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Comment on TV Series The Crown
I have been glued to my computer every afternoon for three days running from release date November 9 watching the ten episodes of Season 5 of the Netflix TV series The Crown. Words to describe my
No one can deny Diana metamorphosed from a shy innocent to a disappointed woman but she was scheming, and definitely quite paranoid. Of course it was an immense shock to her to know her husband was in love with another, but he definitely tried to be good and faithful to her, until her demand for constant attention and then upmanship almost caused him a nervous breakdown. Hence his going back to Camilla for comfort and ordinariness.
The series created by Peter Morgan, based on his award winning play The Audience, was first aired on Netflix on November 4, 2016. Four sessions ended about a year ago and then came Session 5 early this month which I rave over. The first four sessions covered Elizabeth’s life from 1940 to 1990. The family of course is detailed and also significant events in Britain and Prime Ministers from Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher.
Season I proceeds from Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947, to the denial of her sister Princess Margaret’s desire to marry divorced Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955. Season 2 covers the period from the 1956 Suez Crisis to the retirement of PM Harold MacMillan in 1963 and the birth of Prince Edward in 1964. The third season – 1964 to 1977 – includes Harold Wilson’s two periods as prime minister, and introduces Camilla Shand. Season 4, released for screening on November 15, 2020, spans 1979 to 1990 and includes Margaret Thatcher’s prime ministership and the marriage of Charles and Diana headed directly to the rocks.
Season 5 watched this month covers the period 1991 to 1997 and was released on November 9.
Stars in the major roles
Recognition is given the fact that the Queen and all other persons depicted in the TV series age as it moves on and so three sets of stars played the major roles. Young Claire Foy portrayed the Queen in the first two seasons alongside Matt Smith as Prince Philip and Vanessa Kirby was beautiful Princess Margaret. The third and fourth seasons had Olivia Colman as Queen and to my way of thinking she most resembled the Queen, now aging, Tobias Menzies is Prince Philip, and Helena Bonham Carter – Margaret. Diana and Charles too had two sets of actors in the four seasons.
The fifth season introduced Imelda Staunton as Queen, heavily praised by critics. Her hair style and mannerisms resemble the Queen’s but I found her eyes which are small a might too dissimilar to the Queen’s. She is able however to show loads of unexpressed but felt emotions, most suffered, at the various turn of events. The Queen was denied, or she denied herself, the luxury of giving way to emotions such as great disappointment, exasperation, even sorrow and mourning. Jonathon Pryce is Philip and to me the star most resembling the Prince. He succeeds in catching nuances of feelings which also though often expressed, had to be tempered. Lesley Manville is the mature Margaret, still very beautiful. Dominic West plays Charles very well and Australian Elizabeth Debicki tackled very competently the role of Diana which calls for mixed characteristic: a woman madly in love with a Muslim doctor; absolutely devastated after obtaining the divorce she wanted, lonely and scheming too. Debicki is thinner than Diana but her eyes, facial expressions and body stances so resemble the unfortunate princess. She has won fulsome praise for her portrayal of the emotionally mixed up Diana along with awards.
Reference yielded the fact that 63 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were bagged by series one to four, winning 21: seven for cast members. Also won was the Golden Globe Award for best Television Series – Drama. As of 2020, the estimated production budget of The Crown has been reported to be $260 million, making it one of the most expensive television series ever.
Critiques
The TV series watched by millions, has been praised by critics for its screen writing, acting, directing, cinematography and production. I well remember it more or less advertised itself as true to life – royal in this instance; historical drama. However Series five has met with rather harsh criticism, given that the Queen, now almost universally admired and loved, died just before the release of the fifth group of ten episodes.
The first episode Queen Victoria Syndrome depicts Prince Charles as heir to the throne having to wait too long, according to an article in the Sunday Times. The paper is kept away from the Queen but she guesses what is what. This episode was supposedly cooked up. But I, totally ignorant of such criticism, marveled at a new method of production and direction. Many of the episodes among the 10 in Season five start with a depiction of ancient history or a long past event. The first episode titled Queen Victoria Syndrome was prefaced by showing her court and the long waiting then Prince of Wales who became King George V in his old age, almost,
In Episode 6 titled Ipatieve House, the Romanov Tzar Nicholas II and family are shown as prisoners in a house named Ipatieve House, and being led to being assassinated. King George V in England and wife Elizabeth, grandparents of the Queen, are shown at breakfast and later, the king on a shoot. He greatly disappointed the Tzar who expected his British cousin to send his family a rescue ship. This was the introduction to the visit of President Boris Yeltsin to London in 1994, state dinner etc and the Queen requesting a proper burial for the remains that had been DNA tested and found to be that of the Tzar and family. Prince Philip gave blood to conduct a DNA which proved the Tzarina was of his mother’s family line. Much of the history is twisted a bit to suit the story of the series.
Episodes of Season 5
I mention only some.Episode two is titled The System. Philip turns fifty and gives up rigorous sports and takes to horse carriage racing. That leads him to befriend Lady Ramsey whose son is his godson. She has suffered a death in her family. Friendship grows until whispers result. Philip tells the Queen he needs intellectual companionship. She remains stoic though emotions must surely have churned within. She decides to have Lady R move closely with the royal family in public. (What understanding and greatness! Loyalty to the country and House of Windsor whatever personal sacrifices have to he made and feelings are).
Episode three – Mou Mou is most on Mohamed Al Fayed, who starts life as a coca cola seller from a cart he wheels around Alexandria. Getting rich he obtains the services of the Duke of Windsor’s butler who teaches him British and French royal family habits. He buys Harrods and seeks to be Brit. At the Royal Windsor Horse Show he wants to hobnob with the royals. The Queen asks Diana to sit with him in his box. Dodi finances the very successful film Chariots of Fire.
The next episode is Annus Horibilis, which name the Queen uses to describe the year 1992 at the lunch in celebration of the Ruby Jubilee of her reign. Peter Townsend writes to Princess Margaret after many years.
The Way Ahead
deals with Diana’s and Charles separation and their revealing press interview and documentary. Diana is interviewed by Bashir after fraudulently presenting forged documents to her brother. Jonathon Dimbleby produces the documentary on Charles
Decommisioned –Episode 10 – has lots in it. The Britannica is too expensive and old to maintain; Dodi introduces the starlet he desires to marry to his father. Al Fayed at the opera, seeing lonesome Diana, invites her for dinner and a holiday on his yacht and John Major, the Queen’s favourite PM loses to Tony Blair. Prince Charles travels economy class to Hong Kong to see it being returned to China. And Diana is fearful of paparazzi chasing her. Which leaves me impatient for Season 6 – the last of The Crown TV series – still to be produced. It brings the Queen’s reign to the 21st century.
