TV REVIEW: THE CROWN - Season 5

4/5

Spencer.

10 Episodes. Starring: Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Dominic West, Jonny Lee Miller, Olivia Williams, Natasha McElhone, Marcia Warren, Timothy Dalton & Elizabeth Debicki. Created By: Peter Morgan. 

Rest peacefully to Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the second. We can't begin to quantify all she's done for this country in the quality of these words. So we will just say this, the longest reigning monarch's legacy will last far longer than her incredible 70 years and 214 days on the throne. And far longer than those calling her crown hollow, throwing stones at her failings, without recognizing her achievements and the way she's paved. It will be strange to not see her under the tree and by the fire this December 25th for her annual Christmas Day message. Especially for someone coming home for Christmas for the first time in three years. Missing her last two here in Japan, socially locked down and quarantined from Christmas with the family (although good friends have more than tied me over). So what's left to say is, thank you ma'am. Long live the Queen and God bless the King. 

Another thing that seems strange in the wake of her death is 'The Crown - Season 5', which also took time off from its annual run due to the worldwide effects of coronavirus. It remains the quality standard of the giant streaming service's best original series, next to 'Ozark', 'Stranger Things' and of course now, the number's changing 'Squid Game'. But has it come too soon? It was always going to. Peter Morgan's amazing adapted series from his stage-show 'The Audience' and Helen Mirren 'The Queen' (we almost had her again if rumour has it like Adele) movie has always had a sense of theatrical. In this Game of Thrones it's often felt like 'The Godfather' to glorious Corleone Charles effect. But this year's house of corgis, feeling like the most popular drama on the planet ('Succession'), may be too close to the bone when it comes to the heads will roll nature of he who would be King. Especially now as it all feels for naught now he's actually assumed his promised place anyway. Even if for him, that deceleration probably comes with the word, "finally." 

Of course, we're no Nicholas Witchell (even if the BBC Royal Correspondent looks like he could be the Harry to my Dad's William). This is merely just speculation like this show, that Dame Judi Dench says, should come with a dramatic disclaimer. The great Dame has played a Queen or two in her career (all whilst being one) and has changed the direction of Netflix's nuanced show like Adele (another Queen, but let's leave it there. Let's not pass the crown jewels around so much) the Spotify shuffle settings. It all means more for the art and more importantly the life's of the muse and her family that inspired it. What we're left with is one of the best seasons yet. And we thought the pugilist weekly Prime Minister questions with The Iron Lady was bout for bout the best. But if you thought 'The X Files' famous as a 90s 'Friends' face, Gillian Anderson was amazing as Thatcher. Just wait until you see a 'Trainspotting' actor play John Major, of all people. But then again, Jonny Lee Miller has played an 'Elementary' Sherlock Holmes, alongside Lucy Liu's before its time Dr. Watson. 

Moonlighting three big-actors to play the lead role like a Barry Jenkins Oscar winning movie (and how about Trevante Rhodes playing 'Mike', before Jamie Foxx's Tyson in a whole other bruising biopic on Netflix rival Disney +?). After the formidable Claire Foy and in her worldwide fame prime, Olivia Colman. Shakespeare adapted, 'Downton Abbey', 'Harry Potter' and 'Paddington' (we're even more moved by that marmalade sandwich in the purse adverts with the wonderful Ben Whishaw now) actor Imelda Staunton's staunch approach to playing Queen Elizabeth II is one done with her own great majesty. Looking the most like her royal subject. Especially when she wears those beloved bespectacled granny glasses. Whether she's regal in her dramatic delivery or simply sweetly playing with her corgis, you'll see the humanity behind the monarchy. Reminding you just why you love her, just like Jonathan Pryce's Prince Phillip (who we also lost all too recently). 'The Two Popes' star, clearly on the form and the Netflix deal of his life. And he's played a Bond villain. Matt Smith was great (as was Tobias Menzies' accented performance), but Doctor who? 

Just like many have played the Queen. Many of also portrayed Diana, like Naomi Watts. Many thought you couldn't match season four's young Princess Diana Emma Corrin going forth (shout out to a friend on the incredible hair and make-up), but then Kristen Stewart's 'Spencer' showed up for a weekend with the in-laws and an Oscar contender for 'Best Actress' for sure. But now it's time for the great 'The Great Gatsby', 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2.', 'Widows' and 'Tenet' star Elizabeth Debicki to shine as Elizabeth's daughter-in-law. She broke out in the BBC's 'The Night Manager' stealing the show from a duelling House and Loki (Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston). But she's been wait for her tent pole moments ever since Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' was tentatively released during the cinema closes year that was 2020. This is it. From the first frame resting her head on the heel of her hand, she is Diana. All the way to saying yes to the revenge dress. If you're not convinced, just look at the word-for-word, pose-for-pose reconstruction interview with Martin Bashir (the less said about that man in real life, the better, but great portrayal by Prasanna Puwanarajah). She, too, shows the human touch and bruised soul at the heart of the people's Princess for what just might be the best yet. In both portrayal and the roles of her already comprehensive and compelling career. 

Wire to wire and west to west, it's the scenes she has with 'The Wire' star Dominic West and the one he has in turn with "mummy" that truly make this show a match to the Golden Globe and Emmy winning Josh O'Connor. Dominic is every regret O'Connor's character dreaded come to life. All as he scraps and fights from inside his gilded cage. It's a compellingly conflicted performance of such is life contradictions. Ones were all guilty of having from the working class to Buckingham Palace. Setting up the Prince's Trust, 'The Crown' also shows the more playful side of Charles as he gets down on some breakdancing. But they missed a trick, not including his "dig that funky rhythm" line when the Prince was let loose on two turntables and a microphone. Dominic's son Senan West also fittingly and beautifully plays Prince William. Whilst 'The Ghost Writer', 'The Father' and 'The Sixth Sense' actress is absolutely unrecognizable, but undeniable under that wig as now Queen Consort, Camilla Parker-Bowles. 

Natasha McElhone, Marcia Warren as Penelope Knatchbull and the Queen Mother respectively do more in less screen-time than grounded teenagers. But it's Lesley Manville taking over from Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret. Yet, the Academy Award nominated star of Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Phantom Thread' is the spirit of this show anytime she's on-screen. She and James Bond himself, Timothy Dalton (it's only fair, the real Queen parachuted out of helicopters with Daniel Craig) lovingly rekindle the fire set ablaze by Vanessa Kirby and Matthew Goode on-screen and the back of a chopper. With a few jewels left, this penultimate series of 'The Crown' came out in the same week as New York's hip-hop legend Nas' 'King's Disease III' trilogy maker and the reveal of who would take the throne as 'Black Panther' in Marvel's 'Black Panther'. But nothing can touch this. Annus Horribilis, a truly touching Al-Fayed episode and a gunpowder plot on Guy Fawkes night. You'll always remember, remember this explosive season like the fifth of November. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Spencer', 'Succession', 'The Queen'.