The Crown Season 3

[Brot64]

Just got a notification it's back. Swamped with work so wouldn't watch until mid week (I am a binge watcher so need all night) but wanting to see what everyone thinks of it before I do watch it hence, starting this thread.

@CurlyWurlyTwirly yes I thought it was episode 2 HBC really came in her own for me I hope we see more of her in later episodes

Really not feeling the love for Olivia Colman. She is an amazing actress but seems wrong in this. Claire Foy was brilliant but I never think of OC as the Queen always as OC playing the queen. HBC is good though.

Yes I think that's what I'm feeling and it's not just about her being well known before as I didn't struggle like this with Dame Helen Mirren in 'The Queen' it's something about her performance for me.

Two episodes in and I know what you all me, it’s Olivia Colman being the Queen. I’m waiting for her orange anorak and Broadchurch. HBC was fantastic though in episode 2.

I've binged the whole thing today ( don't judge, I've got zero self control! ) and HBC grew on me quiet early on, the chap playing PP almost straight away, same with Anne. Coleman was the Queen for me by the end, but she's still not as good as Claire Foy was.

Just halfway through episode 3.
I’ve just seen Margaret talking to the Queen about the disaster.
HBC is the humanising aspect of this season. Loved her at the White House.
I also really like the Harold Wilson character. Makes me want to know more about the man In RL.
I keep pausing and googling all the historical bits.

Agree re Olivia Coleman. Also, I loved Matt Smith as PP: he was perfect, very surprisingly. I don't think this guy will be as convincing. Two episodes in and no sign of the children.

I am up to half way through ep 4

I like the men - Tony especially. PP seemed a bit more of a foil than in previous series but I hope that changes.

I do find hbc too old. She's stunning and vulnerable and I loved the scenes at the White House but she looks a good ten years older than she's meant to be.

OC isn't doing it for me yet as the Queen. She doesn't portray the core of strength CF did and seemed on the edge of tears a lot.

I did also take exception to the bit at the end of ep 3 in terms of the emotional reaction. I know it's been in the tabloids etc but lots of people will take it as history/fact which I find disrespectful to the people of Aberfan as well as the queen.

Just finished it. Working from home was hardly working today.

Loved it. Was unsure of OC as Queen to start with but warmed up to her by the 5th episode and find her rather fitting for the portrayal of the older queen. I find she appears more serious, slightly more emotional yet together when needed, basically more matured in her role as queen.

Same with Phillip and love that they kept his humour. Although couldn't stop thinking of Outlander. Charles Dance's performance was by far my favourite! Overall didn't mind the new cast and rather enjoyed it. Somewhat regret binging on it now.

I’ve just finished episode six. I’m torn between trying to pace myself and being desperate to see it all ASAP. I really like Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip - a big improvement on Matt Smith in my opinion - but then I have never been a fan of MS. I’m still trying to decide if I like OC as the queen. I love her in everything else she’s done, but I’m not totally convinced with her playing this role. HBC is excellent as Princess Margaret and Josh O’Connor is great as Prince Charles. I think that OC is growing on me. Maybe by the time I have seen the whole series and gone back and watched it again I will have got used to her. I think that Claire Foy was good at being serious looking, whereas OC just looks miserable much of the time. However maybe that’s because she had plenty to look miserable about!

Agree with others about Olivia Coleman, hard to like her as the Queen.
She doesn't change her facial expression much so you can't guess what she (ie the Queen) is supposed to be thinking. There's seems to be a lack of warmth and empathy. The way she speaks to Charles sometimes is verging on emotional abuse IMHO .
Perhaps, because she's such a good actress, she's actually portraying the Queen as she really is.

I've been working my way through Desert Island Discs via Spotify Podcasts. I listened to Matt Smith last week. It's probably one of my favourite ones so far.

Ok so I'm done. My final thoughts...it was a good season as strong as the past in my opinion, obviously a drama first and foremost but the historical part is interesting.

I got used to Olivia Coleman's queen but I don't like it. For me it continued to be her playing her preconceived idea of the queen and it was 1 dimensional like an impersonation. I personally like it when something new is brought to the role even if it is just speculation.

Tobiaz Menzies was good as Phillip I still like the actress that played Anne. And although I agree HBC was a little old for Margret she really brought something to role especially at the end.

Charles Dance was wonderful if a little bit of a pantomime villain. I didn't like the new queen mother at all and I'm reserving judgement on Charles Im not sure what I make of him.

Im on episode 6.
Loving the young Anne and the young Charles.
Good casting! They look so like them.

I loved the PrincesscAlice episode and the aberfan episode. My mum's people were from near there.

I've just got to episode 4 after bingeing the first 2 series in the last couple of weeks.

I still prefer the first cast - Clare Foy really was fab and I thought Vanessa Kirby as Margaret was so good. Her and Matthew Goode were so watchable together.

Looking forward to seeing the young Charles. I felt so sorry for him in the last series when he was at Gordonstoun!

The Aberfan episode was very moving though, just unimaginable horror.

Watching the young Charles dragged out of Cambridge to learn Welsh. He threw himself behind it though.

I liked Claire Foy too. She brought a reserved keenness to The Queen. She felt emotions but contained them. Perfect balance. I usually love Olivia Coleman but I know what you mean. She's not bringing any surprise new way of looking at the queen to the role.

Im rooting for him to do the speech in Welsh justice. I wonder if he still remembers it.

Slowing down a bit. Just finished episode 4.
Jane Jane Lapotaire as Princess Alice was excellent. She was a brilliant comic turn.
I thought the actress playing Anne is really good. She’s got her clipped accent and manner. Great interpretation.and fabulous hair!

I’ve resigned myself to a Olivia Colman being a disappointment as the Queen. Looking back, all of her characters are versions of a Olivia Colman. She has a screen presence so generally I enjoy watching her, but she was completely miscast in this role.
Surely the casting directors could have tried harder and got a lesser known, blue eyed actress to play HM.

I'm surprised how much I have been enjoying this show. I'm no royalist but it's so well made that you just get sucked into it. Probably down to the Netflix 5 second gap between episodes. I really love the portrayal of Charles, if it's a bit of crown propagation to warm us to our future king it's working! The actor playing him is great and I love Princess Anne in this - maybe she would make a good queen?!

The 5 second wait annoyed me 🤣
I was like, Im clearly bingeing, come on, skip intro 🤓🤖

Yes the actor playing charles is brilliant. So ernest in his introspections!

Just finished episode 5 and am getting used to the character changes.
However, the interaction between Harold Wilson and the Queen seems wrong. It was well known at the time that the Queen really got on with Harold Wilson. In fact he and his wife were known to have had outings at Balmoral where they entertained themselves in one of their cottages and the Queen and Mary Wilson washed up together. In fact there were comparisons with later PMs, especially Margaret Thatcher, where the atmosphere was a lot cooler. I am old and remember the various reports at the time. I would say that the major difference between this series and the last two is that the earlier series appeared so much more authentic and as I remember at the time. This series gave me the impression that it was written more with an American audience in mind. For example the Queen referring to herself in front of staff as an old bat. Episode 3 was very real and as I remember it affecting the world. There was criticism of the Queen not attending but it was thought that her presence would hamper the rescue operations. The portrayal of her as being devoid of emotions was overdone. I can’t imagine ClareFoy portraying her in such a way. Jane Lapatoire as PPs mother was excellent. She is a wonderful actress and I loved her in this. Don’t care for the Queen Mum who seems a really wish washy character and she definitely wasn’t that.

*However, the interaction between Harold Wilson and the Queen seems wrong.,
Keep watching. The relationship develops slowly, she didn't trust him at first.

Don’t care for the Queen Mum who seems a really wish washy character and she definitely wasn’t that.

Yes I completely agree she's one I couldn't warm to at all! I don't know if it's become less historically accurate or just its moving into the period people remember better so the inaccuracies are becoming more obvious.

Just finished episode 7. I think the theme music is perfect. Very stirring. Still not warned to the characters as much as the first seasons.

I was counting the months/weeks/days then hours for this 3rd series to finally be available. I only signed up to Netflix to watch the Crown! I know there are hundreds of great films on there but I just do not have the time.

My indulgence is to sit up in bed and watch one or two episodes and so far have done 4.

Olivia Coleman is a fine actress (loved her in the Favourite!!) but she looks so much older and more tired than the real queen did at the age she is supposed to be. Look at the comparison in the Aberfan photos. Queen E looked a youthful age 40 but Coleman looks terrible.

It is common knowledge that our queen is hardly a laugh a minute but she looks a right miserable bugger in this series.

I have lots more I could say but do not want to offend any true royalists. I am not one but I do find this kind of series fascinating.