The Crown In The Media

[suomi]

Perhaps a significant factor in the decision is that the show failed to make the list of most-watched Netflix releases overall and failed to make the list of the top ten most-watched titles in the UK in 2019. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by suomi

[andromeda331]

I'm actually not that disappointed by one less season. I didn't like season 3 at all and don't have a lot of hope for season 4. 

[Bunnyette]

Season 3 issues

- too much Margaret, not enough Anne who was nearly kidnapped and married a commoner

- maybe a bit more Queen on her royal tours

- should have slowed down the transition from Claire to Olivia.  
- liked the portrayal of Princess Alice...too bad there weren’t more of those stories.  Maybe the Queen spoiling Andrew & Edward.

Holding out hope for season 4

[kassygreene]

The article I read said it's going to 2003 (ish), which is after Margaret and the Queen Mum die, but before Charles & Camilla marry.  This will avoid the crap Kate got, the crap Meghan got, AND the crap Andrew dealt.

I think my biggest problem with season 3 is that they are reaching the times that I know about, and they are being careless with historical accuracy.

Edited February 1, 2020 by kassygreene

[Ellaria]

10 hours ago, Blakeston said:

I'm distraught that we're only getting five seasons. We were always told there would be six!

Peter Morgan is saying that cutting it to five seasons was his idea, but I'm not sure I buy that. I think Netflix decided that it was just too expensive to do another three seasons.

I’m shocked and I also don’t quite buy that it was Morgan’s idea. A lot of factors could be in play, particularly the huge budget and the changing landscape at Netflix.

What results is a series that looks poorly planned out after S2. Why bother with the “unique” concept of changing the cast every two years if there is only a 5th season and not a 6th? It now looks like a gimmick that didn’t quite work out.

S3 was rushed and disjointed with the new cast and the haphazard plotting. Everything was moving too fast towards Charles and Camilla. Frankly, I enjoyed the pacing of the first two seasons. The story didn’t seem intent on ending on a particular event.

It’s really a shame. I’m not sure what happened in S3 but it felt like a lesser version of the show. It felt like a highly fictionalized, more dramatic version of events that many of us were already familiar with. In other words, it stopped being something special.

Edited February 1, 2020 by Ellaria Sand

[Umbelina]

This decision would have made me so sad last year.  After season 3 though?  Meh, I honestly don't care.  In general I thought it was a hot mess, and the cast change a gimmick and a failure.

[Roseanna]

10 hours ago, Bunnyette said:

- too much Margaret

Well, her story demanded it in order to be complete: in S1 her love and how it ended, in S2 her  empty life which led her to marry for wrong reasons, in S3 the breakdown of her marriage which led to the relationship with a "toy boy" and ruined her reputation. 

Generally, we are made to compare Uncle David who abandoned his position for love and Sister Margaret who refused to do so - and in the future Charles who - well, let's see.

And of course in the backround there is always comparing how choices a person makes influence not only on himself or herself but others as well. F.ex. Uncle David's decision to Elizabeth: if he had married and had children, Elizabeth could have led mostly a private life in the country or as a naval officer's wife and if he hadn't abdicated and stayed a bachelor with a mistress, she would have become the Queen in the middle age, so Philip would have got a naval career before it.    

[andromeda331]

Probably, while I did feel for Margaret at her birthday party when everyone suddenly began talking about Tony's great qualities after she told them he cheated on her and learning how horrible he's been to her leaving her mean notes and taping up horrible newspaper headlines of her family in the bathroom. So much of the rest of it I really don't care. The second episode Margaret still needing so much attention and wanting to upstage her sister. Wow, way to grow up. For all of her claims to want to do more she doesn't do anything. After two whole visits in the US Margaret was exhausted and tired. If she was Queen she would have to move on to many more cities. She messed up doing the Queen's job in season one and took none of criticism on that to learn or try and do better. She was only successful with LBJ because well it was LBJ. There's no way Margaret would work the red boxes every day or make any of the appointments the Queen has to make. Margaret wants all the glamour and attention of being Queen and none of the work. I was a little sympathetic in season one. But by season three I really don't have any. Its a boring storyline. 

Then there's Philip. Who I honestly never cared about. His constant whining, complaining and blaming his wife while being an ass to her. Let's watch him talk about how he might have to give up the yacht and polo in an interview during a time when the UK was having huge economic problems. If your country needs to borrow a huge amount of money from another country just to try and keep going, maybe then isn't the time to complain about how hard it is for you. Especially when your married to the wealthiest woman in the world? Then of course we got another episode of Philip this time having a mid-life crisis. 

Then there's Charles who I did like until they started trying to make the match up with his love for Camilla the same as what happened to David and Wallis. The show seems to have forgotten they did an episode of David, Wallis and NAZI. Plus they've always shown from the first season what an asshole David is. But sure let's suddenly act like he's a victim of his mean old family. Careful Charles they may do the same thing to you. Although despite the Queen Mother's meddling they seem to forget that Camilla was still with Andrew while dating Charles. She never actually left him so her telling Charles she had feelings for him really is means nothing. Its still hard to see what Charles would ever want anything to do with her.

How much fun was it to watch politicians squirm their way out of responsibly for the coal disaster? How much fun was it to watch politicians meeting with coal miners and get offended by how they were talk to by the coal miners. Wow, who would have thought treating them like crap, under paying, and other crap while they worked their asses off so you could have light in your big houses might dare to be upset with you? The one prime minister telling Elizabeth when asked that he wouldn't do anything to fix any of the problems? 

There's so little that was enjoyable this season. Mostly Anne and Alice. It was cute to watch everyone excited to watch the moon landing. 

[Brn2bwild]

It's such a waste for them to recast for just one more season.  They could have easily aged up the Season 3-4 cast.

[Wonkabar5]

On another board I have read that Peter Morgan has said that he **used** to be a (republic)an, but now has seen the light for need of a (modern) monarchy. Some interview, but I didn't keep it for future reference.   Something also about him feeling -paraphrasing here- a bit too responsible for the future of the monarchy.   Big headed, I know,lolol.  

How convenient that present day 2003-2020+ will not be covered. {{{ Harry in a Nazi armband}}}  There are rumours that H and M want to do some sort of Netflix backed ecology themed deal in the future. 

[PeterPirate]

6 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Probably, while I did feel for Margaret at her birthday party when everyone suddenly began talking about Tony's great qualities after she told them he cheated on her and learning how horrible he's been to her leaving her mean notes and taping up horrible newspaper headlines of her family in the bathroom. So much of the rest of it I really don't care. The second episode Margaret still needing so much attention and wanting to upstage her sister. Wow, way to grow up. For all of her claims to want to do more she doesn't do anything. After two whole visits in the US Margaret was exhausted and tired. If she was Queen she would have to move on to many more cities. She messed up doing the Queen's job in season one and took none of criticism on that to learn or try and do better. She was only successful with LBJ because well it was LBJ. There's no way Margaret would work the red boxes every day or make any of the appointments the Queen has to make. Margaret wants all the glamour and attention of being Queen and none of the work. I was a little sympathetic in season one. But by season three I really don't have any. Its a boring storyline. 

Then there's Philip. Who I honestly never cared about. His constant whining, complaining and blaming his wife while being an ass to her. Let's watch him talk about how he might have to give up the yacht and polo in an interview during a time when the UK was having huge economic problems. If your country needs to borrow a huge amount of money from another country just to try and keep going, maybe then isn't the time to complain about how hard it is for you. Especially when your married to the wealthiest woman in the world? Then of course we got another episode of Philip this time having a mid-life crisis. 

Then there's Charles who I did like until they started trying to make the match up with his love for Camilla the same as what happened to David and Wallis. The show seems to have forgotten they did an episode of David, Wallis and NAZI. Plus they've always shown from the first season what an asshole David is. But sure let's suddenly act like he's a victim of his mean old family. Careful Charles they may do the same thing to you. Although despite the Queen Mother's meddling they seem to forget that Camilla was still with Andrew while dating Charles. She never actually left him so her telling Charles she had feelings for him really is means nothing. Its still hard to see what Charles would ever want anything to do with her.

How much fun was it to watch politicians squirm their way out of responsibly for the coal disaster? How much fun was it to watch politicians meeting with coal miners and get offended by how they were talk to by the coal miners. Wow, who would have thought treating them like crap, under paying, and other crap while they worked their asses off so you could have light in your big houses might dare to be upset with you? The one prime minister telling Elizabeth when asked that he wouldn't do anything to fix any of the problems? 

There's so little that was enjoyable this season. Mostly Anne and Alice. It was cute to watch everyone excited to watch the moon landing. 

Personally, I found season 3 to be better than the previous two. 

I think another problematic factor is the subject material.  Frankly, at times these royals are downright unlikable--reprehensible, when it comes to Andrew.  Think of the all the posts here about the troubles between Charles and Diana.  How can they possibly make a TV show about them that people are going to enjoy watching?  

 

[Roseanna]

17 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Although despite the Queen Mother's meddling they seem to forget that Camilla was still with Andrew while dating Charles. She never actually left him so her telling Charles she had feelings for him really is means nothing. Its still hard to see what Charles would ever want anything to do with her.

I think it was obvious irl: Camilla was super in fulfilling Charles's emotional needs which his parents had left unfulfilled. She was "motherly" (besides being sexy). But in The Crown they never showed that part of her, only that she laughed at Charles's rather silly joke. Actually it was never clear why Charles fell in love with her - it was shown that he was smitten before he dated her.     

Also, Charles may have been more right by saying "whatever 'in love' means" than he or anybody else understood. For it seems that irl Uncle David was bossed and even humilated by Wallis - and the more she did so, the more dependent he became on her. 

Edited February 2, 2020 by Roseanna
correcting spelling

[andromeda331]

34 minutes ago, Roseanna said:

I think it was obvious irl: Camilla was super in fulfilling Charles's emotional needs which his parents had left unfulfilled. She was "motherly" (besides being sexy). But in The Crown they never showed that part of her, only that she lauched at Charles's rather silly joke. Actually it was never clear why Charles fell in love with her - it was shown that he was smitten before he dated her.     

Too bad they didn't show that instead. That would have been interesting. 

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

Ending in the early 2000s sounds about right. They could finish with Margaret's death for a downer ending, or Charles and Camilla's marriage for a happier one. Either would be a logical ending point.

I liked Season 3 but as my wife pointed out, they should have kept Claire Foy on for the first few episodes. Season 3's first episode took place literally a year after Season 2's final episode, but Elizabeth looked a decade older at least. Colman did a great job and her take on a middle-aged Elizabeth was fine by the middle of the season, but the change was way too jarring at the start.

[Roseanna]

On 2/1/2020 at 3:38 AM, kassygreene said:

The article I read said it's going to 2003 (ish), which is after Margaret and the Queen Mum die, but before Charles & Camilla marry.  This will avoid the crap Kate got, the crap Meghan got, AND the crap Andrew dealt.

I think my biggest problem with season 3 is that they are reaching the times that I know about, and they are being careless with historical accuracy.

Although I like The Crowen, I think the modern habit to make movies or series about living people is a fundamental problem. So it's fine for me that the youngest generation is left out.

As for historical accuracy, the writer's first duty is to make a good story. People's real life is messy whereas the drama must have arc.  

 

[Umbelina]

Can The Crown Be Fixed Before It Ends? Netflix’s lavish royals series has just two more seasons to get back on course.

Quote

But this news is not the only aspect of The Crown’s recent run that’s worthy of a head scratch. The lavish show’s third season took two years to produce; when it finally debuted last November, the resulting collection of episodes was often tepid, despite the energy of a truly dazzling, already Golden Globe–winning new cast. One can only hope Morgan pulls his considerable talents together before the series’ conclusion—especially if he has 10 fewer episodes to right the ship.

Warning, real life events the show skipped are mentioned in this article.

Quote

First and foremost, The Crown would benefit from an increased emphasis on continuity. The very concept of the show is that it jumps years between each episode, depicting particularly interesting moments in royal or British or global history. By doing this, though, Morgan often asks us to care deeply about a person or their relationships for just an hour—then moves on to a new topic. His approach felt particularly jarring in season three, which introduced Princess Alice of Battenberg—the queen’s mother-in-law and a person with an unbelievably fascinating real life—then swiftly killed her offscreen. Viewers are often asked to intuit who an actor is playing and why they matter; after his strong mustachioed presence in the first two seasons, did Tommy Lascelles speak at all this go-round?

more at link of course.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Umbelina

[ProudMary]

Casting news for the final season of The Crown. 

Lesley Manville will play Princess Margaret in the final season of The Crown

Have we even discussed the fact that Imelda Staunton has been cast to play Queen Elizabeth in the final season? It's mentioned in this article as Manville and Staunton are evidently close friends, but I don't recall having seen it here.

[andromeda331]

7 hours ago, ProudMary said:

Casting news for the final season of The Crown. 

Lesley Manville will play Princess Margaret in the final season of The Crown

Have we even discussed the fact that Imelda Staunton has been cast to play Queen Elizabeth in the final season? It's mentioned in this article as Manville and Staunton are evidently close friends, but I don't recall having seen it here.

I can't wait to see her as Princess Margaret. She's been awesome as Robina on World on Fire.

[ProudMary]

4 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I can't wait to see her as Princess Margaret. She's been awesome as Robina on World on Fire.

Not to mention, Phantom Thread. She kept Daniel Day-Lewis on his toes in every scene they shared and that's no easy feat!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

‘The Crown’ Will Run For Six Seasons After Peter Morgan Changes Mind On Fifth Series Finale

Quote

Creator Morgan said: “As we started to discuss the storylines for Series 5, it soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons. To be clear, Series 6 will not bring us any closer to present-day — it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail.”

[...]

Season 6 will take the story up to the early 2000s, meaning we won’t see the likes of Meghan Markle become part of future storylines after she married Prince Harry in 2018.

Sources always said that Morgan would write six seasons, and this idea was further cemented when he signed an overall deal with Netflix last year. Furthermore, six seasons has long been Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos’ ambition for the Left Bank Pictures show.

 

[Quilt Fairy]

Wow, I wonder what machinations went on to go from 6 seasons to 5 and then back to 6.  This is a multi-million dollar production, I hardly think it was simply a matter of Morgan "changing his mind".

Sorry about the spoiler box, I can't seem to delete it. 

Edited July 11, 2020 by saoirse
fixed spoiler box issue

[PeterPirate]

My guess is that Netflix's revenues are up because more people are staying indoors these days.

Also, "The Queen" is available again.

[b2H]

On 7/11/2020 at 6:39 AM, PeterPirate said:

My guess is that Netflix's revenues are up because more people are staying indoors these days.

Also, "The Queen" is available again.

Yes, but looking this weekend (on the announcement of seasons 5 and 6), we're not seeing any evidence of season 4.  Have they posted it yet?

[dubbel zout]

According to this article, Season 4 is in the can. There doesn't seem to be a release date yet, but speculation (in other articles, not this one) is November of this year.

Edited July 12, 2020 by dubbel zout
clarification

[Quilt Fairy]

On 7/12/2020 at 4:27 PM, dubbel zout said:

According to this article, Season 4 is in the can. There doesn't seem to be a release date yet, but speculation (in other articles, not this one) is November of this year.

That is one long article.  I'm surprised they got that much information about S4.  I'm thrilled that it's finished so we can look forward to something new in the fall.  Does anyone know if they filmed S4 sequentially with S3 or was there a normal filming gap?  I just wonder because so many other shows had to stop in the middle of filming a new season. 

[VCRTracking]

Funny clip from last year. John Lithgow on British reaction to his playing Churchill:

 

Peter Morgan had said he didn't want a British actor because all of them already had a Churchill impression from n their repertoir. It's like Oliver Stone cast Welshman Anthony Hopkins as Nixon.

[PeterPirate]

On 7/15/2020 at 7:52 AM, VCRTracking said:

Funny clip from last year. John Lithgow on British reaction to his playing Churchill:

Peter Morgan had said he didn't want a British actor because all of them already had a Churchill impression from n their repertoir. It's like Oliver Stone cast Welshman Anthony Hopkins as Nixon.

Makes sense.  Lithgow is known for playing eccentric characters, and Churchill was quite the eccentric.  In my opinion, Lithgow dominated the first season.

The only other portrayal of Churchill that I remember is from The Winds of War and its sequel War and Remembrance., and I found it very stodgy and uninspiring.  Then again, both productions were rife with questionable casting choices.    

Edited July 16, 2020 by PeterPirate

[freddi]

On 7/13/2020 at 2:58 PM, Quilt Fairy said:

That is one long article.  I'm surprised they got that much information about S4.  I'm thrilled that it's finished so we can look forward to something new in the fall.  Does anyone know if they filmed S4 sequentially with S3 or was there a normal filming gap?  I just wonder because so many other shows had to stop in the middle of filming a new season. 

I do appreciate the links to information on future seasons -- thanks to all.  If I am reading the Elle article correctly, it sounds like there will be six seasons total after all; and now I see that is corrected above.  I had saved Season Three until now, and while it had many good moments, it never captured me.  I thought I had overestimated the first seasons (only watched them once), but after returning to the start and being mesmerized again by the first two episodes, the performances of Claire Foy and John Lithgow are as magical as I recalled.   

Edited July 21, 2020 by freddi

[Umbelina]

On 7/20/2020 at 11:02 PM, freddi said:

I do appreciate the links to information on future seasons -- thanks to all.  If I am reading the Elle article correctly, it sounds like there will be six seasons total after all; and now I see that is corrected above.  I had saved Season Three until now, and while it had many good moments, it never captured me.  I thought I had overestimated the first seasons (only watched them once), but after returning to the start and being mesmerized again by the first two episodes, the performances of Claire Foy and John Lithgow are as magical as I recalled.   

Yeah, season one and two still hold up, and are brilliant.

IMO season 3 was a huge turd in all ways, and I'm hoping they can fix that for season 4, leaving personal agendas out of it, and going for great story telling, as much truth as possible, and leaving "emmy episodes" for individual starts out of it.

[dubbel zout]

A new promo has been released, and at the end it says November 15 is the drop date.

Sorry, I can't get the post to embed.

[AZChristian]

28 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

A new promo has been released, and at the end it says November 15 is the drop date.

Sorry, I can't get the post to embed.

Is this the trailer you're referring to?

Thanks for mentioning it was out there.  Can't wait!!!!

[dubbel zout]

Yes, thanks, @AZChristian! I should have just linked it, duh.

[andromeda331]

50 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

A new promo has been released, and at the end it says November 15 is the drop date.

Sorry, I can't get the post to embed.

That's great! 

[ProudMary]

Here's The Crown's official tweet announcing the premiere date. The video clip is the same as in the article @AZChristianlinked above, but this way it'll be a bit more easily accessible in this thread. Exciting news today!

 

[ruby24]

Great!

Anybody have any ideas for older Charles by the way? I was thinking maybe Stephen Mangan. Or maybe Jack Davenport?

[AZChristian]

15 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

Great!

Anybody have any ideas for older Charles by the way? I was thinking maybe Stephen Mangan. Or maybe Jack Davenport?

I found this article with some suggestions, but at first thought some of them were too old.  But Charles would is 71, so these are probably good suggestions, age-wise.  

I'd like Eddie Redmayne . . . he's got the geeky introvert thing down pat.

[ruby24]

Yeah, I don't know about the choices in that article. I've seen Mathew McFadyen's name tossed around, but I'm pretty sure he's too busy with his own show, Succession. If that wasn't a problem I could maybe see it, but I can't see those other guys on that list (I think Eddie Redmayne's too young- Charles in Season 5/6 is going to be in his 40's, right?)

Edited August 22, 2020 by ruby24

[dubbel zout]

13 hours ago, ruby24 said:

Charles in Season 5/6 is going to be in his 40's, right?)

Thirties and forties. He and Diana were married when he was 32.

[AZChristian]

13 hours ago, ruby24 said:

(I think Eddie Redmayne's too young- Charles in Season 5/6 is going to be in his 40's, right?)

He played Stephen Hawking until he was a lot older than that.

[ruby24]

2 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Thirties and forties. He and Diana were married when he was 32.

Yeah, but their marriage is being covered in Season 4, right, so he'll be older for 5 and 6.

[dubbel zout]

I wonder if they're still going to cover roughly a decade each season. I know Morgan doesn't want to get too close to present day, but I don't remember reading where the cutoff is.

[Quilt Fairy]

On 8/22/2020 at 12:42 PM, dubbel zout said:

but I don't remember reading where the cutoff is.

IIRC, the plan was to end it around 2003, so after the deaths of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret but before the marriage of Charles and Camilla. 

[VCRTracking]

 

 

[Quilt Fairy]

From People magazine, a bit of casting news for the seasons 5 & 6:

Quote

 

Colman assumed the lead role in The Crown from Claire Foy, who was the younger Queen in the first two seasons, and she is set to be replaced by Imelda Staunton for the final two seasons. It has also been announced that Jonathan Pryce will play Prince Philip (played by Matt Smith then Tobias Menzies) for the last seasons.

The producers have also cast the final actress to step into Princess Diana’s royal shoes — Australian star Elizabeth Debicki.

 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Emmy Award wins!

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD OR FANTASY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) - Aberfan
OUTSTANDING PERIOD COSTUMES

[Umbelina]

11 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Emmy Award wins!

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD OR FANTASY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) - Aberfan
OUTSTANDING PERIOD COSTUMES

The hat won an award!!

Meanwhile, no acting, writing, directing awards, IMO the right choice.  I hope they get back on track next year.

[ruby24]

I feel like The Crown's Emmy time could come with the Diana years, if they deliver the way we think they might.

[Umbelina]

18 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I feel like The Crown's Emmy time could come with the Diana years, if they deliver the way we think they might.

They've won before though, and well deserved.  

[AnnieBananie]

The photos of the next season have me chomping at the bit for it to start. I cannot WAIT!

 

[Umbelina]

Vanity Fair has some cool coverage of the young Charles and Diana in this month's issue, as well as some (to me) major spoilers about the tone of this upcoming season.  They also say that they had to stop shooting and cut and paste from what they had due to Covid concerns.  The online version today may not be the most current.

One thing I loved about it all was that the actor playing Charles got a lot of praise from actors not connected with the show.  Well deserved IMO.

There is also this, for fun: