The Crown is one of the best drama shows of the 21st century, and certainly one of the strongest programs that Netflix has ever released. While the streaming service has primarily focused its efforts on making genre shows like Stranger Things, The Witcher, and Dark, The Crown proved to be an exciting history lesson that examined the outstanding legacy of the British Royal Family as it interacted with some of the most significant events of the last century.
Like most great shows, The Crown fluctuated dramatically in terms of quality, with most fans agreeing that the last two seasons were a fairly significant step down in terms of quality. That being said, earlier episodes standout for being incisive, entertaining, and surprisingly thought-provoking, as they managed to somehow make the family of royals into relatable characters. Here are the ten best episodes of The Crown, ranked.
10
“Dear Mrs. Kennedy”
Season 2, Episode 8 (2017)
Netflix
Although the series primarily focuses on the ways in which Great Britain evolved over the course of the 20th century, The Crown was able to analyze the rise of the Kennedy dynasty in “Dear Mrs. Kennedy,” an episode that centers on President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie visiting the royals. While the Kennedys are often hailed as being the pinnacles of the “American dream,” Queen Elizabeth (Claire Foy) finds that the First Lady is far more judgmental and chaotic than she had imagined.
“Dear Mrs. Kennedy” did a great job at exploring the cultural differences between America and Britain, and did feature an outstanding guest performance by Michael C. Hall, who completely shed his Dexter persona to play a very realistic version of President Kennedy. Despite being one of the more entertaining episodes, it is undercut by melancholy upon the revelation of Kenndy’s eventual assassination.
9
“Tywysog Cymru”
Season 3, Episode 6 (2019)
Image via Netflix
Josh O’Connor proved to be one of the greatest additions to The Crown when he joined the third season as Prince Charles, who struggles to define his own legacy outside of Elizabeth (Olivia Colman) and Prince Phillip (Tobias Menzies). Although the episode “Tywysog Cymru” features a more responsible version of Charles who shows patience and insight upon his visit to Wales, it also hints at the tension that begins to brew when he disagrees with his mother’s commands.
The depiction of familial dysfunction is quite terrific in The Crown, as it shows how hard it was for the House of Windsor to balance personal obligations amidst the responsibilities of leading the nation. Although Charles is a figure whose popularity has wavered throughout his life as a member of the family, O’Connor does a great job at turning him into an empathetic character.
8
“Matrimonium”
Season 2, Episode 7 (2017)
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“Matrimonium” is one of the best episodes focused on the romantic life of Princess Margaret, who is played in one of the show’s greatest performances by Vanessa Kirby. Although Margaret was fully in love with Captain Peter Townsend (Ben Miles) over the course of the first season, Elizabeth’s refusal to bless their marriage led her to have a passionate relationship with Tony Armstrong-Jones (Matthew Goode).
“Matrimonium” shows the tumultuous way in which Margaret’s marriage was arranged, as her motivation is to eclipse Peter, who is also announced to be marrying a much younger woman. While this could have easily played out as nothing more than historical melodrama, the terrific episode is able to show how the pressure of royal duty led Margaret to lead a chaotic, and often unpredictable life. Kirby has never been as charismatic, yet heartbreaking as she is in this episode.
7
“Gelignite”
Season 1, Episode 6 (2016)
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“Gelignite” is one of the most emotionally devastating episodes of The Crown, as it sparks off a rivalry between Margaret and Elizabeth that would end up spanning the entire series. Although Margaret professes that she would do anything to marry Peter, Elizabeth understands that it is impossible; given that Peter is a divorcee who is much older than Margaret, she knows that it is necessary to avoid any public scrutiny that could stoke backlash.
The relationship between pleasure and duty is at the core of The Crown, as the series examines the complex ways in which Elizabeth has to maintain her family. Although these factors of history were well known before, The Crown was able to turn them into a richly compelling work of drama that is nearly guaranteed to leave viewers with tears in their eyes as the romance ends.
6
“Act of God”
Season 1, Episode 4 (2016)
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“Act of God” is one of the most enlightening episodes of The Crown, as it was able to shine a spotlight on a historical tragedy that some may not have known about. The episodes explore the “London fog” crisis that overtook the city early into Elizabeth’s reign, and resulted in significant public chaos and lives lost.
“Act of God” isn’t as much focused on the politics or interpersonal relationships of other episodes, as it instead was able to examine the hardships that Elizabeth faced when trying to lead her nation during an unavoidable tragedy. The episode also features one of the best performances that John Lithgow gave in the role of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, as he deals with the tragic death of a young assistant that leaves him with one less person to rely on as he grows older and embittered.
5
“Fairytale”
Season 4, Episode 3 (2020)
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There are few storylines that The Crown has pulled off better than the tragic relationship between Charles and Princess Diana, played in a stunning breakout performance by Emma Corrin. Although the title of the episode “Fairytale” itself refers to the fantasy-esque ways in which Diana first falls in love with Charles, it soon becomes clear that the idealized version of their relationship was never meant to last.
“Fairytale” does a great job of exploring Diana’s innocence, and how she came to be an object of Charles’ affection when he was in the midst of strife with Camilla (Emerald Fennell). Although it is a haunting episode when considered within the context of where the series would eventually go, the impeccable chemistry between Corrin and O’Connor makes it undeniably exciting within the moment in which the fantasy still feels like reality.
4
“Terra Nullius”
Season 4, Episode 6 (2020)
“Terra Nullius” serves as a tragic continuation of the themes that were brought up in “Fairytale,” as it shows how quickly the marriage between Charles and Diana has become completely untenable. The tension between the couple begins to hit a new high when Diana begins to eclipse Charles during an international tour; Charles, who has spent his whole life being bullied by his mother, begins to feel increasingly insecure about being undermined by another powerful woman.
“Terra Nullius” does a great job at being intimate, as it sets aside time to show authentic scenes of Charles and Diana interacting with one another in between their public appearances. Although the show is certainly far more emphatic in its portrayal of Diana, O’Connor is able to hint at a more complex, tragic side of Charles than some may have expected there to be.
3
“Vergangenheit”
Season 2, Episode 6 (2017)
Although The Crown has occasionally been accused of being far too lenient in its assessment of the Royal Family and its legacy, “Vergangenheit” offers a haunting revelation about the history of the monarchy, as it explores the ties that the former King Edward (Alex Jennings) had with the Nazi party during the lead up to World War II. Had he not abstained from office, leaving his brother George (Jared Harris) to become King, there is no telling how history would have played out.
“Vergangenheit” serves as a reminder of the privilege that the Royal Family has, and how it has used its power to squash any controversial moments from its history so that they are virtually unknown to the public. The show would frequently go on to show how the threat of fascism is still dominant, as hatred sadly didn’t die with the defeat of the Nazis in 1945.
2
“Aberfan”
Season 3, Episode 3 (2019)
“Aberfan” is the single most devastating episode of The Crown, and likely is the main reason why Colman ended up winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, and why the show itself also claimed victory in the top category.
“Aberfan” explores the aftermath of a slag heap collapse at a school, a tragedy that killed over 100 children and almost thirty teachers and staff members. The episode does an excellent job at showing how challenging it can be for Elizabeth to offer words of support to a nation during an event so bleak; when there is no opponent to blame and no words of solace that can be offered to the victims’ families, Elizabeth’s only choice is to offer sympathy and remain of symbol of heroism that the nation can look to for guidance amidst the dark.
1
“Hyde Park Corner”
Season 1, Episode 2 (2016)
“Hyde Park Corner” is the single most important episode of The Crown, as it marks the beginning of Elizabeth’s ascension to the role of Queen, which she would occupy longer than any other ruler in written history. Although much of the episode’s emotional weight comes from the death of King George, who is played quite movingly by Harris, it does also get into the nitty-gritty of how the public was informed of an event that shaped the future of the nation.
“Hyde Park Corner” shows the brilliance of The Crown, as it would not have been possible to have this much detail on a specific moment in history if the entire events of Elizabeth’s life had to be condensed into a single biographical feature film that did not have the freedom to explore some of the ambiguities of written history.