The Crown - series 3

[southeastdweller]

I'm so looking forward to seeing this when it returns next Sunday!

I’m assuming that the forthcoming events involving Mountbatten will come as a massive Red Wedding style shock to many American viewers though.

That will depend on their age more than anything. Mountbatten's death was heavily covered in US media as was much of the Troubles. There is lots of interest in the US to this day in Irish history and current events.

He may have been an overprivileged reptile but he died horribly, and a large number of his family members were killed with him. I wonder how much of the reality of that will be reflected - the American audience has always been more sympathetic to the Irish side of the Troubles than those in the UK, and Netflix will want to please both lots of viewers.

I'm guessing season 4 will cover:
Anne's marriage (which actually happened some years prior to the Silver Jubilee)
Thatcher's election
Mountbatten's death
The attempted kidnap of Anne
Charles & Diana's wedding

Anything I'm missing? The wedding will probably be the season ender.

I think it'll need to cover more years than that, maybe up to 1990. So we'd see Thatcher being ousted too, Andrew's marriage (although will they want to pay him much attention now?), the Falklands perhaps?

Princess Anne's first marriage was 1973, I think, and the kidnap attempt 1974 so, if they're not in this series they must be missing them out. In her own words, she is 'or re and ignored'.

That should say 'irrelevant and ignored'.

Anne's first marriage was 1973, I think, and the kidnap attempt 1974 so, if they're not in this series they must be missing them out. In her own words, she is 'or re and ignored'.

I'm only on episode 6 but I've read that both events in her life aren't covered. It reminds me of something Diana was reported as saying about Anne: 'She works like a dog yet nobody cares'.

I think Thatcher will feature heavily in the fourth season. Obviously she was an important figure in the 80s but maybe also because Gillian Anderson is playing her.

Recreating Anne’s wedding would be a lot of crowds and expense for very little dramatic purpose so I can see why they wouldn’t bother. Keeping their powder dry for a huge extravaganza on Charles and Di which has immense dramatic possibilities. I suspect that there will be some mention of Anne’s contrasting low key wedding and possibly a cleverly edited flashback as part of the big C&D storyline - that’s the only way I can think of to give it thematic meaning.

SenecaFalls
That will depend on their age more than anything. Mountbatten's death was heavily covered in US media as was much of the Troubles.

This is very true. DH & I moved to the US for work for a bit & flew, to Minnesota (not a big cosmopolitan city) that very day.

We went to a small suburban bar’s happy hour on our first evening, & the bartender told us it had happened, so it must have been top of the main news, & generally the UK rarely featured.

Surely they'll have to cover Michael Fagan breaking into Queenie's bedroom??

I don't know, Eoin, it must have been terrifying but doesn't tie into a bigger theme. He wasn't a terrorist and didn't seem to have any agenda.

Surely they are losing quite a dramatic story if they don't cover her kidnap attempt?

I have found their timeline very inaccurate this series

Edward being a newborn and the pregnancy airbrushed and then Anne being about 14 in real life terms when she is put forward for a newspaper profile in the show (I checked )

The lack of Charles in many scenes he would have been in most notably the documentary

The inaccuracies may continue

Also I thought Marion Bailey was quite poor

The QM was said to be formidable, scary, even but both actresses have portrayed her as weak, timid and frumpy

Anne being about 14 in real life terms when she is put forward for a newspaper profile in the show

Anne was 14 when the series opens in 1964, but the newspaper profile scenes come later when she was at least 18. They compressed the filming and showing of the documentary; it was conceived in 1967 but first shown in 1969 and in the series, the newspaper profile comes after the documentary.

Just looked again, 19 for the documentary.

Still the overall timeline felt off? I can't be the only one?

very minor thing, but I hated in the fifth episode when Charles' tutor was explaining about Capel Celyn being flooded to create a reservoir "to supply water to Liverpool, England." Both he and Charles would very obviously have know what sodding country Liverpool is in!

Just such an obvious nod to the American market to need to clarify that. Why not just write "to supply water to a city in bloody England" or something that at least sounds like natural human dialogue.
Rant over

An interesting snippet here: a chunk of the US TV interview from the start of episode 4.
www.nbcnews.com/video/mtp-remembers-beatlemania-prince-philip-supports-the-fab-four-149423171988
On that evidence Menzies hasn’t quite got the voice right but he’s brilliant in portraying Morgan’s fictional Philip.

Just such an obvious nod to the American market to need to clarify that.

Probably not necessary though. If there is any city in England besides London that we Americans have heard of, it's Liverpool. A bit odd I know, but I will always associate Liverpool with the moon landing; that's where I was when it happened.

From what I’ve read Mountbatten didn’t agree with King at all. And walked out on him.

And yes there is only Ciaran Hinds who is the definitive Wentworth. He’s divine in it.

I thought it was to make the point that Wales' sacrifice was for England's benefit. It did sound clumsy though.

Emily Beecham for Fergie!

I've just watched Episode 3 and am broken. I grew up near Aberfan and my Grandma was very near, it traumatised the whole community. I cried throughout. Also reminded me again how much I miss the singing in Wales.

I can understand that, thefemaleJosh. I'm not from Wales but remember the news coverage at the time. It was dreadful, I wasn't much more than a child myself but it really affected me. Still does.

Mary Wilson, wife of Harold, wrote a wonderful poem about Aberfan. I'll try and find it.