A Crowning Achievement

Andrea/Cara here,
I’m not a regular television watcher. When I have down time, my first choice is to get comfy with a good book (okay, chocolate might also be involved, but no snide remarks on Pavlov, if you please.) However, at the urging of numerous friends to tune into the extravagant production of The Crown, I broke down and got a subscription to Netflix (yes, I’m one of the few people in this digital world who didn’t yet have one.)

And oh, am I glad I did!

Making history come alive is something I feel is vitally important on so many levels. Understanding the past, of course, is fundamental to seeing the challenges of the present and the future more clearly. I think most of us would agree with the old adage “those who do not know the past are doomed to repeat it.”

But beyond the grand scale of events over time—wars, revolutions, social change, economic stresses, artistic developments, to name just a few—a nuanced view of the human factor—the people who shaped the course of history and the very real and personal challenges they faced in doing so—resonates on such a personal level.

On the whole, I usually think books are better at capturing the essence of an historical event or person. My feeling is the liberties taken to cram all the subtleties into an hour broadcast usually mean that reality is altered, characters become one-dimensional and the whole production becomes more entertainment than an accurate portrayal of history. (Though as we all know, there is never one “truth”—different perspectives will always offer different accounts.)

So it was with modest expectations that I tuned in the first episode of The Crown. I was ready to enjoy the costumes, the settings, the whole vicarious peek at “royalty.” Well, was I surprised! It changed my opinion of what good television can do to both entertain AND educate—and by that I mean showing a viewing audience that history isn’t a dull, dry subject that has no relevance to their lives. Rather, it’s a powerful reminder than humanity shapes history, and the lessons of how individuals deal with difficult decisions that have consequences on so many levels should resonate with all of us.

Now, where to begin with my fan-girl gushing . . . let’s start with the creator/screenwriter, Peter Morgan (who also created the movies The Queen, with Helen Mirren and Frost-Nixon) and the production designer Martin Childs (who won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love) The dialogue in Season One (the first decade in Queen Elizabeth’s reign, with flashbacks to earlier, formative years), the characterizations and the settings are superb. Just as a visual spectacle, it’s well worth seeing, but I loved that the people became so real and weren’t simply mannequins in a period drama.

Which brings me to the actors. Not only do they bear an uncanny resemblance to their real life characters, but they all play their roles beautifully, with heart and emotion that adheres pretty accurately to the “true” story of Elizabeth  and Philip as they begin to navigate life on the throne. (Yes, I’ve gone back and checked on some of the historical facts shown. just because I was so curious. ) The supporting cast is also great. Princess Margaret is excellent, and John Lithgow’s performance of Churchill is a tour de force.

I’ve always thought of Elizabeth as rather colorless—perfectly pleasant but not overly interesting or engaging. And Prince Philip has always struck me as a fairly pompous, cold fish. The Crown certainly changed my view. Most people, of course, are usually more complex than cardboard characterizations, but the royal couple as portrayed in the series took on such humanity. The simple black and white of my previous perceptions became an infinite range of grays. (In a very good way!) That range of emotion applies to the secondary cast as well. Everyone, from the Queen Mother and King George down to the household staff come off as people with all the complexities and contradictions that all of us possess.

The project’s ambitious plan is to ultimately run six seasons, with ten episodes in each. Season One has garnered enough raves that Season Two is in the works —huzzah, huzzah! Word is, the production cost over $100 million dollars, but for me it’s worth every penny! (I’ve also noted that Taschen Publishers has released Her Majesty, a coffee table book on the queen, lavishly illustrated with family photos. Hmm, did someone say Christmas present?)

So what about you? Have you watched The Crown, and if so what did you think? Or do you have some other favorite movie or television show that you felt really brought history to life? Please share!

Comments

[kay]

My daughter and I are watching this show together. Last week we watched the one where Edward VI died. OMG, I had tears in my eyes. I looked at my daughter and she was tearing up also. I agree with you. What I've seen so far has been just wonderful. The acting is great and the historical accuracy is good enough for me to be happy with. This is a must see!

I was a little startled when we were exposed to Philip's naked backside in the African trip scene - but, oh well.

[Andrea Penrose]

Kay, so glad you are enjoying it too. There are, of course, some liberties taken with history—Churchill's young assistant who's killed during the fog is made up. But on the whole (and I did some checking, just because I was so curious) it's pretty accurate. And the acting/settings/costumes are just wonderful.I wish we had more television like this!

[Mary T]

I have not seen THE CROWN yet, but am soooo looking forward to it.

I love documentaries about almost anything. Thank you David L. Wolper and Ken Burns. But I also love dramatizations of historical persons and events as long as they are true to the facts.

I've seen many productions over the years about Queen Victoria, but the most recent offering, THE YOUNG VICTORIA with Emily Blunt was beautifully done.

A TV production that made a big impression on me was THE LOST PRINCE. I believe it was a BBC production from about 10 or 15 years ago although, I saw it only a couple of years ago on one of our cable channels. I had never heard of young prince John, son of George V. Although the story focused on his short, sad life and his governess Lala Bill, the years that the story covered (1905-1918, 19?) were turbulent ones and told from the point of view of the royal family. Beautiful cinematography also. Would recommend it to anyone who hasn't already seen it.

[Andrea Penrose]

Mary, you are in for a real treat with The Crown!

I love the Ken Burns documentaries too, and many of the PBS ones. But this bringing a story to life in a dramatic adaptation is a little different, and when done well is very powerful.

I've been meaning to watch The Young Victoria, and will do so now soon! And the Lost Prince sounds fascinating. Must start a To Be Watched List to go along with the TBR List!
Oh, for more hours in the day!

[Mary Jo Putney]

Andrea, you're right, the series is terrific! I've only watched the first couple of episodes because I don't want to burn through too quickly, but the writing, acting, and history are wonderfully done and really bring the characterse to life. When we look back to 1953 when Elizabeth took the throne, it seems distant and tame. But there were really challenges and choices that had to be made.

I love THE YOUNG VICTORIA. Again, well acted and pretty historically accurate. There was one episode toward the end where I blinked and thought, "Did that really happen?" I've read biographies of Victoria and didn't think I'd have missed that. And no, it didn't happen. *G* But I'll cut film productions some slack in creating drama. Only -some- slack, though!

[Andrea Penrose]

Ha! You had more willpower than I did!

Yes, the series really makes it clear being the King or Queen wasn't all fun and games. It shows people facing very difficult and complex problems, where they have to balance duty and family and their own personal feelings. It really made that so powerfully real.

It seems from the little I've doublechecked, that the series stays pretty accurate to history.

I really must watch YOUNG VICTORIA.

[Janice]

I bingewatched The Queen too. I was going to watch it anyway because Matt Smith is in it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was such a solidly done piece. John LIthgow does an amazing Churchill. I understand there is to be a Series 2 and possibly more up to 6.

As to its historicity, there's a factchecking article (with some great pix) at http://people.com/royals/the-crown-historically-accurate-netflix/

[Marie]

I wanted to see this since I saw the first trailer. I finally got to it last weekend. I watched one episode and was hooked. I got my mother to watch it with me and we finished the whole first season in a few days.
Now we are excitedly waiting for season 2. I was pleasantly surprised to see you say it was planned for 6 seasons. I hope that more dramas like this start being made.
I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in history and a Netflix password.

[Janice]

Matt Smith has an elegant backside. Maybe the Prince was flattered :)

I liked the use of Jared Harris that is made in subsequent episodes of Elizabeth remembering things about her father, things that happened. Very touching.

[Janice]

Argh. I keep calling it The Queen, instead of The Crown, for some reason. There was an excellent movie a few years ago with Helen Mirren as The Queen, so I don't want to confuse anybody, especially as one of the most interesting things about The Crown is that it goes into the institution as well as the people enmeshed in it. So sorry.

[Sonya Heaney]

I have to watch this at some point. I do always get SO distracted if the characters in shows about real people don’t look right (such as EVERYTHING made about Queen Victoria), but it looks like they did a pretty good job here.

Because I live in a Commonwealth country’s capital city, we’ve had the chance to meet the Queen a number of times. My grandparents were actually invited to a garden party with her once, even though they were lowly “wog” Ukrainian refugees!

I certainly don’t worship the monarchy (and it is still OUR monarchy here in Australia, whether we want them or not) – I definitely remember the Nineties when they were widely disliked!

However, I will have to watch this soon.

[Mary M.]

Loved your photos, Andrea/Cara. That picture of the queen with her crowned corgis made my day! I remember when she ascended and how exciting the coronation was. Quite an inspiration for a young girl (me) at the time. I'll have to seek out The Crown and reminisce.

[Andrea Penrose]

Yes, I couldn't restrain myself either, Janice! Matt Smith is wonderful as Philip, and John Lithgow is just amazing as Churchill. His body language and all the little mannerisms are perfect,

I've read that Season Two is a definite. Fingers crossed they'll go ahead with the full six seasons. (Pretty please!)

And thanks so much for the link!

[Andrea Penrose]

No worries, Janice! We all knew what you meant.

"The Queen" was excellent (how could it not be with Helen Mirren!) and was by the same screenwriter as The Crown. I highly recommend it too!

[Andrea Penrose]

Sonya, it's hard to do everything perfectly, but IMO, the resemblances are really well-done, as is all the acting, settings, etc. For recreating real history, as well as creating a well-paced film, this series really raises the bar quite high.

I don't think you have to worship royalty to appreciate the episodes. Part of its appeal is that it makes the royals very human, and shows the real people beneath all the trappings, and how they grapple with with very complex and difficult personal decisions, just like everyone else.

Give it a try—you might be pleasantly surprised.

[Andrea Penrose]

Thanks, Mary. I LOVED the corgi-crown pic too! Such fun!

I really think you will very much enjoy the series, so give it to yourself as a holiday gift!

[Michelle H]

First, thank you Andrea, simply for letting me know there will be another season of 'The Crown.' Yay!

We binge watched 'The Crown' over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend when our son came up to visit. There's something about a bit of relaxing down-time conducive to plowing through a movie or TV series.

We have been Anglophiles from a very early age, (which our son absorbed by default) but since the phenomenon of 'Downton Abby,' (which he watched more-or-less with his girlfriend who lives half the country and a two hour time zone away) my son has moved from 'Midsomer Murders' and Gilbert and Sullivan, 'Inspector Morse' to more historically based interests.

He had already watched all but the last episode of season 1 of 'The Crown,' but wanted me to sample it. Then we ended up watching the entire season.

Wow. I had picked up some history of the animosity between the Queen Mum and the abdicated Edward, from other historically, but Hollywood-ized, based movies but this went so much further. My husband was designated the official 'Web-search verifier,' so after each episode he filled us in on the history of the dramatized events. The entire series made me want to read more history--for me that's evidence that I really got something out of it, and loved it.

[Andrea Penrose]

Happy to have royally brightened your day, Michelle!

And thanks for such an eloquent statement on why this show is so good. It really does make history so powerful. I hope many of the people who tuned in casually are moved to realize how fascinating and relevant history is to all our lives!

[Sue McCormick]

My husband has enjoyed watching the crown (I don't do TV much, don't hear well and read MUCH too fast to be helped by captions, which are NEVER in sync with the small amount of lip-reading I do!). But I saw a part of an episode and believe I would like it. I'm planning to give it a try.

[pjpuppymom]

I've been toying with getting a subscription to Netflix. I think you just nudged me over the edge, Andrea.

Have you watched the new NBC weekly show, Timeless? It's about a man who is using a time machine in an effort to re-write history and a team of three people using a separate time machine in an effort to stop him. I love how they bring a different event in history to life each week.

[Andrea Penrose]

I held off, too, PJ, as I don't watch a lot of television. But this was really worth it!

And thanks for the heads-up on "Timeless"! I hadn't heard of it, but sounds very fun. Will tune in and give it a try!

[Michelle Athy]

Oh, my goodness, I loved the Crown! I keep saying it filled the Downton Abbey-sized whole in my television watching. It was so beautifully done--I had no idea of the Princess Margaret story, for instance.

[Andrea Penrose]

I learned so many fascinating details, too, Michelle. I knew vaguely of Princess Margaret's "wildness", but hadn't realized her heartbreak. Understanding the nuances makes historical people so much more real and compelling, doesn't it?

[Andrea Penrose]

Sue, have you though of the wi-fi earphone they make for television these days? (I think they are widely available at stores like bed and Bath, Best Buy, etc.) My understanding is you can adjust the volume without affecting how other people hear it, so it might make the dialogue more accessible to you. Could be worth a try!

[Sue McCormick]

Thank you for the suggestion about the earphones. I'll look into them.

[Andrea Penrose]

You're welcome! Do check them out. I've heard they really work.