HBO’s political satire miniseries, The Regime, ended with a bang. A totally unexpected and twisted ending, the series finale was yet rooted in actuality. Having sacrificed Herbert Zubak for another grab at power, Chancellor Elena’s character seems to have not undergone any change.
While fans had mixed reactions to the series ending, the creator and executive producer, Will Tracy, revealed what led to such an ending and made some interesting remarks about Zubak’s sacrifice.
Will Tracy on The Regime’s Shocking End
A crude political satire with themes of dictatorship, autocracy, and hegemony, The Regime stars Kate Winslet as the cruel dictator of a fictional European country. Based on power grabs and how hegemonies influence other states, the series finale was a deeply realistic one.
After a deal with the US to let her rule again for a second time, Winslet’s Chancellor Elena Vernham sacrifices her love and confidant Herbert Zubak. While many would have wanted a more hopeful ending, Will Tracy explains why this was the only way.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the creator and Executive Producer of the miniseries remarked,
“I landed on this idea of, what if it’s pressing the reset button on the Nintendo? And it all loops back to the beginning, but with those who survive carrying these emotional scars from what transpired. Yet the political story, as it often happens in our world, runs cyclically back to where it started. That seemed like, even though she lives and survives, in some ways more tragic than an everyone dies and is brought to justice ending.”
Thus taking a more grounded, realistic approach instead of having Vernham hanged in the town square, Tracy remarked that the sacrifice of Zubak only helped Winslet’s character become secure and safe.
Since survival is all she really cares about, the ending shows how Vernham turns to the only relationship she trusts, power. A cruel yet realistic reminder of how power and autocracies play out in real life, the series ending had mostly mixed reactions from the fans (see X).
Will Tracy on Herbert Zubak’s Peaceful Ending
In a world where politics and power reign supreme (whether we would acknowledge it or not), one would want to see dictators and autocrats brought to justice even if such a feat takes place in reality. Yet The Regime hardly cares about the fictional reality and instead takes a realistic approach.
The reality is also evident in how Herbert Zubak is put to an end. Despite loving him and him protecting her, Chancellor Elena Vernham trades him for another grab at power. Having been sacrificed at the altar of regional political strategy, Zubak’s end was more peaceful than one would have anticipated.
While talking to EW, Will Tracy revealed why the narcissistic and brutal character was put to death the way he was.
“We did talk about that, that maybe this guy would want to go out in his blaze of glory. But he sees the pointlessness of that. And also, he’s willing to do this for her. He’s not necessarily a well-read man or a political scientist, but in some way he understands that in order for her to tell this story that she needs to tell in order for her to survive, he needs to be the sacrificial lamb. It’s inevitable in some fatalistic way that that’s the way their love story has to end.”
And so, while fans may have had mixed reactions to the ending, it is undeniable that The Regime has left a lasting impression about unchecked powers.
The Regime can be streamed on HBO.
