The first episode "Wolferton Splash" made quite a big splash (not very good pun intended) and was a great start to 'The Crown', which to me was one of the jewels of the year when it started (it is not as good now as it used to be though). It was mainly setting things up for what was to come and was basically a set-up episode, which is what a first episode should do and be in my view, and did an excellent job at doing that. Not one of the best episodes of 'The Crown' but goodness wasn't the potential enormous.
"Hyde Park Corner" fares even better. It pretty much follows on from the events of "Wolferton Splash" and not just built upon them but also moved the story forward. It did brilliantly at all of those things. "Hyde Park Corner" has all of the great things that "Wolferton Splash" had and had improvements along the way. Namely that it had more tension (not just the growing relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip but also the whole Churchill subplot) and also the pacing was brisker than the more deliberately paced previous episode, primarily down to the story here being more eventful perhaps.
"Wolferton Splash's" classy and sumptuous production values still remain in "Hyde Park Corner". The photography and production and costume design are evocative and a sight to behold. The music for me wasn't too intrusive or low-key and was beautiful scoring on its own. The main theme is not easy to forget.
Moreover the writing probes a lot of thought and intrigue, it is much more than just soap-opera, has some understated humour and doesn't seem too modern. Loved the intimacy and subtle tension of the storytelling in "Hyde Park Corner" and the relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip grows emotionally. Both grow as characters as Elizabeth prepares for taking more responsibility and Phillip is not as cold in demeanour.
Claire Foy is dignity and class personified already, and those qualities would get stronger with each episode, absolutely agree with another reviewer about her having a very expressive face (one of her biggest appeals for me as an actress). Matt Smith has authority and doesn't look uncomfortable with playing Phillip. John Lithgow still has fun as Churchill.
Summing up, wonderful and superior second episode to a great series. 10/10
"Hyde Park Corner" fares even better. It pretty much follows on from the events of "Wolferton Splash" and not just built upon them but also moved the story forward. It did brilliantly at all of those things. "Hyde Park Corner" has all of the great things that "Wolferton Splash" had and had improvements along the way. Namely that it had more tension (not just the growing relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip but also the whole Churchill subplot) and also the pacing was brisker than the more deliberately paced previous episode, primarily down to the story here being more eventful perhaps.
"Wolferton Splash's" classy and sumptuous production values still remain in "Hyde Park Corner". The photography and production and costume design are evocative and a sight to behold. The music for me wasn't too intrusive or low-key and was beautiful scoring on its own. The main theme is not easy to forget.
Moreover the writing probes a lot of thought and intrigue, it is much more than just soap-opera, has some understated humour and doesn't seem too modern. Loved the intimacy and subtle tension of the storytelling in "Hyde Park Corner" and the relationship between Elizabeth and Phillip grows emotionally. Both grow as characters as Elizabeth prepares for taking more responsibility and Phillip is not as cold in demeanour.
Claire Foy is dignity and class personified already, and those qualities would get stronger with each episode, absolutely agree with another reviewer about her having a very expressive face (one of her biggest appeals for me as an actress). Matt Smith has authority and doesn't look uncomfortable with playing Phillip. John Lithgow still has fun as Churchill.
Summing up, wonderful and superior second episode to a great series. 10/10