The Crown

[Slim]

The fifth series of The Crown was released on Netflix yesterday and like millions of others, 'er indoors and I watched the first one last night.

I'm not a fan of the Royals at all but I've watched all four series up to this one and I've really enjoyed them thoroughly. I don't know what they spend on making these but the sets, the locations, the props and everything else look very bloody expensive. More importantly the standard of acting, direction and photography is very high.

The scripts take liberties with reality of course, as they  necessarily must but they never stray too far from the current events of the time and they often work as a sort of dramatised documentary of social history. There's an episode that concerns the Aberfan mining disaster for example in 1966. Political tensions of the time are explored and mostly, the folks who play the various Prime Ministers and other prominent politicians do a splendid job.

The early series get the period feel, with costumes, sets, cars, aeroplanes and the rest of it absolutely spot on.

The actors playing the main characters change every series, to account for age. I must admit I wasn't really buying Dominic West as Charles, he's just too handsome and charismatic. The guy who played Charles in the last series was spot on. But the new Queen (Imelda Staunton) and Philip (Jonathan Pryce) really evoke their real-life counterparts very well. Olivia Colman wasn't quite right in that role.

Jonathan Pryce actually looks a bit too old to be the Prince Philip of 1991. He doesn't look like he'll last another 30 years to me.

I thought the guy playing John Major did a pretty good job in the first one. Wondering whether his affair with Edwina will be alluded to, although it had been over for a few years before he became PM.

[dom]

Watched the Al Fayed episode of the Crown yesterday and found it fascinating.  The production is so lavish on the show that you are really taken into this World. I'll not provide any spoilers but I learnt a lot from the show that I had no idea about. Its a great episode when you find yourself scurrying over to Google for confirmation of what you've just learnt.

[captainkurtz]

After a shaky start, I enjoyed the last season, although I found the Diana actress a bit overly fey. 

[Slim]

I've watched the first three now, the Al Fayed one was very clever.