S05.E01: Queen Victoria Syndrome

[chediavolo]

Terrible casting.

I’ve only watched the first episode but I’m really not feeling it. I loved the previous seasons but something is off. Maybe it’s just because I didn’t know much about the Queen‘s early years and it was interesting to me.

I cannot believe how vile she was by not consenting to pay for the repairs on the private yacht out of her own money. Absolutely disgusting. At this point they’re just a bunch of free loaders living a life most people can only dream of. . No wonder so many Britains cannot stand them and want them removed.

Unpopular  opinion I suppose: I don’t think Dominic West is good looking at all. I guess it’s just me though.

On 3/16/2022 at 12:27 AM, Melina22 said:

Ugh, I want to side-eye Diana for involving the boys in her Charles drama (when she thanked Harry) but Charles really started it by putting her down so publicly.** As much as I love Diana, I don't like how she drew them in--as though they were peers and not two children.

Thank you. I felt the same way. Really shitty parenting right there. Of course she should’ve addressed it but the way she did it she was pitting the children against their father and their mother  and yes exactly, treating them like peers.

[Deskisamess]

4 hours ago, chediavolo said:

Unpopular  opinion I suppose: I don’t think Dominic West is good looking at all. I guess it’s just me though.

I agree. He's appealing somehow, but not classically good looking.  I think he is miscast as Charles. Especially in this time frame, Charles had a bumbling look about him, DW is coming off as menacing and outright cruel.

[qtpye]

On 11/16/2022 at 6:02 PM, Deskisamess said:

Not crazy about the cast so far. I can't recall seeing Diana always pursing her lips while hunching over like a vulture.  I think the actress is over-playing it. Don't like DW as Charles. And I'm not sure the Queen was so angry looking all the time.

She reminds me more of a sad sighing goofy ostrich. 

[Blakeston]

On 11/16/2022 at 12:31 PM, Adiba said:

I’m finding the new Charles to be a little too good-looking for the part—real Charles is sort of awkward-looking, imo.

This is probably one of the kindest things that anyone has said about King Charles' appearance in a long time!

On 11/16/2022 at 4:34 PM, CeeBeeGee said:

*Ugh, I want to side-eye Diana for involving the boys in her Charles drama (when she thanked Harry) but Charles really started it by putting her down so publicly.** As much as I love Diana, I don't like how she drew them in--as though they were peers and not two children.

Yeah, a much healthier way for Diana to handle it would have been to say, "It was very sweet of you to take my side, but you don't need to fight my battles for me." But there was no way she could see beyond her own issues to do that.

[buttersister]

On 11/13/2022 at 12:19 PM, dubbel zout said:

The problem isn't that Charles didn't want to shop—I doubt Diana expected him to—but that all of the activities he was planning for the vacation were what he wanted to do.

Charles is all about what he wants. (Camilla gets it.) The only sympathy I can ever drum up for him is for his childhood with a mostly absent mum and that father.

[heatherchandler]

On 11/12/2022 at 8:46 PM, qtpye said:

Also, why did they make Princess Diana look like a sad ostrich?

It’s her insanely long neck.  The neck is taking me out of the show!

[ProudMary]

On 11/16/2022 at 3:30 PM, Inquisitionist said:

As someone who never bought Olivia Coleman as Elizabeth and thought Helena B-C verged on camp as Margaret, I'm liking the new casting well enough.  

My sentiments exactly!

Olivia Colman is a wonderful actress who has been astonishingly good in other roles. Never once did I buy her as Queen Elizabeth II. Perhaps it was not her fault, as she may have been following the instructions of her director, but IMO, her performance was a total miss.

HBC's performance was ridiculously over-the-top, especially in comparison to the beautifully nuanced performance given by Vanessa Kirby, and also compared to the similarly understated, but on-target, S5 performance by Lesley Manville. (BTW, if people haven't seen Phantom Thread, do yourself a favor and watch it. Ms. Manville steals every scene she's in and that's no easy feat when the actor you're sharing the camera with is freaking Daniel Day Lewis!!!)

[ladle]

On 11/11/2022 at 8:05 PM, Peace 47 said:

I’m surprised that more commenters here aren’t writing that they know Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes in Elementary (or his ancient history marriage to Angelina Jolie, lol).  That show was on CBS for years.  Agree that he is killing it as John Major.  I will also go against the grain and say that Elizabeth Debecki is working for me as Diana at that stage of Diana’s life.

Am I the only one who remembers him mainly from “Hackers”? …I’ll see myself out… 

And yes, the critiques I had read of this season said that Charles is too likable in the early episodes. But, that was not my experience of this episode!

On 11/14/2022 at 8:32 PM, sistermagpie said:

I think they meant it's nice he doesn't have to pretend to be American.

I have to say, I found Dominic West’s American accent SO unconvincing and distracting in “The Wire.” My husband introduced me to the show (one of his favorites!) and my first question - without knowing this actor or anything about him - was “What is up with McNulty’s bonkers accent???” 

[HelloooKitty]

I feel like Dominic West is so horribly miscast. It pulls me out every time he’s on screen. It’s not just his looks, his body type is wrong-West is much broader than Charles- and the way he carries himself and his mannerisms are off to me. 
 

when you see “Diana” it’s her. The way she looks up through her lashes, the way she curls in on herself as though to hide or seem smaller…all of that is spot on.  But “Charles” doesn’t do that for me. 

[AnnieBananie]

I find Elizabeth Debicki resembles Diana a lot, but it'll take more episodes to convince me that she can play her. And if you want to see Debicki in a fantastic role, which I don't think I saw mentioned here, watch her in the unbelievably good The Night Manager, which also starred Olivia Colman.

[formerlyfreedom]

A reminder to please stick to the episode discussion in the episode topics - for events that happened differently or aren't covered in the episodes, the appropriate topic to post is Season 5: History Beyond the Episodes. Thank you.

[Scarlett45]

I am just now getting around to watching this season- hi Claire! Nice to see you again. The computer (or any tech) is a good way to signal to the viewer what time period we are in. 
 

Its really hard for me to NOT see Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, it was such an iconic part. I am not liking Dominic West as Prince Charles  he’s a fine actor, and it’s not that he’s too good looking, he just doesn’t “embody” the character  given that it’s based of a real person and he has DECADES of footage to watch how he moves, walks, gestures etc it’s not fitting for me. Josh O’Connor did a bang up job in Seasons 3&4. However it’s only the first episode of the season so my opinion may change.

 

On 11/30/2022 at 11:32 PM, HelloooKitty said:

I feel like Dominic West is so horribly miscast. It pulls me out every time he’s on screen. It’s not just his looks, his body type is wrong-West is much broader than Charles- and the way he carries himself and his mannerisms are off to me. 
 

when you see “Diana” it’s her. The way she looks up through her lashes, the way she curls in on herself as though to hide or seem smaller…all of that is spot on.  But “Charles” doesn’t do that for me. 

Ditto. 

[baileythedog]

On 11/9/2022 at 6:02 PM, chocolatine said:

I haven't even finished watching the episode but just wanted to say that Jonny Lee Miller is killing it as John Major! I didn't even know he was going to be on it, so this is a pleasant surprise. 

I've never been so angry at a show as I was at "The Crown" by casting Jonny Lee Miller here and somehow making me horny for John Major.  The most awkward feeling ever.