How realistic is The Great?

'The Great' fudges history at times for comedic and dramatic effects, but some of these moments are true to life. An asterisk appears on the title card of every episode of The Great, forewarning that what is portrayed is 'an occasionally true story'.

Which parts of The Great are historically accurate?

Was Catherine the Great a real person?

Catherine II (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 1729 – 17 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796, the country's last empress regnant and longest-ruling female leader. She came to power following the overthrow of her husband and second cousin, Peter III.

Is the series The Great a true story?

The Great (titled onscreen as The Great: An Occasionally True Story and later as The Great: An Almost Entirely Untrue Story) is a historical and satirical black comedy-drama streaming television series described by its commissioner Hulu as "anti-historical" loosely based on the rise to power of Catherine the Great, ...

Is Leo real in The Great?

The Great gives Catherine a designated lover in the form of sweet, seemingly perfect Leo Voronsky. While Leo himself was not a real person, he's loosely based on the real story of Catherine's life. Even early on in her marriage to Peter, Catherine took lovers (as did Peter), according to History.

Top 10 Things The Great Got Factually Right

Who is the father of Catherine's baby in The Great?

Catherine Is Pregnant

It was discovered towards the end of Season 1 that the royal had conceived a child with Peter, much against her own wishes. The baby did end up saving her from execution though, and will play a major role moving forward in the series as hormones rage and legacies are considered.

Who was Catherine the Great's true love?

The great love of her life was Grigory Potemkin. Their relationship began when Catherine was forty-four and, though it evolved over the years, it truly ended only with Potemkin's death in 1791.

Did Catherine the Great eat dirt?

The Great season 2 sees a pregnant Catherine the Great compulsively eating dirt. While it's played for laughs, there's a good reason for it. Warning: Contains spoilers for The Great season 2. Throughout the early episodes of The Great season 2, Catherine eats dirt multiple times and the reason is never explained.

Did they burn serfs with smallpox?

In episode 7, a smallpox outbreak tears through the servants' quarters, infecting Catherine's close serf Vlad (Louis Hynes). Catherine suggests to Peter that instead of burning the serfs to eradicate the disease, she should inject herself with smallpox in order to immunize herself.

Did Catherine the Great ever love her husband?

Army officer Grigory Potemkin was arguably the greatest love of Catherine's life, though her relationship with Grigory Orlov, who helped the empress overthrow Peter III, technically lasted longer. The pair met on the day of Catherine's 1762 coup but only became lovers in 1774.

Did Catherine the Great really sleep with a horse?

That story is the one that says Catherine the Great died while trying to have sex with a horse. But that story is just a myth. Catherine the Great liked horses and has been painted on horseback, but there is no consensus on who started the rumor or when.

What ethnicity was Catherine the Great?

Petersburg, Russia), German-born empress of Russia (1762–96) who led her country into full participation in the political and cultural life of Europe, carrying on the work begun by Peter the Great.

Did Peter sleep with Catherine's mother?

Catherine had finally admitted she loved Peter and they were successfully co-parenting their newborn. There was just one looming problem: Peter had slept with her mother Joanna (Gillian Anderson) leading to her death, falling out one of the palace windows.

Is there anything true about The Great?

The Great Is Only 'Occasionally' True. But These Aspects of Hulu's Catherine the Great Series Are Based in History. “Ever since I was a child, I've felt like greatness was in store for me,” says Catherine, played by Elle Fanning, in the new Hulu series The Great.

Is Pocahontas inaccurate?

It's well known that this Disney movie is based on true events. However, the film came under fire from some saying that the story was completely historically inaccurate and showed Native Americans in a bad light.

What was wrong with Vlad in The Great?

In A Pox on Hope, Vlad contracted smallpox from the servants quarters. Though Catherine tried to protect him, Vlad read that his strain was fatal and left the palace to die in a pox camp.

What does The Great get wrong?

In fact, Catherine's mother had such a supposedly overbearing influence that she made an enemy of Empress Elizabeth, who liked Catherine but not her mother. The Great omits Catherine's mother altogether. Instead, it has Catherine completely on her own, emphasizing her resourcefulness and outsider status.

Did Catherine the Great have a pet bear?

No surprises there. Except the gift is a bear! He then shoots Catherine's bear at a party in a brutal power move to show her who is the boss of the tortured union. So, it is unlikely as bears were outlawed as pets in St Petersburg in the 1740s.

What did Catherine snort in The Great?

She needs to stay awake, though, because she's been dreaming about saving Leo (WHY?), and she can't handle being sad. He gives her a powder with “lavender, gunpowder, and some plant oils and stuff, I can't remember.” It's cocaine. Catherine is on cocaine. It's the middle of the night.

How does Katherine know she's pregnant?

After performing an old-school pregnancy test of peeing on some wheat, Catherine found out she was pregnant — a fact that helped save her after Peter learned she was behind the coup.

Who was Catherine the Great's last lover?

Catherine was 'broken' when partner Grigory Potemkin died

Though she also dated Alexander Vasilchikov from about 1772 to 1774, the love letters that started around 1774 and lasted until Potemkin's death in 1791, tell of a loving open relationship.

Is Georgina in love with Peter?

Grigor is Georgina's husband who loves her dearly, is very tired of sharing her with Peter. Georgina professes her love for him as well but has said that she couldn't imagine it (their marriage) with just the two of them.

What was Peter's secret in The Great?

Marial cannot help herself and tells Catherine that Peter had sex with and killed her mother. A shocked and grieving Catherine sees her mother's grave and sobs.

What is Peter's secret in The Great?

Catherine tells Velementov to win the war. Orlo decides to leave for good, which means leaving his lover behind. As the episode ends, Grigor reveals to Marial that Peter had sex with Joanna, and she fell out of the window to her death. He tells her to keep it a secret, but she stays silent.