The Crown Season 4 (Netflix) TV Show Review & Comments

[rpr]

6 seasons...? I'd read they were cutting it at 5 and that was en extension from the originally planned 4.
I hope 6 is right by the way. I haven't started this yet but hopefully will be this evening.

I thought this (5) was the last season

 

[lostinspace]

For me the only thing I don't like is Anderson as Thatcher. The voice is OK but she seems to be trying too hard and it just looks false.

When it started I didn't fancy the Fagan episode but it turned out to be the best of the season so far (rest still to watch).

 

[Nobbler]

I thought this (5) was the last season

This was season 4. Imelda Staunton taking over as her Maj for the final 2 seasons it seems with Jonathan Pryce as the Duke Of Edinburgh

 

[Galaxy]

Great series, but what happened to the lighting cameraman.......did he not bring any 10p for the meter, we thought the dramatic dark lighting was well OTT, other than that well worth watching.

 

[Nobbler]

Ok finished season 4 and it's the weakest of the show so far - I know it's fiction buy there is far too much self indulgent artistic licensing going on.
Way to go to turn the world against the future king of England because yes - some people do believe this isn't fiction and is word for word what happened...

 

[Ightenhill]

Just finished -- V Good as usual but felt this was the weakest mainly due to too much slow mo Diana who came across empty and boring (which may have been the point)

I think the issue is we have seen too much of her in the press for what seems for ever and have all pretty much formed our opinions - In the early epsiodes I found it balanced with both as guilty or as trapped as each other but in later episodes I think they actually did start to treat Charles with less balance and found myself feeling sorry for him.

Far too many other interesting things happening seemed to get missed in this period of Thatchers reign from Lockerbie (Maggies immediate visit compares quite polar to the Queen and Aberfan and showed another side to Thatcher) to even Anne telling her attempted kidnapper to stop being silly and **** off on the Mall. Im also not sire the one off episodes worked to well - whilst Fagans episode had great character build and social comment it did feel stretched at the expense of other characters who seemed to have been lightly skimmed this year (again at the expense of D)

Have warmed to Olivias Queen, but my fave characters are still Philip, Anne, HBCees, Margaret and Gillian Andersons Thatcher who has been frankly superb.

 

[iFi audio]

What's everyone's thoughts on this so far? I hear a new seasons out soon and seen lots of hype over it but not sure if I'm ready to commit yet!

 

[steviedr]

Agree with @Ightenhill
A great season, but felt we could have had a few more as some characters didn’t have much to work on.
The Charles / Di story and performances are really great, Anderson as Thatcher stole the show.
We only had decent time with Margaret in one episode and I thought it was superb.
Lovely to hear the legend John Cole reporting on Maggie, what a voice, really brought me back to that time.
Shame it’s only 6 seasons ...

 

[Solomon Grundy]

For me the only thing I don't like is Anderson as Thatcher. The voice is OK but she seems to be trying too hard and it just looks false.

When it started I didn't fancy the Fagan episode but it turned out to be the best of the season so far (rest still to watch).

Same...to me she was channeling Spitting Image's version.

 

[Clem_Dye]

Finished it a couple of days ago. Latest series deffo the weakest — only just held my attention in places. The farcical handling of some of Mrs Thatcher’s stuff was frankly poor, and unlikely. It seems that the American viewers treat the series like some sort of history lesson. Hmmm. I’ll give the next series a go, but for me, a seasoned republican, it just reinforces my view that the monarchy should have gone, a long, long time ago ...

 

[maverick177uk]

Loved it but like others said more history would’ve been better, the Brighton bomb, Lockerbie maybe, it’s seemed all to concentrate on Charles and Di too much, the next season will inevitablely be about Di and the fallout and her death.

 

[lostinspace]

It was entertaining but a couple of episodes felt like fillers to make up the numbers.

I just wonder how accurately Charles was portrayed as he didn't come out very well at all - just a spoilt brat who saw other's failings but none of his own, but then I've never taken to him anyway.

Speech of the season was when the queen tore him a new one.

 

[clydebest]

Love this, quality acting, storylines are accurate the dialogue open to translation .. before watching season 5 my empathy for Diana was zero after i understand her plight and to survive what she did from age 19 onwards I have a new grown respect for her.. Though young enough to be my babysitter Emma Corrin is gorgeous.

 

[Stockholm]

Heard the production values, costuming, set designs, etc are all top-notch and sumptuous so gave S4 a shot (seems like you can dive in anywhere anyway) and it's all true. Even the cinematography is lush at times (the Diana episode where she moves from Earls Court to the palace a particular standout for beautiful photography so far) and varied (the Balmoral episode with its rolling glens, valleys and pine tree forests, for example).

Prince Charles is the least likeable character. A complete wet blanket and gloomy bore who is a total mismatch for the ingenue Diana was at that point.

So far Princess Margaret seems the most interesting character and has worldly concerns and strife that most people can relate to: the fear of losing your sense of purpose; searching for happiness despite her circumstances, and she seems more fun-loving and sensitive than the others. Her confrontation with the Queen Mother on the beach was a particular highlight of the season so far. Her dialogue was spiky, from the heart and well written, as it has been throughout the season for most characters. Helena Bonham Carter's performance has been great too. Always enjoy her acting. Lots of presence and great facial expressions.

The lass playing Diana has been a revelation. From the top of my head I think her name is Emma Corrin. Brilliant. She's got the bashfulness down pat.

Didn't think I'd enjoy it that much but it's been enjoyable so far. Its presentation is on a different level from most TV shows. Top work in that regard.

 

[encaser]

The lass playing Diana has been a revelation. From the top of my head I think her name is Emma Corrin. Brilliant. She's got the bashfulness down pat.

Didn't think I'd enjoy it that much but it's been enjoyable so far. Its presentation is on a different level from most TV shows. Top work in that regard.

She looks a bit psychotic eyed both in images in this and out.

I keep thinking I'll watch this and then cringe.

 

[Stockholm]

She looks a bit psychotic eyed both in images in this and out.

I keep thinking I'll watch this and then cringe.

She is a bit wild-eyed at times but I put it down to churlish Charles and the rest of The Firm giving her the cold shoulder. But just had a look at pictures of the actress and yep she's got the whole crazy eyes thing going on! Piercing. Lends her presence though.

Cringing at the thought of watching a drama about the royal family or at the actress playing Diana? Can't say I find their exploits engrossing in real life so actually gave it a miss over the years but heard good things about the production values, etc and thought I'd give it a go. Enjoyed the first episode of S4 so persevered and on the whole it's been fine, sometimes even captivating like the Diana transition episode, the Fagan one, the hidden cousins one didn't pull any punches either, and that's as far as I've got so far.

 

[encaser]

@Stockholm cringing at both points. I watched the others, as like you, I wasn't bothered by them but went along after hearing so much and joining NF!
I'll no doubt slap it on, as I seem to be swirling over what to see of late.
It'll be odd to see Charles come off badly, after the sympathy set up from last.
Never really cared about Di and my main memory linked to her, is hearing of her death whilst on a water skiing holiday.

 

[Rasczak]

As a republican I have to admit I have been avoiding the Crown but decided to watch it given all the 'negative' publicity Season 4 got from the Royalist media. Have to admit I enjoyed Season 1 and 2 - Foy and Smith are both great leads - plus I enjoyed the historical stories. IMHO the series went downhill after that. Season 3 was okay (I enjoyed the Welsh episode). Season 4 was just rubbish - the 1980s deserved so much better! So many great historical events missed, Thatcher was cringeworthy (which TBF she was in reality as well) and the events they did do (Falklands) were done poorly IMHO.

As for the arguments it alienates people to the Royal family...well IMHO that can't come a moment too soon - it is absurd having a monarchy in the 21st century.

 

[Stockholm]

The Queen hit the nail on the head concerning their catastrophe of a relationship, the public perception of them as a couple and the possibility for happiness that their circumstances afforded them with the dressing down she gave Charles in the finale, and although at first I had a mite more sympathy for Princess Diana the longer the season went on the more tiring her antics and neediness grew, to the point that my sympathy for her became atom-sized.

As I haven't watched the previous seasons I only have this one to relate to and I enjoyed it from beginning to end even if it skipped through the 80s in a rather brisk manner.

Prince Charles' exasperation with his wife was brilliantly acted by the chap playing him, especially in the finale after she's returned from her first solo Royal engagement in the States. Like Emma Corrin and her portrayal of Princess Diana, Josh O'Connor has nailed a lot of Prince Charles' mannerisms and traits and his bad-blooded chemistry with his sparring partner genuinely comes across as acerbic and petulant at being denied the opportunity to consecrate his real love for Camilla.

Tobias Menzies always performs well and this is no exception.

Gillian Anderson's Thatcher was a caricature of the real Thatcher but I didn't mind that as she across as a cartoon villain to me when I was growing up in Glasgow. The hatred people felt towards her in Glasgow was fierce and visceral and was obvious to me despite the fact that politics went right over my head as a kid. The only other politicans I knew back then were Neil Kinnock who came across as a hopeless case who always seemed to be told to sit down by The Iron Lady, Edwina Currie who scared me into not eating eggs for the entirety of my childhood, and Paddy Pantsdown for giving the wrong briefs to his secetary.

Would liked to have seen more of Princess Margaret but realise she was never going to be at the forefront of the story. Still the episodes she played a more substantial part in were a welcome addition, particularly the hidden cousins and Dazzle episode.

Look forward to S5 and will probably go back and get on with seasons 1-3 over Christmas.

As an aside I had a teacher who was invited to Balmoral on occasion (he was close friends with someone within the circle) and gushed about his BBQs with the royal family. Despite never letting a good - or inopportune - moment go to waste to talk about his time with the royals the only thing I remember him saying was that the Queen is a great impressionist, although I think that is well known at this point anyway.

 

[Sloppy Bob]

I haven't seen season 4 yet but I thought the first 2 were excellent and the third dropped a bit.

 

[iFi audio]

Just made it to Season 2 and so glad I've managed to commit to this one!