We’re excited enough by Hulu’s comedic version of Catherine the Great that we’re recapping and podcasting the series. Pour yourself a cocktail, because we don’t expect to take The Great (2020) too seriously! Here’s our screencaps to follow along with our costume analysis in this week’s podcast. Catch up with previous episodes here.
Episode 9 brings on the torture because Peter thinks there’s a coup afoot! Of course, there is, but he’s not going to find out just yet.
This promo pic shows the colors of Auntie’s fabulous outfit more accurately.
And here’s some of all those sequin & embroidered & fancy details we love so much, in another promo pic. Kendra *hearts* the blue sequins — in a costumey sense.
Full length screencap of Auntie, with her fabulous green stockings. The outfit is pretty much a fantasy costume in terms of embellishment, but it works really well and is cute as hell on Belinda Bromilow.
We also see more of George’s red dress, confirming the existence of the butt bow:
Butt bow confirmed.
Sarah initially really liked this dress because it’s RED, and Charity Wakefield looks amazing in this color. However, finally getting a clear view of it from more than just chest-up, it’s definitely weird and wtf IS actually going on with those sleeves? Kendra thinks the skirt is executed weirdly, too.
Peter gets a fabulous leopard print frock coat.
Nice promo pic of Peter’s grey leopard-print coat, which he’s worn a lot in the series but, hey, we didn’t get a clear screencap of it.
Which, if you weren’t aware, was actually a fad in the mid-to-late-18th century.
Episode 10 starts with Catherine wigged out about being pregnant, while Peter plans her birthday party because he’s suddenly in love with his wife. So cake-tasting with his pals.
Georgina is unexpectedly casual in this peasant-style outfit.
Yet still in the screaming bright red she’s been wearing for most of the series.
Cathy decides to kill Peter and start the coup as a bday gift to herself.
Practice makes perfect!
Cathy has a new dress in a very dark blue, with a hot pink petticoat.
This new dress is exactly like all her others, of course.
Auntie keeps checking Catherine’s pee to see if she’s pregnant, and with this scene, Frock Flicks comes full circle.
At least it shows more of that hot pink petticoat, plus historically accurate stockings with tied garters.
Auntie wore this dress before, but it was mostly covered by a cloak. It’s amazing, & we discuss it on the podcast!
Full-length shot of Auntie’s gown.
After a revealing convo between Catherine and Auntie, Auntie decides to ditch out from the court for a while. Cathy proceeds with her plans, after a wardrobe change.
“I want candy!”
Sure, it’s a vaguely period hairstyle, but we could do better.
It has pockets!
But Cathy’s attempt to stab Peter is foiled by his birthday gift — Voltaire!
Who is one fine foppy dude. We like.
All hell breaks loose as parts of the coup are set off, but nothing goes as planned. Catherine and Peter tussle, and he gets the better of her.
At first, this looked interesting because of the hand-work it revealed. But then, hey! Where’s her corset? 18th-c. stays aren’t cropped above the belly, & no, you can’t easily rip through them. WTF?
Catherine has a big pout, but Voltaire is wise.
Also, love his dark blue clocked stockings.
Love this blue & pink combo.
We were dissatisfied with the ending and discuss it extensively on the podcast. But we give the overall series a solid B grade — enjoyable absurdist history with beautifully designed costumes. We’ll tune in for the second season!
Also, check out these amusing behind-the-scenes photos from IMDB:
More historical stockings & tied garters here!
Must have been from an early episode because the hairstyling is good.
We love Orlov!
Mmmm … donuts …
That’s the end for this season! What did you think of The Great?
The Great Episodes Nine & Ten, Podcast Recap
Listen to our podcast recap of the episode here or on iTunes!
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George’s red dress’s skirt really does confuse me slightly. Those are masses of cartridge pleats going on there at the side waist and rear… then supported by underpinnings – but the cut and construction of the skirt is far more 17th century (particularly early Restoration in my opinion.) Sans those 18th Century underpinnings of course. It is a mash up that just looks weird in context, though I think the pleats look good in construction. But that bow!!!!!
I would be fasinated to know Kendra’s thoughts on the strangeness of the construction of that skirt. :D
That red dress looks like the Sang de Christ dress Claire wears in outlander. It’s like they borrowed the dress, stuck a wired butt bow and silly flaps on the sleeves to disguise it. Also I love Elle Fanning eating the box of Krispy Kreme.
I dig the hot pink. It doesn’t look authentic to the period, but… this isn’t history. ;)
I don’t think this period suits Charity Wakefield at all. She looked much better in S&S, style-wise.
One thing that this show kept consistent,whether costuming was accurate or not,is that the actresses looked gorgeous in the outfits.I was pleasantly surprised by Aunt’s fur trimmed outfit,because this style is so common in period portraiture but is rarely represented on screen.
Georgiana’s red dress is baffling.Construction wise it is similar to her burgundy dress,but that didn’t look so weird as this one.Something about the ketchup red colour doesn’t read well to my eyes.It isn’t even a real sanguine red shade,which looks amazing on Charity in real life.
The last photo speaks to me.
What drove me nuts about the pink dress once it was ripped open was the hook and eye closures they weren’t even trying to hide. And what was super annoying is that even they were pink!