Following the ending of The Great Season 3, viewers were hoping the series would get renewed for a fourth season. Season 3 had a lot of surprises and shocking events, and fans want to know what happens next for Catherine. So, will there be a The Great Season 4?
Will There Be a Season 4 of The Great?
Unfortunately, Hulu has canceled The Great after three seasons (via Deadline). So, there will be no Season 4 of The Great.
Fans were hoping for a renewal considering the show's success (proven through the show’s awards and nominations and positive reviews) and the story left to be told about Catherine’s reign.
Additionally, in a May 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Tony McNamara said that Season 3 is “not an ending, but a rebirth in a way for her [Catherine] as a character.”
He also said that “there’s a lot of intrigue to be played out” regarding the characters and that he’s read some things and thought “that’d be cool for season 4.”
But sadly, we're not getting another season of The Great. Season 3 can now be considered the series finale.
What Happened in The Great Season 3?
There were definitely a lot of shocking moments in The Great Season 3, like Orlo and Peter’s death. We already get a major death in episode 1 (Orlo’s), and another one in the middle of the season (Peter’s).
While the first half of the series shows Catherine working towards a better Russia, most of her time in the second half is spent on depression and grief. Catherine goes mad after Peter’s death and even plays badminton by herself.
Eventually, we see the Empress pick herself up and address Russia’s problems, such as Pugachev’s uprising. She then appoints Maxim (Pugachev’s killer) to become the future head of the army.
Additionally, Catherine orders Petrov to attack Pugachev’s headquarters using cannonballs (Pugachev’s head included).
Catherine also forces Archie to sign two proclamations: one stating that the comet that would pass Russia is a heavenly sign that Catherine the Great is Russia’s destiny, and the other freeing the church’s serfs.
And to stay in control of the situation, Catherine orders different rumors to be told: the real story of how Peter really died; Peter is dead by hemorrhoids; Peter died of smallpox; Peter was killed while fighting the uprising; and Catherine is Peter the Great’s daughter.
In this way, she gets to decide which one suits her best. Additionally, with the comet taken as a sign that Catherine is Russia’s destiny, no one would question her legitimacy.
While Catherine goes through depression and grief, she ends up triumphant after Pugachev’s uprising and other Russian conflicts. However, other problems remain to be solved.
What Could Happen in The Great Season 4?
There is much to be told in another season of The Great, but unfortunately, we're not getting a Season 4.
It remains uncertain whether Catherine will ever find out that she unknowingly killed Orlo. She also doesn’t know that the traitor Archie is still alive.
There’s also the issue of succession considering that Georgina was lawfully wedded to Paul (Archie did say “Amen”, after all). Hugo and Agnes were also plotting against Catherine.
But things end there since The Great got canceled. No "Huzzah!" for this one.