Becoming Elizabeth
Becoming Elizabeth
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Becoming Elizabeth

"The queen you know. The girl you don’t."

6.5
Yr 2022
Rt 59m
Status Canceled
Drama
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Series Brief

Overview

The fascinating story of the early life of England’s most iconic Queen, Elizabeth Tudor, an orphaned teenager who became embroiled in the political and sexual politics of the English court on her journey to obtain the crown.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 74 /100

Critical reception for Becoming Elizabeth was largely favorable, with reviewers praising its cerebral and intimate focus on Tudor political intrigue. Rather than relying on purely sensational historical melodrama, critics commended creator Anya Reiss for prioritizing personal experience and deep family power struggles, with multiple outlets comparing its poisonous dynamics to Succession.

While the series earned praise for its spectacular cast, atmospheric production design, and nuanced approach to Elizabeth's early life, it also stirred discomfort. Several reviewers warned that watching the unsettling manipulation and sexual politics surrounding young Elizabeth could feel disturbing, while a few detractors felt the narrative was too slowly paced and thinly plotted.

“This romp through the Tudor court shows a poisonous family power struggle with sex at its heart”

“thinly plotted, slowly paced, lacking a strong center or any sense of humor”

“leaves the viewer with a vague feeling of what can only be described as ickiness”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Crave
CA
Starz Amazon Channel
CA
MGM Plus Amazon Channel
UK
Show 2 more
Channel 4
UK
Sky Go
UK
Why fans love it

Alicia von Rittberg plays the young Elizabeth Tudor as a vulnerable player in a lethal game of survival. Rather than focusing on the established monarch, the series highlights the precarious reality of a teenager navigating the dangerous social hierarchies of the 16th-century English court. This biographical drama strips away the regal mythos, positioning the crown as a distant, terrifying ambition rather than an inevitability.

The production leans into the harsh physical and political realities of renaissance life. Court intrigue serves as more than just a background setting, functioning instead as a tool for constant manipulation among the royalty. Because the story centers on personal agency amidst instability, the tone feels grounded in the grit of history rather than the typical romanticized portrait of the British monarchy.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 36
Regulars 7
Longest run 7 eps
Alicia von Rittberg
Alicia von Rittberg
as Elizabeth Tudor
Romola Garai
Romola Garai
as Mary Tudor
Oliver Zetterström
Oliver Zetterström
as Edward VI
John Heffernan
John Heffernan
as Duke of Somerset
Jamie Parker
Jamie Parker
as John Dudley
Leo Bill
Leo Bill
as Henry Grey
Ekow Quartey
Ekow Quartey
as Pedro
Jessica Raine
Jessica Raine
as Catherine Parr
5 episodes
Show 28 more
Alexandra Gilbreath as Kat Ashley 6 episodes Tom Cullen as Thomas Seymour 7 episodes Matthew Steer as William 1 episode Ryan Nolan as Richard 3 episodes Olivier Huband as Guzmán de Silva 3 episodes Bella Ramsey as Jane Grey 6 episodes Shaun Mason as Priest 1 episode Jamie Blackley as Robert Dudley 7 episodes Jacob Avery as Guildford Dudley 7 episodes Miltos Yerolemou as Tutor 1 episode Kenny Fullwood as Messenger 1 episode Luke Rollason as King's Player 1 episode Martin Bassindale as King's Player 1 episode Ben Moor as Doctor 2 episodes Alex Macqueen as Bishop Gardiner 6 episodes Stanley Townsend as Anthony Denny 2 episodes Beth Goddard as Joan Denny 1 episode Erin Ainsworth as Denny's Daughter 1 episode Nicholas Bishop as French Ambassador 1 episode Robert Whitelock as Robert Kett 2 episodes Bohdan Poraj as John Robsart 1 episode Lucy Speed as Elizabeth Robsart 1 episode Ruby Ashbourne Serkis as Amy Robsart 3 episodes Alfie Todd as Edward Seymour 2 episodes Poppy Shepherd as Peasant Woman 1 episode Ed Eales White as Villager 1 episode Oliver Bennett as Court Physician 1 episode Michael Webber as Yeoman Guard 1 episode
Production Board

Crew

Visual Effects Editor
Lauren Mullally
Assistant Art Director
Grace Mahony
Set Costumer
Louise Kelly
Hair Designer
Jacqueline Fowler
Makeup & Hair
Julia Plant Natalie Morton Fiona Maynard Ali Barnett
Online Editor
Nick Timms
Production Design
Stevie Herbert
Director of Photography
Adolpho Veloso Tony Miller Łukasz Gutt
Costume Supervisor
Michael Weldon
Costume Designer
Bartholomew Cariss
Editor
Rick Russell Martin Brinkler
Makeup Supervisor
Amy Mansfield
Property Master
Mike Parker
Stunts
Rob Pavey Chris Waite
Assistant Makeup Artist
Kelsey James
Director
Justin Chadwick
Script Supervisor
Sara Doughty
Drone Operator
Steve Quan
Graphic Designer
Rosie Carmichael
Assistant Costume Designer
Ros Marshall
Art Direction
Neil McAllister
Still Photographer
Nick Briggs
Supervising Art Director
Pilar Foy
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Becoming Elizabeth overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

queen elizabeth i royalty british history historical drama renaissance teenage life 16th century court intrigue biographical drama biographical
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
June 12, 2022
Status
Canceled
Episode Runtime
59 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
59