Favourites
- Episode aired Nov 15, 2020
- TV-MA
- 1h
While Margaret Thatcher struggles with the disappearance of her favorite child, Elizabeth reexamines her relationships with her four children.While Margaret Thatcher struggles with the disappearance of her favorite child, Elizabeth reexamines her relationships with her four children.While Margaret Thatcher struggles with the disappearance of her favorite child, Elizabeth reexamines her relationships with her four children.
Featured reviews
Season 4 did start off disappointingly, though not terribly, but did improve with the next two episodes. "Favourites" isn't as good as the very good previous episode "Fairytale", but it is on par with "The Balmoral Test" and better than "Gold Stick". Everything with Elizabeth and her children (with the viewer introduced here to Edward and Andrew) was fascinating, but for me it was less good with the Thatcher (generally have not liked her portrayal on 'The Crown') storyline.
"Favourites" has a lot of very good things. As ever the production values are superb. The production and costume design are both classy and sumptuous, but it's the photography that stands out in this regard. The music is not overbearing or low key. The scripting is thought provoking and intriguing and the character writing and dynamics with Elizabeth and her children intrigued and illuminated. Enough of the story compels.
Most of the acting is fine, Olivia Colman is more relaxed here than she was in the previous Season 4 episodes and Charles, Anne, Edward and Andrew are all strongly portrayed. Cannot rave about Josh O'Connor enough.
A lot less good sadly is Anderson. She ever properly disappears into Thatcher's character and it does come over as too much of a Thatcher caricature and Anderson trying too hard.
Her story also to me didn't come over as very interesting or investable, with the tense and nuanced character interactions in the Royal Family plot not being obvious in Thatcher's, and found some of the writing rather contrived at times. Do agree that the family scene was too cartoonish and like it was lifted from somewhere else.
Despite how that sounds, overall to me the episode was pretty good. Just not a favourite. 7/10.
This episode may be considered low key or even superfluous, but it explores - with wonderful logic and insight - the queen's personality. So far, the queen has been portrayed as a woman of low culture but great determination and and unshakable sense of duty. She has some admirable qualities, but knowing herself (and others) is not her strong point.
One could even venture to say that digging deeper into her own personality would probably disturb her and such is the extent of lack of "intimate knowledge" that challenged by Prince Philip, she cannot even name her favourite child.
In fact, her sense of justice and equality is appalled at the idea of having to "pick a winner" - so to speak. But, intrigued by Thatcher candid acknowledgement that Mark is her favorite son, the queen embarks in a series of one-to-one with her four children, only to discover that they are all lost in their own peculiar way.
Psychologically brilliant and one of my favourite episodes. PS and BTW her favourite is... just do yourself a favour and watch this episode ;-)
Did you know
- TriviaThe American actress to whom Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew are referring to in their lunch meeting is Koo Stark (born Kathleen Norris Stark), who dated Prince Andrew for eighteen months, from February 1981 until 1983, and also starred in the film Emily (1976). In 1997, Prince Andrew became the godfather of Stark's daughter.
- GoofsPrince Andrew mentions that the Duke of York, Richard III, has experience murdering the sons of his elder brother. Richard III was Duke of Gloucester, not Duke of York. However, Richard was from the House of York (he was the last king of that house), and in the very first lines of the play, Shakespeare makes a pun on this fact: "Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun [son] of York."
- Quotes
Carol Thatcher: You disregard me. You overlook me. And you favor Mark.
Margaret Thatcher: Because he's stronger. Like my father was stronger. Yes. You are right. I did struggle with my mother, but it had nothing to do with her sex. It had to do with her weakness. I could not bear how she was prepared to just be a housewife.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards (2021)
Details
- Runtime
- 1h(60 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.00 : 1