The Crown

Regardless of what you may think of the Royals Netflix has poured a ton of money into this exquisite production about the life of Queen Elizabeth. It is a show which requires fixed attention as things progress at a unhurried pace. The opening musical evolution is enchanting and never grows old. Actress Claire Foy is beautifully riveting in the role of Elizabeth; someone who wants to have a normal life and yet is made to feel her duty as Queen should be the highest priority. It has been suggested the Queen is warm, has a sense of humor, is compassionate and this portrayal conveys it. She is wise enough to realize she's going to have to forge her own way as those around her are stymied in their own limitations or ignorance. John Lithgow transforms into Winston Churchill and is equally stellar. Their scenes together are superb. If Peter Morgan's research is accurate I can fully appreciate how Princess Diana must have felt. The show is rounded out by a wonderful supporting cast. This show is my favorite Netflix production so far.

I have to be honest. I had refused to watch this show from the moment it was released. Being no fan of monarchies in general, or of the House of Windsor in particular, I wrongly failed to see the potential.

But history always is interesting, especially when left in the hands of able writers and an absolutely spectacular cast. To a person, word for spoken word, I was drawn into this series headlong and found myself taken by this expertly crafted story.

I love that the flaws and tensions that existed are exposed and leveraged. And I find myself reaching for the shelf and pulling out a book or two to refamiliarize myself with some event.

In short it won me over and taught me a lesson or two in the process. What more can one ask?

Season 1-2 was perfect, but major casting mistakes were done in season 5. I've grown to like Imelda Staunton as the Queen although her performance seemed a little insincere. I normally really adore Lesley Manville but she's totally wrong to play Princess Margot. Her accent and her demeanor is all wrong for this role. But honestly, the worst casting mistake was Dominic West. Dominic West was Dominic West. He failed to transform into King Charles as the previous actor did. Other reviewers are all complaining about Debicki and the actor who plays Prince Phillip, but I liked both of them. They were definitely better than West.

The episode in season 5 that highlighted the last moments of Tsar Nicholas's family was very spot on. A lot of people don't know that the Bolsheviks murdered their family in cold blood, raped the young princesses's and buried them like animals. Bringing awareness to this historic horror was important and well done.

Every so often a drama comes along that takes away your breath. Sometimes that's subjective, other times objective. Dramas such as The Jewel in the Crown, The West Wing, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Downton Abbey, House M.D. have all stood at the pinnacle of television drama.

The Crown is right up there at the very top. It is outstanding in every way: faultless. From brilliant dramatisation to acting to score to cinematography: everywhere you look it commands.

Watch it. You won't regret it. You will remember one of those television 'moments' that come along all too rarely.

I just watched the first two episodes and I already am in love with the story and characters! The acting is excellent as well as the directing, story line, costumes, sets, filming locations and everything else that has gone into the making of this series. It is well written and filmed and I am looking forward to seeing the remaining episodes. I have always been fascinated with history and this series takes you back in time. It has such powerful emotion and a lot of surprises which held my interest tremendously. So far, the episodes I saw went by quickly with me wanting to see more. If you are a history buff or interested in the Royal Family, don't miss this! It is a down to earth version of their lives and responsibilities. And so far, there are many things I did not know or appreciate. Definitely a learning experience and thank you for such a beautiful story! This is an addition to my previous post- I am now on episode 9 and if there aren't any awards for acting, I will be extremely surprised. John Lithgow's portrayal of Winston Churchill is award winning as well as Claire Foy playing the Queen. All of the acting is superb in my opinion and I don't want this series to end...