Netflixs

Netflix has confirmed it’s making a brand-new historical series that will focus on a family ripped apart by betrayal

Netflix has announced plans to produce a period drama focused on one of the most harrowing periods in history.

The upcoming Netflix series comes from the same creative team behind another major period drama for the streaming giant, reports the Express.

IMDb users have been effusive in their praise for the programme, drawing parallels with acclaimed shows such as The Crown and Downton Abbey.

One viewer headed their 10/10 review: “A Masterpiece of Emotion and Visual Beauty.”

They elaborated: “I’m absolutely in love with this series. After waiting two whole years for the next six episodes, I couldn’t help but binge them all in one go. And wow, it was worth the wait! The actors are phenomenal-so much emotion in their performances that they pulled me into every moment. I cried, laughed, and felt everything in between.”

A second reviewer wrote in their 9/10 assessment: “Like the Crown but much more captivating.”

A third critic awarded 10/10, describing it as “an utterly gorgeous series” and noted: “The Crown wasn’t historically 100% accurate either, but did we absolutely adore every second of it and appreciate how beautifully done the series was? Well, I did at least.”

They continued: “This series had me captivated on every level from the first second it began.”

Another viewer commented: “If you like The Crown, you’ll like this” and explained: “Romantic would be something like Pride and Prejudice or Bridgerton. This was more like Downton Abbey or The Crown, where in the drama is the focus.”

Witches is a fresh series in the works at Netflix, brought to you by the producers of The Empress.

The narrative will unfold in medieval Germany, tracing the lives of three sisters amidst the German witch hunts.

As per Deadline, the drama will delve into a family torn asunder by “suspicion, accusation and betrayal”, their struggle to safeguard loved ones from the “grip of fear and fanaticism”, and the “unyielding resistance” during one of “Europe’s darkest chapters”.

In a statement to the publication, producers Robert and Katharina Eyssen expressed their immense joy at finding a “creative home” at Netflix once again, following their collaboration on The Empress.

The duo affirmed that the streaming giant “truly understood” their artistic vision, having built up “trust” over many years with the platform.

They added: “As with The Empress, we are creating a family story centered on strong, complex, and defiant female characters.

“It is a radically emotional story that explores marginalization and persecution – a series that provokes thought, sweeps you along, and gets under your skin [sic].”

This announcement follows reports that filming has concluded for season three of the International Emmy-winning The Empress in Bavaria, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Production for the third season kicked off in September 2025 and it has been confirmed as the final instalment for the sprawling period drama.

The final series will comprise six episodes, delving into the aftermath of the Sardinian War and Emperor Franz (portrayed by Philip Froissant) returning from the frontlines burdened with trauma and guilt over the loss of thousands of young lives.

Empress Elisabeth von Wittelsbach (Devrim Lingnau) will support him as she battles for her marriage and the empire.

She will also encounter difficulties at court due to her deteriorating health, leading her to depart Vienna and embark on an unforeseen journey.

The Empress season 3 is set to launch on Netflix later this year.

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The Empress season 3 will be released on Netflix later this year

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This Disney+ crime thriller is a must-watch for fans of Netflix’s You, with one standout difference that sets this stalker series apart from the rest.

With streaming services flooded with thrillers, crime, and mystery programmes, the storylines can occasionally feel repetitive and formulaic. There hasn’t been a riveting thriller that has captured the nation’s attention quite like Netflix’s You (2018).

However, Disney+ is venturing into this sinister realm with its new stalker thriller entitled Watching You (2025). The series delivers a nerve-wracking, gripping narrative packed with twists and shocking revelations. Audiences can anticipate intricate characters whose hidden truths gradually emerge, maintaining the tension throughout.

Yet, there’s one distinctive feature that distinguishes this programme and renders it essential viewing for thriller devotees.

What is Watching You about?

Protagonist Lina has a one-night stand, which is secretly filmed by a mystery person. However, Lina is engaged to someone else, meaning this one night of passion is an affair.

Lina is subsequently blackmailed by this enigmatic individual who appears to be monitoring her every action. Intent on exposing the stalker threatening her existence, she quickly discovers the peril may be considerably nearer than she ever suspected.

There’s murder and domestic violence in this thriller with layered characters. Whilst it may not feature the most twists and turns, the programme expertly keeps you on edge as secrets steadily emerge, given that no character is entirely blameless.

Similarities to Netflix’s You

Both programmes portray domestic violence, threats against women, stalking and murder. The villains in both shows conceal their true identity while manipulating women.

The only difference is that in Netflix’s You, stalker Joe is the main character and more charismatic than the villain in Watching You. Spoilers ahead.

However, both men are completely unhinged and will do anything to keep their secret whilst convincing themselves they are relentlessly, madly in love with the women they are obsessed with.

One reason you should watch

Watching You does a brilliant job of addressing domestic violence. Unlike Netflix’s You, this show is from the perspective and follows the actions of Lina. Though she is flawed, the show does not excuse what happened to her as a victim.

Her fight against the abuser is fierce, intense and complicated, but it is well written and delivered. Netflix’s You has been criticised for the “romanticisation” of male violence against women, as seen from Refinery29, Our Wave, and feminists.co, but Watching You intensifies the feeling of danger and suspense.

Early ratings

Commenting on IMDB, one person said: “It’s a refreshing and paychpatic watch. All the characters are stupid and follow questionable and illogical choices. But haven’t we all been there? The series reminds me of ‘You’ to a certain degree.

“It’s the plot of stalking someone and manipulating them into loving you. That’s about it with the similarities. The acting could be better; there’s some nudity, which I am not appalled by, but sometimes it makes no sense. Anyway, it’s not vulgar or anything. All in all, it’s a good show. But judge for yourselves.”

Another viewer commented: “I was very entertained by the first 3 episodes. Steamy show, interesting relationship dynamics, good performances. Despite the plot being more than obvious, I enjoyed watching the story unravel.”

They continued: “After the fourth episode, the story started getting more and more ridiculous. Characters were making one stupid decision after another, and the final episode was a letdown, the way it ended. Was that even justice being served? I doubt so.

“Overall, it’s a nice show for a binge, easy to follow despite being predictable. The finale just wasn’t to my taste. It wouldn’t hurt you to watch it.”

Eric Dane said he first shut down emotionally at just 7 years old, when navigating his father’s sudden death from a gunshot wound in a bathroom at his family’s home.

It wasn’t until his diagnosis with ALS decades later that the seasoned actor felt his own spirit return, Dane said in an interview released Friday on Netflix. The actor died Thursday at 53 following a public battle with the disease. The nearly hour-long interview, filmed in November, is part of the docuseries “Famous Last Words,” which features posthumous interviews with notable figures — the first centered on conservationist Jane Goodall and released two days after her death.

The actor spoke candidly about his debilitating disease, saying it “made me a little bit softer, a little bit more open.” The intimate conversation was conducted by television producer Brad Falchuk, who executive produces “Famous Last Words.”

“All I’m left with is me,” Dane said. “It’s kind of a f— up way of realizing that you were enough the whole time, when everything gets taken away and all you have left is this person.”

In the episode, Dane’s speech is noticeably slurred, and he sits in a motorized wheelchair while speaking to Falchuk. He’s thoughtful and responsive throughout as he reflects on his life and career, which spanned more than three decades.

“I didn’t think this was gonna be the end of the road for me. This was never part of the story I created for myself,” Dane said.

The actor described himself as a complainer during the interview, adding that he’s “always historically been the guy that would b— and moan on his way to doing anything, but my spirit has been surprisingly pretty buoyant throughout this journey.”

A final message to his daughters

Dane stared straight into the camera in the last few minutes of the Netflix special, his voice wavering when tears welled up in his eyes. He directed his parting words to his two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, sharing four lessons he’s learned from ALS.

“Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words,” Dane said.

Dane married Rebecca Gayheart, the mother of his children, in 2004 and the couple separated in 2017, though the divorce was never finalized. They maintained a friendship after their separation, though, and Dane said he had “never fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca.”

Dane said he spent most of his life “wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame and doubt.” But with ALS, he was “forced to stay in the present,” he said, which he encouraged his daughters to do.

Eric Dane, left, in conversation with Brad Falchuk on “Famous Last Words.”

(Courtesy of Netflix)

“I don’t want to be anywhere else. The past contains regrets. The future remains unknown, so you have to live now,” Dane said. “The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment.”

Dane also encouraged his daughters to fall in love, not just with people, but with something “that makes you want to get up in the morning,” he said. For Dane, that love was acting, which “eventually got me through my darkest hours, my darkest days, my darkest year,” he said.

The actor, who was open about his struggles with addiction, had been sober for nine years before slipping back into drug and alcohol use during a writer’s strike that halted “Grey’s Anatomy” production in 2007.

Dane told his daughters they inherited his resilience and urged them to “fight with every ounce of your being, and with dignity.”

Dane added: “This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit.”

ALS diagnosis brought peace

Aside from throwing a few punches to people who “deserved it,” Dane said he had no crazy confessions to make as the interview came to a close.

“I’ve never murdered anyone, Brad,” the actor joked to Falchuk.

The actor assured he lived a life full of fun, whether healthy or unhealthy. His fruitful career took off with his role as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan in “Grey’s Anatomy.” The gig started as a one-time guest role but “ignited a fan hysteria so intense,” Falchuk said, that the show was rewritten to make Dane a leading man.

Dane further cemented his legacy when he portrayed Cal Jacobs in “Euphoria,” a complicated character who leads a double life, which Dane said he related to. “I know what it’s like to not have my inside match my outside,” he said, referencing his long-standing battle with drugs and alcohol addiction.

His ALS diagnosis freed him from a constant state of self-judgment, Dane said, and helped him realize that he was always “absolutely more than enough.”

“I hope I’ve demonstrated that you can face anything. You can face the end of your days, you can face hell, with dignity,” he said.