Political satire has been scarce in recent years, with the real-world antics of leaders often outpacing the imaginations of writers. Platforms are cluttered with political dramas that often mirror reality too closely for comfort.
The Regime treads where many have paused. It carves out its niche with a deft blend of satire and intrigue, largely thanks to Kate Winslet’s magnetic performance as Chancellor Elena Vernham.
Where can you watch The Regime in the UAE and Saudi Arabia?
The Regime is set to captivate audiences on OSN+ starting March 4th, available in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. You can check this series out with OSN+’s 7-day free trial, perfect to sample the platform’s catalogue without immediate commitment.
The Regime Review
The Regime Review
The Regime treads where many have paused. It carves out its niche with a deft blend of satire and intrigue, largely thanks to Kate Winslet's magnetic performance as Chancellor Elena Vernham.
The Good
- Kate Winslet's commanding performance
- Sharp script
- Production design and cinematography
The Bad
- Pacing in middle episodes
- Underused supporting characters
If you’ve been missing the sharp jabs of political satire that seemed to vanish when the world itself turned into a parody, The Regime is here to fill that void. It’s a sometimes too real exploration of what happens when the levers of control are gripped too tightly and there are political gaffes aplenty. Think House of Cards meets Veep but with a unique blend of cynicism and biting wit that could only be born from the minds behind Succession.
The Regime swings open the palace doors to a fictional European country, where democracy exists mostly in theory, and Kate Winslet’s Chancellor Elena Vernham reigns with a complexity that’s as compelling as it is unnerving. The show takes place over a year in the turbulent reign of Chancellor Elena who is ensnared in her own web of power, paranoia, and peculiarities.
Elena’s eccentric rule is marked by a mix of absurdity and tyranny, and her turbulent love affair with Herbert Zubak, played by Matthias Schoenaerts. Zubak is a soldier plucked from obscurity by Elena and becomes the chancellor’s most trusted confidant and later love interest. Their relationship, charged and complex, influences the course of governance, much to Elena’s cabinet’s dismay.
Zubak manages to swerve Elena from cozying up to American mining magnates to championing a radical agenda of wealth redistribution and land reform for the working class. Her triumphant address to the nation is soon dampened by the revelation that her ministers’ “holding company”—their secret stash of ill-gotten gains—will take a hit. In a desperate bid to salvage her pride, Elena’s grand gesture takes a farcical turn—an invasion of the Fabian Corridor, spun as a noble act of peace. But instead of accolades, she earns international scorn and domestic unrest.
As Elena’s grand plan unravels, you’re left wondering if she’ll wriggle out of this mess or if it’s the final nail in her political coffin. One thing’s for sure: The Regime keeps you hooked with its mix of wit, drama, and absurdity.
Right at the heart of this political mayhem, Kate Winslet holds down the fort as Vernham, delivering a riveting show. She swings from despotic zeal to raw vulnerability with ease, making her presence on screen both magnetic and slightly unhinged.
She navigates the chancellor’s dualities with ease, portraying a leader caught in the web of her own making—desperate for love from a populace she barely understands, ruling with an iron fist she’d rather conceal in a velvet glove. It’s a role that Winslet inhabits fully, making Elena more than a figure of authority into a deeply human character, riddled with contradictions.
Elena’s quirks, from her germophobia to her disdain for her subjects, paint a portrait of a leader haunted by isolation and fear. Winslet expertly navigates these complexities, crafting a character whose ambition rivals her vulnerabilities.
But Elena Vernham is no ordinary tyrant. She’s a paradoxical figure, craving the adoration of her people while recoiling from their presence. Her attempts at connection, such as the awkward song performance in the first episode – reminiscent of the cringeworthy but remarkable L to the OG rap from Succession – add a layer of unsettling charm to her character.
Despite occasional excesses in portraying her eccentricities, Winslet captivates with every scene, presenting Elena as a deeply human character, riddled with contradictions and complexities.
Matthias Schoenaerts delivers Herbert Zubak with a raw intensity that’s hard to ignore. He’s the brooding, tortured soldier, navigating the stormy waters of Elena’s world with the best of intentions. He’s a bundle of contradictions with a penchant for chaos. Schoenaerts turns in a performance that’s part silent warrior, part emotional powder keg, all wrapped up in a man who’s as unpredictable as he is devoted.
His loyalty to Elena isn’t just about shared ambitions; it’s like they’re both members of the same club for emotionally broken people. Their love affair is less of a slow dance and more of a tango on a tightrope, with power plays and passionate clashes that push them to confront the messier sides of themselves. Watching Herbert navigate his role is akin to seeing someone try to defuse a bomb with a hammer—intense, a bit absurd, and utterly compelling.
And it’s not just Winslet and Schoenaerts who steal the spotlight. The supporting cast that includes Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant add their own brand of charm and cunning to the mix. From Elena’s conniving ministers and cuckolded husband to her palace manager who’s weary of Elena’s whims, each character brings a fresh layer of intrigue to the table.
Visually, the series is a feast for the eyes, taking place almost entirely inside the palace with the opulence contrasting starkly against the darker themes at play. The opulence of the setting contrasts sharply with the sense of entrapment felt by those within its walls, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere that pervades the series. The visual storytelling, with its rich detail and strategic use of space, accentuates the isolation and grandeur of Elena’s world, drawing you deeper into the unfolding drama.
The Regime thrives on its sharp, biting wit, slicing through the storyline with the finesse of a well-aimed quip. Its humor is a wicked blend of satire and sarcasm, mercilessly skewering the absurdities of political power life without detracting from the gravity of its themes. A commentary that is both timely and timeless. The show doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of power, instead choosing to confront it head-on, with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.
The narrative, dense with scheming, oddities and dark humor, moves at a pace that would leave Frank Underwood breathless. While the show might sprint through some developments and meander through others, it keeps you locked in, eager to see what happens next. Across six episodes, you’ll be whisked through the seasons of Elena’s rule, witnessing the mounting pressures that push the boundaries of her control.
With its incisive wit and the magnetic pull of Kate Winslet’s performance, the show blurs the line between the real and the ridiculous, serving up a reminder that politics often straddles that line, all while keeping us thoroughly entertained.
The Regime does more than just make you chuckle though; it makes you stop and think about why you’re laughing in the first place. As outlandish as it all seems, it leaves you with a nagging feeling that this brand of madness and unchecked authority isn’t just possible—it could be next Tuesday in today’s political arena.
In a world that often feels a half step away from becoming a satirical sketch show, The Regime serves a cheeky nod to the power of laughter in the face of absurdity. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the only way to make sense of the circus is to join in the laughter—because if you don’t laugh, you might just cry.