“The Great: Season One”: For those who loved 2018’s critically acclaimed raunchy satirical period piece “The Favourite,” co-writer Tony McNamara is back as creator of Hulu’s “The Great,” also a critically acclaimed raunchy satirical period piece, this time centering on a barely true retelling of Empress Catherine the Great’s introduction into Russian royal life.
New to Russia, Catherine (Elle Fanning) is an idealist, set on spearheading the country’s education policy and eager to please her husband, Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). She quickly discovers he’s not only a dolt but a sadistic one, and the two begin to plot against each other.
The jokes are acerbic and profanities abundant, but as the season progresses, so grows the series’ heart. Fanning’s performance in particular carries “The Great,” wrote Los Angeles Times critic Robert Lloyd in his review.
“The dialogue is crisp and a little eccentric, the performances impeccable, the production first-rate, Nathan Barr’s score subtly arresting,” wrote Lloyd. “Above all there is Fanning, a porcelain figurine come to complicated life, who grounds the series even as she seems to float through it.”
New On DVD Oct. 20
“Alone”: A killer (Marc Menchaca) hunts a woman (Jules Willcox) who escaped from his clutches in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.
“Amulet”: A woman (Carla Juri) and her elderly mother invite an ex-soldier (Alec Secareanu) into their home of terrifying secrets.
“Cut Throat City”: A group of friends plan a heist in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Stars Shameik Moore, T.I., Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard and Ethan Hawke.
“Going Attractions”: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace”: Documentary explores the history of moviegoing.
“The Haunting”: The 1999 horror film starring Liam Neeson and the horrors of Hill House has been remastered on Blu-ray.
“House of Shadows”: A woman (Harriet Madeley) inherits a cursed house following her family’s deaths.
“No Escape”: An influencer and his friends wind up in danger after heading to Moscow to film new content. Stars Holland Roden, Ronen Rubinstein and Keegan Allen.
“N0S4A2, Season 2”: Vic (Ashleigh Cummings) returns to Christmasland in the final season of the supernatural horror AMC series.
“The Owners”: An elderly couple seek revenge on a group of young people who attempt to ransack their home. Stars Maisie Williams, Sylvester McCoy and Rita Tushingham.
“Quiz, Season 1”: Miniseries follows married couple who infamously cheated on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” to win 1 million euros. Stars Matthew Macfadyen, Sian Clifford and Mark Bonnar.
“Scare Package”: Anthology comedy horror ties together deadly events at Rad Chad’s Horror Emporium.
“The Secrets We Keep”: A woman (Noomi Rapace) kidnaps her neighbor (Joel Kinnaman) after she’s convinced he committed crimes against her during World War II.
“Spree”: A rideshare driver hatches a sinister plot for online popularity. Stars Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata and David Arquette.
“The Vanished”: A devastated couple (Anne Heche and Thomas Jane) on vacation search for their missing daughter.
“Tremors: Shrieker Island”: A wealthy man sics a giant, deadly worm on unsuspecting island visitors. Stars Jackie Cruz, Richard Brake and Jon Heder.
