The hit TV show The Great, which stars Elle Fanning as Catherine The Great and Nicholas Hoult as Emperor Peter III, is one of the best series to watch on Hulu as it tells a somewhat inaccurate story about the life of the Russian Empress though the lens of crass comedy.
Though many of the characters on this show do many horrendous things and are extremely ignorant of the struggles of everyday people and Catherine, they remain interesting and hilarious. All this being said, there are certainly a few main characters that are more likable than others.
Grigor Dymov
Grigor is one of Peter's many confidants and best advisors overall, but, because of this, he's kind of a bad person. Not only does he willingly let his wife sleep with Peter, but he also tries to play both sides in terms of catering to both Peter and Catherine.
Grigor is just trying to survive in a court that isn't the most moral, which is fine, but it doesn't make him the most likable overall as his personality doesn't make him particularly redeemable.
Count Orlo
Count Orlo is fun to watch and one of the smartest men on The Great, one of the best modern period dramas, but he can be really cowardly when Peter threatens him. He's so used to life in court that he doesn't like to dissent to others' opinions for fear that he will not have access to the lifestyle he currently has.
That being said, Orlo is a great confidant to Catherine and he is one of the few men in the series that can relate to her emotionally and give her some good advice. Because he is more educated, he doesn't have difficulty finding loopholes to help Catherine reach her goals.
Joanna
Joanna, Catherine's mother, is a quick-witted woman who is constantly looking out for herself and her daughters in her own way. When she comes to Russia, instead of offering to help Catherine get out of her bad marriage and miserable life, she tells her to enjoy the life she was specifically prepared for.
Joanna isn't a terrible person, necessarily, but she cares more about money than happiness. That being said, she only makes Catherine's life harder when she comes to visit and even though her death hurts Catherine, greatly, fans aren't as likely to mourn her.
Archbishop Archie
Archie is a bit of a pervy guy and Catherine constantly calls him out for his less than pure intentions in some of his dialogue. This being said, Catherine still goes to Archie for advice and he's actually realistic in terms of his understanding of the court and expectations that she needs to meet.
Archie is a religious figurehead that holds a lot more influence over the people than he often realizes. That being said, he can use this power to get Catherine and others to obey his word and Peter's expectations in court.
Emperor Peter III
Everyone who watches The Great is aware that Peter is an egotistical, vulgar tyrant with few or no morals. He is a terrible husband and he hurts people just because he can and he likes inflicting pain. However, he's extremely funny and even though he does awful things, he does try to change to make Catherine happier.
Peter is complex because he is the story's antagonist most of the time and, yet, he is fascinating to watch because he still has enough intelligence to know when he needs to negotiate or make a deal. He is emotionally stagnant, but he can be cunning.
Count Leo Voronsky
Count Leo Voronsky is one of Catherine's great loves and he was one of the best lovers she's ever had. Not only did he respect her as a mate, but, in the face of his imminent death, he treated her with only love and sadness at the fact that his absence will stay with her forever.
While some fans might believe that Catherine only loved him for how he could please her sexually, it is clear that they both treasured each other and wanted to be together. He is someone that fans will find likable in The Great and mourn when he leaves.
General Velementov
General Velementov is, in some ways, the voice of the people. He sees both sides of the war and knows that he has to be buddy-buddy with Peter so that he will respect his choices when it comes to military engagement.
Not to mention, Velementov is a little like a father figure to Catherine at times as he respects her and speaks with her instead of talking down to her. He can be a little dopey, but he is one of the more mild-mannered members of court because of his training and experience in life or death situations.
Marial
Even though no one like Marial exists in history, this inaccuracy makes her character great. Just like Catherine, she doesn't let other people put her in her place and she calls people out when they are acting irrationally. Although she ends up having to marry her 8-year-old cousin, Maxim, it is not difficult to find her a relatable character stuck in a nonsensical world.
Marial knows that she isn't always right, but she also values truth, highly, even if that means hurting her best friend. She is admirable for her ability to handle other people looking down on her while still keeping her own moral high ground.
Catherine The Great
Obviously, as the protagonist of the series, audiences see the world through her vantage point and love to root for her as she tries to become an equal to her uncontrollable husband and live in court without being beheaded. Indeed, one thing that is most certainly historically correct in The Great is the fact that Catherine is better read than most other women.
Catherine is not only wise beyond her years and emotionally intelligent, but she also has a passion for helping others. Her attempts to escape in the first season show just how committed she can be when it comes to accomplishing something that she wants.