"The Crown" is a historical drama television series created and principally written by Peter Morgan for Netflix. The series chronicles the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, beginning with her marriage to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947 and continuing into the early 21st century. The show explores the political and personal events that shaped her reign and the impact she and her prime ministers had on postwar Britain. The tone is generally dramatic, with some reviewers noting a tendency toward soap opera elements. The first season was released on November 4, 2016.
The principal cast changes every two seasons to reflect the aging of the characters. Here are some of the main cast members and the characters they portray:
- Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II (Seasons 1-2, featured in seasons 4 and 6, guest in season 5)
- Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II (Seasons 3-4, featured in season 6)
- Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II (Seasons 5-6)
- Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Seasons 1-2)
- Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Seasons 3-4)
- Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Seasons 5-6)
- Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Seasons 1-2)
- Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Seasons 3-4)
- Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Seasons 5-6)
- Dominic West as Prince Charles (Seasons 5-6)
- Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana (Seasons 5-6)
"The Crown" has received mostly positive reviews, though some seasons have been received better than others.
- IMDb: No overall series rating available, but individual episodes and seasons have user ratings.
- Rotten Tomatoes: The series has an overall score of 81%. Season 1 has an 88% approval rating. Season 5 has a 71% rating. Season 6 has a 54% rating.
- Metacritic: The series has an overall score of 78. Season 1 has a score of 81. Season 5 has a score of 65. Season 6 has a score of 61.
The series has been praised for its acting, writing, directing, cinematography, and production value. It has also won several awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Drama.
"The Crown" consists of six seasons with a total of 60 episodes. The series concluded with the release of the second part of season 6 on December 14, 2023.
- Season 1: Released November 4, 2016
- Season 2: Released December 8, 2017
- Season 3: Released November 17, 2019
- Season 4: Released November 15, 2020
- Season 5: Released November 9, 2022
- Season 6: Part 1 released November 16, 2023, Part 2 released December 14, 2023
Here is a link to the official trailer for Season 1 of "The Crown" on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWtnJjnE7ns
Viewers who enjoy "The Crown" might also enjoy these shows:
- Downton Abbey: This British historical drama follows the lives of a wealthy English family and their servants in the early 20th century.
- Victoria: This series follows the early reign of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II's great-great-grandmother.
- The Great: This satirical comedy-drama chronicles the rise of Catherine the Great in Russia.
