The Crown - Série 5

Casting for roles that span a wide time period is always a challenge. HBO's House of the Dragon recently struggled with this, and now Netflix's The Crown faces similar issues. While previous seasons delivered numerous brilliantly shot and acted episodes, this one feels more average. The standout episode for me is "Ipatiev House," showcasing Boris Yeltsin not just as a capable politician but also a bit of a joker. This season primarily focuses on Diana. Sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly, but she's always at the center. Elizabeth Debicki takes on the role of Diana, and her scenes are the most captivating. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip play more of a secondary role this time around. (11/20/2022)

It's probably the weakest series so far, but it's not far behind the previous ones. Technically, it's still the polished, refined ride we're used to. Also, casting-wise, I didn't find the transition as dramatic as from the second to third series. The biggest weakness will probably be the themes that were addressed in the 1990s and which The Crown is again reconstructing with great precision. Unfortunately it is those themes around royal family relations, love affairs and similar other scandals that become repetitive and rather tiresome after a while. However, for how variably it could have been handled and what a soap opera it could have been under any less rigid directorial baton, I think the creators of the fifth series came out of it with a clean slate and quite classy. (03/14/2023)