Versailles (TV series)

*Versailles*
Versailles
Genre	Biography, drama, history
Created by	Simon Mirren; David Wolstencroft;
Written by	Simon Mirren; David Wolstencroft; Andrew Bampfield; Sasha Hails;
Directed by	Daniel Roby; Christoph Schrewe; Jalil Lespert; Thomas Vincent;
Starring	George Blagden; Alexander Vlahos; Tygh Runyan; Stuart Bowman; Amira Casar; Evan Williams; Noémie Schmidt; Anna Brewster; Sarah Winter;
Opening theme	"Outro" – M83
Composer	Michel Corriveau Eduardo Noya Schreus
Country of origin	Canada; France; United Kingdom; United States;
Original languages	English; French;
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	10
Production
Executive producers	Claude Chelli; Simon Mirren; Anne Thomopoulos; David Wolstencroft; Jean Bureau;
Producers	Aude Albano; Claude Albouze; Ian Whitehead;
Production locations	France; Canada;
Cinematography	Pierre-Yves Bastard;
Editors	Mike Fromentin; Sarah Anderson; Jean-François Elie;
Running time	50-55 minutes approx
Production companies	Capa Drama; Incendo Productions; Zodiak Media Group;
Budget	27 million euros
Original release
Network	Canal+;
Release	16 November 2015 –; present

Versailles is a British-American-Franco-Canadian television series set during the construction of Versailles Palace during the reign of Louis XIV that premiered on November 16, 2015 on Canal+ in France and Super Channel in Canada, in June 2016 on BBC2 in Britain, and on October 1, 2016 on Ovation in the U.S. A second season was already ordered ahead of the premiere.^[1] Filming for the second season began in January 2016 and its story will take place four years after that of the first season. On the 14th September 2016 producer Claude Chelli confirmed that Versailles has been renewed for a third season, which will begin filming in April 2017.^[2]

The first season of Versailles received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with a Metacritic rating of 55 out of 100 based on 6 reviews.^[3] It holds a 88 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an average score of 6.1 out of 10, based on 8 reviews.^[4]

A second season was announced by BBC and will return on 2017.^[5]

At some point after the first season concluded Super Channel lost the Canadian broadcast rights to the series.^[6] Subsequently The Movie Network picked up the Canadian rights to the series and began airing reruns of season 1.^[7]

Synopsis

Versailles, 1667. Haunted by the trauma of the Fronde as the nobles of his court begin to rebel against the monarchy, 28-year-old Louis XIV (George Blagden), in a Machiavellian political move, decides to make the nobility submit by imposing a definite move of the court from Paris to Versailles, his father's former hunting lodge. Trapped by their king's "invitation", the nobles of Paris gradually come to see the castle as a gilded prison and soon even the most humble courtiers of the king begin to show their viciousness as the alcoves of secrets, politics and war are maneuvered through, revealing Versailles in all its glory and brutality.

Cast

Character	Actor
Louis XIV	George Blagden
Philippe I, Duke of Orléans	Alexander Vlahos
Maria Theresa of Spain	Elisa Lasowski
Alexandre Bontemps	Stuart Bowman
Fabien Marchal	Tygh Runyan
Anne of Austria	Dominique Blanc
Henrietta of England	Noémie Schmidt
Chevalier de Lorraine	Evan Williams
Béatrice, Madame de Clermont	Amira Casar
Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan	Anna Brewster
Louise de La Vallière	Sarah Winter
Sophie	Maddison Jaizani
Montcourt	Anatole Taubman
Cassel	Pip Torrens
Claudine	Lizzie Brocheré
Jean-Baptiste Colbert	Steve Cumyn
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois	Joe Sheridan
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet	Geoffrey Bateman
André Le Nôtre	Thierry Harcourt

Series

Series	Episodes	Series premiere (France)	Series finale
Series 1	10	16 November 2015	14 December 2015

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	US airdate	US viewers (millions)
1	"Welcome to Versailles"	Unknown	Unknown	16 November 2015	1 October 2016	0.557^[8]
2	"I am the State"	Unknown	Unknown	16 November 2015	1 October 2016	0.557^[8]
3	"Mirror for Princes"	Unknown	Unknown	23 November 2015	8 October 2016	N/A
4	"The Road"	Unknown	Unknown	23 November 2015	15 October 2016	N/A
5	"Bow to Your King"	Unknown	Unknown	30 November 2015	22 October 2016	N/A
6	"Invalides"	Unknown	Unknown	30 November 2015	29 October 2016	N/A
7	"Revelations"	Unknown	Unknown	7 December 2015	5 November 2016	N/A
8	"Diplomacy"	Unknown	Unknown	7 December 2015	12 November 2016	0.143^[9]
9	"Etiquette"	Unknown	Unknown	14 December 2015	19 November 2016	0.173^[10]
10	"Bring the Flowers Here"	Unknown	Unknown	14 December 2015	19 November 2016	0.139^[10]

International broadcast

Country	TV channel
France	Canal+
Spain	Canal+
Portugal	RTP1
Canada	Super Channel
Quebec	Super Écran
United Kingdom	BBC Two
Germany	Sky Germany
Denmark	C More
Sweden	C More
Norway	C More
Finland	C More
Poland	Canal+
Bulgaria	bTV
Belgium	VRT/ RTBF
New Zealand	SOHO SKY TV
Australia	SBS
United States	Ovation
Venezuela	DIRECTv