Hello, my name is Michael, and I’m addicted to The Crown. This fact became a shock to me shortly after I started watching season 1 in 2016, as prior to that my honest thought to all the fanfare generally associated with the British Royal family was, in a nutshell, "who cares, it doesn’t impact me." And honestly, in most instances, bits of news about the Windsors still have no strong interest over me. Yet, now that The Crown season 5 is available on Netflix, it immediately is shooting to the top of my must-watch list.
What drew my attention despite my lack of enthusiasm for the real-life crown? The first (and easiest) answer is pretty simple — The Crown has consistently been one of the best shows on TV for the last six years. It’s brilliantly acted, with specific shout-outs deserved for Claire Foy and Olivia Colman’s work as Queen Elizabeth through the years (unlike House of the Dragon, time jumps aren’t an issue on The Crown since we get full seasons with the actors). Other standouts have included Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby, John Lithgow, Helena Bonham-Carter, Josh O’Connor, Emma Corrin and Gillian Anderson. Peter Morgan’s writing is also top-notch and the production team does an incredible job of taking us back to these places in history.
That last bit is actually what I would say is why The Crown has been a personal favorite in recent years — the history it explores. Yes, I am fully aware that The Crown is not a documentary (I don’t understand why people think we need a specific warning explaining this) and that certain artistic liberties have been taken with events; What to Watch has even explored the fact vs fiction of The Crown season 5.
What’s great about The Crown’s dive into history, at least for this non-Royal-obsessed American, is that it sheds light on fascinating parts of history that were before my time or very UK-specific that didn't make it into my high school history classes.
I’ll be honest, prior to The Crown, my knowledge of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign was minuscule. So when season 1 showcased a young monarch forced to come into her own after the death of her beloved father with the guidance of the brilliant but intimidating Winston Churchill, detailing many of the challenges that she faced in her early days (including a great episode about the London fog), I was hooked. Throw in other episodes that dealt with the Suez Canal, the crown’s relations with commonwealth countries, Prince Edward’s relationship with Nazi Germany and the landslide at Aberfan and it was a crash course in some of the biggest moments in UK history over the last 70 years told through engaging TV.
As we’ve moved on to the later seasons and expanded the focus from Queen Elizabeth to her children, particularly Charles, things have gotten more personal, but still remained fascinating. Of course, this is where the fiction comes even more into play, but I have a couple of blindspots that help me enjoy the narrative that is being displayed.
First, I was born an ocean away, so this was not part of my daily life. Second, I was born in 1990, so even as we head into a time period in season 5 where I was alive, my TV and reading consumption was Barney and The Bernstain Bears, not the BBC and British tabloids chronicling the deterioration of Charles and Diana’s marriage and eventual divorce.
Ignorance is bliss, as they say. So not knowing the full context allows me to truly just appreciate the writing from Morgan and the acting of this incredible cast. I can easily see someone who has lived through these events and kept up with many of the details being annoyed, at the least, at some of the creative liberties taken. Certainly, being an American minimizes this.
And just to play Devil’s advocate, does anyone who feels like The Crown needs an additional disclaimer feel the same way about other shows that take liberties while being "based on a true story?" Should shows like The Watcher or Pam & Tommy need such a warning?
The Crown is supposed to continue for one more season beyond season 5, taking the story into the 21st century. Maybe at that point the cracks will start to show for me as I can recognize more clearly if and where any deviations occur. But until that happens, I’m happy that my very own Royal fix is back.
The Crown season 5, as well as all four previous seasons, is now available to watch on Netflix.
