'The Regime' on Max: Elena Vernham's mold phobia traces roots to her father's tragic death
LAS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: HBO and Max's 'The Regime,' with a strong ensemble and an intense amount of dark humor, portrays the complexity and realities of politics.
Created by Will Tracy, the series has just six episodes and is set in an unnamed fictional European nation.
The story follows Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet), the leader of a fictitious nation, as she struggles to maintain her control while also fearing she may inherit a lung condition from her father.
The infections might be one of the main reasons for Elena's everlasting belief in Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a disgraced soldier.
Herbert proposed a variety of unusual cures to alleviate her illnesses, the most common of which was potato steam, which was viewed as a scam by her close ones.
Elena Vernham hires Herbert Zuberk to check the poison in the air
Elena's anxiety over air quality was evident in the series' first episode. It was revealed that she is so afraid of the mold that the palace's walls are frequently rebuilt or covered with plastic sheets.
She even takes matters into her own hands, enlisting Herbert to accompany him the entire time with a handheld hydrometer to measure the harmful levels in the air.
Furthermore, she avoids shaking hands with anybody, which fuels her paranoia, but she also understands that such conduct would be interpreted as a weakness, so she presents herself as a powerful, ambitious lady in front of important people.
Why is Elena Vernham concerned about the mold?
There were hints throughout the first episode as to why she could be paranoid—it was revealed that she may be worried about a lung issue she might have inherited from her father.
Her father died of a lung disease, which causes her paranoia as she discovers that she has a high risk of inheriting the disease since her lungs are particularly vulnerable.
Is Elena Vernham's concern valid?
Her anxiety about the mold being omnipresent is nothing more than an exaggeration of her paranoia, which even those close to her never dare admit due to the risk of incurring her fury.
It was revealed that she frequents oxygen chambers, and anyone daring to approach her must take a breath mint and hold their breath to avoid contamination.
Furthermore, in episode three, Elena begins to pursue Herbert's unconventional medicine route to heal her ailment, which she has no proof of having inherited.
'The Regime' episode 3 is now streaming on HBO
