Season 1 – Becoming Elizabeth

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0:45

Jun 2022

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Elizabeth Tudor, an orphaned teenager who becomes embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court on her journey to secure the crown.

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Critics Consensus

Angsty as a disgruntled teenager and all the better for it, Becoming Elizabeth finds fresh drama in the Tudors by shifting focus onto the royal court's web of spiders.

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Andrew Male

The Times (UK)

07/08/2022

Tells the story well, thanks to a script that sees complexity in every action and amazing performances...

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Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

06/30/2022

4/5

There’s a lot going on, but the writing is as assured as it is playful, and the sets and costumes are handsome and tactile. The casting is particularly astute.

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Kristen Lopez

IndieWire

06/16/2022

The series isn’t content to be a saucy exploration of the Tudor era, but instead a searing examination of the politics of the time. Think of it like “Succession” with French hoods.

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Christopher Stevens

Daily Mail (UK)

07/17/2023

If you enjoy the spectacle of messengers galloping out of castle courtyards on frosty mornings, this is the sort of period drama you'll love. But the script is lukewarm sludge.

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Dustin Rowles

Pajiba

07/19/2022

If you’re a history nut who loves a good corset and bloody beheading, Becoming Elizabeth is well worth watching.

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Stephanie Morgan

Common Sense Media

06/30/2022

2/5

Aiming for sexy political intrigue, this latest re-telling of the rise of Queen Elizabeth I lands closer to soapy melodrama.

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M L

@RT61327186 11/13/2024

Sadly the worst of this series. Didn’t like the actress at all and the whole thing felt ridiculous , to sad because I love Philippa Gregory’s stories.

Rachel L

@RT87581192 05/04/2024

I really enjoyed this show. I can't believe it has been cancelled!! I would love to watch another season or more to see this story unfold..

Neal G

@RT42629849 05/27/2023

This was one of the most well written, and true to history versions of the early years of Elizabeth. It is extremely well done, and fills in some gaps with historical fiction, but interesting fiction. Some of the words are true to the original letters.

Marcel d

@RT99671921 04/06/2023

So, the Crown gets a lot of flack for bending true events to make drama, right? Well, this takes that idea and makes several sailor's knots with the early days of Elizabeth I's life. This ultimately ruined my enjoyment of an otherwise well-made and well-acted story. I just can't find myself caring for a married man seducing a 14 year old. Odd tone to the whole thing.

andrei d

@RT74856639 12/02/2022

Decent, needs more context

joanna d

@RT82644388 09/11/2022

Laden with historical inaccuracies and an annoying young Elizabeth who never actually "Becomes Elizabeth". Catherine Parr is portrayed as a sex-mad schemer. There is no evidence of that; in fact, contemporary reports describe the opposite. Production values are good: costumes, sets, historical houses and so on. For the most part, decent acting, But If you are a history buff, this series will irritate you.

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Anya Reiss

Creator

Romola Garai

Mary

Oliver Zetterström

Edward VI

Jamie Parker

John Dudley

Alicia von Rittberg

Queen Elizabeth I

John Heffernan

Duke of Somerset

Episode 1

Aired Jun 12, 2022

Keep Your Knife Bright

Following the death of Henry VIII, his three children, Mary, Elizabeth and Edward, are now pawns in a dangerous game as the English court is plunged into a race for control of the new England they find themselves in.

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Episode 2

Aired Jun 19, 2022

You Cannot Keep the Birds from Flying Over Your Head

Christmas at court, and a controversial masque leaves Protestant Edward and Catholic Mary at odds; Elizabeth finds herself in the middle as Mary demands she come live with her.

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Episode 3

Aired Jun 26, 2022

Either Learn or Be Silent

The Lord Protector's plan for peace between the siblings only causes Catherine and Thomas to accelerate their own, using Elizabeth's 15th birthday as cover.

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Episode 4

Aired Jul 3, 2022

Lighten Our Darkness

Having been sent away from Catherine and Thomas' household, Elizabeth is amongst strangers in the house of Kat's brother-in-law Antony Denny, and she is terrified of anyone finding out her secrets from Chelsea Place.

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Episode 5

Aired Jul 10, 2022

Necessity Compels Me to Plague You

Elizabeth is determined to not fall into the same traps she did when she was at Chelsea; while the court has been rocked by Mary's defiance, the Lord Somerset is still more concerned with the war in Scotland.

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Episode 6

Aired Jul 17, 2022

What Cannot Be Cured

Thomas' actions implicated Elizabeth; under house arrest, she must clear her name while she is questioned by Lord Dudley; Lord Somerset is shaken by his brother's actions.

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Episode 7

Aired Jul 31, 2022

To Laugh, to Lie, to Flatter, to Face

In a new age with a new Lord Protector, Edward, now free from his uncle Somerset's influence, is emboldened to pursue ever more ruthless Protestant reforms and to seek new alliances.

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Episode 8

Aired Aug 7, 2022

To Death We Must Stoop

The king falls ill and the court that made an enemy of Catholics now faces the possibility of being ruled by one as Mary rides to Whitehall; Mary and Elizabeth briefly reunite in their love for their sick brother.

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Becoming Elizabeth: Season 1 Featurette - Court Politics