The Crown Season 5 Review: Elizabeth Debicki’s Princess Diana Stands Out In This Uneven and Unfocused Outing of Netflix’s Royal Drama (LatestLY Exclusive)

The Crown Season 5 Review: Releasing just two months after the death of Queen Elizabeth, Netflix’s prestige series The Crown returns with a fifth season that doesn’t quite capture the charm of its previous outings. Bringing us to the '90s, showrunner Peter Morgan delivers us the hefty politics surrounding the royal family whose monarch traditions is being relentlessly questioned by the media. Mrs Harris Goes to Paris Movie Review: Lesley Manville Is a Delight in This Feel-Good Trip to 1950s France! (LatestLY Exclusive).

When it comes to The Crown, there was always a silver lining. Blending fact and fiction together, the series was able to weave a storyline that helped create some royal drama that evoked the complications of the Royal Family. With the start of the season introducing us Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth II act, there is much to be admired here but sadly most of the season gets dulled out in the execution of its sovereign concepts.

Atop the famous ship of Britannia with Prince Philip (Jonathan Pryce) investigating the rumblings of the aging ship, the Queen decides the best way to go about the repairs - there is a bit more emphasis on the internal family politics this time around. The Crown Season Four finally had it figured out in the portrayal of Queen Elizabeth, yet the fifth season drops the ball with Morgan’s writing showcasing more cracks in the summary of how the characters here should behave.

Staunton’s best moments come when she is being heavily weighed under the pressure of her own royalty, yet the writing never manages to capitalise on those moments. Unlike Olivia Colman, who is more diverse with her emotions as Her Majesty, Staunton is giving quite less to do comparably. That unfortunately is an issue that you can find in many of the characters this season with the outing also heavily focusing on the inevitable divorce of Prince Charles (Dominic West) and Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki).

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The dashing and charming Dominic West tries to trudge through the same familiar point the season tries to make. A diminishing relationship with Diana while the media scrutinizes his claim to the throne, the growing frustration seems to get a bit repetitive and that unfortunately marred the season. With filler episodes taking the center stage, especially the one with Salim Daw’s Mohamed Al-Fayed, and there being a very unfocused view of what The Crown is trying to say, you as a viewer, are often left questioning where the season is going.

With the show now moving forward into the more contemporary timeline of events, there is a discussion to be had here. Season five keeps on questioning the concept of a monarch, and while that discussion is brought up in the modern era too, it serves as a right metaphor for what The Crown is turning into. Crumbling under the own weight of what made the show so special in the first place, perhaps The Crown has indeed run its course.

Thankfully, Elizabeth Debicki is here to carry it on her back with her portrayal of Diana being spot on. Often showcasing her disappointment in her marriage while trying to raise her two sons, Debicki captures that internal struggle really well. Coming off just a year after Kristen Stewart’s incredible take of Diana in Spencer, this is a more straightforward version of her as compared to the more fable-like performance that was put on display in the Stewart-starrer. With some impressive makeup work and a performance that makes the underwhelming writing a bit bearable too, Debicki proves a worthy addition of talent. Spencer Movie Review: Kristen Stewart Brings Oscar Brilliance as Princess Diana in This Fable-Like Tale (LatestLY Exclusive).

The set design for The Crown continues to be top-notch too in season five. With the 90s era royalty captured quite well, there is a certain level of posh maintained here that feels consistent with the visuals of the show and feels comfortable on the eyes.

Yay!

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana

Set Design

Nay!

Filler Episodes

Feels Unfocused

Final Thoughts

The Crown Season Five is a misstep that can’t reach the heights of its earlier outings. With an unfocused script and writing that lacks the charm and feels inconsistent, this was a let down otherwise saved by Elizabeth Debicki’s turn as Princess Diana. The Crown Season Five is streaming on Netflix right now.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2022 11:13 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).