The Crown (2016)★ 8.5/10

The leads are definitely easy on the eyes, but the overuse of flashbacks gives the film a popcorn-movie vibe. Yet, the murder scenes feel almost too realistic if we treat it as merely a popcorn flick.

Contrary to what some viewers say, it’s not that bad, but the action scenes are unremarkable. Even the final opera house fight doesn’t stand out, as this type of setting has been overused in action films. The constant switching between opera and action scenes actually detracts from the viewing experience.

The entire plot clearly signals the vanishing of tradition, but the writers' biggest misstep in shaping the fifth season's story is shifting the focus to Charles. While episodes eight and nine do capture the pain of a "marriage story”, it's hard not to make me feel disappointed that after experiencing the magnificence and tragedy in seasons three and four, this series ultimately crumbles in its fifth season, just like a fallen crown.

I'm really impressed with the meticulous yet epic feel of this series, as always. The script, plot design, editing, and concepts are all expertly handled and the show doesn't feel clichéd. Instead of lingering on familiar scenes like the century wedding, this series shines a light on unexpected events such as the painter entering the palace, which would have otherwise pretty much stayed unknown to the rest of the world. By focusing on these smaller incidents to reflect society at that time, it paints a compelling picture of the entire society of the era.

I spent the whole day watching the entire fourth season. Even in this season, the show continues to show great restraint in depicting major historical events, such as the century wedding and the Falklands War, as they are only briefly touched upon. Additionally, there's a noticeable reduction in the Queen's storyline. Overall, it feels like this season is just repeating several women's life tragedies over and over again.

After focusing on showing the fact that the Queen is just a normal human being like the rest of us, in the first and second seasons, the third season begins to delve into the complexity of the Queen's political and social attributes, especially in a time of great change. The first episode kicks off with Churchill's passing and Wilson assuming office, laying the groundwork for the entire season. The creators' intention to draw parallels between past and present is hard to miss, but viewers of historical dramas often find themselves lost in past glory. Hopefully, the middle-aged Queen in the third season can bring some fresh perspectives.

Despite its flaws, I believe every viewer would shed a tear when seeing that scene on the plane in the fourth episode... We love Diana, not for her title as the "most beautiful princess”, but for her respect and appreciation of life and the world. Her femininity, and her being a great mother are nothing short of inspiring as well.

I hope the narrative perspective in the last six episodes can return to the same level of quality as the earlier seasons. I understand that Diana is one of the most sensational figures in the modern history of royal families around the world, and stories revolving around her life are amongst the most talked about nowadays. But stretching her love story with an Egyptian billionaire over four full episodes is kinda too much, in my opinion. By the way, milking every bit of her personal life for profit seems no different from those crazy paparazzi chasing after her back in the day.

The worst casting in the whole series is that of Diana's in the last two seasons. Unlike many others, I don't have strong feelings toward either Diana or Charles. While it's a pity that the dream of being in the royal family was shattered, seeing Camilla win over the prince's love even without her youthful beauty should be a bit uplifting and comforting for all of us ordinary women, right?

My first impression of this show was the best possible. I love history, there’s a great cast, beautiful places. The only reason why I still haven’t watched all seasons is the duration of the episodes, they have one hour or more.

Esta espectacular serie es una de las más bellas de todos los tiempos, y será recordada por su excepcional dirección y su elenco de primera categoría.