How I view this series (slight spoiler)
As a thought experiment as to how Europe, in the near-present context, would interact IF the USA was operating with a pre-WWII / isolationist mindset but including an ascendant expansionist modern Russia.
That is a somewhat absurd precondition, but it does allow an exploration of the fault-lines that do exist within Europe itself, would likely express under stressed conditions unconstrained by US military/diplomatic power.
What I enjoy especially are the situations a weaker but somewhat integrated European power would face under active measures by an adversary possessing overwhelming superiority. Where simple measures, such as muscle-flexing, are not on hand.
Season 3 is out now, which deals with reactions within a newly-liberated country, the repercussions, score-settling, scapegoating, political machinations built upon that platform.
I think its a great mind game. The soap-opera aspects don't swamp the drama, as is most often the case in other similarly-themed series. It's mainly domestic & geopolitics in this slightly-tweaked universe.