Kate Winslet may be best known for Titanic, The Holiday or her Oscar-winning role in The Reader, but she’s also gotten plenty of recognition for her work with HBO in the past. Her roles on Mare of Easttown and Mildred Pierce earned her numerous accolades, including Outstanding Lead Actress Emmys for both, and now the actress is returning to the network for the limited series The Regime. Winslet will play the increasingly unstable chancellor Elena Vernham in the upcoming political satire, and critics are raving about her unhinged performance.
The Regime shows the volatile political environment of a fictional European autocracy over the period of a year, during which the chancellor forms a toxic bond with violent ex-soldier Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts). Daniel Fienberg of THR says overall the project lacks depth and may disappoint fans hoping for something more like Succession from creator Will Tracy (who was a writer on the Roy family saga). The critic is instead captivated by Kate Winslet, who Fienberg says makes any HBO project worth watching. His review states:
I wasn’t always sure what The Regime was doing, or why, but Winslet’s work, a complex blending of physical and psychological choices, kept the series somewhere between watchable and fascinating. … Winslet digs deep into her professional bag of tricks to make Elena’s motivations and wellness unreadable. Sometimes there’s a slur to her speech and a droop to her lip that suggest infirmity and instability. Other times, she’s cold and calculating and completely in control. When her mind is wavering, she lets her posture convey strength. When her body is failing, she uses her mind to seduce everybody around her.
Judy Berman of Time Magazine says another Primetime Emmy may be in Kate Winslet’s future for her astute portrayal of the fragile chancellor. Overall The Regime is funny and brilliant — even if “thematically undercooked” — thanks to the performances of Winslet and her co-stars. The critic continues:
Tracy keeps the abrupt political realignments coming, as Winslet, equipped with a lisping, upper-crust accent and gamely leading deranged musical numbers, pivots fluidly from hysterical hypochondriac to tyrannical alpha, hopeless romantic to malignant narcissist. The other performances are excellent as well, from Schoenarts’ energetic turn as a rugged maniac to a supporting cast that includes Hugh Grant and Andrea Riseborough. Quippy dialogue features many great Veep-esque insults (‘mewling vulva,’ ‘Our Lady of the Shrinking GDP’).
That isn’t the only comparison made between The Regime and Veep, with Coleman Spilde of the Daily Beast calls it a “nastier, wilder” version of Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ award-winning HBO comedy — and that’s saying quite a bit. Spilde goes on to say The Regime is one of the “shrewdest and most unexpected affairs” to ever come from HBO, and audiences should flock to it. The critic continues:
Winslet is so damn good at playing bad that Elena’s constant string of horrible decisions will make viewers throw their hands in the air, just wishing that she’d use her head for once. Elena’s rule feels like Veep-meets-The Hunger Games, and it’s just as twisted as that fusion sounds. Rarely have I wished a limited series could extend past its initial run, but in the case of The Regime, I’m willing to make an exception.
Carly Lane of Collider rates it a 6 out of 10, agreeing with other critics that Kate Winslet is compelling — and “delicious” to watch when her and Matthias Schoenaerts’ characters become unhinged together — however, the series struggles to balance its comedic and dramatic elements in only six episodes. Lane writes:
The biggest dilemma that this miniseries has, however, is being able to match the energy she gives to arguably one of the most contemptible characters in her filmography. Part-dark satire, part-drama, The Regime offers shades of previous farcical takes on politics like Veep and The Great, but doesn't afford the audience nearly enough time to become as invested in its morally bankrupt characters as those shows did.
Meghan O’Keefe of Decider calls The Regime a “deranged love story” that will leave audiences howling in laughter and twitching with discomfort, thanks in large part to its leading actors. O’Keefe says:
The Regime‘s drastic plot twists and ridiculous punchlines could have easily driven the HBO drama off the rails. What keeps this mad nightmare going is the talent in front of and behind the camera. Kate Winslet, an Oscar-winner who has been dazzling audiences since 1994’s Heavenly Creatures, somehow pulls out her most revelatory performance in over 30 years of acting. Her Elena Vernham is cruel, comical, and in full possession of the movie star’s intoxicating natural charisma. Matthias Schoenaerts, meanwhile, fuses the ferocity of a killer with the naivety of a child in Herbert Zubeck. Together, Winslet and Shoenaerts are as combustible as dynamite.
While it seems some critics think The Regime could have used a little more plot development — and possibly a higher episode order — Kate Winslet seemingly continues what has been an excellent career with HBO. Critics are saying the series is a must-watch to see the toxic relationship develop between Elena Vernham and Matthias Schoenaerts’ Herbert Zubak, so be sure to catch the premiere at 9 p.m. ET Sunday, March 3 on HBO. The series can also be streamed with a Max subscription, and be sure to check out our 2024 TV schedule to keep up with all of the upcoming premieres.
