'Masterpiece' period drama hailed by fans as 'the funniest thing on TV'

A historic drama that some fans have said is the funniest thing they've ever watched is available to stream for free on Channel 4's website. The Great, which boasts a 96% Rotten Tomatoes score and an 8.1-star rating on IMDb, is a comedy-drama loosely based on Empress Catherine the Great of Russia.

IMDb's description of the TV series reads: "A royal woman living in rural Russia during the 18th century is forced to choose between her own personal happiness and the future of Russia, when she marries an Emperor". The historical fiction stars Elle Fanning as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult as Emperor Peter III, and fans absolutely loved it.

One viewer said: "The Great was so much better than I expected it to be. I went into it not expecting much but after a few episodes, I couldn't stop watching it. I binged all three seasons as fast as I could. I promise you that you'll laugh out loud at least a few times every episode."

Another wrote: "The way how they play and remastering the history is genius! As being Russian, I find this show absurdly brilliant and funny. That's interesting to follow how the show is portraying current narratives with well-known facts from 18 century, as it all together creates an absolutely masterpiece satire Universe!"

Emphasising how funny the series is, a third enthusiastic fan claimed that it is "the funniest show on television".

Similarly, another said they "will never shut up about just how good this show is", titling their review as "one of the best shows currently on TV".

They added: "The show is exceptionally funny yet at moments so poignant. It kills me that this show is as underrated as it is. You're wasting your own time not watching it!"

The IMDb reviews are filled with viewers vouching for how humorous and brilliant the show is, sharing that they "have never laughed so much at a show".

The cast was also highly praised for their roles throughout all three seasons; one fan even went so far as to say they couldn't find a single fault in the show.

The Great is available to stream for free on the Channel 4 website.