The Great | S01e03

The central tension of the episode revolves around Catherine, Orlo, and Marial’s slow-moving coup planning.

: Peter experiments with different titles, including "Peter the Fun," "the Masterful," and even just "the Me," while struggling to give a speech in front of a bear statue honoring his father.

Season 1, Episode 3, titled " And You Sir, Are No Peter the Great ," marks a pivotal shift in the series, deepening the psychological stakes of Catherine’s coup and Peter’s fragile ego. While the previous episodes established the "backward" world of the Russian court, this installment begins to peel back the layers of its main characters, offering a rare glimpse of vulnerability in Nicholas Hoult’s otherwise monstrous Peter. Recruitment and Romance The Great s01e03

Reviewers from Ready Steady Cut and Vulture note that the show’s "occasionally true" approach to history allows it to focus on contemporary-feeling character arcs. However, some critics from the Chicago Sun-Times find Peter's cruelty hard to stomach as comedy, suggesting that while the satire is sharp, the "machinations of the plot" can feel tedious for those wanting a faster pace.

: The introduction of Peter’s nine-year-old half-brother, Ivan , adds a layer of threat. Described as a "possibly psychopathic" child kept locked away, Ivan serves as a reminder of the instability and inherent violence of the Russian line of succession. Episode Review Highlights The central tension of the episode revolves around

This episode provides a significant character study for Peter. He is desperate to measure up to his father, the original "Peter the Great," but is exceptionally bad at it.

“[Peter is] a homicidal tyrant who sleeps with anything that moves... but he's also the son of a great Emperor who he constantly feels he can't measure up to.” Nerds and Beyond · 5 years ago Critical Perspectives While the previous episodes established the "backward" world

: Peter, noticing Catherine’s unhappiness, gifts her a lover named Leo . While Catherine is initially hesitant, Leo’s "YA novel-level charming" nature and love for literature quickly win her over, adding a genuine emotional anchor to her otherwise cold existence at court.