Sworn enemies

Gillian Anderson joins the cast of The Great as Catherine and Peter fight for ultimate power in Russia

- STEVEN PERKINS, CAREN CLARK, JUDY EWENS

STARZPLAY * The Great NEW Genre: Comedy drama Available: Sun 5 Dec Season: 2 Episodes: 10 (ep 1 from 5 Dec; ep 2 from 12 Dec; ep 3 from 19 Dec; eps 4-10 from Boxing Day) Runs: 50-55min TVSW says: A riotously funny history lesson

The first season of The Great gave us an idiosyncratic take on history as Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) first arrived in Russia and planned a coup against her boorish man-child of a husband, Peter III (Nicholas Hoult) – a plot that she finally put into action in the finale.

As season two begins, the palace is divided as Peter and a pregnant Catherine wage war over the throne, and rooms that once hosted lavish parties have become bloody battlegrounds.