ATTN: historical drama enthusiasts! The highly-anticipated second season of The Serpent Queen is now available on Lionsgate Play. Whether you're a devoted fan of period pieces or a newcomer looking for your next binge-worthy obsession, this season promises to elevate the stakes and deliver a gripping tale of power, betrayal, and intrigue with new episodes every Friday.

For those unfamiliar with The Serpent Queen, the series follows the life of Catherine de’ Medici, an orphaned Italian teenager masterfully portrayed by Bafta and Golden Globe winner Samantha Morton.

Thrust into the 16th-century French court, Catherine overcomes unpaid dowries, difficult pregnancies, and a loveless marriage, utilizing her intelligence to keep her marriage and secure the throne for 50 years. Season 2 sees Catherine, now the Queen Regent of France, touring a divided kingdom and contending with the heavy strain of rising factions and the legalization of Protestantism. 

The tension heightens as Queen Elizabeth I (Minnie Driver) emerges as Catherine’s formidable rival, adding more personal conflicts and betrayals. How Catherine maintains her hold on power will be a riveting watch, as Morton’s nuanced and layered performance captures the complexity of Catherine's character.

On what it's like playing a female anti-hero, Samantha Morton told Collider, "What I found really fascinating, certainly in today's society, is [that] we have so many men running such powerful countries and economies. I often think, 'Wouldn't it be interesting if when you look at a photograph — and they're all men — there was an equal balance of the female energy in there, and the wisdom?' 

This is why I'm so proud of Starz, Lionsgate, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Justin and [executive producer] Erwin [Stoff] for deciding to make a show that celebrates a real person from history who was a phenomenally intelligent negotiator, this female in power who ruled France for over 60 years and often made decisions that probably looked very, very tough and horrific. She had huge decisions to make."

On the dynamic between Catherine de Medici and Queen Elizabeth I, Minnie Driver told UPI, “There is 'big cat' energy about both of them, for sure. There's enormous enjoyment. Each of them believes that they have the upper hand with the other, and it's fun to watch two powerful women who clearly respect each other enormously go head to head."