By Kareem Gomersall, Y12
With the release of the fourth season of Netflix’s ‘The Crown’, viewers have once again gained the opportunity to experience the theatrics of the British monarchy, or perhaps, more importantly, the lives of the Windsor family. This new season of ‘The Crown’ has transformed it from being a soap opera which is somewhat disconnected from reality, to an engaging display of political, personal and royal theatrics. It exposes what goes on behind the walls of Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street, and the homes of the deeply troubled characters portrayed in the show.
Each of the ten episodes seem to focus on an individual person and the issues which they face. The character that has been in countless episodes throughout the seasons undergoes a complete transformation: becoming more three-dimensional and “real” by the end. There is no villain in the Crown. Only characters who have acted villainously, but at the end of the day, there is always an underlying cause which the viewer can understand (except if it’s Prince Charles). “Diana Princess of Wales” becomes a nineteen-year-old, tormented by her sudden rise to fame. “Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon” becomes a lonely divorcée in need of a purpose in life to fill what she fears the most: time. Whilst watching certain episodes, the viewer may even find some sympathy for Gillian Anderson’s depiction of Margaret Thatcher. Each royal character loses their regal façade and becomes just like the subjects over whom they reign. The masterful construction of each character allows the viewer to become entirely immersed in the world of the Windsors, and with certain characters, even feel as though they are the real version of the people they portray.
The period that Margaret Thatcher spent as Prime Minister is one which is still controversial today, and the Iron Lady remains a polarizing figure. ‘The Crown’ creates a character equally as polarizing, who is simultaneously loathed and understood. Some episodes also looked at the effect of Thatcher’s harsh economic policies, which at the time caused high levels of unemployment and suffering among the working class. This new bottom-up way of looking at British society is a radical change to the top-down view which has haunted the show for seasons. Through a combination of this new lens and the numerous deep dives into hardships which characters, both rich and poor, have had to endure, the show seems to have become more authentic and grounded in reality.
Overall, this new season has gone further than any other in stripping away every title behind which the royals hide. It leaves behind only the authentic and vulnerable human being behind the prince, princess, PM, or Queen. It sets the example for other shows on TV on how to bring characters alive in a work of “fiction”.
