The Crown — A brilliant series!
Dear Editor,
There were reports in the media that some in the British Parliament and apparently the monarchy have asked the American streaming platform Netflix to add a disclaimer to the popular series The Crown, that it is fiction. Apparently some have been dissatisfied with how the monarch and family have been portrayed and represented.
Netflix has publicly refused to add the disclaimer.
The series is a brilliant drama with outstanding script writing, acting, cinematography, and directing. It is a master class in the English language, society, and history. The casting is exceptional, with most actors bearing an uncanny resemblance to their real-life characters; from British prime ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher to The Queen, and members of the royal family.
Very few blacks were cast, which I’m sure was deliberate; it was only in recent years the monarchy started to adapt.
The series is not a documentary by any means, but pure drama loosely based on real-life events and history with some exaggeration. Any engaging script is expected to captivate viewers, and this time around many of the viewers are of a younger generation.
As a member of the Commonwealth with The Queen as head of State, some Jamaicans might be curious about the monarchy, its symbolism, what it represents, and why the establishment, otherwise known as “the firm”, has survived hundreds of years. It could also be of interest to anti-monarchists amidst the debate to remove The Queen as head of State.
Jamaica was mentioned twice in the series, I recall, which to date has four seasons, 10 episodes each, and two additional seasons to be added to bring it to its finale. We wait with excitement.
I have found nothing particularly offensive in the series; the truth hurts in retrospect, but the basic story, for the most part, is already out there.