The Crown - Season 4
netflixContinuing to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth II (Olivia Colman in her last stab at playing the monarch) and her indomitable family, season four of The Crown covers a period of roughly eleven years, encompassing the entirety of the 1980s. It is also easily the best season of the show yet.
Whereas previous seasons of The Crown have thrived on the telling of historical events and how the Queen and her Prime Ministers fit into them, this season instead thrives on mainly exploring and building on the relationships between its core players. The introduction of Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) and her budding romance with Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) is certainly at the forefront of this and it’s rare for their tumultuous relationship not to be taking center stage throughout the season
That’s not to say the historical events of the 80s are passed over. They are very much present and important but are presented in a way that allows the characters to still be leading; for example, the breakout of the Falklands War is layered alongside a storyline of Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson remains steadfast as the sole Prime Minister of this season) worrying about the disappearance of her son. This allows a shift in the storytelling – the Falklands War is integral, but it is viewed through Thatcher’s eyes and, at this point, she is mainly concerned about finding her son.
Anderson’s performance as Thatcher is a breath of fresh air and allows the controversial PM to be viewed through a multitude of lenses. A standoff with the Queen over apartheid shows her grit and emotionless determination, the moment a member of her own cabinet denounces her in public reveals a vulnerability and her introduction to the Royal Family during a visit to Balmoral Castle can be seen as a way to ground her as an ordinary person. This episode in particular, The Balmoral Test, stands out as the show’s funniest episode – watching Thatcher attempting to integrate herself through an assortment of ludicrous party games is an awkward joy to watch. In summary, showrunner Peter Morgan and Anderson have worked together to create a very human take on Margaret Thatcher and it’s wonderful to see.
But it is the duo of Corrin and O’Connor that dominate this season. O’Connor didn’t have so much to do in the previous season but only serves to prove that, this time around, he is the right man for the job. Corrin is also wonderful – being thrust into the show as one of the main characters, she is given very little time before she is devouring the biggest storylines. It’s her charm and likeability that allows an audience to warm to her so quickly. Their romance, however, is swift and the joy watched from seeing the two meet is soon overrun with a horrible feeling of overpowering dread and unease that continues to hang over the whole series. Any moment of happiness – like Charles and Diana dancing together during a tour of Australia – is soon lost, with the reality of the upcoming situation in the back of any viewer’s mind. Other moments of fun are likewise tainted: after Diana is engaged, her friends take her on a night out clubbing, singing to her ‘God Save the Queen’ and it leaves a sour taste in the mouth.
Of course, with such focus on Diana and Charles, it stands that some of the other characters are given less to do. It’s true, but they still have their parts to play. Tobias Menzies is still fantastic as Prince Philip and it’s his relationship with Diana that gives him his best moments. Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret only has one episode centring on her this time around, but it explores several topics that need to be discussed and proves to be one of the best Magaret-centric episodes. Erin Doherty is also worth mentioning as Princess Anne, constantly turning in an entertaining and strong performance. Luckily, Colman – who almost felt backbenched in season three – also gets several moments to shine, with the most memorable one featuring her visiting all her children in order to decide who might be her favourite.
This season of The Crown manages to juggle everything; it is the most tragic season, but also the most light-hearted. The show continues its trend of delivering powerhouse performances but even more so this time around, as the writing decides to focus more on building up these characters for the final two seasons. It’s truly a must-watch drama.