The Queen and the Conqueror season 1 review – I hope you are ready for a journey

Colombian Netflix series The Queen and the Conqueror season 1 was released on the platform on May 20, 2020. Please note that this historical drama series is 60 episodes long and this review is based on first impressions.

Occasionally, Netflix releases a foreign title that brings forward the lengthiest episode format. The Queen and the Conqueror is a whopping 60 episodes, consisting of 45-60 minute episodes. I can only assume that in the original country of release, it was released in separate seasons. Anyway, the Colombian Netflix series implements depth from the first few episodes.

The story follows an indigenous woman named Catalina who gave her love and soul to a conqueror and who subsequently betrayed her. The story has 18 years of history as Catalina returns as a grown woman with one objective in sight — revenge. It’s interesting to note that with 60 episodes, some aspects look to have been done on a lighter budget as some of the settings and costumes look rather off, but it’s difficult to judge such a thing so early on in the series. The opening chapters embark on a long journey, introducing the main players and siloing the lives of Catalina and Pedro.

The dialogue is very much on the nose, with the writers desperate to preserve some historical context. The Queen and the Conqueror is aiming for the authenticity of the times but then is unclear of certain timelines — in the opening episode it lazily places on the screen “a long time ago”. I find it bemusing that it labels itself as a fictional series based on historical context yet the series cannot muster itself to even provide a date range. Anyway, I’m nitpicking — The Queen and the Conqueror season 1 provides a lengthy rebirth of one of the first love stories of America, between an indigenous woman and a Spaniard, all consumed by the lust for revenge.

If you have the time and energy, maybe give it a chance.