S06.E10: Sleep, Dearie Sleep

[swanpride]

As nice and touching it was to see all the actresses in the end, it mostly served to remind me how interesting the show was in the beginning, how much it lost steam in the first change by making really odd choices which historical events it included and how much I started to dislike it towards the end, partly because the last actress lost me completely (she just was too cold for my taste), partly because it was just a collection of tabloid gossip and monarchy apologia. Though I guess that might be what the show was from the start, perhaps I simply didn't notice because I was less familiar with the gossip from 50 years ago....

 

I also felt that it is kind of cowardly to not cover what are actually the most turbulent years of the regency. In a way I would be okay with it, if they had made a clean cut at that point, but what bothered me was that they tried to have their cake and eat it too by having all those William and Harry moments hinting towards later events (just like they hinted towards Prince Andrews future in an earlier season). If you want to gloss over those things anyway, why bother reminding the audience of them in the First place, especially in the very last episode? 

 

I mean they say that a happy end always depends on where you end the story, but this didn't really feel like an end, more like a very sudden cut, with a reminder that there is at least one chapter which will never be told. (no, this is not intended as an invention to discuss those events here - head the mods - I am trying to voice why the ending of the episode left me so dissatisfied, hopefully without stepping over the line).  

Edited January 25 by swanpride

[Sweet-tea]

On 12/15/2023 at 4:52 AM, Snazzy Daisy said:

Love the cameos from Olivia Colman and Claire Foy. This time, the creative decision to let the older QE having conversations with her two younger selves to demonstrate her struggles don’t really feel out of place. 

I liked this too. I enjoyed seeing all of them together. I noticed the symbolism at the end. The queen was in white while her two younger versions were in black, and the queen walked into the light. 

I noticed the fleeting look of disappointment on Charles' face when the queen didn't announce she was stepping down during her speech. Nice work by Dominic West. 

Imelda was excellent in the whole episode, but she really moved me during the scenes where she was watching the film of the family. 

Didn't like the casting of Harry... at all! Cringed every time I saw him. 

Claire Foy was my favorite playing the queen. It's hard to rank the other two because they weren't close for me. I guess I'd give second to Imelda Staunton. I didn't warm to Olivia Colman as much, but maybe I should watch her seasons again. 

I will miss this show. I'm a little sad it's over. There is so much material with Harry and Meghan Markle that I kind of wish the show was continuing but I also understand why it isn't. Also that subplot would distract from the queen. 

Edited January 29 by Sweet-tea