S01.E04: Act of God

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

When dense smog cripples London for days and creates a serious health hazard, Churchill’s inaction leaves him vulnerable to his political enemies.

 

[zxy556575]

The show sure enjoys its sweeping orchestral soundtrack. Who needs dialog when we can watch people move languidly from one spot to another while listing to music.

[SeanC]

Poor Venetia.  Though I saw that coming as soon as that tracking shot of her leaving the hospital started.  Also very interesting to see Churchill both genuinely upset by her death and immediately figuring out how to spin his visit to the hospital to right the ship.

The understated comedy of the group of people shuttling from senior to more senior person all along the hallway was well-staged.

This episode really highlights what I think could make this series really special in the long-term, as a vehicle to revisit all kinds of fascinating episodes in British political history from the viewpoint of both the various political actors and the one constant throughout the whole period.  This particular episode is also a good vehicle for Elizabeth really experiencing being a figurehead for the first time.

There are some really remarkable physical resemblances in the casting of this show -- the actors playing Queen Mary and Lord Mountbatten, especially.

Also a reminder why we shouldn't mourn the end of coal power.

[toodles]

I think dementors were behind the fog.  I'll bet the Minister of Magic had a long talk with Winston Churchhill.  LOL

I'm a big Harry Potter fan, as if you couldn't tell.

[VCRTracking]

I honestly did not expect Venetia to die. I thought what would happen would be that her roommate gets sick from the toxic fog, she goes to Churchill to do something, he refuses, saying it's just "weather", the roommate dies and Venetia becomes disillusioned with, her hero and quits, telling him off and this causes Churchill to finally act. I was expecting all this as she left the hospital with purpose in her stride when WHAM! the bus hits her!

[MrsR]

Churchill, that crafty old bastard.  

Poor Venetia, effective in her own way.

[WatchrTina]

I consider myself a bit of an Anglophile so I am shocked that I have never heard of the killer fog of '52.  Here's are links to a couple of stories on it :

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=873954

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog

Imagine if King George VI were still alive at the time the fog descended.  With his bad lungs, it would have killed him.  Heads would have rolled (figuratively, if not literally) and we would all remember the event.  

Instead, I've never heard of it even though it killed somewhere between 4,000 and 12,000 people (the latter figure is based on more recent research.)

Edited November 6, 2016 by WatchrTina

[Minivanessa]

@WatchrTina, I had read about it, and may have seen it covered in a documentary (don't make me swear to that), but this depiction really got my attention. I've had a sinus infection and my symptoms have included a nasty cough. (Finally went to the doc, got meds, and am on the mend.) Because I've been coughing so much, I could almost feel my throat closing a little as I was watching some of those scenes!

[Arynm]

I had never heard of the fog either so off I went to google to learn a little more! Apparently the fog settled on the roads and walkways and buildings and made even walking dangerous. It formed a slippery coating that acted kind of like a skating rink and had people sliding around on it.  It was said that when people came in from outside they looked like coal workers because their faces were black. I can't even imagine what those days must have been like. The internet said that it happened a few more times but never as bad.

[Grace284]

Oh no, not, um, blonde woman? Who will... no, sorry, I've already lost interest.

[Primetimer]

It's not all my fault, I swear!

View the full article

[Bec]

I can't believe I never heard of this killer fog that killed thousands, either. This stuff is pretty much the precursor to climate change, isn't it? On the verge of disaster, humanity is still slow to do anything to mitigate or avert it, preferring instead to waste time doing political maneuverings. That much hadn't changed.

Is it me or does the "it's just weather!" remind anyone else of climate change denial? I gotta think that was totally intentional on the part of the writers. But then Churchill was sort of vindicated when the fog lifted like he said it would. And right before QE was going to give him a talking to!

I really liked QE in this episode. She wanted to look at the science! She wanted to do something to help her subjects! Churchill was so rude to her, practically rolling his eyes at the idea that she would want to know the science.

At least Churchill came around to the idea of doing something about it in the end, even if it was to save his own ass, and after much dilly-dallying. The man is quick on his feet when push comes to shove, gotta give him that. I haven't read spoilers (hee) on how long he was PM, so I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what he would do.

[Clanstarling]

I wasn't quite sure what the big deal about Phillip learning to fly was all about. They have their heir, and since women can obviously take the crown, their spare. So what if he dies? They'd find another husband for Elizabeth. Yeah, I'm cold. Not a fan of Phillip. Nice ass, though.

I was truly surprised at Venetia's (?) death. They'd given her more screen time than I expected to kill her off so quickly. I thought they would have her be the voice of the crisis to Churchill.

I knew London had cleaned up their killer smog issues in that time period, but didn't know how many people were harmed by it. Those were pretty staggering numbers.

[MissLucas]

17 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I wasn't quite sure what the big deal about Phillip learning to fly was all about. They have their heir, and since women can obviously take the crown, their spare. So what if he dies? They'd find another husband for Elizabeth.

There were still folks around who remembered how much fun the court had been for 40 years the last time a prince consort had died prematurely ;)

Edited November 12, 2016 by MissLucas

[roamyn]

Churchill really showed his age and leanings in this episode.  He was born into the age of superstition, when sciences were in their infancy. But what a spin doctor he was!

LordMountbatten was still a bit slimy, but man does Greg Wise burrow deeply into the role!  Such a good looking man he was.

I, too, don't get the hubabaloo abt the DoE flying lessons. 

Great lesson of the small mining town in PA.  Most Americans have never heard of it.  I only knew of it from Mysteries at the Museum.

[tanita]

If I were the Great Smog I'd sue John Carpenter for some of that copyright infringement money.

[jhlipton]

On 11/4/2016 at 5:17 PM, SeanC said:

Poor Venetia.  Though I saw that coming as soon as that tracking shot of her leaving the hospital started. 

On 11/5/2016 at 6:22 PM, VCRTracking said:

I honestly did not expect Venetia to die.

When they made the point of giving one of Churchill's many lackeys a full name, I made the mistake of looking to see if it was a real person.  It was hard to watch this episode, because I knew that sometime during this episode, she was going to be struck and killed.  Every time she went out, I cringed -- is this the time she dies?  It was still painful when she was hit.

[millk]

An article about how studying China's air is bringing understanding of the London fog of 1952

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503156414/research-on-chinese-haze-helps-crack-mystery-of-londons-deadly-1952-fog?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2054

[ProudMary]

10 hours ago, millk said:

An article about how studying China's air is bringing understanding of the London fog of 1952

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/11/23/503156414/research-on-chinese-haze-helps-crack-mystery-of-londons-deadly-1952-fog?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2054

Good article.  Thanks for linking it here.
I found "Act of God" to be perhaps the most interesting of all the episodes because I learned about something I'd never known before.  I'd read the excellent biography,  Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith a few years back and accordingly, much of what is being covered in The Crown is familiar to me.  Watching this episode, however, I was shocked that I'd never heard of the Great Smog of 1952.  I think this episode and "Hyde Park Corner" were my two favorites of the season.

[Badger]

I bought the audiobook for my Kindle when it first came out.  I'm actually listening to it now.

[kwnyc]

If you've read "Home" by Julie Andrews (Queen Julie if you will ;-) she talks about the "pea soupers" of her youth, and that when her daughter was born (ca. 1960), it was during one of the really bad, health-threatening ones, which turned out to be the last of its kind.

[Crs97]

When Queen Elizabeth was complaining to Queen Mary about doing noting, I wondered why she hadn't gone to the hospital to see patients for herself.  Part of the reason her parents were so beloved is that they stayed during the blitz and toured the ruins to provide comfort.  Does she not remember that?

[Athena]

On 2016-12-01 at 2:00 PM, Crs97 said:

When Queen Elizabeth was complaining to Queen Mary about doing noting, I wondered why she hadn't gone to the hospital to see patients for herself.  Part of the reason her parents were so beloved is that they stayed during the blitz and toured the ruins to provide comfort.  Does she not remember that?

All of the events in this episode happened in less than a week. The smog was from the 5th-9th so planning for Elizabeth to go out in that terrain would have taken some time. I think the first two days were confusing enough. Secondly and logistically, she would have been heavily advised against it considering how dangerous it was for people to drive and walk around. She had to be escorted a to her grandmother's house in the same compound. Her parents had to go against their advisors to stay and I believe Elizabeth would have gone out eventually too if it went on longer.

[roamyn]

It would've also been a logistical nightmare for her security team.

If she walked, they couldn't see her.  If she was driven, anyone bent on harm, could've gotten to her as she got out of the vehicle.

[CeeBeeGee]

On 11/5/2016 at 6:22 PM, VCRTracking said:

I honestly did not expect Venetia to die. I thought what would happen would be that her roommate gets sick from the toxic fog, she goes to Churchill to do something, he refuses, saying it's just "weather", the roommate dies and Venetia becomes disillusioned with, her hero and quits, telling him off and this causes Churchill to finally act. I was expecting all this as she left the hospital with purpose in her stride when WHAM! the bus hits her!

Right?! I was shocked she actually died, I was expecting the tropes as well. Which begs the question--is Venetia historical, a composite character or completely made up?

On 11/6/2016 at 10:04 AM, WatchrTina said:

I consider myself a bit of an Anglophile so I am shocked that I have never heard of the killer fog of '52.  Here's are links to a couple of stories on it :

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=873954

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog

Imagine if King George VI were still alive at the time the fog descended.  With his bad lungs, it would have killed him.  Heads would have rolled (figuratively, if not literally) and we would all remember the event.  

Instead, I've never heard of it even though it killed somewhere between 4,000 and 12,000 people (the latter figure is based on more recent research.)

That many dead! Jesus! Just from darkness? Horrifying.

[WatchrTina]

Venetia died from a car accident due to the darkness but the estimates of 4,000 to 12,000 dead are based on the people who's lungs became inflamed due to the smog (like Venetia's roommate) -- generally people with pre-existing respiratory problems.  They died gasping for breath.  Horrible way to go.

Edited December 7, 2016 by WatchrTina

[jhlipton]

7 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

Which begs the question--is Venetia historical, a composite character or completely made up?

Mostly historical -- she was one of Churchill's staff, she was struck by a bus during The Smog, her death inspired Churchill.  I'm not sure of the extent of the hero worship or the sick roommate though.

[kathe5133]

1 hour ago, jhlipton said:

Mostly historical -- she was one of Churchill's staff, she was struck by a bus during The Smog, her death inspired Churchill.  I'm not sure of the extent of the hero worship or the sick roommate though.

Pure fiction!  There was never any member of Churchill's staff that was hit by a bus and killed during the "fog".  I'm not really sure why they would make up character and then wack her with a bus, but, I'm typing on PTF, so what do I know!  LOL!

[snarktini]

I re-reviewed Churchill's bio during this episode to remind myself he actually was a good leader (at least in wartime). Because he is not coming off well here!

[secnarf]

On 2016-12-07 at 0:25 PM, kathe5133 said:

Pure fiction!  There was never any member of Churchill's staff that was hit by a bus and killed during the "fog".  I'm not really sure why they would make up character and then wack her with a bus, but, I'm typing on PTF, so what do I know!  LOL!

Apparently her purpose was to create sympathy. http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/732585/the-crown-venetia-scott-winston-churchill-who-was-real-smog-die

[Superpole2000]

I have a hard time believing Churchill spoke to the Queen in such a rude and condescending manner. They should have been much more subtle in his dialogue scene this episode. This was over the top.

[Guest]

On 12/7/2016 at 1:07 AM, CeeBeeGee said:

That many dead! Jesus! Just from darkness? Horrifying.

I think it was more from living underneath a virtual glass dome for a week with all the coal burning pollution trapped there and no clean air to breathe.  That really was horrifying.  I had no idea.  

Driving should've been illegal.  You could tell from the shot that Venetia was about to get hit, like others said.  I think I would've preferred to have been surprised though every time anyone was on the streets I was cringing, waiting for it.  

I wish they had given Matt Smith some brown eyebrows.  The slicked back, light hair and his invisible eyebrows are making him look creepy, like Odo from Star Trek TNG.  

 

[Hanahope]

The fabled London fog, not so much a fable.

Another example about how some people don't realize the suffering of others until it affects them.  Things sure worked out for Churchill.

[thuganomics85]

Had no idea about "The Great Fog" of 1952.  That was pretty brutal, especially seeing what the actual death toll was.

I should have saw Venetia's death coming, but I thought for sure what was going to happen was that she was going to ask Churchill to do something, he keeps refusing, and basically falls off his pedestal in her eyes.  That will lead to her either confronting him or quitting, and that would snap him out of his funk.  Churchill's reaction to her death was interesting since he truly seemed to feel guilt over it, but at the same time, he only finally stepped up once he realized what Elizabeth was planning, and just used Venetia's death for a political move.  Cold, but effective, I'll admit.  I do wonder what Churchill's deal was here.  Did he simply not want to admit that his policies help lead to this or did he generally believe he wasn't at fault and that everyone was overreacting?

Glad Elizabeth was able to find a way to make Churchill agree to let Philip fly, but I do hope she starts standing up to him soon, because I felt like Churchill got away with a lot in their conversations.

Tommy continues to be one of my favorite side characters with him basically telling Elizabeth that every situation and monarch is different, and just because George did one thing (or refused to), doesn't mean she can't, because the reasons aren't the same.  That and, of course, him being Pip Torrens!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Bonus points for using Lacrimosa in this episode!

Poor Venetia. No one deserves to go out like that.

Due to the poor air quality from recent wildfires, I bought masks that filter out particulates from pollution, viruses, and bacteria. I did a lot of research before deciding what to buy, which is why I knew the doctor was telling the truth when he said those crappy paper masks they were handing out were useless and basically just for show. I couldn't believe that people were just walking around in the dark breathing in that polluted air. If it makes you sick while you're in your house with the doors and windows closed, you have to know that going outside is going to be much worse!

[Clanstarling]

12 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Due to the poor air quality from recent wildfires, I bought masks that filter out particulates from pollution, viruses, and bacteria. I did a lot of research before deciding what to buy, which is why I knew the doctor was telling the truth when he said those crappy paper masks they were handing out were useless and basically just for show. I couldn't believe that people were just walking around in the dark breathing in that polluted air. If it makes you sick while you're in your house with the doors and windows closed, you have to know that going outside is going to be much worse!

I'd say we're in the same neck of the woods, but the fires were thick all over the West this year. It was a horrible fire season. We got our super duper masks at the health center was handing them out for free, which was nice.  There were a lot of people going without who didn't seem bothered. I just figured they were smokers and were used to polluting their lungs.

I saw people jog in the thick smoke - could not believe it. 

I was wondering as we were rewatching this episode, if anyone still had their WWII gas masks. Those would have helped some, I think.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

5 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

I'd say we're in the same neck of the woods, but the fires were thick all over the West this year. It was a horrible fire season. We got our super duper masks at the health center was handing them out for free, which was nice.  There were a lot of people going without who didn't seem bothered. I just figured they were smokers and were used to polluting their lungs.

I saw people jog in the thick smoke - could not believe it. 

I was wondering as we were rewatching this episode, if anyone still had their WWII gas masks. Those would have helped some, I think.

I had free tickets to a Cal football game one weekend shortly after the Napa fires so we were watching the air quality all week, expecting the school to cancel the game for the safety of the players. Nope. They still had to play. I stayed home because I didn't think I should be breathing in all that pollution for three straight hours. I can't imagine how much worse it was for the football players who were exerting themselves. On the plus side, at least it wasn't totally dark like it was in 1952. I was shocked at how poor the visibility was and how dark it was outside in this episode. At least here it just looked like a cloudy winter day.

[Clanstarling]

5 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I had free tickets to a Cal football game one weekend shortly after the Napa fires so we were watching the air quality all week, expecting the school to cancel the game for the safety of the players. Nope. They still had to play. I stayed home because I didn't think I should be breathing in all that pollution for three straight hours. I can't imagine how much worse it was for the football players who were exerting themselves. On the plus side, at least it wasn't totally dark like it was in 1952. I was shocked at how poor the visibility was and how dark it was outside in this episode. At least here it just looked like a cloudy winter day.

It didn't get night time dark here either. The only "good" thing about the fires were that they kept the heat down. I'd have taken the heat any day.  I'd have groused about it, but I'd have taken it.  

[Roseanna]

It was interesting that Tommy Lascelles who is otherwise presented such a die-hard, after telling about how George VI refused Eden's request to urge Churchill to resign, now said that the situation was different. As it was: although Churchill's capacity to govern was in doubt also in the former situation beacuse his age, it was still also if more a question of Eden's hunger for power, whereas now it was about people dying and the government doing nothing to help them.

So, deep inside, Lascelles has good qualities, such as understanding how the government should work, although he otherwise is shown manipulating Elizabeth. It's a little mysterioys why he is still so loyal to the Queen Mother (other than that they have same opinions about the best interests of the monarchy) even now when he should serve the Queen.

Instead, Queen Mary still held the opinion that the Queen should always do nothing. I can understand that in the normal circumstances as the constitutional monarch should be impartial and willing to work witjh any government the people chose in the elections, but why also in the state of emergency?

Thinking anew, wouldn't the ministers also have had a power to force Churchill resign if they had refused to serve under him and most of Conservative MPs had agreed? 

[andromeda331]

4 hours ago, Roseanna said:

It was interesting that Tommy Lascelles who is otherwise presented such a die-hard, after telling about how George VI refused Eden's request to urge Churchill to resign, now said that the situation was different. As it was: although Churchill's capacity to govern was in doubt also in the former situation beacuse his age, it was still also if more a question of Eden's hunger for power, whereas now it was about people dying and the government doing nothing to help them.

So, deep inside, Lascelles has good qualities, such as understanding how the government should work, although he otherwise is shown manipulating Elizabeth. It's a little mysterioys why he is still so loyal to the Queen Mother (other than that they have same opinions about the best interests of the monarchy) even now when he should serve the Queen.

Instead, Queen Mary still held the opinion that the Queen should always do nothing. I can understand that in the normal circumstances as the constitutional monarch should be impartial and willing to work witjh any government the people chose in the elections, but why also in the state of emergency?

Thinking anew, wouldn't the ministers also have had a power to force Churchill resign if they had refused to serve under him and most of Conservative MPs had agreed? 

I'm a little confused by Queen Mary's opinion especially in emergencies. During the WWII the King and Queen did stuff. They visited areas that were bombed out, they visited hospitals, they allowed their daughter to do something too. When she was Queen didn't she do stuff during WWI? Those are times to do something. If the Prime Minister isn't doing anything which he really wasn't. He refused to do anything or listen to anyone about the fog. People were dying. At that point yes Elizabeth should have done something. As she was preparing to do before the fog lifted.  At that point she was the only one he had to listen to. He wasn't listening to anyone else. There are times when not doing anything are just as bad to the monarchy. 

[dubbel zout]

I think Mary was talking about wading into the policy arena, not morale-boosting/charitable/nonpolitical stuff. It's not the sovereign's job to solve the political problems. All Elizabeth can do is advise, and I don't think that means she gives them solutions.

[Roseanna]

1 hour ago, dubbel zout said:

I think Mary was talking about wading into the policy arena, not morale-boosting/charitable/nonpolitical stuff. It's not the sovereign's job to solve the political problems. All Elizabeth can do is advise, and I don't think that means she gives them solutions.

I think the term is "advice, encourage, warn". So, Elizabeth would have had every right to say in private to the Prime Minister f.ex. "I have heard that the fog kills people, what has the government done?" It would only be polifics if she had criticized the government in public.     

I remember a movie about the King Haakon of Norway during WW2, The King's choice. He refused his son's opinion to advice the goverment to fight the German invaders, but in the end he said that he had to abdicate for himself and his son if the government decided otherwise, which (in the movie at least) decided the matter.

[dubbel zout]

9 hours ago, Roseanna said:

I think the term is "advice, encourage, warn". So, Elizabeth would have had every right to say in private to the Prime Minister f.ex. "I have heard that the fog kills people, what has the government done?" It would only be polifics if she had criticized the government in public.  

Elizabeth (the sovereign in general) has to be careful to whom she speaks about governmental issues to make sure it stays private. I know she has a regular weekly meeting with the prime minister, and she's probably free to say almost anything, though I bet she's still pretty circumspect even there. But ultimately it doesn't matter what she thinks, because the government will do want it wants. 

It must be so odd to have to authorize acts done in her name that she disagrees with and/or hates.

[Roseanna]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Elizabeth (the sovereign in general) has to be careful to whom she speaks about governmental issues to make sure it stays private. I know she has a regular weekly meeting with the prime minister, and she's probably free to say almost anything, though I bet she's still pretty circumspect even there. But ultimately it doesn't matter what she thinks, because the government will do want it wants. 

That's true, and it has caused many mistakes.

Spoiler

F.ex. Suez where Eden made secret agreements that he didn't tell even to his own cabinet. It will be a interesting how the show will deal it.

If the prime minister is wise, he/she will listen such words "are you sure" when it was said by a person who now has an experience far longer than any politicians. Also, there aren't many people  the prime minister can trust so much as in the sovereign who can't become a rival.  

[Zella]

Rewatching the first season after finally catching up with season 2. I think I just caught a little in-joke in this episode. I could swear the radio announcer for the morning news on each day of the deadly fog is an uncredited Pip Torrens. It sounds just like him.

So . . . Tommy mentioning he listens to the wireless when he's advising the queen is an admission he listens to himself? 

[Umbelina]

On 9/9/2017 at 10:49 PM, thuganomics85 said:

Had no idea about "The Great Fog" of 1952.  That was pretty brutal, especially seeing what the actual death toll was.

I should have saw Venetia's death coming, but I thought for sure what was going to happen was that she was going to ask Churchill to do something, he keeps refusing, and basically falls off his pedestal in her eyes.  That will lead to her either confronting him or quitting, and that would snap him out of his funk.  Churchill's reaction to her death was interesting since he truly seemed to feel guilt over it, but at the same time, he only finally stepped up once he realized what Elizabeth was planning, and just used Venetia's death for a political move.  Cold, but effective, I'll admit.  I do wonder what Churchill's deal was here.  Did he simply not want to admit that his policies help lead to this or did he generally believe he wasn't at fault and that everyone was overreacting?

Glad Elizabeth was able to find a way to make Churchill agree to let Philip fly, but I do hope she starts standing up to him soon, because I felt like Churchill got away with a lot in their conversations.

Tommy continues to be one of my favorite side characters with him basically telling Elizabeth that every situation and monarch is different, and just because George did one thing (or refused to), doesn't mean she can't, because the reasons aren't the same.  That and, of course, him being Pip Torrens!

I didn't see Venitia's death coming either, I thought it would be her roommate, and, as you say, her hero worship of Churchill diminishing.

On 11/11/2016 at 1:16 AM, Bec said:

I can't believe I never heard of this killer fog that killed thousands, either. This stuff is pretty much the precursor to climate change, isn't it? On the verge of disaster, humanity is still slow to do anything to mitigate or avert it, preferring instead to waste time doing political maneuverings. That much hadn't changed.

Is it me or does the "it's just weather!" remind anyone else of climate change denial? I gotta think that was totally intentional on the part of the writers. But then Churchill was sort of vindicated when the fog lifted like he said it would. And right before QE was going to give him a talking to!

I really liked QE in this episode. She wanted to look at the science! She wanted to do something to help her subjects! Churchill was so rude to her, practically rolling his eyes at the idea that she would want to know the science.

At least Churchill came around to the idea of doing something about it in the end, even if it was to save his own ass, and after much dilly-dallying. The man is quick on his feet when push comes to shove, gotta give him that. I haven't read spoilers (hee) on how long he was PM, so I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what he would do.

Oh I think it is completely a metaphor for today's leaders who are denying and avoiding climate change dangers. 

It worked very well all by itself as an episode though, but I think that was in there someplace with the repeated "IT'S JUST WEATHER!"  I'm not as sure about the whole coal thing though, but it also fits in today's political rhetoric, no such thing as "clean coal" for example, and Churchill's refusal to ask factories or the public to avoid burning coal during the freak fog also seemed to echo in today's world.

Add me to the group that never heard about this killer pollution in 1952.  I'm curious about how much press this got in other countries, for example in the USA, France, etc. and especially in the UK countries, which, at the time, from watching the show, seemed at least partially controlled by government.  Anyone know?

Actually the only clue I had about this even happening was a throw away line on Mad Men, when Don Draper said something about the fog in London really being pollution (he was working on the London Fog trench coat account.)

I wonder how many lives could have been saved if that weather warning had been taken seriously, and all factories closed for the duration, and private citizens asked not to use coal until the fog lifted?  It was December and cold, but with the right speeches, I think Londoners would have risen to the challenge, it was so close to WWII that a pride in pulling together wouldn't have been that much of a longshot, and God knows, Winston could make great speeches.

The other parallel to today is of course that business was not to be hampered by "weather" considerations.

 

I'm going to add one more, this is one part of a documentary, with a lot of historical footage.  I'm adding it because the episode really avoided this part of things, which I only learned by searching Youtube for videos of the fog/smog in 1952.

It was not the first time thousands died from an event like this in London.  Apparently scientists and doctors, long before 1952, were aware of the dangers and of the inevitable deaths from coal burning, specially in London.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Umbelina

[PeterPirate]

Here is a complete version of the Killer Fog video.  There are several quotes of Harold Macmillan that are similar to the things said by Churchill in this episode.  

[wendyg]

When I lived in Dublin in the mid-1980s, coal fires were still allowed within the city limits. While the resulting smog wasn't nearly as thick as this one (or the 1948 Donora, PA one they reference), it was entirely thick enough to make it difficult to see - and incredibly acrid and uncomfortable to breathe, and if the fog persisted, the smog would stay, sometimes for several days.  I remember remarking on how unpleasant it was to a neighbor, and she looked at me in surprise. "I've never noticed it." A few days later, though, she came back to me and said she noticed it *now*. Sometimes you have to point these things out. I think Dublin finally banned coal fires within the city limits in the early 1990s. It was really tough on anyone's lungs.

[Inquisitionist]

Quote

Actually the only clue I had about this even happening was a throw away line on Mad Men, when Don Draper said something about the fog in London really being pollution (he was working on the London Fog trench coat account.)

Actually, it was Lane Price (a Brit) who pointed that out to Don.  😉

[RedbirdNelly]

[just now watching The Crown for the first time so I'm behind]

I just happened to read a book about the killer fog (and a serial killer on the loose at the same time) this spring, so I was all "oh, I know about this!" when the episode started.