to acting they teach in German, is certainly some UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage shit, because they are outstanding. In characterizing Sisi, the writers have not been able to decide whether they want a Romanticism-era manic pixie dream girl or a restrained and somber young woman trying to come to terms with her new position, but Devrim Lingnau’s performance somehow brings it all together in a cohesive whole with small expressions and unpolished diction. Another revelation (at least for us non-German speakers) is Melika Foroutan playing Princess Sophie of Bavaria, the domineering mother of Emperor Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant), mastering the art of tearing grown-ass men apart and delivering life-destroying orders with the softest of voices. Foroutan is simply phenomenal doing the double act of a woman that has never allowed herself to be vulnerable while panicking about revolutions inside. The dynamic between these two would alone help center this series.

However, in this season (I’m confident there will be more), the series spread itself thin, focusing on a bunch of pointless and probably inaccurate subplots, including a coup attempt by Archduke Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum), Franz Joseph’s younger brother, and the secrets of Countess Leontina (Almila Bagriacik), one of Sisi’s ladies in waiting. At the same time, this season focuses only on Sisi’s first year as an empress, which means once again playing the trodden beats of the romantic fairy tale but without getting to the moments that begin to define her biography, like the death of her firstborn daughter, her depressive moods and her visits to Hungary. Even though it’s a breezy watch — only six episodes long — we are left wanting for more. Not in a good way. It’s not easy to get the right pacing in a biopic. The Crown did it great in the first two seasons, but then they skipped most of the best parts of the 60s and 70s and slowed down again into the late 80s and 90s.

Same thing with the storylines involving Franz Joseph’s adapting to the role of Emperor. Once again, we only get a thin patina of the historical context and of who Franz Joseph would become. For now, we are told he is a dashing and idealistic young man weighed down by the burden of keeping the Hapsburg thing together, but we are not shown that much, just scenes of him either acting with assertiveness or moping about Sisi’s temper.

The showrunners want to tell us both stories, the romantic portrait of Sisi and the political drama, but they seem to have tried The Crown ’s format, that of a heightened, prestige soap opera via family drama. That works great with the British royals, because they are, indeed, nothing but a heightened, prestige soap opera via family drama. They are not really part of Britain’s political history; they’ve been but its spectators since Victoria.

But that wasn’t the case with the Austrian Empire, not just back in the mid-1800s. The Austrian Emperors were considerably more powerful than their British counterparts at every level, more so after they clamped down on the revolutions of 1848. In fact, the series is set in a decade when they were trying to make absolutism great again. So once again I ask, which story do they want to tell us?

Because I think they could do both, and in the process, demystify Empress Sisi and the whole wretched Empire she was part of. As I mentioned at the beginning, there is so much about our current world that can be understood by becoming acquainted with the history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Central Europe in the 19th Century, a story we don’t usually get to see depicted on an international platform, and one that deserves more than just the fairy tale.

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The Empress review: A nuanced portrayal of the Austrian Empress

The Empress is a period drama about Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie and her life as the Austrian Empress amid growing political unrest.

Elisabeth accepts the role of the Empress of Austria after getting picked by the Emperor over her sister. Unlike her husband, she becomes popular among the public immediately after the wedding.

The public unrest grows against the Emperor with the growing poverty and the threat of war. His brother uses the opportunity to conspire against him. A group of citizens also plan to overthrow the monarch and infiltrate the palace.

The Archduchess fears the loss of control and pushes Elisabeth to follow the rules she established. Elisabeth tries to connect with her citizens but faces opposition from the royal family.  

Performances

The performance by the entire cast immerses the audience in nineteenth-century Vienna and humanises the common faces of history.

Melika Foroutan steals the show with her meticulous performance as the Archduchess known for pulling the strings of her entire family. 

Devrim Lingnau brings the character of Elisabeth alive in front of the audience with her performance. 

Philip Froissant as Emperor Franz Joseph portrays the wide-ranging emotions of the king conflicted between his devotion to her wife and his duties as an Emperor. 

Johannes Nussbaum plays the role of the Emperor’s greedy brother. He portrays the character’s agony and envy so well it consistently dwindles the audience’s opinion about him as a person who has lived under his brother’s shadow his entire life.

The splendid visuals of the show grab the attention in the first scene itself. Each shot in every episode gives attention to details and utilises its aesthetics to amplify the feeling of a scene. The camera shots are often used to depict the feelings of the conflicted Empress. 

The tensions between each character heighten the emotional stake of the plotline. Whether it is a rivalry or a budding romance, the writing and the actors execute the relationships pretty well. 

Unlike several movies based on the Empress, the show focuses on the complications of her relationship with the Emperor instead of solely fixating on their romance. 

Having a woman creator certainly helps the show present a realistic portrayal of the Empress and her life. She falls victim to several patriarchal conventions that deem her to be inferior to men. An accurate representation of the marriage of the Empress in the nineteenth century is presented such as the scene where Elisabeth’s chastity is verified by two men. Elisabeth tries to rebel against the conventions but fails. 

While trying to set up its characters and storylines, the show fails to focus on the narrative of the first season. A lot of major plotlines are built for the upcoming seasons which takes away the satisfaction from its first season. 

While it focuses on the uprising of the people in Vienna, the show treads on a thin line between becoming another show that glorifies the monarchy and a show that presents a somewhat realistic version of history. It follows a narrative structure that feels familiar as many period pieces before it have done the same.

The show follows a common narrative structure but adds a new perspective by focusing on the uprising inspired by the French Revolution. Season one presents an engaging storyline and sets up the characters and plots for the consequent seasons. While the final verdict about whether the show justifies the life of the Austrian Empress Elisabeth depends on the complete storyline, the first season provides an immersive experience for its audience.

The Empress

Director: Florian Cossen, Katrin Gebbe

Date Created: 2022-09-29 12:30

Also Read: The Empress ending explained: Did Elisabeth leave Franz?

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The Empress: Season 1 Reviews

It’s a twist of fate that drastically alters Sisi’s life, changes the course of Austrian history, and helps to make her one of Vienna’s most iconic and beloved figures.

Full Review | May 20, 2024

Highly recommended if you enjoy binge-worthy shows about European royalty - like THE CROWN, VICTORIA, BRIDGERTON, and THE GREAT. As with all foreign language series on Netflix, you can watch it dubbed into English or in its original German with subtitles.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jun 9, 2023

Even though it’s a breezy watch we are left wanting for more. Not in a good way.

Full Review | Oct 13, 2022

Fans of historical dramas will want to make time for The Empress, as its first season is truly a magnificently crafted program.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Oct 3, 2022

The Empress tries to fill the sexy costume drama hole that Bridgerton has left between seasons.

Full Review | Oct 1, 2022

When it comes down to it, not only does the series highlight modern themes, but The Empress does what only the very best movies and television series can do — transport you to another time and place.

Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Sep 28, 2022

Back to All News

The empress - the extraordinary story of young elisabeth, empress of austria, and her true love // available worldwide from september 29, exclusively on netflix.

Entertainment

Showrunner: Katharina Eyssen

Executive Producers: Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach, Scarlett Lacey

Producer : Annie Schilling

Directors: Katrin Gebbe, Florian Cossen

Screenplay: Katharina Eyssen (head author), Bernd Lange, Jana Nandzik

Camera: Christopher Aoun, Christian Almesberger

Costume design: Gabriela Reumer

Production design: Matthias Müsse

Cast: Devrim Lingnau, Philip Froissant, Melika Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum, Elisa Schlott, Jördis Triebel, Wiebke Puls, Almila Bagriacik

Production: Sommerhaus Serien GmbH

The first-look images are available HERE

More information and press materials are available in our Media Center and for more Netflix news and updates, visit our newsroom .​

Available worldwide from September 29, exclusively on Netflix

Berlin – June 21, 2022 – For now almost 200 years, fans and audiences across the globe have been fascinated by Elisabeth; by her passion, her beauty and her non-conformist lifestyle. In this six-part series, Netflix gives us a glimpse into the inner turmoil of a young woman far ahead of her time, battling tradition and state conventions and fighting for her individuality and freedom. The royal love story of Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau) and young ruler Franz (Philip Froissant) is unique. It’s a story of two young people, battling with their own personal doubts, desires and inner conflicts as the weight of an entire empire rests on their shoulders. 

Katharina Eyssen ( Holiday Secrets ) is showrunner and head author for The Empress . Katrin Gebbe ( Pelican Blood ) and Florian Cossen ( NSU: German History X ) direct, while Jochen Laube and Fabian Maubach from Sommerhaus Serien GmbH ( When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Berlin Alexanderplatz ) are responsible for production. Costume design is by Gabriela Reumer ( Dreamfactory, Rabbit Without Ears ). The cast includes Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant, alongside Melika Foroutan , Johannes Nussbaum , Elisa Schlott , Jördis Triebel , Wiebke Puls and Almila Bagriacik . This six-part series was filmed entirely in Germany, utilizing historical settings and atmospheric castles. 

Showrunner and Head Author Katharina Eyssen: “ We wanted to tell the story of an exceptional, unconventional woman in a new way. The characters are multi-layered and passionate, and both have their inner demons. We’re thankful to Netflix for their collaboration and commitment to telling this historical epic in a unique way. ”

Executive Producer Jochen Laube: “ The Empress is an exciting series full of twists and turns. We didn’t lean on the well-known and tragic love story, instead we really anchored it in the political situation of the time. With Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant we found the perfect cast for our unconventional story. ”

Netflix Content Lead Eva van Leeuwen “ It takes courage, creativity and intuition to retell a story as iconic as that of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. It’s a challenge that Katharina Eyssen, Sommerhaus Serien GmbH, the fantastic team of directors and the excellent cast have all impressively mastered. We’re very happy to be able to present the result to our German and global audiences. ”

About The Empress

When rebellious Elisabeth (“Sisi”) meets Franz, the young Emperor of Austria, it’s love at first sight. But their impetuous relationship causes chaos in the dynasty and upsets the balance of power. After the wedding, the young Empress has to find her place in a totally foreign world while standing her ground against overbearing mother-in-law Sophie – until now, the most powerful woman in the Viennese Court. Meanwhile, Elisabeth’s feelings are put to the test by Maximilian, the second-in-line who lives perpetually in his brother’s shadow. Hostile troops gather at the borders of the Habsburg Empire and revolution is in the air in Vienna. Elisabeth needs to learn who she can trust and the price she must pay for being the Empress and a symbol of hope for an entire nation.

About Sommerhaus Filmproduktion

Jochen Laube and Fabian Maubach have been running Sommerhaus Filmproduktion together since 2015. Their projects so far include the films In the Aisles by Thomas Stuber (Berlin International Film Festival 2018) and What Doesn’t Kill Us by Sandra Nettelbeck (world premiere at the Piazza in Locarno 2018), as well as TV productions like Tatort: Der Rote Schatten (episode The Red Shadow for crime series Tatort ) by Dominik Graf, and Katharina Eyssen’s Netflix series Holiday Secrets directed by Samira Radsi. Now with over a million viewings in cinemas, the adaptation of the novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Caroline Link was released in cinemas in 2019 and was awarded the Bavarian Film Award (Bayerischer Filmpreis) and the German Film Award (Deutscher Filmpreis) for Best Children’s Film.

Burhan Qurbani’s adaptation of the world-famous novel Berlin Alexanderplatz, by Alfred Döblin, premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival 2020 and won 5 Lolas at the German Film Awards 2020 for Best Production Design, Best Score, Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actor, as well as a silver Lola in the Best Feature Film category. At the 33rd European Film Awards, composer Dascha Dauenhauer was awarded the European Excellence Award in the category Best Score for Berlin Alexanderplatz . Maggie Peren’s romantic comedy Hello Again - A Wedding a Day was recently shown in cinemas and Sebastian Marka’s science-fiction film Exit was recently launched in the main program of German TV channel ARD. Sommerhaus Filmproduktion has offices in Berlin, Ludwigsburg and Munich. Sommerhaus Serien GmbH was founded in 2020. 

About Netflix

Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service with 222 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films, reality and comedy formats, and even mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. 

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An Empress Ahead of Her Time Is Having a Pop Culture Moment

A Netflix series and a new movie explore the life of Elisabeth, the 19th-century Empress of Austria who had a tattoo, worked out daily and wanted more from life than just producing heirs.

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By Valeriya Safronova

VIENNA — The 19th-century Empress Elisabeth of Austria is everywhere in Vienna: on chocolate boxes, on bottles of rosé, on posters around the city. The Greek antiques she collected are at Hermesvilla, on the city outskirts; her hearse is at Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the Hapsburg royal family; and her cocaine syringe and gym equipment are on display at the Hofburg, which was the monarchy’s central Vienna home.

These traces paint an enticing, but incomplete, picture of an empress who receded from public life not long after entering it, and spent most of her time traveling the world to avoid her own court. She had a tattoo on her shoulder; drank wine with breakfast; and exercised two to three times a day on wall bars and rings in her rooms. These eccentricities, combined with her refusal to have her picture taken after her early 30s, fueled an air of mystery around her.

Now, nearly 125 years after Elisabeth’s assassination, at age 60, two new productions — a new Netflix series called “ The Empress ” and a film called “ Corsage ” that debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May and will hit American theaters on Dec. 23 — offer their own ideas.

“Growing up in Austria, she was the main tourist magnet, aside from Mozart,” said Marie Kreutzer, who wrote and directed “Corsage.” Nevertheless, she added, Elisabeth, who was married to Emperor Franz Josef I, is largely a mystery. “Her image is one you can reimagine and reinterpret and fill with your own imagination, because we have a lot of stories about her, but you don’t know if they’re true,” Kreutzer said.

The moody, intellectual and beauty-obsessed empress has had many reincarnations.

While alive, Elisabeth, who also went by “Sisi,” traveled constantly, often to Hungary, Greece and England, and was rarely seen by the Viennese public. In private, she wrote poetry, rode horses and hunted, hiked high into the Alps, read Shakespeare, studied classical and modern Greek, took warm baths in olive oil and wore leather masks filled with raw veal as part of her skin care routine.

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This Must-Watch Show May Just Be the New 'Crown'—& It's the #2 Series on Netflix Right Now

Be still our royal-loving hearts: The Crown has gifted us with an official release date for season 5 (November 9 for anyone who still needs to save the date in their Google cal). But in the meantime, there’s another must-watch royal drama—also available on Netflix—you need to add to your list: The Empress , which is available to binge in all its glory. Oh, and the show happens to be the #2 most-watched series on Netflix's top ten list at the moment. NBD.

Here's the background: The Empress brings to life the story of Elisabeth of Bavaria—known to the world as Sisi and played in this series by Devrim Lingnau —a German princess who became an Austrian empress and fought hard against the restrictive nature of the Habsburg court in the 19th century.

Of course, Duchess Sisi, the daughter of a Bavarian Duke, never aspired to live a royal life. But when her sister Helene is brought to meet Emperor Franz Joseph (played by Philip Froissant) in the summer of 1853, she tags along for moral support and, oops, he falls in love with Sisi instead.

As for The Crown parallels, the subtitled series—which features six hour-long episodes total—is full of opulent royal estates and pomp. (The Vienna wedding scenes alone are the stuff regal dreams are made of.) But it’s also a re-imagining of the historical, giving new life to private conversations and emotions that bring the drama to a fever pitch. This includes everything from Sisi’s desire to live a life beyond what was expected of her to the ambitions of her more-than-meddling mother-in-law and what it was like for Franz to be caught between.

Still, it’s the real-life similarities between Sisi and the late Princess Diana, a royal whose experience in the palace is much fresher in our collective minds, that have piqued our interest off the screen. For one thing, Sisi was just 16 when she wed the 23-year-old Emperor Franz (Diana was 20 when she married a 32-year-old Prince Charles). She’s also said to have been totally unsure of her marriage to the Emperor—she could be seen weeping by the spectators who lined the roads—and struggled to adapt to royal protocol. Much like Diana, she was also famous for her human touch. In fact, crowds adored Sisi in a way that rings similar to ‘Di-Mania,’ in the early 1980s, a spectacle covered in season 4 of The Crown .

PureWow Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

Yes, there are a few familiar plotlines—the claustrophobic pressures of protocol and the heir-and-the-spare dynamic, for example—but it somehow feels new and captivating, perhaps due to the fact that Sisi’s story, for modern audiences, isn’t as well-known. The subtitles don’t make it any less binge-worthy either. We were captivated by this royal duo—Sisi and Franz—from the moment they first meet in episode one. Their chemistry is undeniable…and steamy, too. Also, no matter how much we know about the British Royal Family, watching The Crown continually sends us back to the history books to do our own reporting. The same can be said of The Empress , but with much more about the life of Sisi still left to discover, a forever thrill for royal fans.

Oh, and fun fact: The life of Sisi is also set to get the Spencer treatment, too, via a new film Corsage , out December 30, that’s already getting rave reviews at Cannes. (Yet another royal date to save!)

Want all the latest entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click  here . For a full breakdown of PureWow's entertainment rating system, click  here .

15 Shows Like ‘The Crown’ So You Can Get Your Royal Fix

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The Empress

Two young people meet. A fateful encounter - the proverbial love at first sight. He is Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, she is Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Princess of Bavaria and the ... Read all Two young people meet. A fateful encounter - the proverbial love at first sight. He is Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, she is Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Princess of Bavaria and the sister of the woman Franz is to marry. Two young people meet. A fateful encounter - the proverbial love at first sight. He is Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, she is Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, Princess of Bavaria and the sister of the woman Franz is to marry.

• Svenja Jung
• Melika Foroutan
• Philip Froissant
• 123 User reviews
• 22 Critic reviews
• 5 wins & 2 nominations

Top cast 43

• Franz Joseph
• Elisabeth von Wittelsbach
• Archduke Maximilian

• Alexander von Bach …

• Sofia Esterházy-Liechtenstein

• Ambassadeur De Bourqueney
• Doctor Fritsch
• Dienstmädchen

• Franz Liszt

• Simon von Sina
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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia The castle is Schloss Weissenstein located in Pommersfelden, a small town about 45 km northwest of Nuremberg.
• Goofs Franz Joseph and Elisabeth dance the "Kaiser-Walzer" (Emperor Waltz) at their wedding. Strauss didn't compose this waltz until 1889, 35 years after Franz Joseph and Elisabeth's wedding.

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• Runtime 55 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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The Empress Season 1 Review – Powerful performances fuel this impressive visual spectacle

Episode Guide

Episode 1 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Episode 2 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 3 -| Review Score – 4.5/5 Episode 4 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 5 -| Review Score – 4/5 Episode 6 -| Review Score – 5/5

The very first thing that speaks out to you in Netflix’s The Empress is what you see. The sets, the low camera angles, the costumes, and the gorgeous royal flair. All these elements sculpt an irresistible visual appeal for season 1. Even if the narrative quality had been sub-par, the aesthetics would have ensured a comfortable viewing experience.

Instant comparisons are made with The Crown , another hit period drama on the streaming service, and The Empress has shades of the former’s brilliance. Overall, it is an entirely different show with some shared thematic similarities and uniquely strong female characters.

Sisi, or Elisabeth, is one of Austria’s most famous Empresses. The lineage of those who have sat on the throne is filled with bizarre stories. Yet somehow, Elisabeth’s reign tops all of them. Season 1 of The Empress only shows glimpses of the wildflower she was, in an otherwise perfectly trained orchard. For some reason, in hindsight, the series does feel somewhat plotless.

Barring the rising sentiment against the crown, an impending revolution (that disappoints), and the war between the Allies and Russians, there isn’t much kinetic flow in the story. Most of this happens internally, either in the palace or the character’s own head. That is where the real excitement and tension come from.

Although the sense of suspense isn’t tangible, it grips the viewer nonetheless with an honest exposition of Sisi’s adventures as the Empress. It helps that the portrayal we see of Sisi is in itself so intriguing. She truly was a people person, becoming the ideal leader that we all hope to see in our own. She was notorious for her spontaneity and instinctive decisions that sometimes got her into trouble.

But from what we see in season 1, it elevated her in the eyes of the commoners. They began to see her as one, especially going from that last scene of the finale. And that was just skimming the surface.  There is so much more to be told, enjoyed, and felt here. Admirers of season 1, including yours truly, are desperately waiting for a renewal announcement from Netflix.

One of the most interesting and endearing dynamics in the series comes from the ties between Sophie and Elisabeth. It almost felt like the writers wanted to sculpt a look at the present through the prism of the past with these two characters. Prince von Vasa, Sophie’s fleeting love interest, also remarked how she “saw herself in Elisabeth”. That was the source of her hatred for Sisi. Both the females are pretty much alike and kept at each other for most parts.

Only rare moments gave way to tender occasions between the two, which actually showed how Sophie did not want Sisi to make the same mistakes. This is the kind of love-hate relationship that is so fun to dissect. The complex intricacies of their substance are difficult to break down in an instant and give food for thought to a viewer. Even the one-on-one dynamics between Sophie, Max, Elisabeth, and Franz, all made for a delightful addition to the show’s arsenal. In the absence of a happening plot, we saw these compelling depictions of intense exchanges between the main characters.

The most striking element of storytelling is the gorgeous visual scale. Without a doubt, season 1 of The Empress is the most impressively put-together show on any platform right now. It will give any peer a run for its money. Directors have smartly chosen low camera angles whenever the characters walked inside the gorgeous palace and wide shots when outside. Set designers have resurrected the rich paintings on the walls and high ceilings adorned with chandeliers and other unimaginable excesses with near perfection.

The costume department has accrued a wardrobe capable of making anyone jealous and enchanted at the same time. Such is the overall impact that you won’t hesitate to watch the episodes again just to watch certain scenes again. And if you are in the habit of screenshotting portraits you like in movies and television, prepare to make ample space on your hard disk.

Next in line is the strong set of evocative performances from the main cast. It is hard to find faults with any of them, even in the rougher spaces where the narration lagged. Devrim spearheads the bunch in terms of quality and dramatic heft. Her embodiment of Sisi is arguably the most sensible and authentic of all the cinematic portrayals until now. Melika Foroutan, Philipe Froissant, and Johannes Nussbaum complete the other trifecta of The Empress’ heart and soul. Even the supporting cast provides many moments of brilliance, especially Almila Bagriacik and Hanna Hilsdorf. The real-life personalities they bring alive come across as fully-fleshed three-dimensional people whom we can relate to and follow in the story.

The Empress is set to become the internet’s new darling as the viewership catches on. Not just period-drama enthusiasts but those who love quality cinema will swarm in front of their screens to binge it.

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• Verdict - 8.5/10 8.5/10

1 thought on “The Empress Season 1 Review – Powerful performances fuel this impressive visual spectacle”

Excellent series..hopefully there will be season 2

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The Empress ending explained: Does Elisabeth win the public's trust?

And what happened to Maximillian and Leontine?

The Empress is the latest period drama from Netflix to capture audiences with its gripping tale of a young, rebellious princess who marries into Austrian royalty and is thrust into the realm of politics at the Viennese court.

We're introduced to the carefree Elisabeth von Wittelsbach (Devrim Lingnau) as she falls in love with and later marries her sister's intended fiancé, Emperor Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant), earning her the title Empress of Austria.

But as she discovers, adjusting to royal life isn't all it's cracked up to be. She finds herself navigating the complexity of court politics and her husband's scheming family members, all while revolution and war are knocking on the palace door.

The final hour of the six-episode series certainly had a lot going on, so we're here to tell you how the story broke down.

What happened to Maximilian?

Franz's conniving baby brother Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum) didn't exactly get the ending he had hoped for, and the finale has left his fate hanging in the balance.

Desiring his brother's title, Max plots to depose Franz by taking advantage of his opposition to joining the conflict between France and Russia. Despite having the support of the army and the church, his plans are foiled when Franz's (reluctant) choice to send troops to protect the border works and the Tsar orders his forces to retreat.

It goes without saying that conspiring against the empire is the highest treason and punishable by death – even when the emperor is your own flesh and blood. Now that Franz is aware of his brother's plans, things aren't looking too good ol' Max.

By the end of the episode, Max is arrested, so we'll just have to wait for season two (if it's renewed) to see what else Franz has in store for his traitor brother. Or, you know, bone up on our Austrian history textbooks, but that's not going to happen.

What Happened to Leontine Von Apafi, aka Ava?

After two revolutionaries murder the real Leontine Von Apafi earlier in the series, Ava (Almila Bagriacik) assumes the Countess's identity to gain intel from inside the palace.

Ava was very much in favour of the scheme to assassinate the emperor and his family, but as she grows close to Elisabeth, she begins to have second thoughts about it. In the end, her loyalty to Elisabeth prevails and she tells the guards about the emperor's impending attack, leading to the death of her accomplice.

Things go awry when a fellow revolutionary working in the palace warns her that returning to Vienna would result in her death for betraying the revolution.

Not only that, but Countess Amalia's (Hanna Hilsdorf) growing suspicions come to a head when she discovers photographs revealing Ava's true identity, and the latter pushes her to her (very) bloody death.

Ava must now decide whether to risk being detained for either murder or treason (or both), or to return to Vienna and run the chance of being killed for betraying the cause. In either case, it's a lose-lose situation, so we'd really like to see how she overcomes that dilemma in season two.

Did Elisabeth win the public's trust?

In episode five of The Empress , a visit to the iron foundry leaves Elisabeth appalled by the abysmal working conditions and she gives her shoes to a little girl who is without. However, her accompanying Countess and guard refuse to let her walk out barefoot and carry her to the carriage, further riling up the group of commoners outside.

Now confined to the palace walls for flouting royal protocol (displaying compassion), Elisabeth loses all hope that anything would be done to help the poor and gives way to despair, joining Maximillian in partying the days away and further damaging her reputation.

Archduchess Sophie then proposes Elisabeth with an ultimatum: to go back home to Bavaria and have her marriage annulled, or stay at the palace and be subject to rules even stricter than before.

Soon after, Elisabeth learns she is finally pregnant and rushes to tell Franz the good news. However, she is devastated to learn he concurs with his mother that she's a "distraction" and it would be better if she returned home.

Alas, the Empress refrains from telling her husband she's expecting and, despite Leontine/Ava's best efforts to persuade her otherwise, she decides to leave.

By the time Elisabeth is ready to depart, the exit is entirely blocked by a large, angry crowd of people that have been amassing at the palace gates to denounce the Emperor. Though the guards ask for the carriage to be turned around, Elisabeth demands for the gates be opened.

As Franz and Sophie watch on, the Empress embraces the crowd and proclaims: "I see you" before telling them she is with child.

Since it now seems Elisabeth has the support of the people and she's pregnant with the empire's heir, the dynasty will surely fall without her. The Empress is available to watch on Netflix.

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Is Netflix’s ‘The Empress’ Based on a True Story?

Where to stream:.

• The Empress

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ on Netflix, the Mostly Enjoyable Return of Eddie Murphy's Beloved Character

Where was 'beverly hills cop: axel f' filmed discover the filming locations for eddie murphy's new 'beverly hills cop' movie, travis kelce explains why he turned down a netflix series offer, 'owning manhattan' star chloe tucker caine scoffs at jonathan nørmølle's claim that he orchestrated his firing: "he's a mess".

Netflix’s The Empress is quenching the demand for royal drama following the successes of Bridgerton and The Crown – both of which are in various stages of production for their next seasons. This new historical drama premiered Sept. 29 on the streamer and follows Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria as she struggles with her royal title and the enemies it brings.

Netflix teases, “Elisabeth must find out who she can trust and how high the price is to be a true empress and a figure of hope for the people,” and names Sophie, Elisabeth’s mother-in-law, Maxi, Franz’ brother, and social tensions as Elisabeth’s biggest obstacles.

The new series consists of six episodes and left viewers hungry for more — and curious about whether it’s based on a true story. Continue reading to learn more about the real Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her royal reign.

Is The Empress Based on a True Story?

Yes, The Empress is based on the true story of Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria, who married Emperor Franz of Austria in 1854 at the age of 16 (per History.com ). Elisabeth suffered greatly during her time in royalty as she was in high-demand among the press and public, struggled with depression and eating disorders, and later, dealt with the controversial death of her son.

However, the first season of the Netflix drama only delves into Elisabeth’s early years of marriage and Vienna’s rise against the Habsburg Empire. Showrunner Katharina Eyssen explained , “ For me, Elisabeth’s struggle for her individual freedom runs parallel to the struggle of the Austrian people. We do not know to what extent Elisabeth dealt with the oppression of her people. There is no diary of her. But the fact is that a strict neo-absolutism prevailed in Austria, which gave the citizens hardly any rights.”

She continued, “The historical Elisabeth, just like our character, was all about self-determination throughout her life. And at the same time, a whole people was fighting against oppression.”

Who Was Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria?

Born into royalty, Elisabeth was the daughter of Duke Maximilian and Duchess Ludovika of Bavaria. According to her biography on AboutVienna.org , she married Franz after he was sent to court her sister, Helene. Upon being married, they faced many difficulties due to Elisabeth’s young age and resistance to the royal duties and protocols – which led to her long feud with her mother-in-law, Princess Sophie of Bavaria.

When it came to public perception, Elisabeth spent the early and mid years of her reign traveling away from the empire to visit Greece, Switzerland, and Hungary. This shifted in 1867, when Hungary joined the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Franz was named King of Hungary. Then, Elisabeth was thought of as a “people’s person” and would often visit local charities and hospitals.

But, throughout it all, Elisabeth suffered with mental illness and, once again, became increasingly withdrawn from the public – most dramatically after her son’s death in 1889.

How did Elisabeth “Sisi” of Austria Die?

Elisabeth’s reign came to end while she was visiting Geneva, Switzerland on Sept. 10, 1898. The empress was assassinated by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni. His initial target was Prince Henri of Orléans, but after the prince had canceled his trip to the city, Lucheni decided to stab Elisabeth while she boarded a ship.

Edward Morgan Allborough de Burgh wrote in Elizabeth, Empress of Austria: A Memoir that, upon hearing of her death, Franz thought Elisabeth died of suicide due to her history with mental health. He was convinced otherwise after receiving details of the assassination.

• Based On A True Story

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The Empress: 5 Things To Know Before You Watch The Netflix Show

Another international show takes over on Netflix.

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. 

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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 . 

Watch The Empress streaming on Netflix . 

A self-proclaimed nerd and lover of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, Alexandra Ramos is a Content Producer at CinemaBlend. She first started off working in December 2020 as a Freelance Writer after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in English. She primarily works in features for movies, TV, and sometimes video games. (Please don't debate her on The Last of Us 2, it was amazing!) She is also the main person who runs both our daily newsletter, The CinemaBlend Daily, and our ReelBlend newsletter. 

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The empress on netflix is fantastic and nobody i've talked to has heard of it.

We just finished the 6 episode first season and while singing its praises to family and friends we've found that no one has heard of it/seen it. Anyone here?

If you haven't, it's a loose and dramatic history of Empress Elisabeth of the Austrian Empire (1850s) as she marries the Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. It has a bit of the stereotypical "queen who has a heart for the people" plotline that sets the patriarchy at odds wither her humanity. But the palace intrigue seems really interesting and the production value is fantastic. Would love to hear this sub's thoughts on it

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OTT Review | The Empress: History minus the histrionics

Joining the long list of depictions of queens of Europe in popular culture like Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria, Marie Antoinette, and Catherine, the great, is empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Netflix’s magnificent, robustly built, and handsomely furnished six-part series ‘The Empress’ (Die Kaiserin) brings to us the wonderful story of a princess who went on to become the queen of an empire which was on the cusp of facing a revolution in the 19th century.

Duchess Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau), aka Sisi, the princess of Bavaria is someone who refuses to confine herself to the conventional regal norms of that time. She is an equestrienne and hopes of finding a soulmate as her life partner. Eventually, she is chosen over her sister Helene by emperor Franz Joseph (Philip Froissant) and the teenager is thrown into the merciless life of the Viennese court where she faces her over ambitious mother-in-law archduchess Sophia (played by an outstanding Melika Foroutan) and her ever scheming brother-in-law Maximillian (an equally brilliant Johannes Nussbaum).

Elisabeth is not prepared for anything and all her good-intentioned moves backfire. She even fails in the only duty she is expected to perform – be a royal breeding machine. Her mother-in-law keeps a stern eye on her and keeps reminding her of producing an heir. Elisabeth tries hard to make the most of her new life as initially, she enjoys the support of the emperor. While she wants to show empathy with people and do things differently, the family believes in maintaining a safe distance from the people. Things come to head when she loses the emperor’s support. That’s exactly the time when anger among members of the public too rising and they are up in arms literally at the gates of the royal palace.

At the surface of it, ‘The Empress’ is a lavish romance set against the backdrop of turbulent 19th-century Europe, Austria in particular. Scratch a bit beneath it and you will find yourself amused by the palace intrigues, machinations, and a brewing public revolution. It is history minus the histrionics. The icing on the cake is that we come to know about the events of this tumbling empire from a woman’s point of view.

Devrim Lingnau and Philip Froissant as the lead pair deliver a decent performance as they successfully portray the vulnerabilities of their respective characters. You can make out that they are in love, as newlyweds. You feel for them when they fight and are unhappy. It’s a treat to watch the scenes with the two in it as their chemistry sizzles.

‘The Empress’ is a lavishly mounted series that is slightly more than six hours long. It is visually stunning, to say the least. Who doesn’t like to see the breathtaking interiors (do not miss the painted ceilings) of a palace and the exquisite costumes? Directors Katrin Gebbe and Florian Cossen believe in a slow-burner and keep the pace of events unfolding medium. But while doing so they ensure that the intensity of the story stays gripping throughout with its myriad subplots.

The first Season not only tells the story of a princess becoming a queen and a revolution waiting to happen concurrently but also whets our appetite for more as this is just the beginning. The story has just started unfolding as we know that eventually the empress was assassinated. So, it would be interesting to know about the events that ultimately led to her tragic end. The subjects of the OTT world have no choice but to wait for the next season of ‘The Empress’.

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The Empress review: The Netflix series is about Princess Diana of the 19th century

Katharina Eyssen's show The Empress premiered on Netflix on Thursday, September 29, 2022. Based on the life of the Austrian Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria, nicknamed Sisi, The Empress season 1 follows the story of a girl who does not wish to live by the books.

It features actors Devrim Lingnau as Empress Elisabeth, Philip Froissant as Emperor Franz Joseph, Melika Foroutan as Sophia, mother of Emperor Franz Joseph, Johannes Nussbaum as Archduke Maximilian, Elisa Schlott as Helene, Elisabeth's older sister, and Almila Bagriacik as Ava alias Leontine, Countess of Apafi, among others.

Based on the life of the Austrian Empress, The Empress is set in a conflicted Europe, still reeling from the effects of the French Revolution. Emperor Franz Joseph's family, also the relatives of Marie Antoinette, were not in the good books of the masses.

Antoinette is a renowned historical figure, not for being guillotined but for the words that led to her execution. The teenage queen had proclaimed:

"If they can't eat bread, let them have cake."

The series began with Franz maintaining his family name and greenlighting public executions of those that dared to revolt against the emperor. Although he was reluctant to go on a rampage, he was told it was part of his duty. According to the show, Franz was a sensible ruler who recognized his people's woes but could do little as his hands were tied because of the crown's limitations.

Read on for a detailed review of The Empress .

The Empress review: The Netflix series is about the 19th century Princess Diana

The show begins with Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi. She detested being called by her nickname and gave her mother a hard time finding a suitor for her. An equestrian, she lived up to the cliche of a 'lively girl' and loved to walk barefoot. She was strikingly beautiful and had a razor-sharp tongue.

Elisabeth's beauty and personality made her a misfit in a world where women were not allowed to dream beyond marriage and childbirth. Elisabeth's elder sister, Helene, had completely contrasting traits. She was obedient and timid and was cited as the perfect example of a girl born into royalty.

The contrast is depicted through details such as hairstyles - long and open hair for Elisabeth as opposed to the braided hair of Helene; sartorial choices - sleeveless nightgowns for Elisabeth as opposed to neck-buttoned and full-sleeved gowns for Helene.

As their mother put it,

"When she (Helene) is unhappy, what does she do?"

Upon getting a negative response from Elisabeth, the mother added that women must be like a blank page - with no feelings of their own. Elisabeth was subsequently given an ultimatum to find a suitor for herself.

Sisi's wishes were answered after Franz Joseph, who was to marry Helene as part of his mother's strategy, falls for the 15-year-old Elisabeth. The series further shows a conflict between the new bride and her mother-in-law - the latter was incredibly insecure about her control over her son.

Sophia, Sisi's mother-in-law, has her own secrets that have etched the distance between her and her husband, Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. Karl lives and takes care of the hinterlands, while Franz Joseph runs the empire under the influence of his mother.

Despite Karl and Sophia's physical and figurative distance, Karl remarked,

"Elisabeth is like you."

While Sophia was pro- monarchy and insisted that Joseph declare his support for Russia and Tsar Nicholas, others believed that the way forward was to make France and Britain the empire's allies. Against both suggestions, Franz Joseph wanted to build the railway to advance the empire's business and pacify the angered commoners.

To Sophia's dismay, Elisabeth supported her husband's views due to her empathetic nature. A scene where she appears before the masses for the first time after their wedding is enough to induce goosebumps.

Despite historical references, most of the show hardly moves beyond the palace walls, probably because it is primarily about Empress Elisabeth.

The show also succeeded in portraying the absurdities of royal life, which included carrying out fertility tests on the teenage queen, making the couple wear robes on their wedding night, making Elisabeth drink egg yolks every morning to heighten her fertility, and forcing her to consume the placenta of a woman who had just given birth to her eighth son.

When Rhaenys Targaryen was refused the Iron Throne, but the same was given to Rhaenyra Targaryen, several people proclaimed in House of the Dragon ,

"The realm would go to war before seeing a woman descend the Iron Throne."

This dialogue, amongst other famous ones, points towards the role of women within the power dynamics of a royal empire. Women have always helmed change, but the acknowledgment of the same is negligible.

The Empress is based in a Europe where men would go away to war, leaving behind women and children to fend for themselves. During such times, the women of the family took care of not only domestic matters but also politics. This aspect, unfortunately, has been left out by predominantly male historiographers.

Elisabeth and Sophia shine in The Empress

While all the characters have been perfectly cast, Elisabeth, played by Devrim Lingnau, and Sophia, essayed by Melika Foroutan, definitely stand out.

The star of The Empress is Melika Foroutan because of how elegantly she carries the burden of her past without losing the gait of the Imperial consort. Instances of Sophia's eyes brimming with tears could only be executed by Foroutan through her mastery.

Apart from Foroutan, Johannes Nussbaum's Maximilian is an equally intricately woven character who is unpredictable but compels one to empathize with him.

Lingnau's portrayal of a teenage girl confused by the sudden baggage of roles and responsibilities is stellar. Elisabeth is impulsive and sensitive at the same time. Lingnau's sharp eyes compliment every word that she utters as Empress Elisabeth.

All the episodes of The Empress are currently streaming on Netflix .

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'The Empress' review – this epic royal drama conveys an important part of British Asian history

Read our two-star review of The Empress , produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, now in performances at Lyric Hammersmith to 28 October.

In 1887, Queen Victoria dug her heels in when she formed a friendship with Abdul Karim, a young Indian Muslim man sent as a ‘gift’ for her Golden Jubilee who became her munshi (teacher of Hindi and Indian culture) and confidant. This relationship, which was hushed up after Victoria’s death in 1901, was explored by Shrabani Basu in her 2010 book Victoria & Abdul , which was adapted into the 2017 film starring Judi Dench. Tanika Gupta’s play The Empress , first produced by the RSC in 2013, also details this relationship.

This revival is also produced by the RSC and Gupta’s play attempts to place this royal anecdote against a wider social context, featuring a network of characters who meet aboard a ship sailing from India to England and their intertwined destinies as they settle on this cold, unwelcoming island.

Set over a 13-year period and featuring all levels of society, it’s epic in scope, but despite the nearly three-hour running time, it feels as if it’s only just scratched the surface. Gupta’s writing is unevenly paced and all-too on-the-nose, like an entry-level primer to British Asian history filled with stock characters.

Pooja Ghai’s production has some lyrical elements, set against a golden horseshoe framing the apparatus of a ship, and a ‘royal box’ in the corner (designed by Rosa Maggiora). The performances, however, are mixed and the ensemble struggles to come together in a unified whole.

As an underdog story, the heroine is clever and inquisitive young ayah Rani who is heartlessly abandoned by her employers as soon as they arrive in London. Tanya Katyal is convincingly plucky but the ‘young adult’ style of writing doesn’t allow her to fully mine the depths.

After she’s assaulted and impregnated by her new master, she and her baby are conveniently taken in by kindly madam lascar Sally (Nicola Stephenson) and her wise friend Firoza (Avita Jay). The subsequent romance with lascar Hari (Aaron Gill) feels contrived.

There are stronger elements in the second half, including the establishment of a home for abandoned ayahs funded by Christian charity, where the rescued ayahs, when alone, make fun of the performances of humility they’re required to put on for benefactors. Simon Rivers is warmly paternal Dadabhai Naroji, Britain’s first Asian MP and Rani’s new boss, whose life would be deserving of its own play.

Alexandra Galbraith is an icily imperious Queen Victoria who enjoys the idea of being seen as a cougar and isn’t given to philosophising. Raj Bajaj’s Karim is ultimately more sincere and not quite as opportunistic as he’s shown to be in the film. Their relationship culminates in a fantasy sequence in which the Empress can’t visit India, so India comes to the Empress in a colourful, touristic impression – such an important visitor would be shielded from anything too real.

This part of British Asian history is extremely important and should certainly be taught in schools, but for drama to thrive, it needs more dynamism and a greater emotional connection.

The Empress is at the Lyric Hammersmith through 28 October. Book The Empress tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: The Empress (Photo by Ellie Kurttz/RSC)

Originally published on Oct 11, 2023 08:36

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