The Crown: What the Must Watch reviewers think

Every week, the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.

This week, Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell share their thoughts on season 4 of The Crown.

The Netflix drama starring Olivia Colman as the Queen moves to the late 1970s.

Gillian Anderson joins the cast as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin is introduced as a young Princess Diana.

Have you been watching it? What did you think? Leave your comments below...

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Scott says: “Back on form”

“I reckon it’s a 'must watch' - the show has really come back on form. It seemed to lose its way in the third season. I think partially because of the material they were working with and the period of history they were working with.

“The Crown is at its best and most fascinating when it looks outwards from the royal family, and focuses on the Queen’s relationship with the Prime Minister. The Crown is also at its best when it explores the economic and political crises throughout our country's history, which it does a lot in this series.

“Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher is the best impersonation I’ve seen of Thatcher in any comedy or drama. Her quirks, her mannerisms... are just spot on, so good in fact you stop thinking about her impersonation after a short while and you just get stuck into her character instead.

“I also think that they have managed to strike a balance in how they have portrayed her. If you’re not a fan of Thatcher, you won't find this a sympathetic portrayal. However, if you think of her fondly I don't think it will outrage you either.

“It's so exciting to see The Crown venture into more recent decades. It makes me so excited to see how they are going to cover the nineties with season five.”

Hayley says: “Definitely worth it”

“Yes, it’s a 'must watch'. I’m not ordinarily a fan of The Crown, but I think the cast and the period this time is definitely worth it. What I liked was that it was very quick to show off the rift between Thatcher and the Queen - a lot of which came down to class. Thatcher described herself as plain, straight forward, provincial, a shop keeper’s daughter, and that didn’t sit comfortably next to the frivolous absurdities and blood sports of the upper classes.

“There’s a great scene in episode two where Thatcher and her husband are trying to find their way around Balmoral Castle and figure out what they should wear to dinner. They’re such awkward house guests that it’s the first time in my life where I’ve ever felt empathy for Margaret Thatcher - watching her squirm through parlour games with posh people. It’s humanising in a way that I’m sure will wear off, but was very effective.

“It covers part of history that sort of serves as a prequel to when a lot of people my age and Scott’s age first started paying attention to the royals - which was when Princess Diana died. You’re watching all of these things being put in motion, with Diana joining this family. She was so young when they met - she was a teenager. You forget that she was only 20 when they married. It’s heavier watching it, knowing what came later.

Season 4 of The Crown is available on Netflix from 15 November 2020.

Click here to listen to Nihal Arthanayake speak to Tobias Menzies who plays Prince Philip in The Crown as part of a Must Watch special.

Must Watch is released as a podcast every Monday evening from BBC Sounds, or through your podcast app.

This week, the team also review Industry on BBC Two and speak to Ariyon Bakare about series two of His Dark Materials on BBC One.

Click here to listen to the latest episode.