Netflix’s Cleopatra is so Much Worse Than You Think

Despot of Antrim・2 minutes read

The Netflix show "Afro Queen" is heavily criticized for distorting history, misrepresenting Cleopatra as black, and pushing a political narrative, resulting in extreme dislike and financial failure, with a production budget under $200, leading to public embarrassment for Netflix and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Insights

  • The Netflix docudrama "Queen Cleopatra" faced severe backlash for distorting historical facts, particularly by falsely depicting Cleopatra as black and African despite evidence to the contrary, leading to a 2% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and widespread criticism for its historical inaccuracies.
  • The show "Afro Queen" manipulates Cleopatra's character to fit a narrative of female empowerment, erasing the contributions of other historical figures, caricaturizing prominent figures like Caesar and Marc Anthony, and distorting the Battle of Actium to elevate Cleopatra as a feminist icon, contributing to its failure and public humiliation.

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  • Why is "Queen Cleopatra" criticized?

    Historical inaccuracy and distortion of facts.

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Summary

00:00

"Queen Cleopatra" docudrama sparks historical controversy

  • The Netflix docudrama "Queen Cleopatra" is criticized for being historically inaccurate and distorting Roman, Egyptian, African, and European history.
  • The show is condemned for being an assault on history and accused of lying about Cleopatra, pushing a twisted narrative for modern political purposes.
  • "Queen Cleopatra" has garnered extreme dislike, with a 2% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, a 1/10 rating on IMDb, and a 0.1 score on Metacritic.
  • The show is renamed "Afro Queen" due to its focus on Cleopatra's afro hairstyle and its attempt to Africanize a Greek historical figure for modern cultural warfare.
  • The show falsely portrays Egypt as racially diverse, suggesting Cleopatra was black despite historical evidence to the contrary.
  • "Afro Queen" obfuscates Cleopatra's racial heritage and manipulates viewers by distorting historical facts and creating a false narrative.
  • The show's intentional conflation of geography and ethnicity for political purposes is highlighted, leading to a blood libel against Egypt.
  • The panel of experts in "Afro Queen" is criticized for lacking legitimate historians and including politically motivated individuals.
  • Historical inaccuracies in the show include misrepresenting Rome as an emerging power and inaccurately portraying women's roles in ancient Rome.
  • "Afro Queen" is condemned for its lack of historical detail, agenda-driven narrative, and inclusion of modern woke movie tropes like a Mary Sue character.

16:18

Distorted History: Cleopatra as Feminist Icon

  • The show portrays a strong, diverse female character, Mary Sue, who is looked up to for guidance by idiot white men, making them appear incompetent.
  • The series focuses on Cleopatra, presenting her as an African queen and feminist icon, erasing historical facts to deify her as a feminist Messiah.
  • The show omits crucial historical events, like Caesar's rescue of Cleopatra during a siege, to attribute all achievements to Cleopatra alone.
  • Cleopatra is depicted as a sovereign ruler of an independent African Kingdom, ignoring the reality of Egypt's status as a Roman puppet state.
  • Historical figures like Caesar, Marc Anthony, and Octavian are caricaturized in the show, diminishing their accomplishments and portraying them as incompetent.
  • The Battle of Actium is distorted in the show to present Cleopatra as a brilliant African queen, ignoring the reality of her defeat by Octavian and Agrippa.
  • The show falsely depicts Cleopatra giving military commands during the Battle of Actium, when in reality, Roman generals were wary of her presence due to its demoralizing effect on their troops.
  • Cleopatra's role in the war was primarily financial support and morale boosting for Anthony's Eastern troops, not military leadership as portrayed in the show.
  • The show manipulates historical events to fit a narrative of female empowerment, disregarding the complexities and nuances of the actual historical context.
  • Historical inaccuracies in the show serve to elevate Cleopatra as a feminist icon, erasing the contributions and achievements of other historical figures for the sake of modern storytelling.

31:13

Cleopatra's Strategic Retreat and Misrepresentation

  • Cleopatra is credited with providing the world's most invincible naval fleet, challenging the traditional narrative of her dependence on men.
  • The War of Actium was not a decisive battle but a breakout attempt, where strategic blunders, not military blunders, led to Anthony and Cleopatra's unfavorable position.
  • Cleopatra and Marc Anthony's fleet faced defeat due to bad strategy, not problematic battle decisions, as Octavian's Navy disrupted their supply route.
  • During the breakout, Cleopatra's orders are criticized as historically inaccurate, with the show misrepresenting her actions and motivations.
  • Cleopatra's retreat to Egypt was a strategic decision to protect her kingdom, while Anthony's retreat is described as an act of quietus.
  • Cleopatra and Anthony's failed attempt to break through Octavian's blockade led to the destruction of their fleet, forcing them to retreat to Alexandria.
  • The show's depiction of Augustus (Octavian) as a villain is criticized, ignoring his achievements in transforming Rome into a thriving Empire.
  • Egypt, under Roman rule, was a prosperous province, contributing significantly to Rome's economy through agricultural exports and trade.
  • The show's portrayal of Cleopatra as a seductress and witch is deemed misogynistic and xenophobic, distorting historical facts for political narratives.
  • Cleopatra's suicide is portrayed as part of a complex plan, although in reality, it was a final act of desperation due to her loss of control and defeat by Octavian.

46:38

Netflix's "Afro Queen" Flops Cleopatra Portrayal

  • "Afro Queen, a Netflix production, faced universal criticism and financial failure for its portrayal of Cleopatra as a black queen, with a production budget likely not exceeding $200, leading to public humiliation for Netflix and Jada Pinkett Smith."
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