With The crown Season 6, Part 1, now streaming on Netflix, reviews for the first four episodes, which explore the history-making death of Princess Diana, whose likeness is stunningly captured by Elizabeth Debicki in a casting choice for the ages, stream.
However, it is the handling of the aftermath of Diana’s death that divides critics. The crown made the risky creative decision to have Diana appear to her family after her death. While some critics found the “Ghost Diana” moments to be powerful, others did not. (Though they also had other problems with the series besides the treatment of Diana, like Obi-Wan Kenobi telling Luke to use the Force.)
This is what the first positive reviews say:
Kimberly Ricci, Uproxx:
What comes out of it is of course sometimes sad, but the performance is breathtaking. Diana’s strength shines through The crown shows how she coped with the ridiculous circumstances of her post-palace life. It’s also, as strange as it sounds, nice to spend some (virtual) time with a member of the royal family who, let’s be honest, wasn’t a selfish asshole. There’s a reason she was called “The People’s Princess,” after all. Like many of you, I remember where I was when the news reported this fatal accident in a Paris tunnel. This was one of those history-changing moments, the way you will always remember what you were doing when the 9/11 attacks began or when MAGAs began climbing the sides of the Capitol steps.
Aramid Tinubu, diversity:
Generations of people know that Princess Diana and her friend Dodi Al-Fayed died in a car accident in the early hours of August 31, 1997. What happened in the previous weeks remains unclear. Morgan offers not a turbulent romance, but rather a depiction of a comforting friendship that had just begun to blossom and was exacerbated by public perception and family obligations. By humanizing the two in life and death (there are no “ghosts here”), in contrast to the reigning monarch’s stoicism and commitment to wearing down traditions, the show invites audiences to reflect on the decisions of the British royal family , which contributed to its relic-like state. With this devastating first section of the final chapter, Netflix’s crown jewel bids farewell to an icon and reclaims its throne.
Kelly Lawler, USA today:
The Season 5 cast returns with slightly overwritten speeches and quivering upper lips, and they’re all passable and fine, but it’s Debicki’s show and everyone else just goes along with it. The actress rises to the occasion and gives her version of the people’s princess a light, airy naivety, but always underpins her emotional scenes excellently.
Jackson McHenry, vulture:
Maybe because it redefines familiar territory, [Peter] Morgan takes a big step: Diana’s character, as well as Dodi’s in one scene, appear in front of the other characters in her life for a final conversation. The scenes are strange, moving and at the same time too neat. It’s almost Catholic, with Dodi and Diana as saintly figures, giving each a little absolution as they confess their transgressions, each character seeing a reflection of their own fears for the couple rather than the people themselves. That in turn reminds you of all those photos. Everyone takes their piece of this woman, their claim to know her. But all these facets, these insights surround an unknown whole.
And here are the other reviews that didn’t like Ghost Diana. What’s notable is that most of the negative reaction came from across the pond, but there was American media that didn’t feel the first half The crown Season 6.
Lucy Mangan, The guard:
Aside from all its formal flaws, Late Period Crown is also incredibly hamstrung by being set so far in memory. Even if there were anything to grapple with, the memories and resulting questions that crowd the viewer’s mind at every stage would make it impossible. Was Charles really that perceptive about what her death so quickly would mean? Given everything we knew then and the mountains we’ve learned since, it seems unlikely. And we know that Prince Philip didn’t mutter an explanation to Harry for the crowd’s behavior during the funeral procession (“They’re not crying for them. They’re crying for you”) because we were actually there. We would have seen it. Suspension of disbelief can never be determined. Ghost Diana dances between ruins.
Nick Hilton, The Independent:
While the shadow of death can provide creative tension, it also creates tension The crown feel like a dilapidated project. “You taught us what it means to be British,” the ghost of Princess Diana says to the Queen (yes, you read that correctly). And The crownSimilarly, he taught the world what it is meant being British in the 20th century. But it also no longer has a road – it no longer has a history to retread – and on its last legs it has less to say than ever about what it means to be British Now.
Anita Singh, The Telegraph:
There are six more episodes to come. The show could return the favor dramatically by expanding its scope – it will cover the early relationship between William and Kate, the death of Princess Margaret and the wedding of the current king and queen. Perhaps the queen can be redeemed and come to a new agreement with Charles. But releasing these four parts alone is a mistake, and the fourth part (titled “Aftermath”) is the weakest of all. It ends on such a bizarre note that I won’t reveal it here for fear of spoiling the effect. If you make it this far, you’ll be happy to laugh.
Ben Travers, IndieWire:
Such exaggerations, such redundancies, such ghastly plotting overwhelms the clean, beautiful staging and costumed elegance that “The Crown” has relied on for years. (Though the spectacle is less impressive in Season 6. The scenes feel cramped and constricted, which would be appropriate for the often-captive Diana, but the claustrophobic settings also limit the rest of the characters.) Perhaps there’s an argument that The Royal Family fell into disarray fell from grace as Elizabeth’s influence diminished in favor of the future king and the series also had to shift its focus. downplaying the queen to convey the world passing her by. I don’t know if I buy it, and the heavy-handed metaphor that drives the season five finale already covers that, but I do know this: talking to the dead, even in a palace, is still a cheap trick .
The crown Season 6 Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix.
Source : uproxx.com