In “The Regime,” the six-episode political satire that launches on HBO and HBO Go today, Kate Winslet goes off the beaten track with a darkly comedic portrayal of Chancellor Elena Vernham, the corrupt populist leader of a fractured country.
But Elena grows disturbingly paranoid when she turns to volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts of “Rust and Bone”), as her unlikely confidant. It doesn’t take long before she begins prioritizing his “suggestions” concerning issues related to China and the United States, land reform, dealing with oligarchs, even her daily workout and dietary regimen! As Zubak’s influence over her continues to grow, Elena’s attempts to expand her power eventually lead to dire repercussions.
The citizens of this fictional European enclave are getting increasingly hungry and unhappy while the “tone-deaf” Elena, surrounded by enablers and apologists, continues to host lavish parties to drown out the burgeoning noise from all the rioting outside the palace walls.
But as Filipinos, obviously no strangers to the far-from-comedic horrors of martial law and authoritarian regimes, would tell you, being under a dictatorship is no laughing matter. In fact, watching “familiar,” “been there, endured that” scenes in the series feels like putting up a mirror. Truth is stranger than fiction, indeed.