The Crown season 6's first reviews are in
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The Crown season 6 part 1 has taken a bit of a bashing from reviewers as it lands on Netflix.
Dominated by the deaths of Princess Diana (reprised by Elizabeth Debicki) and Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla) that would loom over the British royals for years to come, season 6 of the period drama has been described as an "ailing project" by reviewers.
Here's what some of the critics have been saying.
Related: The Crown confirms season 6 release date with first-look trailer
"While the shadow of death can offer creative tension, it also makes The Crown feel like an ailing project. 'You've taught us what it means to be British,' the ghost of Princess Diana tells the Queen (yes, you read that correctly). And The Crown, similarly, has taught the world what it meant to be British, in the 20th century.
"But it has also run out of road – run out of history to retread – and, on its last legs, has less to say than ever, about what it means to be British now."
"Welcome to series six of The Crown – or The Diana Show, as it has now become. Where once you could expect a 10-episode run to represent at least a decade of royal shenanigans, limning the political machinations of the time and throwing in an examination of evolving palace protocol minutiae, the first three episodes of the latest instalment deal with just the last eight weeks of Diana's life, and the fourth with The Crash and the funeral.
"Unless you are reading this while ensconced in a Diana shrine of your own making, those few months are recreated in a truly punishing level of detail. From the beginning The Crown has walked a tightrope between prestige drama – capable of evoking a world of emotional struggle from a single scene or queenly line – and soapy nonsense. It started teetering in season 3, lost its balance entirely over the next two and is now plummeting into the abyss, despite the uniformly brilliant performances from the entire cast."
Related: The Crown director explains decision to omit filmed Princess Diana death scenes
"What's baffling is how far these episodes stray from the structure of previous seasons, which were often at their best when filtering Elizabeth and her family through the perspectives of the regular people whose lives they touched, for better or worse. Surely the death of the People's Princess merited some reflection on her relationship with the public. But on the rare occasions when season 6 looks beyond Diana, Dodi, and the Crown, its observations are superficial."
"[Show creator Peter] Morgan's elegant writing and penetrating, speculative psychology have been immensely intriguing, a joy to watch over the years. Too often in these predictable last seasons, though, we could have written the story ourselves."
"There are six more episodes to go. The show may redeem itself dramatically by widening the scope – it will cover William and Kate's early relationship, the death of Princess Margaret and the wedding of the now King and Queen. Perhaps the Queen will be redeemed and reach a new understanding with Charles.
"But releasing these four instalments alone is an error, and the fourth (titled 'Aftermath') is the weakest of the lot. It ends on a note so bizarre that I won't reveal it here, for fear of spoiling the effect. If you make it that far, you'll be glad of the laugh."
The Crown season 6 part 1 is now streaming on Netflix, with part 2 due out on December 14. Seasons 1-5 are also available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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