Yes and she benefits from great writing. It’s been said for decades Anne would succeed her mother if it were a merit-based appointment. Mostly with this series I’m struck by how much sympathy I find for Diana, who I remember being seen at the time as a pita.
I can't help noticing how repulsive, entitled and envious most of the Royal Family appear to be. Poor Diana.
Prince Charles describing his gardens at Highgrove as "my Shangri-La, my Xanadu". Could Peter Morgan be a fan of the Electric Light Orchestra?
I just watched the first episode of Season 4 last night. I'm always stunned at how little I know about these people and how much drama there was in their lives. I'm a bit surprised to say that I don't really like Gillian Anderson's portrayal of Margaret Thatcher. Seems like a reprise of her portrayal of Miss Havisham in Great Expectations several years ago. Maybe she has less range than I expect.
The nearer it gets to now, the more they seem like caricatures. But the series misses out so much, I suppose that’s because the focus is the monarchy not the country. I always say it’s the fate of ER2 to have had her life in many ways affected by the rise and dominance of the media, and now she has to endure this version of her life, which let’s face it will be media history’s first draft, while she is still alive.
The one that kills me is the Queen Mother. She's just this dotty old broad who seems to do nothing all day but drink and be royal.
this is such a great point. it describes exactly how i feel while watching this season, but i wasn't able to put those feelings into words. the only one i'm comfortable with is menzies. he seems very real.
I am two episodes into Season one and it’s great. It funny the show doesn’t hold back like presenting Philip as the buffoon he was in real life during the foreign missions.
I loved the first two seasons. Claire Foy and Matt Smith were great as Elizabeth and Phillip, and I eagerly devoured each episode. Once the actors changed to Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies, I have struggled to maintain interest. I am still slowly plodding through season 3.
I struggled a bit with season 3 too. I'm enjoying 4 maybe a bit more. It seems to me to have a certain underlying narrative which was less apparent in the first couple of seasons, but I'm still enjoying it. I worry that many viewers will view this as the authoritative history of the Royal Family though.
Just finished the episode about the intruder. It was an excellent stand-alone episode and refreshing to get away from Charles/Diana et al.
I am in the middle of Season 3 and think it is as good as the first two seasons, perhaps a bit more substantial or deep. It is a very well done show. However, whoever termed it 'historical fiction' was right. It plays very, very loose with the facts.
Really enjoyed the latest season. I know Prince Charles doesn’t come over as the most likeable but it really does show how tragic royal life could be. Imagine what kind of person he could have been if he’d been allowed to follow his heart and marry the woman he was and is so clearly in love with. I was only a kid when they were married but Diana was the dream princess but man, does she seem like hard work! Dragged the royals kicking and screaming in to modern times though. both princess Anne and Margaret rare the real stars though for me. Love Helena bonham Carter anyway, amazing actress, but the one who plays Anne absolutely kills it
