Despair Is Rampant in 'Marie Antoinette's Penultimate Episode, “Madame Deficit”

In the penultimate Marie Antoinette episode of Season 2, “Madame Deficit,” it’s misery all around for the crown and its subjects. Antoinette will face the devastating loss of her new baby and be thrust into the seat of power when Louis descends into despondency over political losses. The people of France are starving and migrating to Paris seeking food. Their plight is only made worse by a hailstorm that wipes out crucial harvests. The only one having any fun is Orléans, who soaks up the political rewards of chaos at Versailles.

Several months after the cardinal’s disastrous trial, the queen’s been told it’s unsafe to be seen beyond Versailles. Antoinette won’t go outside or leave her apartment or baby Sophie’s side. Von Fersen leaves for London to find la Motte, who is blackmailing the queen with evidence of her illicit love letters. Antoinette promises to be back to her old self once he returns.

She’s still angry with Louis and Yolande for keeping the dauphin’s condition a secret and is distraught knowing his life will be cut short. By this point, 8-year-old Louis Joseph (Yusuf Bezahaf) uses a hand-cranked wheelchair, and one leg is in a brace. Antoinette readmits Lamballe as her bestie, then (finally) cuts Yolande out of her life after the princess divulges how Yolande left her to bleed out during her miscarriage. The countess can remain at Versailles but has lost the queen’s favor.

Louis, meanwhile, is steadily losing ground on the political front. Vergennes dies before the assembly of notables convenes, leaving the king in a panic. Can he convince them to pass the tax reforms necessary for France’s solvency? The notables were hand-picked to support the king, but Provence undermines Louis just as they’re about to approve. The wannabe usurper puts his brother on the spot, asking why he needs more money if France has a yearly surplus of 12 million (per Necker’s cooked books). This prompts the notables to request the country’s ledgers, which even Provence doesn’t want.

Calonne is ready to punch Provence, and for a moment, it seems Louis might do just that. Instead, he tells his brother that France is 6 billion in debt and on the brink of financial collapse. Despite his ambitions, Provence agrees that the notables cannot be told the truth. But Calonne, sick from stress, lack of sleep, and the pressure of saving France, goes rogue. 

In a fit of near-madness, he brings the evidence of every secret loan Necker secured, passing out the paperwork amongst the assembly to impart the country's dire state and stop them from blaming the king. Looking frantic and unhinged, Louis tries to grab back all the loan documents and banishes Calonne as a traitor.

Antoinette learns the real debt France is swimming in and is initially furious that Louis allowed her to buy Saint-Cloud. But she soon forgives him as he worsens, losing all his confidence and manically positioning toy ships in the nursery while in his nightgown. Provence demands to see Louis, but is unprepared for the king to be literally losing his faculties. He seems upset by it. 

(What did you expect, dude?)

Breteuil tells Antoinette they need to immediately secure a 500 million livre loan from Parliament, who are antagonistically outraged by Louis’ leaked tax reforms. The queen steps up carefully behind the scenes, meeting with Malherbe to propose that if Parliament approves the loan, the king will drop his tax reforms. Antoinette manages to rally Louis into attendance and proper clothing, but he becomes impatient and anxious the longer Parliament debates. He says the matter is decided; they’ll give him the money. Orléans points out that this is illegal – only Parliament can approve it and must strike the king’s demand. The president agrees and denies the loan. Louis loses it, calling them all traitors as he storms out.

Orléans jumps at the chance, saying the crown must be held accountable or France will be under tyranny. His stunt is popular at Palais Royal, where Orléans’ men carry him aloft through a cheering crowd. 

Breteuil delivers Orléans a new banishment from Versailles, which draws louder cheers. In another treasonous corner, Félicité orchestrates Jeanne’s escape from jail after convincing her to write a tell-all lambasting the king and queen, largely fabricated, of course. She publishes Jeanne’s tale through Palais Royal’s printing presses.

In yet another showpiece, Orléans opens his kitchens and offers bread to anyone hungry, establishing who can feed the people. From Versailles, Antoinette insists they can’t let anyone starve, but France has few resources. Breteuil’s network has heard that Orléans is buying up stores of grain to create further shortages.

Closer to home, anger and longing provoke Josephine’s animosity against the crown. She’s woeful that her letters to Marguerite go unanswered and has regressed to constant drunkenness. Antoinette reveals that Provence and Adelaide plotted against Marguerite, not she and Louis, leading Josephine to find letters from Marguerite hidden in Provence’s belongings. She’s furious and devastated.

Baby Sophie dies, and Antoinette has mere moments to grieve. Disappointingly, von Fersen’s grief is given more screen time and weight as the queen supports him emotionally. Later, she calls things off with him, sorrowfully reasoning that she has no time for a private life. Between covering for Louis, running the country, mourning for Sophie, and worrying about the dauphin, the queen is overwhelmed.

Necker (Conor Lovett) is hired back as financial controller to undo the situation he created and agrees that the tax reforms are the only thing to resolve the deficit. If they do nothing, the country will fall into famine, face rising prices, and confront a “rebellious aristocracy eager to limit the king’s power.” To push the reforms through, Necker proposes that they convene the Estates General, where representatives of the clergy, nobility, and commoners advise the king. This hasn’t been done in over 100 years.

Marie Antoinette Season 2's finale airs Sunday, May 11, 2025, on most local PBS stations, the PBS App, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel at 10 p.m. ET. All eight episodes of the new series are available on PBS Passport for members to stream. Season 1 is available to stream for members on PBS Passport and on the Prime Video Masterpiece Channel.