Reflecting on The Crown's Decline: The Unraveling of a Royal Drama
As the curtains close on Peter Morgan's six-season opus, The Crown, with its final installment released on Netflix, the once-revered British Royal Family drama finds itself under scrutiny. The series, which initially garnered praise for its portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II's life, took a downturn in its latter seasons, leaving viewers to question: What went wrong?
The absence of Queen Elizabeth II is felt in more ways than one. In reality, the global mourning following her death in 2022 served as a poignant reminder of her monumental impact during her 70-year reign. On-screen, her diminished presence in the last two seasons of The Crown mirrors the perceived decline of the show itself.
As critics weigh in on the final season, it becomes apparent that the series excelled when it centered on the Queen. The consensus is that the last two seasons paled in comparison to the earlier glory days, with recent episodes often relegating the Queen to the background—nodding at Tony Blair and sighing at Prince Charles. The strength of the show lay in its ability to peel back the curtain and delve into the Queen's intimate emotional landscape, offering insights into the person behind the enigmatic public figure.
Claire Foy portrayed the young Queen with wide-eyed hope and a touch of insecurity, seamlessly succeeded by Olivia Colman as the middle-aged monarch navigating personal and political challenges. Their portrayals were grounded in psychologically astute speculations, humanizing the Queen and portraying her as more than a mere figurehead.
However, the final season, featuring Imelda Staunton as the older Queen, faced criticism for underusing the talented actress, resulting in a less impactful portrayal. Despite her quieter demeanor, Staunton's Queen was depicted grappling with the future of the monarchy, adding an intriguing layer of guesswork to the narrative.
As The Crown concludes its royal saga, the series' decline is attributed to its deviation from its core strength—the nuanced exploration of Queen Elizabeth II's character. The show's ability to balance political and family dynamics around the central figure had been its winning formula, and as the focus shifted, so did its resonance with audiences.
Morgan's Narrative Mastery and The Crown's Evolution
Peter Morgan's storytelling prowess, grounded in a successful formula of blending known facts with believable conjecture, first found acclaim in his breakthrough film, The Queen (2006), and his play, The Audience (2013). This method seamlessly transitioned into The Crown, where Morgan artfully filled historical gaps, creating a compelling narrative surrounding Queen Elizabeth II. The brilliance extended to the creation of sharply drawn characters, including John Lithgow's unlikely yet remarkable portrayal of Winston Churchill and Gillian Anderson's sharp-edged depiction of Margaret Thatcher.
Princess Margaret, transitioning from Vanessa Kirby's wild child to Helena Bonham-Carter's jet-setting sybarite and eventually to Lesley Manville's subdued loyal sister, showcased the series' character depth. The show, while occasionally sparking debates about historical accuracy, succeeded in bringing forgotten events, such as The Great Smog of 1952, back into mainstream consciousness.
However, the acclaim of The Crown's earlier seasons started to wane in its final chapters, particularly as the narrative ventured closer to contemporary times. The last two seasons delved into tabloid-favorite subjects—Diana and Dodi, Charles and Camilla, Will and Kate—revisiting well-trodden territory. The challenge lay not only in the proximity to present-day events but also in the diminishing room for speculation as more historical records became available.
As the narrative steered toward the present, some critics argued that the speculation became strained and less astute. Morgan's persistent focus on abdication, exemplified in Charles' fictional conversation with Prime Minister John Major and revisited in the series' final episode, drew mixed reactions and sparked controversy.
In the finale of The Crown, the once-praised historical drama faced challenges in maintaining its narrative finesse. While Morgan's earlier approach of blending history with compelling drama captivated audiences, the show's later seasons struggled to sustain the delicate balance between historical accuracy and imaginative storytelling, ultimately leaving viewers with a sense of diminishing resonance in its exploration of the royal family's modern saga.
Morgan's Narrative Stretch: The Crown's Struggle to Navigate the Future
In the final stretch of The Crown, Peter Morgan grapples with the challenge of anticipating Queen Elizabeth's death, a task made more complex by the show's chronological endpoint in 2005. One particular episode attempts to compress multiple significant events, featuring the Queen and Prince Philip planning their funerals—a nod to the green Land Rover hearse chosen by the Duke of Edinburgh. However, the narrative takes a fictional leap by suggesting that on the day of Charles and Camilla's wedding, the Queen was on the verge of announcing her decision to abdicate—an assertion widely contradicted by historical reports and perspectives.
The series' last moments inadvertently conjure images of a viral sketch featuring the Queen and Paddington Bear walking away, emphasizing the unintended comedic distance the show has traveled from its earlier, more illustrious days. This amusing connection underscores how The Crown, in its pursuit of speculative narratives, may have lost sight of its once-believably real heroine.
As The Crown's sixth and final season concludes on Netflix, the show's departure from its magnificent beginnings serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between historical accuracy and imaginative storytelling, a balance that seemed to tip towards fiction in its later chapters. The unintentional humor and questionable plot choices highlight the evolving nature of the series and the challenges it faced in crafting a fitting conclusion to a royal drama that has captivated audiences worldwide.
In conclusion, The Crown's final stretch, encapsulated in Peter Morgan's ambitious narrative choices, reflects a delicate dance between historical representation and imaginative storytelling. As the series grapples with the looming inevitability of Queen Elizabeth's death, it faces challenges in maintaining the believability and coherence that marked its earlier seasons.
The attempt to compress significant events, such as the planning of the Queen and Prince Philip's funerals, and the fictional suggestion of an imminent abdication on Charles and Camilla's wedding day, hint at a narrative strain. These departures from historical records risk veering into the realm of speculation, raising questions about the show's commitment to a believably real portrayal of its central heroine.
The unintended comedic association with a viral sketch featuring the Queen and Paddington Bear walking away underscores how The Crown, in its pursuit of dramatic storytelling, may have drifted from the magnificent beginnings that made it a global sensation. As the final season concludes on Netflix, viewers are left to ponder the evolution of a royal drama that, despite its grandeur, faced challenges in striking the right balance between historical accuracy and imaginative narrative, ultimately influencing its resonance with audiences worldwide.