What I’m Watching: The Crown (Season Premiere)

The Crown: Season 2, Episode 1 “Misadventure” (B+)

This show is back for a second season just three short months after I finished the first one, and my opinion of it has definitely risen even if I’m still not as gung-ho about its quality as everyone else I know. It’s still slow but purposefully so, and each episode feels like an epic exploration of isolated figures in monumental moments of history. This one started by revisiting the bickering going on between Elizabeth and Philip, highlighted fantastically by Elizabeth suggesting that one of Philip’s biggest problems was that he complained so much. There were a few moments of more jovial interactions, but mostly it was the cold, kiss-on-the-cheek, unfriendly moments that suggest that even Elizabeth might ascribe to Mike’s joking perspective about marriage being an institution. Elizabeth closing the door on her empty bedroom was another signature ending scored by fantastic music, and she did a great job holding her own as she found out from the prime minister that the Suez Canal operation with the Israelis had been approved without her knowledge. It’s interesting watching this show after seeing “Darkest Hour” a month ago and noting how its portrayals of British diplomacy are similar, if a bit brighter on this show. Margaret’s appearance was as always very memorable, with a fierce jab at Elizabeth for reminding her that she’s alone because she - or, as Elizabeth argues, the crown - forbade her from marrying the one true match that she had found. I’ll be watching this show over the next twelve weeks and look forward to covering some interesting territory.