TV Show Review (so far): The Crown (2016-)

Quote by Prince Charles

“Something as curious as the monarchy won’t survive unless you take account of people’s attitudes. After all, if people don’t want it, they won’t have it.”

DON’T READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU’RE OKAY WITH KNOWING ABOUT MINOR PAST AND PRESENT SPOILERS!!!

Creator: Peter Morgan

Executive Producers: Peter Morgan, Stephen Daldry, Robert Fox, Andy Harries, Suzanne Mackie, Matthew Byam Shaw, Philip Martin, Tanya Seghatchian, Allie Goss, Nina Wolarsky, and Benjamin Caron

Writers: Peter Morgan, Edward Hemming, Laura Deeley, Jon Brittain, Jonathan Wilson, Tom Edge, Nick Payne, Duncun Macmillan, Amy Jenkins, James Graham, and David Hancock

Directors: Benjamin Caron, Philip Martin, Stephen Daldry, Julian Jarrold, Philippa Lowthorpe, Samuel Donovan, Jessica Hobbs, and Christian Schwochow

Cast in Season 5 (so far): Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II

Cast in Season 3-4: Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies as Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten, Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles, Marion Bailey as Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother), Charles Edwards as Martin Charteris, Emma Corrin as Princess Diana, Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher, David Rintoul as Michael Adeane, Sam Phillips as Equerry, Jason Watkins as Harold Wilson, Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, Alex Jennings as David (Duke of Windsor), and Lia Williams as Wallis Simpson

Cast in Season 1-2: Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II, Matt Smith as Philip (Duke of Edinburgh), Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret, Victoria Hamilton as Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother), Julian Baring as Prince Charles, Billy Jenkins as Prince Charles, Will Keen as Michael Adeane, Pip Torrens as Tommy Lascelles, Lizzy McInnerny as Bobo Macdonald, James Hillier as Equerry, John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, Jeremy Northam as Anthony Eden, Harry Hadden-Paton as Martin Charteris, Clive Francis as Lord Salisbury, Ben Miles and Peter Townsend, Greg Wise as Lord Mountbatten, Anton Lesser as Harold MacMillian, Jared Harris as King George VI, Alex Jennings as David (Duke of Windsor), Lia Williams as Wallis Simpson, and Verity Russell as Young Princess Elizabeth

Seasons: three so far and five when the show ends

Episodes in each season: 10

Running time of each episode: 58 minutes

Rating: TV-MA

*******

I was really hoping The Crown would last more than five seasons. The first season two seasons had Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II. It made sense to me to have two seasons with Olivia Coleman as Queen Elizabeth II and then at least two more with Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. It would have been interesting to see sort of a family arc come sort of full circle: staring with the Duke of Windsor leaving with Wallis Simpson and ending with Prince Harry leaving with Meghan Markle and their son. Then again, most of the world already has intimate knowledge about the latter’s relationship so it probably makes better sense to end it in season five.

It seems half the world’s people doesn’t care about British royalty where the other half is fascinated by it. I guess I fall in the latter half. I’m fascinated by all royalty including the Windsor and Mountbatten-Windsor family. Queen Elizabeth II is in fifth among the longest reigns of sovereign states with exact dates. She is the only one living from this list and has ruled for 68 years and 10 days so far. The top spot belongs to Louis XIV from France with a reign of 72 years and 110 days.

This drama and history show begins with a change in trajectory of Princess Elizabeth’s life where she becomes Queen after her uncle abdicates the throne and her father dies prematurely. She faces the task of keeping neutral as prime ministers come and go. Highlighting is her marriage to Prince Philip and strong relationship with Winston Churchill in the first two seasons, but familial turmoil continue to as third season begins with new dramas as well as political fractures.

The Queen is older and a mother of two young adult children with a mind of their own. Prince Charles and Princess Anne are about as different as the Queen and her sister. Prince Charles takes on more duty as a royal and catches the eye of Camilla Shand. It is also where Princess Margaret and Princess Anne are trying to find their places in the royal family and illustrate no matter how big of a castle you live in, there are reasons not to celebrate. And yet, season three ends with the Silver Jubilee for the Queen.