The Regime
Kate Winslet as Chancellor Elena Vernham
Official poster
GenrePolitical satire
Created byWill Tracy
Directed by
Starring
Music by
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
CinematographyAlwin H. Küchler
Editors
  • Peter Lambert
  • Paulo Pandolpho
Running time48–51 minutes
Production companies
  • Juggle Productions
  • Hot Seat Productions
  • HBO Entertainment
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseMarch 3 (2024-03-03) –
April 7, 2024 (2024-04-07)

The Regime is an American political satire television miniseries from HBO starring Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant. Will Tracy is writer and executive producer on the series with Stephen Frears and Jessica Hobbs directing episodes and executive producing. Winslet, Frank Rich, and Tracey Seaward are also executive producers. Winslet plays Elena Vernham, a dictator ruling precariously over a fictional Central European country.[1]

The Regime premiered on March 3, 2024,[2][3] with all six episodes debuting in the US on HBO and Max and in the UK exclusively on Sky Atlantic and Now from 8 April 2024.[4]

Though the miniseries received mixed reviews, Kate Winslet’s performance has been singled out for praise from critics.[5]

Synopsis

The series depicts a year within the palace of a crumbling authoritarian regime.[6] After not leaving the palace for quite some time, Chancellor Elena Vernham becomes increasingly paranoid and unstable and turns to a volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak, as an unlikely confidant. As Zubak's influence over the chancellor grows, Elena's attempts to expand her power eventually result in the palace and the country fracturing around her.[7]

Cast

Main

Guest

Episodes

No.Title [9]Directed byWritten by [10]Original air date [11]U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Victory Day"Stephen FrearsWill TracyMarch 3, 2024 (2024-03-03)0.310[12]
2"The Foundling"Stephen FrearsWill TracyMarch 10, 2024 (2024-03-10)0.155[13]
3"The Heroes' Banquet"Jessica HobbsSarah DeLappe and Juli WeinerMarch 17, 2024 (2024-03-17)0.183[14]
4"Midnight Feast"Stephen FrearsSeth ReissMarch 24, 2024 (2024-03-24)0.185[15]
5"All Ye Faithful"Jessica HobbsGary Shteyngart and Jen SpyraMarch 31, 2024 (2024-03-31)0.130[16]
6"Don't Yet Rejoice"Jessica HobbsWill TracyApril 7, 2024 (2024-04-07)0.120[17]

Production

The project was announced by HBO in July 2022 with Will Tracy serving as showrunner, with Stephen Frears directing and Kate Winslet, Frank Rich and Tracey Seaward acting as executive producers. The writing team includes Seth Reiss, Juli Weiner, Jen Spyra, Gary Shteyngart, and Sarah DeLappe.[18] The miniseries will mark Winslet's third lead role in an HBO drama series after Mildred Pierce, and Mare of Easttown.[19] In April 2023, the title of the project was officially revealed to have changed from the working title The Palace to The Regime.[20]

Casting

In October 2022, Matthias Schoenaerts was added to the cast.[21] In December 2022, it was confirmed that Andrea Riseborough was joining the cast,[22] and that Hugh Grant would appear in a guest role.[23] In January 2023 the series added Martha Plimpton to the cast and Jessica Hobbs behind the camera as co-executive producer and director.[24] That same month, Guillaume Gallienne was cast as Winslet's husband.[25] In April 2023, it was announced Danny Webb, David Bamber, Henry Goodman, Stanley Townsend, Louie Mynett, Rory Keenan, Karl Markovics, and Pippa Haywood had joined the cast of the series.[26]

Filming

Filming in Austria took place in January 2023 at the Schönbrunn Palace and at the Liechtenstein Garden Palace, part of the Liechtenstein Museum, on the Fürstengasse, in the 9th district of Vienna.[27] A first look image released in February 2023 showed Winslet filming on set in Austria, with principal photography also taking place in the United Kingdom at Wentworth Woodhouse near Rotherham, South Yorkshire.[28]

Reception

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 69 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Kate Winslet reigns supreme with another commanding performance even as The Regime's hold over its scabrously satirical tone proves wobbly."[29] On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[30]

References

  1. ^ Dominus, Susan (March 3, 2024). "Kate Winslet Pushes Her Characters, and Herself, to the Edge". The New York Times. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Gonzales, Erica (November 2, 2023). "The Regime: What to Know About the HBO Series Starring Kate Winslet". Elle. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  3. ^ Petski, Denise (December 20, 2023). "The Regime Teaser Trailer: Kate Winslet Is An Authoritarian Leader Desperate To Maintain Control In HBO Limited Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  4. ^ https://www.net-a-porter.com/en-gb/porter/article-f46bd8ada94c36de/cover-stories/cover-stories/kate-winslet
  5. ^ Williams, Jordan (March 13, 2024). "Kate Winslet's New HBO Show Breaks Her Actor Reunion Streak After 13 Years". ScreenRant. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  6. ^ DeVore, Britta (February 2, 2023). "'The Palace' Begins Production With First Image of Kate Winslet in HBO Miniseries". Collider. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  7. ^ from the official website
  8. ^ a b DEVORE, BRITTA (February 8, 2024). "Kate Winslet Is Under Matthias Schoenaerts' Trance in 'The Regime's New Trailer". Collider. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  9. ^ "HBO TV Schedule". HBO. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Regime – Episodes". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  11. ^ "Shows A-Z – The Regime on HBO". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  12. ^ Pucci, Douglas (March 5, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: Caitlin Clark's Regular Season Finale is Most-Watched Women's College Basketball Regular Season Contest on Any Network in 25 Years". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  13. ^ Pucci, Douglas (March 12, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: 'Abbott Elementary' on ABC Reaches Series-High in Post-Oscars Slot, Academy Awards Hit 4-Year High". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  14. ^ Pucci, Douglas (March 19, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: Women's College Basketball Selection Show on ESPN Nearly Ties ABC's 'American Idol' for Tops in 18-49 Within its Hour". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Pucci, Douglas (March 26, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: TNT, TBS and truTV Lead in Prime Time Demos with NCAA March Madness". Programming Insider. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  16. ^ Pucci, Douglas (April 2, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: NC State-Duke NCAA Men's Basketball Elite Eight Game on CBS is TV's Most-Watched Easter Day Telecast Since 2013". Programming Insider. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  17. ^ Pucci, Douglas (April 10, 2024). "Sunday Ratings: South Carolina's Victory Over Caitlin Clark and Iowa in National Championship on ABC and ESPN Becomes All-Time Most-Watched Women's College Basketball Telecast/". Programming Insider. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  18. ^ White, Peter (July 26, 2022). "Kate Winslet To Star In Authoritarian Limited Series 'The Palace' For HBO From Will Tracy & Stephen Frears". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  19. ^ Otterson, Joe (July 26, 2022). "Kate Winslet Set to Star in HBO Limited Series 'The Palace'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  20. ^ Petski, Denise (April 12, 2023). "'The Regime': HBO Unveils Teaser, New Title For Limited Series Starring Kate Winslet". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  21. ^ Otterson, Joe (October 7, 2022). "'Amsterdam' Star Matthias Schoenaerts Joins Kate Winslet in HBO Limited Series 'The Palace'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  22. ^ Dela Paz, Maggie (December 2, 2022). "The Palace: Andrea Riseborough Joins Kate Winslet in HBO Drama". Coming Soon. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Porter, Rick (December 6, 2022). "Hugh Grant boards 'The Palace' Limited Series at HBO". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  24. ^ Otterson, Joe (January 18, 2023). "Kate Winslet's HBO Limited Series 'The Palace' Casts Martha Plimpton, Adds Jessica Hobbs as Director". Variety. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  25. ^ Keslassy, Elsa (January 9, 2023). "French Actor Guillaume Gallienne Joins Kate Winslet in HBO Limited Series 'The Palace'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  26. ^ "HBO Releases Official Teaser For THE REGIME". Warner Bros. Discovery (Press release). April 12, 2023. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  27. ^ "Hollywood in Wien: Kate Winslet wird beim "The Palace"-Dreh wohl Knödel Essen". Kurier.at (in German). January 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  28. ^ Petski, Denise (February 2, 2023). "'The Palace': First Look At Kate Winslet In HBO's Limited Series From Will Tracy & Stephen Frears". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  29. ^ "The Regime: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  30. ^ "The Regime: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 9, 2024.

External links

Stephen Frears
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