The new season of the Netflix biographical drama The Crown hit screens on November 9th. Already one of Netflix's biggest original shows, this season was one of the most highly anticipated releases of this year.
The first to be released since the real-life death of its protagonist, Queen Elizabeth II, viewers were keen to see how this historic event has shaped the show's portrayal of the British Royal Family. Chronicling the dramatic decade of the 1990s, viewers had a lot of thoughts - and of course, lots of memes to go with them.
Queen Elizabeth's Children Are The Royal Family's Most Divisive Figures
Given the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II and her 70 years on the throne, many people, especially in the UK, respect the former monarch and have a positive view of her, regardless of their view of the rest of the Royal Family. The Queen's refusal to give her own opinion on political matters, as well as her longevity, mean that much of the public don't feel as critical towards her as her children.
The Crown has provided a rather scathing portrayal of Elizabeth's children in seasons 4 and 5, particularly Prince Andrew and the then-Prince Charles. Teamed with a pre-existing public persona that's often less than flattering, it tends to be the Queen's children that creates controversy, rather than Queen Elizabeth herself.
There's A Lot Of Concern In The UK Over This Season
There has been an unprecedented level of criticism in the UK over this season of The Crown, with the British government even reaching out to filmmakers to make clear that the season is a work of historical fiction, in order to not offend the new King of England.
Season 5 is the lowest-rated season of The Crown on Rotten Tomatoes to date, at 69% at the time of writing. Many fans, as shown by this Twitter meme quoting the movie Do Revenge, pointed out that most of the bad reviews come from British outlets, and was likely inevitable due to the subject matter.
Gen Z Loves Princess Diana
Despite many of her new fans not being born during her lifetime, the late Princess Diana has a lot of appreciation among Generation Z - those born around 1996 and after. Given the fact that younger people are less likely to support the monarchy, this is likely no surprise.
Although the controversy surrounding season 5 was pretty off-putting for a lot older fans of The Crown, the potential ridicule of King Charles was an exciting prospect for fans of Diana, particularly younger fans who perhaps do not support the concept of the British throne.
The Show Isn't Particularly Flattering To Charles
Fans before season 5 of The Crown will remember that Charles' depiction in The Crown shows off a darker side of the now-King of England, even prompting criticism of Netflix from the Royal Family ahead of season 5 (per The Independent). Season 4 portrayed Charles as a bad husband and father that neglected his family in order to continue his affair with Camilla.
This season, there were calls for Netflix for a disclaimer declaring the show to be a work of fiction (per The Wrap). As shown by this Euphoria meme, the monarch probably dreaded the public reaction to his rather villainous portrayal on the show.
The Crown Has Viewers Frequently Googling Characters
Each season of The Crown is jam-packed with information, as the show covers the significant political and historical events that occurred during Queen Elizabeth II's reign. There is also a large, ever-expanding cast of characters as Elizabeth's family and government develops over the course of the show.
A lot of viewers will find themselves frequently checking Wikipedia to get greater context of the unfolding events, as well as find out who new characters are. Many viewers will have to pause frequently to piece together all the vast information thrown out during the show.
John Major's Surprising Casting
There are many familiar faces in the season 5 cast of The Crown, with well-known actors stepping up to play some of the most significant figures in modern British history. Some castings, such as Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher, are so unexpected in comparison to their previous roles.
This season, actor and '90s icon Jonny Lee Miller stars as former British Prime Minister John Major. Perhaps most famous for his role as drug addict Sick Boy in the 1996 movie Trainspotting, it is jarring to see Miller play the typically demure Conservative leader.
Philip & Charles' Hostile Relationship
Source: Instagram
In the season 4 episode "Favourites," Prince Philip confesses that his favorite child is Princess Anne, the no-nonsense royal who shares his love for horses and competitive sports. Throughout the show, Philip has butted heads with Charles, who the conservative husband of Queen Elizabeth saw as meek and lacking in masculinity.
In season 5, Charles and Philip come to blows when the press leak a lewd phone call between Charles and his mistress Camilla. He harshly reminds the Prince of Wales of the Welsh military's motto "death over dishonor," as he shuts down Charles' demands for a divorce from Diana.
There Are A Lot of Divorces In Season 5
There are a number of historical events in season 5 of The Crown, and one of the most significant is the permission by Queen Elizabeth for her children to get divorced. As the head of the Church of England, she previously forbade her sister, Princess Margaret, from marrying divorcee Peter Townsend in order to uphold its values.
In season 5, three of Elizabeth's children - Anne, Andrew, and Charles - all ask for a divorce after their marriages. After some heavy contention, Elizabeth reluctantly agrees, going against her beliefs about marriage.
There's An Odd Mish-Mash Of Dramatic And Comedic Scenes
Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. One of the most jarring, as well as the funniest, scenes of season 5 is when Prince Charles starts break-dancing when bonding with the young trustees at the charity he is patron of. Oddly enough, this actually did happen in real life, and was a major press story at the time (per Vanity Fair).
At the same time, the new season offered one of the most violent scenes ever made on the show - a flashback to the execution of the Romanov family in Russia, as the patriarch Tsar Nicholas II was the cousin of the Queen's father George VI. This odd blend of drama and comedy likely played a role in the mixed reception of season 5.
Charles Is Getting Increasingly Desperate
A decade into his marriage with Princess Diana, Charles reaches breaking point, shown through his secret meeting with Prime Minister John Major. In the meeting, he hatches a plan to get his mother to abdicate and for him to take on the role as King of England, as he believes it would save the monarchy.
John Major disagrees with Charles, and is rather disturbed by this outburst from the usually more secretive Prince Charles. As viewers, this exchange is rather awkward to watch as Charles' ambition gets him absolutely nowhere.
Source:gamerant.com