Fun
Lazy Sunday: The Crown, Season 3
Dear Kay,
I’m trying to ration my viewing of the new season of The Crown, which premiered last Sunday. But it’s really hard to stop Netflix from rolling me straight into the next episode. Just . . . one . . . more . . .
Let’s just get right to it. What do you think? How’s the new season of The Crown working for you?
This is an open thread for discussing it.
Comments, spoilers, deeply felt opinion welcome—but fair warning: do not read the comments if you are planning to watch the series! You won’t want to know a thing about what’s doing in the House of Windsor.
Love,
Ann
In the MDK Shop
A cowl fit for a queen. Thanks for your MDK Shop purchases!
I’m hooked, despite saying I wouldn’t want to watch any more since Claire Foy would no longer be Queen. Olivia Coleman immediately won me over and the new Duke of Ed is great. (That royal PR BBC doc was squirm inducing.) It’s moving a bit slow but is still highly entertaining. (Also, O.C. is on the cover of Vogue looking fabulous!)
I think I like Season 2 better. The episode on Prince Charles in Wales is very good.
That was definitely one of my favorites.
Just started the Crown. Was avoiding it because a lot must be supposition since the Queen doesn’t go around explaining herself, which therefore seemed unfair to her. However, despite these misgivings, I got hooked. Very intelligently and sumptuously done. I will certainly miss Claire Foy.
I thought I’d have a difficult time making the leap from Claire Foy to a new queen. However, I’m all in – with Olivia Coleman and Helena Bonham-Carter, who is delicious as Margaret, how could I not be? And yeah, the rest of the cast isn’t too shabby either.
I haven’t started watching yet. Saving it for Thanksgiving Day. I love Olivia Colman and just about anything that she is in.
I think I enjoyed this more than the previous seasons. Much of what occurred gave me a deeper insight into why things may be the way they are within the Royal Family. Was a definite binge watching day!
I, too, tried to ration my viewing without success and i just finished yesterday. For me, Season 3 might be the best of all. It might be historical fiction, but I loved getting a peek at the possible inner mind of Philip and his mother/mid-life crisis and the Queen’s evolution from unfeeling at Aberfan to that last scene with Margaret. Tear-jerker!!!!
I’ve also been rationing myself, and am not too sure I like Olivia Coleman. However, I love Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, and the Duke of Edinburgh (He was Brutus in Rome almost 2 decades ago). I don’t like the new Porchy at all. The Prince of Wales is almost perfect, just a little too pretty for the role.
I, too, thought it would be impossible to love The Crown if Claire Foy wasn’t in it. To my surprise, I found myself addicted right from the start of Season 3.
It’s not just Olivia Coleman’s understated yet powerful interpretation of her role that fascinates me (see her close up at the end of the “Aberfan” episode to see what I mean), it’s the outstanding performances of those in smaller roles, such as Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten and Jane Lapotaire as Princess Alice. Their scene together in the “Coup” episode left me awestruck.
I’d also give a “hurrah” to Jason Watkins as Prime Minister Harold Wilson. His performance is another one that shines through its restraint.
Season 3 takes nothing away from the Claire Foy/Matt Smith seasons. Seasons 1 and 2 will always be fantastic because of those two actors. But I like that Season 3 continues in the tradition of excellence that they established.
I nearly squealed when I saw Charles Dance as Mountbatten. That man can’t help but have presence!
After what happened last week with Andrew’s interview, the writers seem to have the men in that family pegged.
We finished Season 3 last night. Loved it!
My resolution not to binge watch lasted two episodes. It is so good.
That the acting is impeccable goes without saying. No expense was spared in recreating the swinging 60s sets and costumes. Did anyone besides me detect a hint of jealousy on the Queen’s part that because of her role as the monarch, she was missing out on all of the fun her sister was having? So far I have watched 3 episodes of Season 3 and am restraining myself from sitting in front of the tv all afternoon to finish the season.
I’m trying desperately to watch only one episode per night; last night I failed miserably and watched two. After I’ve watched them all I’m canceling my Netflix subscription on the grounds that nothing else on that bloody “channel” comes close.
Impossible not to watch, beautifully done, horrifying to contemplate.
I binged the whole season in one amazing day. Could have done with less time spent on introspective Phillip storylines, but otherwise I loved it.
I watched SEVEN episodes yesterday and enjoyed each and every one. The cast, writing and production values are top notch as in the first 2 seasons.
Love this version of Princess Anne. I hope she has a bigger story line in season 4.
That first scene with prince Philip telling her about the documentary. The grunts she made! I was laughing so hard!
I laughed out loud when Margaret partied with Lyndon! And the limericks! But my heart broke watching charles’ spirit being destroyed episode by episode. If what was written for the series is true, I can understand his later actions much better.
Yes, I found myself having much more compassion for him than I have in the past.
That was a big take away for me too. Compassion for Prince Charles that I’ve not had for many reasons, but most particularly Diana.
Prince Philip-whenever I see him I really see Black Jack Randall. (Yes, I have stuck with Outlander-I just close my eyes or concentrate on my knitting at the gruesome parts.) “Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters”.
I too cannot get past seeing Black Jack Randall even with the hair color change- the voice gets to me and I cringe. Other than that I have been enjoying season 3. I just discovered the Crown a couple of weeks ago and just as I finished binge watching Seasons 1 and 2 with utter fascination there was season 3. I am pacing myself.
It is pretty hard not to see Prince Philip as Black Jack Randall especially with the military dress.
I love it, gives an insight into the emotions beyond the public facade.
Hard not to binge! Excellent and so many statements could be said for today. History isn’t boring when written and acted so well.
I watched in two sittings. I love Olivia Coleman and think she is doing a splendid job. Tobias Menzies is fabulous as Phillip. He just keeps surprising me with each role I see him in….the actress playing Princess Anne steals every scene! I felt so bad for Charles….and the Aberfan episode was just heartbreaking.
I’m trying to control myself and watch only one episode per night. It’s a great series. I loved the actors in seasons 1 & 2, but I get that they had to use new ones this season. I, too see Black Jack Randal, when I look at Prince Philip, but he’s certainly much more like able in this role. I wonder how much of everything we’re seeing is true to life, but I guess we won’t know that for sure.
I had to force myself to stop knitting & watching the show last night at 1 am. It’s my favorite season yet! It feels like each episode goes deeper into a specific event in history. I can’t help but like every main character and empathize with each of them. The acting is superb as well. Happy knitting.
Linda N.
I really enjoyed Season 3. Once you get used to the new cast, you almost forget how good the previous cast was. After I got over my binge watching, I found another series on Netflix. It is the true story of the Royals. It is called the Royal house of Windsor. It starts with George VI and shows real footage and details rare documents and letters sent amongst the Royals and politicians. Many of these items have been in archives and have not been shown before. It shows Elizabeth emerging as a young queen. Really good! and believable too.
I have watched the entire season and surprisingly enough I ended up feeling truly sorry for Charles. I have always had a huge distaste for him in how he treated Diana but in watching this series (if it is true), I do sympathize with him in how they handled his first love. Queen Elizabeth is shown to have some feelings for her sister and son but none for the poor people who died in the mud slide. I was amazed at how uncaring she was and unable to feel anything. It’s truly not a good portrayal of the royal family. I ended up just having compassion for these people who are so totally out of touch with reality.
Tobias Menzies is a really good Phil, and his voice is perfect!
I must say the new cast threw me… disappointed, yes, but I too am hooked!
Well season 3 is growing on me. I think the actors playing Charles, anne, and phillip are absolutely crushing it. I miss the season 1 and 2 Margaret. Hearing anne singing Bowie was fanfrickentastic!!!
I’ve watched the first episode of season 3 and love it. I think I have a temporary attention deficit because I am recovering from right total knee replacement surgery 14 days ago…so I am rotating through The Crown, Press, and The Morning Show episodes. A different kind of binge watching! And getting back to knitting.
I am weak! I binged watched the whole season !
I’m four episodes in and finding it relatively easy to savor…only watching one or two episodes at a time. (Or maybe it’s just that I’m really, really busy this month?) In any case, the Aberfan episode absolutely *destroyed* me. I wasn’t familiar with that tragic piece of history, and I full-on wept more than once over the course of the episode.
Season 3 is excellent. I agree Elizabeth seemed a little jealous of the fun Margaret was having. Was going to watch it sparingly but started and couldn’t stop. Quality knitting and time with hubby.
It’s most fantastic program I’ve seen on Netflix!!! I never liked the first two seasons but this third one is so well done!
Brilliant writing! Brilliant acting.
Hurry up with season 4, I say!!!
I’m enjoying it and think the cast is superb. One episode to go!
Season three is very sombre, especially the Aberfan disaster episode. But good to see the Welsh language celebrated in two episodes and to see so many Welsh-speaking actors featured. (Netflix also carries “Hinterland,” a Welsh police procedural set in Aberystwyth, filmed twice, once in Welsh and once in English, no dubbing.) The actors portraying prime ministers Harold Wilson and Ted Heath looked and sounded just like the real thing.
I wonder how close to reality the series is? Season 3 seems to reveal more of the Queen’s insecurities and her hesitation at making decisions. She appeared to be so much more diligent and forceful in the first two seasons. Enjoying Olivia Coleman immensely.
I have to make another comment. We just finished watching the episode about the Duke of Windsor dying, and I must say Derek Jacobi was brilliant in the role. But what makes me so thankful this Thanksgiving is that George Washington refused the title of King George I, and liberated us Americans from all that royal nonsense. Thank you Mr President!
I’m rationing myself to one episode per night. Did anyone else spot the beautiful Aran cardigan the Queen was wearing the 3rd episode ( at the end when she was out walking the dogs)? I want one!
I was a child living in England in the 60s and I am REALLY loving this season as it brings back such fond memories. Harold Wilson is great — I recall one of his less kind nicknames at the time was “Twitface Wilson” so I’m afraid I snicker every time he is in a scene.
I watched the Aberfan disaster episode last night — that one was a hard one to watch. I remember so vividly when it happened and the horror my 9-year-old self felt trying to comprehend what happened.
The actress playing Princess Anne looks so much like her at that age!!!
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better along came Season 3!
Can’t help but wonder if the Royals are watching too. And what the Queen is thinking of how she is portrayed?
My thoughts entirely!!!!! Love this season.
Tobias Menzies is really great as Phillip, and no one has mentioned the actor who played Lawrence Durrell in the series on Corfu as Charles in The Crown.
If they have their facts straight, Charles is much more humanized in this series.
Also, I loved the choice of actors for Princess Anne.
I meant to watch a couple of episodes at a time, but ended up watching all 10 episodes over two days. I’ll admit to struggling through the first episode as my mind adjusted to Olivia Colman in the role. But wow, this season! I don’t know how historically accurate the episodes have been, but Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales, and the episode where the family conspired to tear him and Camilla apart made me, how do I say this, appreciate him more. No one was more surprised than I.
ANYTHING with Olivia Coleman is a must-watch-now! Sorry, but no other way to watch, but to binge…
I didn’t warm to Olivia Coleman as I so enjoyed Claire Foy in the role but having watched the entire series (no spoilers!) I now think she is excellent as the older Queen. I look forward to the rest of the series when It appears.