Review
The Empress or Die Kaiserin is a German historical drama based on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria that was released on Netflix on 29 September 2022 and the second series began airing on 22 November 2024. The first season shows sixteen year old Elisabeth, known as Sisi, accompanying her older sister, Helene, to Austria where she is due to marry Franz Joseph I. However, Franz falls in love with Elisabeth instead and insists on marrying her against the wishes of his mother.
From the outset of the first episode, we are made aware that Elisabeth is different from the others as she is free-spirited and has a wildness to her nature. It is this wildness that makes her attractive to Franz who has been raised in the stifling atmosphere of the imperial court and it gives him the courage to disobey his mother. Franz’s younger brother, Maximilian, seems to be as free-spirited as Elisabeth so it initially seems they are far more suited to each other but Maximilian has a cruel streak. Devrim Lingnau is brilliant as Elisabeth, while Melika Foroutan stands out as the cold hearted Archduchess Sophie. It’s more fun watching these two ladies bounce off each other than watching Elisabeth’s lukewarm relationship with Franz Joseph.
Having been raised in a less formal surrounding, Elisabeth finds the court protocols stifling and a little absurd but she has little choice but to comply. The ladies-in-waiting are hard to distinguish between but Amalia, Charlotte and Ava (Leontine) are the important ones. It baffles me how Ava managed to get herself into a position where she could pass herself off as Leontine but I guess we will discover that out later. Bored of the etiquette lessons and feeling anxious about the upcoming wedding, Elisabeth unwisely accepts an invitation to Maximilian’s soiree which seems a little avant-garde for the era. Maximilian is still intent on causing trouble between Franz Joseph and Elisabeth but their others looking out for her.
On the day of the wedding, large crowds gather at the church to see the royal couple arrive and it has a very modern feel to it. Elisabeth’s wedding dress is beautiful even if it is totally wrong for the era but it fulfils every little girl’s fantasy about how a princess should be dressed on her wedding day. Caught up in court politics, Elisabeth is also developing a ruthless streak which she will need to survive but it is poor Helene who is on the receiving end as Elisabeth goes back on her word to allow her sister to stay at court with her and plans to marry her off as quickly as possible. Maximilian is also starting to show his true colours as he shows he has ambitions for taking over his brother’s throne.
At the start of episode four begins, two months have passed since the wedding so all attention turns to Elisabeth’s fertility and she is subjected to some horrific home remedies which she takes stoically. In reality, Elisabeth became pregnant very quickly after the marriage so her failure to conceive is fabricated. Maximilian continues to meddle in politics and Franz Joseph is still oblivious even though he no longer trusts his brother. As Franz Joseph plays host to Grand Duke Alexander of Russia to broker peace with his father, Elisabeth upsets Alexander when she implies Austria wants to take Russian territories. When Alexander abruptly leaves, a furious Franz Joseph blames Elisabeth for the breakdown in communications and she consoles herself by getting drunk with Maximilian.
Since Elisabeth and Franz Joseph are not on good terms, it seems ironic that her only friend is a woman intent on revolution. I like the bond that has grown between Elisabeth and Ava but Esterhazy is growing increasingly unpleasant. Elisabeth tries to make amends by paying a visit to a foundry where she is visibly appalled by the conditions and she hands over her shoes to a little girl which infuriates Esterhazy. When other people start begging, the empress had to be rushed away for her own safety. The incident is a bit heavy-handed and I find it unlikely Elisabeth would have handed over her shoes.
Believing she can’t do anything right, Elisabeth begins to party heavily with Maximilian despite Franz Jospeh’s attempts to reconcile. Sophie tells Elisabeth that she has two choices, she can either go back home and having the marriage annulled, or she can stay and play by their rules. After another fight with her husband, Elisabeth decides to go home even though she knows she is pregnant. When Franz Joseph learns of his brother’s plans to take the throne, he has him arrested as revolutionaries descend on the palace. Seeing the people at the gate, Elisabeth tells them she is pregnant and wins over their hearts as Franz Joseph watches on. It is a bit far fetched but it is a powerful moment to end the first season.
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