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.
The central tension of the episode revolves around Catherine, Orlo, and Marial鈥檚 slow-moving coup planning. The Great s01e03
: Peter, noticing Catherine鈥檚 unhappiness, gifts her a lover named Leo . While Catherine is initially hesitant, Leo鈥檚 "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. This episode provides a significant character study for
Reviewers from Ready Steady Cut and Vulture note that the show鈥檚 "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. : Peter, noticing Catherine鈥檚 unhappiness, gifts her a
: 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鈥檚 coup and Peter鈥檚 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鈥檚 otherwise monstrous Peter. Recruitment and Romance
