Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Great season 2
Gillian Anderson says she’d totally be up for returning in The Great season 3. Premiering on Hulu in May 2020, The Great is a comedy series described as an “anti-historical” story, loosely based on the real rise to power of Catherine the Great, Empress of All Russia (played by Elle Fanning), and her attempts to be rid of her husband Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). The series, which was created by Tony McNamara, has received widespread acclaim for its newly released season 2. Critics have cited, in particular, the show’s strong cast and the sharp humor of the script.
Anderson, playing Catherine’s mother, a character who draws inspiration from the historical figure Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp, makes a few guest appearances in The Great season 2. Learning of her daughter’s planned coup against Peter, Joanna makes the trip to Russia to check in with Catherine. Though her stay proves to be hilariously brief, Joanna arrives like a force of nature that’s capable of rattling just about anyone she comes across.
Speaking with EW about her time on The Great, Anderson responds to the possibility that she might return for a potential season 3 — even though Joanna is shockingly killed off. Upon learning that McNamara, who also serves as executive producer, would like her to return, the actor replies: “Oh, that’s funny. Well, I can always be a ghost.” She then expresses her enthusiasm about coming back for The Great season 3, saying: “Oh, totally. Totally open to coming back and haunting the hell out of their schloss.”
Although the Hulu comedy has yet to be renewed, it’s a no-brainer that Anderson's return would generate a lot of intrigue among fans. Even though Joanna falls to her death, right in the middle of seducing her son-in-law, there is a lot that the character could add to the show in flashbacks. Or, indeed, as a ghost that haunts both Catherine and Peter. It helps that Joanna is portrayed by Anderson, a celebrated two-time Emmy winner that has made a habit of livening up any project she joins.
Going back to her stint on Hannibal as the wickedly smart Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier, and continuing with her roles on The Crown and Sex Education, Anderson is the kind of performer that has often had found the ability to elevate a project with her knack for tapping into the most watchable aspect of her characters. For those who watched the actor on The X-Files, still holding down the fort as Dana Scully long after the seminal sci-fi series lost its luster, her recent return to TV prominence has been exciting to watch. Anderson's delightful turn in The Great is only the latest in a list of memorable performances.
Source: EW