---
title: "The Crown"
year: 2016
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-crown"
fi1m_id: "the-crown"
imdb_id: "tt4786824"
tmdb_id: 65494
wikidata_id: "Q20707362"
fi1m_score: 78
critics_score: 73
critics_reviews: 6
published: "2026-09-16"
updated: "2026-09-17T10:43:11.099790+00:00"
region: "TH"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Crown (2016)

Created by Peter Morgan · Drama

## Identity

The Crown

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/the-crown
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** the-crown
- **IMDb ID:** tt4786824
- **TMDB ID:** 65494
- **Wikidata ID:** Q20707362
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4786824/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/65494, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20707362

**Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 73 from 6 reviews

*In a sentence:* The royal family makes saying nothing look like a full-time occupation

> *The Crown* earns our attention through precise acting and a convincing sense of how royal duty intrudes on private life. Its solemnity sometimes makes scenes drag, but the people remain worth watching.

## Synopsis

Queen Elizabeth II must learn to exercise power while royal protocol reaches into her private life. The series follows her reign, with Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton among those playing her. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Matt Smith, Tobias Menzies and Jonathan Pryce), and Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter and Lesley Manville) have wishes of their own that sit uneasily alongside her duties. Elizabeth tries to fulfil the demands of her position without surrendering every personal choice. Family conversations concern who is allowed to decide, who must defer and how much anyone can keep private.

## Review

Peter Morgan’s *The Crown* asks us to take royal duty seriously, even when we might prefer to ask why anyone needs it. For much of its six-season run, it earns that attention through acting precise enough to make an unanswered remark feel consequential. This is absorbing family drama, though its habit of treating every frustration with the same solemn respect makes it slower than it needs to be. We recommend it most readily to viewers who enjoy watching people struggle to remain polite.

The early portrait of Elizabeth is the reason to settle in. We were moved by the effort behind her composure: an answer delayed, a feeling checked before it can be spoken, a face kept still while somebody else talks. Those small acts make learning to exercise power feel difficult without requiring a speech about how difficult it is. The dialogue can explain a predicament too thoroughly, but the acting gives us someone trying to understand what she is allowed to want.

Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton are persuasive as Queen Elizabeth II because neither rushes to make her approachable. Olivia Colman is especially effective when an expression appears settled and then shifts almost reluctantly. Imelda Staunton makes formality feel firmly acquired, something the character no longer expects to explain. The change of performers asks us to accept a new face, but it also keeps us watching familiar behaviour rather than taking it for granted.

Tobias Menzies gives Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, an impatience that prevents the family scenes from becoming too decorous. He lets irritation register before courtesy can tidy it away, which gives conversations a welcome edge. Helena Bonham Carter’s Princess Margaret expresses dissatisfaction more openly, and her presence makes Elizabeth’s restraint look harder to sustain. Both performances are most interesting when wounded pride is allowed to remain unattractive, without an accompanying request for sympathy.

The production design is by Martin Childs, and the formal rooms feel difficult to relax in; even the furniture seems to demand good posture. Adriano Goldman is among the cinematographers, and the best images make the distance between people feel uncomfortable. The rooms and framing help explain behaviour without another conversation about obligation. The clothes, with Michele Clapton among the costume designers, contribute to that effect: people look prepared to be inspected. Occasionally we would welcome a room that did not appear ready for an official photograph.

Editing is less consistent. With Yan Miles among the editors, the series gives pauses room to work, but also lets scenes continue after their emotional point has become clear. The music, credited to Rupert Gregson-Williams, Martin Phipps and Lorne Balfe, lends those pauses gravity that they do not always deserve. We prefer the passages where speech and silence are enough, because the score can make a modest family disagreement feel as though it requires national attention.

The limitation is familiar from period drama: good manners and careful furnishings can persuade us that a scene contains more than it does. *The Crown* is so attentive to the discomfort of being royal that it sometimes forgets to question the family’s claim on our sympathy. We can care about these people without accepting every grievance as important, and the writing is better when it remembers that. Settle in for the performances, but allow yourself to be less impressed by the institution than the music would like.

*Fi1m score 78, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to The Crown, with praise centred on Claire Foy’s restrained performance as Elizabeth and the strength of the supporting cast. The favourable reviews find emotional depth in the young queen’s transition to power, alongside careful historical detail and lavish production values. Foy is the clearest point of agreement, giving the stately drama a human focus even for critics who question its pace.

The spread is wide, however, and the disagreements concern more than pacing. The Hollywood Reporter finds suspense in royal protocol, while Variety sees repetitive tangents and too little dramatic urgency. The i Paper likewise argues that familiar historical outcomes limit the tension. The Independent offers the sharpest dissent: where admirers see a complex portrait of Elizabeth, it finds her sidelined, with too little attention paid to her inner life or motivations.

## Straight answers

**Is The Crown worth watching?**

*The Crown* is worth watching for anyone who enjoys careful, well-acted family drama about people struggling to stay polite, and we scored it 78. Olivia Colman and Imelda Staunton make Elizabeth's composure feel like hard work. Its solemn treatment of every grievance slows some scenes, so allow it patience.

**Where can I watch The Crown in Thailand?**

*The Crown* is streaming on Netflix in Thailand. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is The Crown, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Crown* carries a UK 15 certificate, and its adult content lies in tone rather than violence or fear. The drama is conversations in formal rooms about duty, deference and privacy, with wounded pride the nearest thing to a threat. Nothing frightening, but too slow and grave for most children.

**How does The Crown compare to Borgen?**

*The Crown* is the more solemn of the two, while [*Borgen*](https://film.one/tv/borgen) gives its politicians more room to argue and compromise. Both show duty straining private life, but *Borgen* is tidier, solving a problem each week, where *The Crown* lets silences carry the weight. Choose *Borgen* for debate, *The Crown* for restraint.

**What should I watch after The Crown?**

After *The Crown*, try [*Borgen*](https://film.one/tv/borgen) (2010, Fi1m 84): Political duty strains private lives, with more room for argument and compromise. Then [*The Leopard*](https://film.one/film/the-leopard) (1963, Fi1m 88): An aristocratic family faces change, observed with patience and an unsentimental eye; and [*A Royal Affair*](https://film.one/film/a-royal-affair) (2012, Fi1m 70): Court protocol and private desire make an increasingly difficult combination to manage.

### Reviews we read (7)

- **The Telegraph** (5/5): Netflix’s £100m gamble pays off as a compassionate, sophisticated drama that humanises the Windsors. The critic singles out Claire Foy’s careful, complex portrait of Elizabeth and the emotionally resonant set-pieces for particular praise. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/the-crown-review-netflixs-astonishing-100-million-gamble-pays-of/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it gripping prestige drama that makes a compelling case for the exercise of power, highlighting emotional depth in Elizabeth’s ascension, suspense in protocol, and star-making work from Claire Foy and the ensemble. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/crown-review-2-941772/)
- **Variety**, Maureen Ryan (70/100, inferred): The review finds the series stately and well-acted with a standout performance from Claire Foy that gives it focus, but criticizes its leisurely pace, repetitive tangents, and lack of suspense or high-stakes drama. [Read](https://variety.com/2016/tv/reviews/the-crown-netflix-claire-foy-peter-morgan-matt-smith-elizabeth-queen-1201900396/)
- **The i Paper**, Nick Mitchell (★★★): The critic praises the lavish production values, historical detail, and strong performances especially from Claire Foy as the young Elizabeth, but notes the series lacks suspense because viewers already know the historical outcomes. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-crown-review-netflix-epics-lack-of-intrigue-could-be-its-downfall-29399)
- **The Independent** (40/100, inferred): The lavish series is sumptuous but empty and ultimately fails its queen by keeping her sidelined as little more than a polished dolly. The critic singles out the lack of engagement with Elizabeth’s inner life and motivations as the main complaint. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/the-crown-netflix-matt-smith-claire-foy-queen-elizabeth-ii-peter-morgan-a7403201.html)
- **The Guardian**: The series is a top-quality soap that refuses to bow before the royals and a crowning achievement for Netflix. The critic singles out Claire Foy’s ruthlessly unshowy performance as Elizabeth and the uniformly excellent cast for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/nov/04/the-crown-review-netflix-100m-gamble-on-the-queen-pays-off-royally)
- **Collider**, Allison Keene (80/100, inferred): The review praises the series as a beautifully directed, engrossing portrait of young Queen Elizabeth II's early reign and transition to power. It highlights the strong casting across the board, including standout turns by Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Jared Harris, and especially John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, along with the narrative continuity provided by creator Peter Morgan. [Read](https://collider.com/new-tv-shows-fall-2016/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Peter Morgan
- **Creator:** Peter Morgan
- **Director:** Benjamin Caron, Christian Schwochow, Philip Martin, Jessica Hobbs, Stephen Daldry, Julian Jarrold, May el-Toukhy, Erik Richter Strand, Alex Gabassi, Paul Whittington, Philippa Lowthorpe, Samuel Donovan
- **Writer:** Peter Morgan, Jonathan Wilson, Tom Edge, James Graham, Daniel Marc Janes, Meriel Sheibani-Clare, Amy Jenkins, David Hancock
- **Cinematography:** Adriano Goldman, Ben Wilson, Ole Birkeland, Frank Lamm, Rasmus Videbæk, Fabian Wagner, Sophia Olsson, Stuart Howell
- **Editor:** Simon Brasse, Celia Haining, Richard Graham, Paulo Pandolpho, Yan Miles, Daniel Greenway, Amy Hounsell, Frances Parker, Stuart Gazzard, Mark Davis, Luke Dunkley, Tim Porter, Lucia Zucchetti, Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, Adam Bosman, Morten Højbjerg, Paolo Pandolpho, Peggy Koretzky, Mark Eckersley, Adam Biskupski
- **Music:** Martin Phipps, Rupert Gregson-Williams, Lorne Balfe
- **Production design:** Martin Childs
- **Costume design:** Amy Roberts, Jane Petrie, Michele Clapton, Timothy Everest
- **Producer:** Michael Casey, Martin Harrison, Andy Stebbing
- **Cast:** Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II; Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II; Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret; Dominic West as Prince Charles; Matt Smith as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Jonny Lee Miller as John Major; Claudia Harrison as Princess Anne
- **Release (Thailand):** 4 November 2016
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Also in:** [Emmy Outstanding Drama Series winners](https://film.one/collections/emmy-drama.md) (Nominee, 2017)
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWtnJjn6ng0

## Where to watch in Thailand

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Golden Globes 2023: Best Television Series – Drama (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Wolf Hall* (2015): More wary conversations about power, with greater danger attached to choosing badly
- *Borgen* (2010), Fi1m 84: Political duty strains private lives, with more room for argument and compromise — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/borgen.md)
- *The Leopard* (1963), Fi1m 88: An aristocratic family faces change, observed with patience and an unsentimental eye — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-leopard.md)
- *A Royal Affair* (2012), Fi1m 70: Court protocol and private desire make an increasingly difficult combination to manage — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-royal-affair.md)
- *The Queen* (2006), Fi1m 84: A tighter royal drama that finds tension in restraint and public expectation — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-queen.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/the-crown