The Crown Returns to Its True Brilliance
The Crown's final season takes viewers on a captivating journey back to the political intrigue that made the show a hit While it may not reach the heights of its earlier seasons, this installment offers a refreshing escape from personal melodrama Expertly written by Louis Staples
Editors Note: Louis Staples is a culture writer and editor based in London. His work has been featured in Slate, Vogue, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Wired, and other publications. The opinions expressed here are his own. For more viewpoints, visit CNN.
In a scene from the last season of Netflix's "The Crown," a frustrated Cherie Blair, played by Lydia Leonard, remarks, "You'd be better off trying to modernize Stonehenge!" This comes as she discusses the British monarchy with her husband, then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. Cherie is well-known for her skepticism of the monarchy.
In the episode "Ruritania," Queen Elizabeth II begins to feel threatened by Britain's new vibrant leadership, leading to a bizarre dream where Blair is crowned "King Tony." After receiving tough feedback from focus groups, she turns to Blair for ideas on how the Monarchy can bounce back from the public's opinion.
This private meeting between the Queen and the prime minister becomes a humbling moment as Elizabeth acknowledges her vulnerability after a tumultuous time. She begins to question the institution she leads, wondering if the monarchy should be more "rational" and "democratic," or if that idea is too contradictory.
Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in "The Crown" season 6
Netflix
Opinion: In its final season, The Crown has lost itself
"The Crown" has lost sight of the balance between personal and political drama in its recent seasons, particularly with the increased focus on Charles and Diana's relationship-turned-rivalry. The final chapter of the show has improved by rediscovering its more political origins, chronicling Queen Elizabeth's 53-year reign and the changing political landscape that was a constant character throughout the show. The varying prime ministers that Elizabeth interacted with, from Winston Churchill to Tony Blair, has shown how the royal institution responded and survived as Britain faced different challenges over time.
Depending on the age of individual viewers, "The Crown" provides a nostalgic trip down memory lane or an educational journey into various scandals and controversies that occurred before their time. Not everyone may have been aware of Churchill's near-political demise in response to the Great Smog of 1952. Season two depicted the humiliating fallout from the Suez Crisis for Anthony Eden, as well as the Queen's unusually emotional reaction to the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. In season three, Edward Heath passionately confronted striking miners for better pay, foreshadowing a generation-defining struggle to come.
Eden and Elizabeth entertain an audience at Sandringham.
Stuart Hendry/Netflix
Season four of "The Crown" saw heightened political drama with the assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten and the rise of Margaret Thatcher as the UK's first female prime minister. The tension between Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth is portrayed throughout the season, with episodes highlighting their disagreements on various issues such as high unemployment, the Falklands war, and sanctions against apartheid South Africa. In contrast, season five became overwhelmingly focused on the personal drama of Charles and Diana's divorce, causing critics to view the show as more of a soap opera. The emphasis on personal relationships continued in season six, with Diana's romance with Dodi Fayed and the intensifying media rivalry between her and Charles. Despite the intense public reaction to Diana's death, the backlash against the royals was noticeably more muted than in previous portrayals.
Why did"The Crown"lose its political focus? Potential pushback may have influenced its retreat into personal storylines. Every British prime minister since Thatcher is still alive and, crucially, able to dispute the shows dramatization of events. (Major described the show as a "barrel-load of nonsense," after an apparently fictitious plot in which Charles sought his help inpossibly attempting to persuade the Queen to abdicate.)
Bertie Carvel plays former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in "The Crown."
Netflix
Season six's second part brings a return to a more balanced approach. In the beginning, Blair confidently takes the world stage, deftly managing a military intervention in Syria and tensions with the Clinton White House. This is followed by the unexpected and controversial election of President George W. Bush.
Despite his apparent invincibility, Blair's vulnerabilities are revealed when he is heckled and booed while giving a speech to the Womens Institute. It becomes clear that the aspiring modernizer and reformer still has much to learn from Britain's longest-serving monarch.
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The early seasons of "The Crown" saw more than just family clashes - political tensions prompted the royals to reassess their roles as the needs of their subjects evolved. While the final installment may not reach the heights of the show's peak, it offers a welcome return to the political intrigue that initially captivated audiences.
In "Ruritania," the Queen ultimately rejects radical modernization, noting that people seek the magic and mystery of the royal experience, not just what they could have at home. This, she argues, is their duty. This underscores the delicate balance between personal and political elements that have contributed not only to the success of "The Crown" as a TV show, but also to Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign and the survival of the monarchy itself.
