Kate Winslet’s Violent ‘Regime’ Is Pissing America Off

The Chancellor has a new self care technique. In the second episode of The Regime, Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) reveals a rather unorthodox cure to her many ailments. “My love,” she says, addressing the country in a video statement. “I was once tired. Lethargic. Weighed down by the stresses of modern life.”

Aren’t we all? Have no fear, Elana has the cure. Everything used to hurt, she says, “until I unlocked the ancient power of the potato.” Break out those spuds—yukon golds, kennebecs, russets, you name it—and start clearing your skin. It may sound odd, but hey, at least potatoes are cheaper than most other modern medicines, right?

The palace employees are peeved that Corporal Herbert’s (Matthias Schoenaerts) folksy healing techniques have taken control of Elena’s life, but they all agree: This is far better than the mold fixation. While the staffers in Elena’s circle find peace in the chaos, America is not pleased by the Chancellor’s intense leading style and are sending over a diplomat—a “mule,” Elena says—to de-escalate the tensions. The Regime flies through these first few details, flinging jokes and biting satire as fast as a child drinks water after playing outside on a hot day. It’s far too speedy to understand any of what’s going on.

Hubby Nicholas (Guillaume Gallienne) warns Elena about the friction between their country and the United States, but Elena ignores him. She’s more peeved that he’s trying to cut his own egg—she likes to make the yolk ooze out—than fretful about the ongoing conflict. At breakfast, Herbert approaches Elena with another one of his country medicine techniques; he’ll slap her chest around for some apparent reason. Nicholas pushes back. Both he and Elena are trained physicians. But Elena gives him the go-ahead, dismissing her husband. Even Agnes’ (Andrea Riseborough) child, Oskar (Louie Mynett), is now required to take herbs instead of his usual epilepsy pills.

Nicholas is upset by all of this, but he’s even more cranky about the fact that it’s been over a year since he and Elena had sex. He wants to “give it a go again soon”—I quote this to show you just how enticing he is, luring his wife into bed—but Elena is already fast asleep by the time he brings this up. Maybe, Nicholas thinks, if he gets rid of Herbert, his wife will see him as a real man again. So Nicky uses a handful of trustworthy palace staffers to run a private investigation into Herbert, and what they find is nearly damning enough to give him the boot: Herbert used to abuse his mother. But that wouldn’t be able to convince Elena of his awfulness. They’ll need more.

The lack of sex is a non-issue for Elena, who is likely getting off in other ways: As she sleeps, she and Herbert somehow share intense, violent dreams about working out together and hurting one another. It’s odd and frightening, and Herbert wakes up to find some loose semen underneath the sheets. Does Elena find these equally pleasing? Agnes finds Herbert battered and bloody after a wild night of dreams, and tells him he needs to chill the hell out. Herbert tells her he deserves this pain. Agnes isn’t fazed—she understands how much of a true weirdo this guy is.

Elena uses her free time to wedge a smear campaign against the American diplomat coming to visit, posting terrible photos of her on Instagram. Her name is Judith (Martha Plimpton); she’s delightful, and Elena loathes her. They sit at opposite sides of the longest table in European history, ready to discuss international affairs as Herbert stares at them, a true nightmare of a human being.

The Chancellor starts out with a jest: It must be a busy time for the Americans if the president can’t make it for this pertinent meeting! Judith laughs, but assures Elena that this is a huge priority for the president; Americans want to get things back on track. Elena fires back with the list of things her nation has done for Judith’s—it’s far too long to list here, but the biggest asset is the country’s cobalt mines—which leads Judith to do the same in reverse. Elena diffuses the tension: “We’re not arguing,” she says, although they definitely are. “This is not a confrontation right now,” Elena adds, in a completely confrontational tone. “We’re just saying what’s true.”

Judith nods in agreement. They’re hearing each other. There should be a reset. Americans can promise more access to Elena’s European nation, including full NATO member status, help with the European Union, and more. “I’m told the president wants this,” Judith assures Elena, who is doubtful they’d receive all this help.

“Yeah? You sure?” Elena quips. “Should we shoot him a text?” This banter between Judith and Elena is the best part of The Regime thus far, giving it a biting Veep tone. Sadly, it won’t last. Elena drags Judith on a tour of the castle to distract her from the ongoing conversation and lead her into a dead end, stranding her without a body guard and in tight quarters with Herbert. Herbert threatens her—this is how it feels to not be in control.

Right before it seems like Judith is about to scream, Herbert releases her. Judith runs out and demands to be dragged back to America. Right after this stressful meeting, Elena is finally ready to bang. While Judith quivers in fear, Elena quivers in pleasure, horny off the strength Herbert has given her to lead her country.

Behind the scenes, we learn two small details about Agnes. The first: She found a hankie with curious lipstick smears in Herbert’s room. Could it be from the Chancellor? Agnes is also crushing Oskar’s epilepsy pills into popsicles, sneaking the since-banned Western medicine into his diet. Herbert may think he’s pulling all the strings—but Agnes will always have some power at the palace.

Following Judith’s visit, Emil Bartos (Stanley Townsend)—the wealthiest man in Elena’s nation and the chairman of the cobalt mines—is brought in for a public shaming. Elena grills him about accepting bribes, unpaid debts to the miners, and more issues. Most concerning, though, is the fact that Emil once told her to bend at the knee to the U.S.; because of this, he’ll now be stripped of all power and will have to pay his unpaid dues.

Nicholas and the other palace staffers fear for their lives after this incident—after someone as powerful as Emil has been ousted, any of them could be next. Getting dirt on Herbert won’t be enough to boot him from authority; no, these gents are going to need to prove that he’s a threat to Elena’s power in order to convince her that the axe needs to fall on him.

The men bring Elena “startling” info on the Zubak family lineage to prove he should have utmost authority in the palace. There’s European lore that three brothers came to settle different areas of Europe—but in this nation, there’s even deeper mythology that tells of a fourth brother who came to settle in their land specifically. The guys tell Elena—whether true or not—that research shows Herbert has a direct chromosomal link with the people who settled on their soil.

Elena is pleased as punch! She makes another public announcement to her people: They’ve found a direct descendent of the original settler of the land, and they’ll use him to reclaim their destiny as one of the four kings of Europe. The plan, though, is to show Elena that Herbert is wielding enough power to destroy the Chancellor herself. By pumping Herbert full of authority steroids, Elena will weaken and weaken—until she stabs the knife into Herbert’s back.