THE CROWN - THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON (Netflix, 2022) Sony Home Entertainment
I am struggling with my level of
admiration, or lack thereof, for Season 5 of The Crown (2022) –
Peter Morgan’s on-going and sprawling homage to the royal family that has
garnered its share of scrutiny, though mostly high-praise for gently stripping
away the curtain to reveal the truest origin stories of England’s most
celebrated matriarchy. Although the
series’ production values are as stellar as ever, thanks to the genius writing
and camerawork from a small army of skilled artisans working behind the scenes
(alas, far too many to mention herein and thus, regrettably to remain nameless
in such a review), and, the casting of Elizabeth Debecki, in a hauntingly
accurate depiction of the late/great Princess Diana is irreproachably affecting
and tragic, it’s what’s going on elsewhere, front-and-center before the camera
that never quite achieves a pinnacle of success The Crown had in spades
in Series 1 (2016-17) and 2 (2018-2019). I have yet to entirely forgive Morgan for his
creative decision to chronically recast the entire franchise every two seasons
with new actors to fill in the blanks, though never entirely the shoes of
series’ original Claire Foy, with successor, Olivia Colman (representing a
middle-aged Elizabeth as though she were
a clipped/angry chipmunk) and, now, Imelda Staunton (whose ingrained and superb
performance in 1995’s Sense and Sensibility, ruminating about as the addlepated
magpie, Charlotte Palmer, has never entirely left my consciousness).
Ms. Staunton is a very fine
actress. But The Crown does not represent her finest hour upon the stage.
Nor is Jonathan Pryce well-served as a very crusty and ever so slightly
befuddled Prince Philip. Staunton’s Queen is a restrained and occasionally
demoralized woman, contented to just let everything ride on the public’s reputation
of the monarchy. But this is about to be broken down to bedrock by a very
public scandal, leaving Staunton with her tiara down around her knickers. The cast
highlights in Series 5 include Claudia Harrison, as an impressively
serene, Princess Anne; Salim Daw, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his
alter-ego, entrepreneur and Harrod’s department store mogul, Mohamed Al-Fayed,
and, Johnny Lee Miller as the latest to occupy 10 Downing St. as Prime Minister
John Major. With all due respect, the strikingly handsome, Olivia Williams and
beefed up, Dominic West offer a far more attractive and robust physical
presence than the reality of the rottweiler-ish Camilla Parker Bowles and
anemic Prince Charles ever did. As with a handful of the others, Williams and
West are irrefutably fine thespians – though woefully miscast herein.
Ironically, the most affecting episode
in Season 5 is Mou Mou. It charts the impassioned, though
repeatedly snubbed quest of Mohamed Al-Fayed to ingratiate himself into the Queen’s
inner circle by virtue of his admiration for the Crown and deeds accomplished
to preserve and honor the late Prince Edward (Alex Jennings) and Wallis Simpson
(Lia Williams) by restoring their exiled home away from home in France, since
fallen into hapless disrepair. In this, Series 5’s, 3rd episode
– we discover Mohamed Al-Fayed’s obsession with English royalty. Lavishly
spending on a restoration of the Ritz Hotel, Al-Fayed is drawn to a man servant
in the hotel’s employ; Jude Akuwudike’s beautifully understated Sydney Johnson –
Edward’s former/private valet. Imploring Johnson to educate him in the proper English
manner and customs, Mohamed Al-Fayed eventually finagles an invitation to a
charity polo match. But again, he finds he is not deemed worthy to sit in the
Queen’s presence. Although aware of Al-Fayed and his considerable influence, the
Queen resists entertaining his pleasure. Thus, when Al-Fayed sponsors the event
one year later, the Queen is forced to send Diana in her stead, thereupon to
inadvertently kickstart one of the 20th century’s great scandals
that rocked the royals to their very foundation: the princess’ affair with Al-Fayed’s
son, Dodi (Khalid Abdalla).
For all its glitter and glam, its densely
packed fodder of intrigues from this particular period in the House of Windsor’s
evolution and decline, like a crumpet left out in the sun at a garden fete
for too long, The Crown Season 5 is just a little stale around the
edges. The groundswell of emotions one anticipates, just isn’t there. Perhaps
in recognition, something has been lost in these various cast revisions, Series’
5’s first episode, Queen Victoria Syndrome begins with a
retrofitted B&W prologue featuring Claire Foy in a brief, but welcomed
return as the youthful Elizabeth, christening the royal family’s luxury yacht,
Britannia on her maiden launch. From here, we cut to an aged, Staunton as the
Queen in her seemingly benign quest to have the British taxpayer shell out for
a ground-up restoration of Britannia to its original luster. Naturally, Prime Minister John Major resists,
and, as predictably, incurs the Queen’s subtle, though sustained wrath for
suggesting she pay for the repairs herself out of a government slush fund
already established for the royal family to sustain them in the manner to which
they are accustomed.
In episode 2, ‘The System’
- Philip receives word the daughter of Charles’ cousins, Penelope (Natascha
McElhone) and her husband, Norton Knatchbulls (Elliot Cowan) has died. Meanwhile, Diana engages a friend, James
Colthurst (Oliver Crist) as her courier in providing intimate details about the
house of Windsor to journalist, Andrew Morton (Andrew Steele). Philip inadvertently
discovers what Diana has been up to. Colthurst is involved in an auto accident,
while Morton’s home is ransacked. Nevertheless, his exposé is published,
creating an even greater rift between Diana and the royal family. In episode 4,
‘Annus Horriblis’ – Princess Margaret is briefly reunited with
the denied great love of her life, RAF flyer, Peter Townsend (Timothy Dalton) in
London for a veteran’s reception. Afterward, Margaret confides in her sister
she has yet to forgive her for deliberately derailing their happiness. Prince
Andrew (James Murray) informs the Queen of his intentions to divorce after
compromising pictures of his wife surface in The Daily Mirror, while a newly divorced
Anne takes up with Timothy Laurence (Theo Fraser Steele). At episode’s end, Windsor
Castle is nearly destroyed in a hellish blaze.
In episode 5, The Way Ahead,
the battle royale between Charles and Diana rages on – each, attempting ‘damage
control’ as their reputations continue to disintegrate, much to the Queen’s
chagrin. Episode 6, Ipatiev House, regresses us to 1917 and the
court of King George V (Jared Harris) and Queen Mary (Eileen Atkins). The British
government implores the royals to consider sending a steamer to spare Russian Tsar
Nicholas II and his family from political assassination. Alas, assessing the
tides in Europe are shifting away from royal houses, the King and Queen reject
this idea. The Romanovs are executed. Flash forward to 1992’s royal reception
for Russian president, Boris Yeltsin (Anatoliy Kotenyov). In reply to Yeltsin
invitation to a state dinner in Russia, the Queen asks for the demolition of
Ipatiev House and the exhumation and proper burial of the former royal family
to which they are directly related. Philip helps to identify the remains
through DNA, but later confides in the Queen he sought intellectual companionship
with their closest friend, Lady Romsey (Natascha
McElhone). To quell any rumors of impropriety, the Queen invites Lady Romsey to
attend a royal function in her presence.
In episode 7, No Woman's Land,
the young, Prince William’s (Senan West) departure for school at Eton leaves Diana
vulnerable to the probing of BBC journalist, Martin Bashir (Prasanna Puwanarajah), a friend of her brother, Earl Spencer (Philip
Cumbus). In episode, 8, Gunpowder, Diana and Dr. Hasnet Khan
(Humayun Saeed) with whom Diana previously shared a
kiss, enrich their romantic alliance. Meanwhile, Bashir goads Diana into giving
an unvarnished interview for television. The revelations in it shock even BBC
director-general, John Birt (Nicholas Gleaves). Nevertheless, it airs,
regrettably on the eve of the Queen’s 48th wedding anniversary. In episode
9, Couple 31, the Queen advises Charles to divorce Diana.
Charles, who has been hoping for as much, eventually agrees to a settlement so
he can focus on improving his public image and that of his long-time paramour,
Camilla Parker Bowles. In Series 5’s
finale, Decommissioned, the Labour Party elects Tony Blair
(Bertie Carvel) to succeed John Major as Prime Minister. Blair’s absolute
refusal, either to fund the Britannia’s restoration or replace her with another
yacht paid for by the taxpayers forced Elizabeth to bid her beloved boat
goodbye. Now, operating as her own free
agent, Diana takes Princes William and Harry (Teddy Hawley) on a holiday with Mohamed
Al-Fayed in Saint-Tropez. Charles meets with Blair to discuss ways of
modernizing the monarchy, even as the queen spends a few blissful hours bidding
Britannia farewell.
All in all, Season 5 of The
Crown is very much more of the same.
To be clear, its ‘par for the course’ mentality maintains the
series’ usual high standards and exemplary production values. It all looks
magnificent. But the spark of intrigue to have accompanied such a lavishly
appointed and storied excerpt from recent history is strangely absent. The
immediacy of these uncertain times has been narratively blunted. There are no ‘shockers’
to consider, and, quite often, no build-up to the even mildly startling incidentals,
billed as, though never living up to bona fide cliffhangers. Imelda Staunton’s
portrait of Queen Elizabeth in her emeritus years is one of abject resignation.
Staunton represents the monarchy as merely going through the motions, without
purpose or plight, bitterly to endure the slings and arrows of that very public
disintegration of Charles’ marriage to Diana. This remains the epicenter of Season
5. Eschewing virtually any references to Dodi Fayed’s various addictions
and screw-ups (actor, Khalid Abdalla presents dear Dodi as a meager/noble son,
desperate to step from his father’s wide-casting shadow), and condensing several
real-life entities into an inaccurate gumbo of cardboard cutout characters,
weakens the overall story-telling arc. Granted, there is never enough time in
any TV series to devote to retelling history as it was, to properly reveal all –
even at a glance. But Series 5 just seems a tad insincere in its
omissions.
After Series 4, Netflix was ‘encouraged’
to precede each episode with a disclaimer emphasizing The Crown as ‘fictional’
programming. Given Series 5 had its premiere a mere month after the
death of the real Elizabeth II, the call for more transparency on the part of
the network in acknowledge its artistic liberties exponentially mounted, with veteran
actress, Judi Dench denouncing the franchise in an open letter to The Times.
Meanwhile, after Episode 2 aired, featuring a scene where the PM
discusses the Queen’s possible abdication with Charles, the real John Major
went public to confirm no such conversation with ‘then’ Prince Charles ever
occurred. Perhaps, out of some misguided reverence, Series 5 plays it
safe with the reputations of all concerned in its reconstituted adaptation of
the truth. This is problematic, given previous seasons had little compunction
exploring their critiques with a more frank and unvarnished brush. But there is
never any judgement call in Season 5 – and no real opportunity for the
audience to judge for themselves. Instead, what is here is rather blandly
represented as pseudo-fact with a bit of artistic license neatly feathered in
for good measure. Despite such concerns for the integrity of the royal house,
Netflix has not caved to the negative hype by adding a disclaimer to its
franchise.
The Crown Season
5
arrives on Blu-ray with stunning image and sound quality. Truly, if the
integrity of the series is in question, the excellence represented in this
mastering effort is never anything less than impressive. Colors are robust. Fine details abound.
Contrast is uniformly beyond reproach. The 5.1 DTS audio delivers exceptionally
nuanced clarity throughout. Predictably, we get a few junkets tossed our way by
Sony Home Entertainment, beginning with A Royal Transformation, featuring
the new cast reflecting on their predecessors’ accomplishments in the role they
now occupy and what they believe sets their performance apart. War of the
Waleses is an intimate look at how the actors portraying Diana, Charles
and Camilla prepared for their retelling of this painful last chapter in what
began so promisingly as the 20th century’s grandest fairytale
romance. Finally, there’s Script to Screen where the writers lay out how
they managed to condense a decade of hard-done research into just ten intensely
packed/hour-long episodes. Bottom line: The Crown Season 5 ticks off a
lot of these boxes as it covers this scandalous decade. Alas, it never goes
beyond this basic requirement. While
some of the casting is irrefutably inspired, others are just present and
accounted for – not great…in some instances, not even all that good. Judge and
buy accordingly.
FILM RATING (out
of 5 – 5 being the best)
3
VIDEO/AUDIO
5+
EXTRAS
2
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