Episode 3 about the mining disaster in Wales was really well done. It will be interesting to see who they chose as the next queen. Helen Mirren?
If you look at the whole sentence, not just a snippet, it may give you a better idea of what I mean. The point is that I, as a viewer, don't get the sense of who this character is, what motivates him, why sympathise with him. It has less to do with the real life person Prince Philip and more with this character in a drama who share his name and I don't know how much of his characteristics. You can go through life knowing very little about that person (it is well enough to know of him) but it is hard to go through a show and feel like one of its most prominent characters remains a blank slate. On the other hand, you have Princess Margaret. I don't know what she was like in real life but I get a sense of who the character is, and that is enough and what drama usually strives for.
I think Prince Philip's character was pretty well fleshed out in the first two seasons. If you are trying to get a sense of who he is in Season 3 it may be difficult. He is pretty much a blank slate (so far) this season.
The second to last episode of season 2 gives more background to him, I notice. Which is good. (EDIT: I think the young man playing Philip in his school days is more convincing than Matt Smith, anyway. I looked the actor up. His name is Finn Elliot, born 2002, and IMDb has on him, as the single trivia entry: "Finn is a keen fan of politics and aims to continue this." What.) Thus far he's only appeared to me as someone totally petty, entitled, smug, unrefined, uncommitted etc. Which is fine, too, if that's who the character is, but some of the earlier episodes really seemed to depend on the viewer sympathising with him, for having to take on whichever burden, for losing his freedom etc. and I felt none of it. I look forward to the cast changes in season 3.
The creator of the show said on CBS that they will be dealing with Diana's death at some point. Bad move. Helen Mirren is one the best actresses out there and she had 2 plus hours to do a deep exploration of the queen during that time. I can't see how comparisons to that movie and her portrayal would benefit the show.
I think you pretty much nailed who he is. I have no sympathy for him at all, he knew what he was getting into.
Watching this series makes me want to watch (or as in the case of The Queen, re-watch) all the films on the subject. I enjoy comparing different takes on characters and events. I always feel like it's better to approach a character by taking on a specific period in their life rather than trying to fill out a vast timeline. That is of course the opposite of what The Crown does and must do. What are the good ones? I am thinking of The King's Speech, for example, which I haven't yet seen.
We saw the 2nd ep of the new season last night. (We don't binge--like to make it last) HB Carter at the top of game, excellent showcase for her talents. Again, the actor playing LBJ looks nothing like him, and while he has many of the vocal tics down, the accent is way off. And there is no way LBJ would go to a large open little boy's room in the WH when he had one off the Oval (where he would direct things with the door open)
Princess Anne, Charles and Philip are all really good. Also Charles Dance as Louis Mountbatten is fantastic, though he's always great.
Prince Philip is redeemed in season 3, in my book. Yes he may be a pompous fool, but I could sympathise with him this time. I could find something to relate to, too. That, I think, is crucial in a drama. You need to connect with a character on some level, even if you don't think much of them, especially if so much focus is placed on them. You feel pity, envy, rage, whatever, as long as you feel something. Tobias Menzies is great in the part. I also liked the change of pace brought by Jason Watkins as Harold Wilson. All in all, a great cast this time around. It's the Queen herself who remains an inhuman automaton, although that could be intentional. It's a show more about whatever happens around her than about her. And it is a show about bystanders, it seems to me. Whatever of significance happens in the world, the royal family are there, standing by, and doing nothing, which is (as the Queen has learnt) the hardest job of all.
