If I had to pinpoint a recurring grievance with 'The Serpent Queen' thus far, it would be the scarcity of Samantha Morton's presence. But the fourth episode of Season 1, titled "A New Era," addresses this head-on, catapulting the flashback timeline forward a decade and a half, allowing Morton to embody Catherine de Medici in both timelines. Unsurprisingly, this episode emerges as the season's highlight.
As we rejoin the narrative, we discover that Catherine has been prolific in childbirth over these intervening years, while Henri has matured into Lee Ingleby's portrayal. He's a doting father and a reasonably attentive husband, but upon Diane de Poitiers' appearance, we're reminded that his affections still linger on her, albeit potentially a remnant of Stockholm Syndrome rather than genuine love. Regardless, his heart does not belong to Catherine, or at least, he's not enamored with her as a husband should be.
Adding to the complexity, their eldest son, Francis (portrayed by Georg Jacques), is betrothed to Mary, daughter of James V of Scotland, bridging the gap between the present and the flashbacks more overtly. Francis's lung condition keeps him from indulging in the flirtatious antics of the French court, where Mary has resided since childhood. It's fascinating to observe how Henri handles this situation, contrasting it with how his own father, who is still alive but rapidly declining, nurtured his children.
King Francis's imminent demise looms large in this episode, leaving behind a political landscape rife with religious tensions between Catholics and Protestants. His realm falls into the hands of not just Henri, but also the aristocrats who have aged alongside him, many of whom were closer to his late son, Francis, than to Henri. Cardinal Charles de Guise (Raza Jaffrey) and the Duke of Guise Francois (Ray Panthaki) staunchly support Catholicism, while Louis (Danny Kirrane) and Antoine (Nicholas Burns) are unwavering advocates of Protestantism and their seemingly limitless resources. The King, who has openly believed for years that Catherine is the future of France, makes this sentiment even more explicit as he takes a turn for the worse. On his deathbed, he compels Henri to swear to appoint Catherine to his privy council, a promise he fulfills. However, Catherine is surrounded by the Cardinal, Francois, Louis, and Antoine, all seeking to advance their own agendas and none taking her counsel seriously, despite her sound advice that the Holy Roman Emperor will pose a significant challenge to the new king.
Henri, with profound respect for Catherine's wisdom, concurred to station a formidable garrison at the border, yet he was dissuaded from bolstering the troops by a unanimous chorus of opposition. Meanwhile, Catherine boldly "gifted" Diane a chateau during the coronation, effectively banishing her from the royal court. Diane, forced to feign gratitude, nonetheless forged a bond with Angelica, who presented her with a pipette of liquid gold. This elixir scarcely tamed her ferocity, and her presence remained palpable throughout the coronation, which was abruptly disrupted by a messenger bearing a grisly gift — a severed head adorned with wriggling maggots. It was a macabre token from the Holy Roman Emperor, validating Catherine's suspicions.
As Rahima listened to the tale, she absorbed its subtle lessons, choosing to reveal half-truths rather than full disclosures, and positioning herself in the queen's line of sight while ensuring Catherine could also observe her, albeit intermittently. Aware of Catherine's shrewd nature, Rahima, wiser than her demeanor betrayed, must have surmised that she was gradually becoming a pawn in the queen's intricate game. Though she couldn't resist utilizing her newly acquired royal privileges to exact revenge on those who had inflicted misery upon her, she possessed the foresight to understand that her current position was tenuous and she would once again be vulnerable. Yet, by that time, she might have garnered sufficient wisdom from the Serpent Queen to safeguard herself from impending peril.
