'The Regime' Episode 2 Sneak Peek: Elena Vernham declares Herbert Zubak as descendant of The Foundling
Contains spoilers for 'The Regime' Episode 2
CENTRAL EUROPE, EUROPE: Packed with sophisticated political intrigue and great performances, HBO's political series 'The Regime' offers a fresh view on tyranny.
The television series, conceived by Will Tracy, is set in an unnamed Central European nation. The first episode of the series, which debuted on March 3, lays the stage for future upheaval.
The series focuses on Chancellor Elena "Lenny" Vernham (Kate Winslet), a former physician turned chancellor of a Central European autocracy.
Amid the growing burden of handling her nation, Elena enlists a disgraced soldier Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts) as her devoted advisor as she begins to grow paranoid about mold, which she considers the reason behind her father's death from lung disease.
Nicholas "Nicky" Vernham withholds Corporal Herbert Zubak's dark past from Chancellor Elena Vernham in 'The Regime'
Herbert's increasing influence on Elena undoubtedly annoys her French spouse, Nicholas "Nicky" Vernham (Guillaume Gallienne).
Irritated by the stench of the rural medications, Nicholas tells his wife that the palace reeks of a whorehouse. Elena, however, ignores his claims.
Sensing that his entreaties will go unanswered, he shows up for a covert meeting with a select group of ministers, Mr. Laskin (Danny Webb), Mr. Singer (Henry Goodman), and Victor Schiff (David Bamber), where he discovers the troubling history of the disgraced soldier.
At the tender age of 14, Herbert was proven to have assaulted his mother, and more recently, he was the one to start the shooting at Site Five, which resulted in the deaths of twelve mining protesters.
However, Nicholas makes the decision to keep this a secret from his wife, as he fears Elena may grow even closer to Herbert as a result of the disclosure.
He, however, asks the ministers to devise a fresh plan in order to outbid Herbert's influence on the chancellor.
Mr. Laskin falsifies Corporal Herbert Zubak's relationship with The Foundling in 'The Regime'
Just before leaving the meeting, Nicholas made an odd suggestion to quicken Herbert's ascent—which will also quicken his slide from Elena's favor.
The three ministers came up with a plan and gave Elena fictitious proof that Herbert was the descendant of The Foundling.
The story unravels the myth that Elena's unnamed nation adheres to, which holds that Lech, Czech, and Rus were four brothers rather than three, with the fourth being their nation's founder.
Elena, filled with delight over the discovery, concludes the episode by giving a passionate speech about the great news, informing that one of the Foundling's descendants is among them.
'The Regime' Episode 3 will premiere on HBO and Max on March 17, 9 pm EST.
