What I’m Watching: The Crown

The Crown: Season 3, Episode 9 “Imbroglio” (B+)

This episode multi-tasked in an unusual way, spotlighting Charles’ latest misfortunes while also showcasing government-protestor issues that Elizabeth had to try to manage with a new prime minister who’s less of a team player than she’d like. Opening with the Duke of Windsor’s funeral made it possible for Charles to receive an emphatic message from his late wife about how his family really doesn’t mean well, and he saw that plentifully as they engineered someone else to marry the love of his life so that he wouldn’t be tempted to go down that route. Elizabeth seemed like she was trying to do something nice by pointing out that Charles was clearly in love with Camilla based on what she had read in his letters to David, but Philip best exemplified the family’s response, which was already being put into action by Lord Mountbatten and the Queen Mother. Getting a posting he shouldn’t have tipped Charles off to the fact that intervention was already happening, and it’s a shame that he blamed his mother entirely when she consistently advocated a gentler and more humane approach that isn’t all that typical of her. Deciding that Lord Mountbatten would have to be the one to tell him was probably the best thing, but it’s understandable that his notion of having replaced his great-uncle made a lot of sense given the treatment he endured. Regarding the other focus of the episode, it’s astounding to think that an entire country might conserve power in the way dictated in this hour, both as a collective accomplishment and also an unfortunate method of dealing with unrest that can’t be sufficiently brokered into a compromise.