Boomer TV: The Crown

​Boomer TV provides random reviews of current shows by an aging, episodic couch potato currently in cocooning mode.

Have you taken a peek at The Crown?
Lil began watching it awhile back and asked if I’d be interested in giving it a try.
She has always been a bit more of an Anglophile than I, however the PBS series Victoria had captured my attention so despite little personal interest in the doings of the royals it came to mind the length of time the good Queen has been on the throne. She passed her great, great grandmother the aforementioned Victoria about 4 ½ years ago after taking the throne in 1952  so the series was likely to have a good deal of historical perspective and we love historical perspective.

Granted, The Crown is ‘historical drama’ so liberties are taken which only serves to enhance its appeal since it provides speculative inside looks into the Windsors.
I was captivated by the performance of Claire Foy as QEII right away and found the series enticing enough to have plowed through the first two seasons in a couple of weeks. The writing is crisp, the portrayals believable and the backdrop of history taking place in eras familiar to my memory enhances the attraction.

With series 3 arriving there was some trepidation about a recasting as the previous roles were vacated to allow for the show to present the good Queen and those in her circle in the next stages of their lives,
A needless worry. Olivia Colman grabs the main role and in a short time one is transcended from the early mid 1950’s to 1964 without a glitch. Her performance is flawless showing a Queen roiling with unexpressed emotion and Tobias Menzies (‘Outlander’ villain extraordinaire) portrays a complicated Prince Phillip magnificently.

But you have got to catch the inimitable Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret. She drinks the role in with the same gusto as her character takes down cocktails and the interactions between Queen and sister/princess are priceless.

Series 3 lasted just a few days in our household  and it’s likely to be a long time before number 4 drops but the wait will likely be worth it. They’ve just begun to get the kids nvolved and the history of Prince Chuck and the love of his life Camilla gives one a rather voyeuristic view into a complex relationship doomed to remain dormant for decades.

Speaking of burning through Netflix series The Kaminsky Method season 2 also had a rapid run in our living room. We spoke of this before but Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin are sublime as they successfully pull off that artful and elusive blend of comedy and drama with aplomb.
If you are of boomer age this is a must see. Arkin does curmudgeon better than anyone and series 2 adds Paul Reiser (Mad About You) and it is truly a most desirable addition. 

 Ken DeLaat

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