THE REGIME on Max is a new HBO Original limited series starring Kate Winslet. Dark satire featuring familiar real-life events and people. Six episodes escalating in crazy ways. Read our full The Regime series review here!
THE REGIME is a new HBO original limited series that will be available to watch on Max and HBO. It stars Kate Winslet in the all-important lead and for this series, you will see a very different side of her. Or, at the very least, a very different type of character. It’s brilliant!
This limited series is a political satire that is partly over-the-top yet dangerously familiar. I’ve watched all six episodes of the miniseries for the purpose of this review (and also because I wanted to).
Continue reading our The Regime series review below. Find the series on HBO and Max from March 3, 2024.
Kate Winslet reigns supreme
Not only does Kate Winslet play the lead role in The Regime, she also reigns supreme when it comes to starring in so many amazing HBO original limited series. I, for one, can never get enough of her.
From Mildred Pierce (2011) to Mare of Easttown (2021) and now The Regime, she is brilliant! Especially when we see yet another (and very different) side of her with this latest role.
The Regime tells the story of a modern authoritarian regime. Or rather, we follow it from inside the palace walls just as it begins to unravel. Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) has not left the palace for quite some time, and this has resulted in her getting increasingly paranoid and unstable.
While things look crazy when the story begins for us, it’s about to get a whole lot worse.
She’s attracted to people who follow her orders and command respect from everyone else. This describes the volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), perfectly. Known by most as “The Butcher”, he becomes an unlikely confidant that influences her in strange ways.
Amazing supporting characters and cast
Chancellor Elena Vernham feels increasingly empowered to do whatever she wants. Unfortunately, for everyone, she makes several bold and very wrong choices. Always trying to expand her power will result in the country turning on her. Or will it?
And can someone like Elena Vernham ever truly lose?!
Along with Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts in the key roles, we also see Guillaume Gallienne as Elena’s husband, while Martha Plimpton is a US politician sent to deal with Elena. And failing in a terrible way.
Also, in one of the most interesting and heartfelt roles, we see Andrea Riseborough as Elena’s assistant. And so much more, as they practically share a child. You’ll see how that plays out. I loved how Agnes (Andrea Riseborough) was the only one who truly knew how to work within this regime. Without compromising on who she is!
Finally, Hugh Grant portrays Vernham’s political rival, who has a lot of screen time in one particular episode.
House of Cards meets The Handmaid’s Tale
If I were to compare it to some of the more recent successful series, I would say it’s House of Cards meets The Handmaid’s Tale as a darkly comedic series. And yes, that’s exactly as crazy and amazing as it sounds.
Seeing these crazy things play out and then realize that a lot of what happens isn’t unlike the events we’ve seen play out in real life.
From the actions of politicians and those around them to the terminology used, it all sounds eerily familiar to things you’ve seen and heard on the news. A whole lot of familiar descriptions of political opponents and even other countries.
Also, Kate Winslet’s Chancellor Elena Vernham clearly loves using the F-word, when she’s not in front of civilians. It’s absolutely f*cking brilliant to hear her cuss out all the old white men, who have no balls and just adhere to her every whim.
Sure, not doing so has consequences, but on the other hand, doing what she asks also has consequences for the people they represent. Still, they follow their leader unconditionally. Even though they’re bitching and moaning behind her back.
Sound at all familiar to any real-life “politicians” you might know?!
Watch The Regime on HBO and Max
Will Tracy (The Menu) is the creator and showrunner of this new HBO Original series. He also serves as executive producer along with Kate Winslet, Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liaisons), Jessica Hobbs (The Crown), Frank Rich, and Tracey Seaward.
The writers on the limited series are Seth Reiss, Sarah DeLappe, Gary Shteyngart, Jen Spyra, and Juli Weiner. The six episodes are directed by one of two directors. Stephen Frears directs episodes 1, 2, and 4, while Jessica Hobbs directs episodes 3, 5, and 6 (the series finale).
While having Academy Award®-winner Kate Winslet in the lead role is a great start, the writers, directors, and entire cast of The Regime is what makes it work in all its crazy ways!
Womentainment recommendation: Perfect release for Women’s History Month
While Kate Winslet doesn’t exactly portray a likable or “good” woman, I do think the release of The Regime at the beginning of Women’s History Month is perfect timing.
Seeing women in power is always interesting. Even if it’s a woman who abuses power in exactly the same way that her male predecessors clearly have been doing. Also, having a female Chancellor who tells men to f*ck off whenever she gets the chance is downright liberating.
Seeing Kate Winslet in The Regime reminded me of Emma Thompson in Years and Years (2019). Now, while that series was much more of a realistic drama, it did make me think that a Years and Years spin-off where the focus was on Emma Thompson’s character would be brilliant.
I’m just trying to speak this spin-off into existence by mentioning it here. Manifesting it, if you will. After all, Years and Years was also an HBO (and BBC) production. And obviously, Kate Winslet should also be in the spin-off series as the reigning queen of the HBO limited series.
The Regime premieres on HBO on March 3, 2024, at 9 PM and will be available to stream on Max.
Creator: Will Tracy
Directors: Stephen Frears, Jessica Hobbs
Writers: Will Tracy, Seth Reiss, Sarah DeLappe, Gary Shteyngart, Jen Spyra, Juli Weiner
Cast: Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, Hugh Grant
Official plot:
The darkly comedic six-episode series tells the story of life within the walls of a modern authoritarian regime as it begins to unravel. After not leaving the palace for quite some time, Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) has grown increasingly paranoid and unstable when she turns to a volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), as an unlikely confidant. As Zubak’s influence over the chancellor continues to grow, Elena’s attempts to expand her power eventually result in both the palace and the country fracturing around her.
