The Crown: season 5

[KillingMeDeftly]

Anyone seen this yet? I'm not quite as convinced by the casting for this season as I was for previous ones but will withhold judgement until I've watched the whole series.

Elizabeth Debicki looks the part as Diana, although I thought Emma Corrin captured her voice better. Dominic West is very flattering casting for Charles but Olivia Williams as Camilla is uncanny. I never thought she looked anything like her but they've made her a dead ringer! Same goes for Jonny Lee Miller as John Major.

It looks like this season will cover events up to and including Diana's Panorama interview.

The script, as someone said above, is terrible. Prince Philip comes over as some type of philosopher type with his musings, I don't think anyone who knew him well ever mentioned that before! Plus Philip was still a handsome older man at this stage, no offence to the actor but he doesn't capture that- although Natasha McElhone does as she's a stunner.

Oh Prince Andrew is good casting!

The Queen Mum is bizarrely cast, she looks and behaves like Miss Marple on the gin. There was an attendant/L in waiting in one episode who was taller and wider and could have played that part more authentically, unless the Queen Mum has a lot of lines I've yet to hear.

Just reading pp reminded me I did really like the Ritz scene and think Mohammed Al Fayed’s story is fascinating - plus the actor playing him is great, plus really like Sydney Johnson line (which I also googled)

Also sharing another Telegraph article - Patrick Jephson's take on the series.

Does anyone know about the incident of Prince Charles making a public jibe at Diana about shopping trips? I wonder what he said.

digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/1151/reader/reader.html?#!preferred/0/package/1151/pub/1151/page/70/article/NaN

I agree with someone who said they just aren’t posh enough. None of them are truly plummy.
Timothy Dalton is still very attractive - he’s 76! Could pass for 15 years younger.

The actor playing Al Fayad is so spot on.

That conversation between Major and the Queen about what constitutes a happy marriage - how to fit at John Major without directly digging at John Major! Must be a hard watch for Norma too

Oh god the flashbacks for Princess Margaret are heartbreaking.

Aagh. Struggling with archiving the link - hope this one works.

archive.today/q4Lrc

I loved the Chariots of Fire scene, I had no idea that was Dodi’s company, he did very well. Mostly seems to have done Diana documentaries since then though

Dominic West is making zero effort to even sound posh. Plus he’s too handsome, the one they had playing him in the last series was better.

The person playing Norma was great! Looked like her and similar manner.

When did Prince Andrew have orange hair?

Just finished the Al fayed Sydney Johnson episode and loved it

I personally think Debeki (sorry if spelt wrong), is amazing as Diana. Her voice is spot on, but I'm finding it irritating almost like she's struggling to say her lines because of the voice and I'm wanting to finish her lines, if that makes sense?!

I struggled with Andersons Thatcher in a similar way and ended up with a really bad neck as I found myself imitating the neck/head bend/turn whenever she spoke! 🤣🤣

I think Pryce as PP is excellent.

DW is far to suave and good-looking for Charles.

I also loved the Al Fayed episode!

QM is completely miscast, she lacks the assurance and also the smiley demeanour I remember of her at that time. HMQ is ok played by IS, I didn't view HMQ in a particularly positive light in the 90s and I'm getting that vibe again from her portrayal... better than Olivia but neither will top Clare Foy. I can't get on with JP as Philip at all. I think ED is great as Diana!

I've watched it all now and I think Camilla has been extremely sympathetically portrayed.

Charles not so much IMO. He's been depicted as constantly trying to undermine the Queen and position himself as King. Also, he's shown as hounding Diana a bit. He had very little time for her and struggled to show any kind of empathy for her whatsoever.

Diana was just so lonely, I felt quite low at the end of episode 10 and my overriding emotion was pity for her.

I’m only on episode three, but I’ve got to repeat what everyone else has said about the casting of Philip and the QM. He was tall and sharp-featured with piercing eyes, and they’ve got a little shuffling man who looks more like an academic than a soldier. And the QM’s defining characteristic was that she was round and soft-faced, and the woman playing her is tall, skinny and wispy. It’s as if the casting director just said, oh, they’re old, they’ll do.

I think Andrew is well-cast and Timothy Dalton looks fabulous. Imelda is growing on me and I've just sobbed my eyes out at episode 4

I agree though, it's missing the sparkle and glamour of earlier series that lifted things a bit. I guess that was the 90s for you though.

Did they show the divorce of Anne and Mark Phillips?

I thought Erin Docherty was absolutely fabulous - almost as good as Vanessa Kirby as Margaret. The new Anne (sorry her name escapes me) is not impressing me at all so far and she has a ridiculous wig which is very distracting.

I fell like the Elizabeth Debeki Diana is a characature. Her mannerisms are good but it’s just constant and over the top. Nobody bows their head that much.

Just watching Blair get in. They should have had Hugh Grant play him.

Didn't Hugh already play him in Love, Actually??

Personally I'd liked to have seen them work some digital deageing magic on Michael Sheen so that he could reprise his Blair!