The Crown: A Royal Drama about the Royalty

The Crown is an American-British drama produced by Left Bank Pictures for Netflix. The series was created and written by Peter Morgan, best known as the writer of the movie “Rush”, The Crown is a biographical drama based on the life of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. It was directed by a small array of popular directors including Stephen Daldry and Philip Martin. Costing more than £100 million, The Crown is claimed to be Netflix’s most expensive endeavor yet. To put it simply, the show is absolutely worth it and it was a £100 million well spent.

Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith as Prince Philip

Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith as Prince Philip

The first season of The Crown, comprising of ten episodes, portrays the first decade of Elizabeth II’s life as Queen of England. The plot begins in 1947 depicting Elizabeth’s wedding with Prince Philip. After the death of King George VI due to a tumor, Elizabeth is crowned and handed the responsibility of being Queen with Sir Winston Churchill serving as the country’s Prime Minister. The season then follows Queen Elizabeth’s life till 1955, dealing with her early exploits as Queen while simultaneously exploring her personal life and relationships with her family and cohorts from the government.

As a whole, The Crown has managed to save itself from the pitfalls which usually make biographical dramas boring and slow. From the get-go itself, The Crown is a highly gripping show perfectly suiting the Netflix platform, prompting viewers to load the next episode by the time one ends. The first couple of episodes which showcase the circumstances leading to Elizabeth’s ascend to the throne were, at times, reminiscent of a well presented superhero origin story. Queen Elizabeth’s coronation scene in episode five (Smoke and Mirrors) was among the best moments in the show and was an immersive experience visually.

gallery-1452108152-the-crown-netflix-2Every episode in The Crown finds young Queen Elizabeth handling one issue or the other related to her royal duties or personal life, often finding the interest of one aspect of her life contrasting the other. The show has done a remarkable job of portraying Elizabeth as an inexperienced youth at the beginning of a formidable career. Some other elements dealt with in the show include how being Queen influenced Elizabeth’s relationships with her Prince Philip and her sister, Margaret. In addition, the plot also offers some insight into Elizabeth’s childhood and the reasons behind King Edward’s abdication from power and his life after that. Though it lacks an overarching plot and the historical accuracy of its events are debatable, The Crown brilliantly blends these different elements together, gives them all sufficient importance, and never once makes the viewer feel bored.

The role of Queen Elizabeth is brilliantly played by Claire Foy. She was able to portray the Queen as the strong, mature woman she was and handled her part with elegance worthy of praise. Moreover, Foy was a perfect fit for how the show constantly associated a sense of divinity to Elizabeth’s personality. However, the actor who delivered the best performance in the show was John Lithgow as Sir Winston Churchill. Lithgow had a commendable screen-presence as Churchill and it was a delight to see every scene in which he appeared. Winston Churchill was the only other character in the show who had a significant character arc of his own.

John Lithgow delivered the best performance in the show as Sir Winston Churchill

John Lithgow delivered the best performance in the show as Sir Winston Churchill

Matt Smith’s portrayal of Prince Philip also deserves special mention. His performance was very convincing and mature that it often makes you wonder if he was the same actor who played the lead in Doctor Who for three years.  The technical sides of the show had just as much to do with its success as its writing and performances. The Crown featured excellent cinematography and music that magnified the show’s grandeur. Even if you do not enjoy dramas, The Crown is still worth the watch for its beautiful frames showing England’s cities, countryside, and even the skyline. The main theme composed by Hans Zimmer and the background score from Rupert Gregson Williams were both outstanding as well.

To conclude, The Crown is perfect binge-watch material (even if a short one), if you are in the mood for some drama about the British Royalty. There are hardly any faults worth mentioning about the show and it is sure to be a strong contender when the next award season comes. The Crown is expected to be around for five more seasons, each dealing with a different decade In the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

Nisanth Suresh

About Nisanth Suresh

I’m a Commerce student hailing from a small town in Ernakulam, Kerala. I am something of a cinephile, enjoy reading comics and fictional novels in my free time. I fell in love with TV shows after discovering the classic sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S when I was 13 years old. Over several years and a load of other shows, I discovered the strength of television as a medium for long-term, compelling story-telling. What started out as a leisure time hobby is now a passion and I’m always in search of great new shows to watch. I never miss out on opportunities to discuss about the shows that I love and hate and now utilize my position at SpectralHues to share my views with the rest of you.
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