A right royal TV treat

I must confess to greeting the adverts and associated marketing hoo-ha surrounding the release of ‘The Crown’ on Netflix with a typically grumpy groan. The last thing we needed was yet another brash, flash, OTT, Americanised, $100m made-for-TV so-called drama about the Royal Family.

Then, one evening last November when I could find no half-decent live sport on any channel(!), I suggested to the Boss that we give The Crown the 10 minute test. Seriously – from the opening credits - the music, the fabulous photography, the casting, the acting and the non-frantic pacing of this production had me completely hooked. It was superb. And for anyone fortunate enough to have a new 4k, Ultra HD TV, the picture and sound quality in The Crown is an experience to be savoured.

As for the content, there was so much for the writers to get their teeth into. I’d either forgotten or not registered half of the events they cover, and how they affected the Royals. Everything from Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936 over Wallace Grommit, the Second World War and Winston Churchill to London’s killer smog, the Duke of Edinburgh’s ‘boy-racer’ days and Princess Margaret’s troublesome dalliance with a divorced fighter pilot! Not to mention the Mountbatten family, the coronation, the Cold War, the Suez Crisis and the good old Queen Mum...

I’m no modern historian, but The Crown makes it all seem factually correct: I’m sure there are holes to be picked by experts, but it’s a brilliant history catch-up for anyone else who’s forgotten... and nothing is dull and boring.

Vitally, the characters are developed wonderfully. It’s fascinating to see just how much of a glittering star Princess Margaret was (shades of Diana), always threatening to outshine Elizabeth. How influential Churchill was. How Prince Philip started out as a total arse and only very slowly mellowed. And how brilliantly and conscientiously Elizabeth took on her huge responsibility. I know it’s a drama and not necessarily unimpeachable fact, but you just can’t help forming or changing opinions about all these key people as if you know them personally. It really is that involving and plausible.

To be honest I’m rubbish when it comes to knowing who played what roles in films, and this is no exception. I just know when people do things properly, and here they definitely do. I don’t think there are many big stars involved (the only name I recognised was Harriet Walter, who plays Churchill’s wife), but for me the acting is superb throughout.

Even if you’re not into the Royals at all, this is a brilliant piece of TV drama. Give it a try – hopefully you’ll be as pleasantly surprised as me!