A Tudor period drama brimming with court intrigue and breathtaking costumes has just arrived on Channel 4. Becoming Elizabeth, a show from 2022 that only had one series, is available to stream on the platform as of November 22.

With the likes of Wolf Hall and The Tudors, period drama fans have plenty to watch, but this show is unique for focusing on a newly orphaned teenage Elizabeth I. When the show starts, the princess is a teenager and her father, King Henry VIII, has just died. With Henry leaving no clear heir, his death sets into a motion a ruthless scramble for power that forces a young Elizabeth to hone her political instincts.

The show also features Elizabeth’s siblings Mary and Edward amid the fight for succession (Image: Becoming Elizabeth)

The show’s cast included Alicia von Rittberg as Elizabeth, Bella Ramsey (post-Game of Thrones but pre-The Last of Us) as Lady Jane Gray, Romola Garai as Mary Tudor, and Tom Cullen (now starring in Trespasses on Channel 4) as Thomas Seymour.

Becoming Elizabeth had just eight episodes and earned an 88% approval rating from critics. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus reads: “Gripping historical drama. A teenage Elizabeth Tudor is thrust into a dangerous world of ambition, intrigue and sex when Henry VIII’s death ignites a cutthroat fight for England’s crown.”

“Yes, it is yet another drama about the Tudors, but it is neither hysterically soapy nor primly reverential,” reviewed The Guardian, which dubbed the show “like Succession, but sexier”, adding: “Its heart is salty and black.”

“If you’re a history nut who loves a good corset and bloody beheading, Becoming Elizabeth is well worth watching.”

Elizabeth is an orphaned teen in Becoming Elizabeth (Image: Starzplay)

Becoming Elizabeth was cancelled due to poor viewership numbers but fans of the epic family drama said the show had been overlooked.

One viewer wrote on Reddit: “Amazing series. I can’t believe they cancelled it. It was the best historical drama in a long while – I don’t think the advertising did it any favours. It tried to make it too glam/[frivolous] and I rolled my eyes and thought not another one – and almost didn’t watch it. It was only when my parents gave it a go and I was there I caught some of it and was captivated.”

A third wrote: “Brilliant! Loved it! Watched the whole season in two sittings. It took a couple of episodes to really warm up so I recommend you watch all episodes before you rate it. The acting is first class, the plot lines intriguing.”

Becoming Elizabeth (Image: Getty)

Fans also made a point to praise Romola Garai in particular for her turn as Mary Tudor and shared their disappointment over not getting to see Garai as queen. As one fan said: “A lot of viewers (myself included) felt that Romola Garai was the scene stealer, and that her story was as interesting as Elizabeth’s.”

“It’s a shame we won’t get to see a second season with her as queen, I think she’d have been brilliant,” another shared.