The Crown: Mystery Man
December 20, 2017 6:10 PM - Season 2, Episode 10 - Subscribe
A salacious government scandal hits close to home for Elizabeth and Philip. Elizabeth retreats to Scotland for rest during a difficult pregnancy.
Matt Smith is so good at this. If you had asked me to make a list of people who I would suppose had never cuddled anyone in their lives, I would probably have put Prince Philip on it. And yet Smith sells it: Philip actually being comforting and supportive. No wonder the actual Palace isn’t mad about this show.
posted by Countess Elena at 6:37 PM on December 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 6:37 PM on December 20, 2017 [6 favorites]
I really found this a flat, unengaging episode...after the whole season, we're still dealing with the problems in their marriage. Yawn. We did that for the first three episodes.
A bit more of an uneven season that the first one, I thought - Dear Mrs. Kennedy and this one just didn't click for me, a few others that were just ok. But I guess I am mostly interested in the stories that deal with the ongoing modernization of the Royals, so I was hoping to see this episode veer off into dealing with the fallout of Elizabeth's quick appointment of a new Prime Minister instead of Philip and Elizabeth hashing things out. Again.
posted by nubs at 9:49 AM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
A bit more of an uneven season that the first one, I thought - Dear Mrs. Kennedy and this one just didn't click for me, a few others that were just ok. But I guess I am mostly interested in the stories that deal with the ongoing modernization of the Royals, so I was hoping to see this episode veer off into dealing with the fallout of Elizabeth's quick appointment of a new Prime Minister instead of Philip and Elizabeth hashing things out. Again.
posted by nubs at 9:49 AM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
And I guess farewell to Claire Foy and Matt Smith, along with the rest of the cast, who I think were excellent in their roles.
posted by nubs at 9:51 AM on December 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by nubs at 9:51 AM on December 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
Was that the series finale and not just a season one? poop.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:29 PM on December 21, 2017
posted by poffin boffin at 12:29 PM on December 21, 2017
oh hm, I assumed they'd just use terribleish makeup.
posted by poffin boffin at 12:42 PM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by poffin boffin at 12:42 PM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
No, they just went ahead and hired Olivia Colman for the next couple of seasons - no word on the others yet.
posted by angeline at 5:45 PM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by angeline at 5:45 PM on December 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Nooooo! I love the cast! I could watch Claire Foy all day long.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:59 PM on December 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 4:59 PM on December 22, 2017 [7 favorites]
I found (and then lost) a link to a supercut of Foy just saying "Oh" and "I see". I will keep looking. :)
posted by Mogur at 12:06 PM on December 23, 2017
posted by Mogur at 12:06 PM on December 23, 2017
Please give Claire Foy all the awards for that scene with Phillip.
The theme of how quickly Britain was changing during these years really stands out. Somehow the monarchy has ended up looking more modern than the politicians.
posted by dry white toast at 2:39 PM on December 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
The theme of how quickly Britain was changing during these years really stands out. Somehow the monarchy has ended up looking more modern than the politicians.
posted by dry white toast at 2:39 PM on December 23, 2017 [1 favorite]
I found (and then lost) a link to a supercut of Foy just saying "Oh" and "I see".
It should also have "thank you" and "do sit down."
Please give Claire Foy all the awards for that scene with Phillip.
The part where he gets down on his knees saying "I'm yours" and then there's the shot of her face where the only thing moving is her eyes, taking him in from all directions like "do I believe this? Is this real, or is he playing me?"
(Hurling Emmy award statues at the screen.)
posted by dnash at 9:30 PM on December 27, 2017 [7 favorites]
It should also have "thank you" and "do sit down."
Please give Claire Foy all the awards for that scene with Phillip.
The part where he gets down on his knees saying "I'm yours" and then there's the shot of her face where the only thing moving is her eyes, taking him in from all directions like "do I believe this? Is this real, or is he playing me?"
(Hurling Emmy award statues at the screen.)
posted by dnash at 9:30 PM on December 27, 2017 [7 favorites]
I found (and then lost) a link to a supercut of Foy just saying "Oh" and "I see".
There's this but it needs to be longer, dang it
posted by wheek wheek wheek at 5:08 AM on December 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's this but it needs to be longer, dang it
posted by wheek wheek wheek at 5:08 AM on December 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Personally I find myself wanting to say "Thenk yo" when I collect my change at the bodega.
That's not right, it's not "yo" like a yankee would say it, but there definitely is hardly any "u" in there at all. Almost like "thenk y'ho"? Again that doesn't read right if you are an American. But the Queen's manner of speaking is really idiosyncratic, and Claire Foy nailed it.
I put a couple comments in the last thread, forgetting it was not the finale, and would love responses to my questions if people are still reading here.
posted by torticat at 12:57 AM on December 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
That's not right, it's not "yo" like a yankee would say it, but there definitely is hardly any "u" in there at all. Almost like "thenk y'ho"? Again that doesn't read right if you are an American. But the Queen's manner of speaking is really idiosyncratic, and Claire Foy nailed it.
I put a couple comments in the last thread, forgetting it was not the finale, and would love responses to my questions if people are still reading here.
posted by torticat at 12:57 AM on December 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
Seeing news that Helena Bonham Carter will be the new Princess Margaret.
posted by nubs at 9:24 AM on January 5, 2018
posted by nubs at 9:24 AM on January 5, 2018
GOD I hope that’s true. I really do. She would almost make me stop being mopey about the loss of Vanessa Kirby.
posted by angeline at 3:58 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by angeline at 3:58 PM on January 5, 2018 [1 favorite]
Two of my favourite Claire Foy acting moments were in this episode, and both without dialogue: Her reaction to hearing about the discovery of the Philip portrait, and then as she waits for Philip's reaction to the photograph in the drawer.
The first one, well, I seriously started to wonder if she was going to ask about the possibility of the palace arranging An Accident for the duke. The second one, there was this faint smile, the sense of "now you're caught so clearly that you finally have no choice but to acknowledge the truth".
But then he doesn't acknowledge it, and she seems to... accept this outcome. Why? Are we to understand that Philip's statement of "in not out" is supposed to tell us he's changed from the time of the 1957 tour, and she believes him? ( I guess it has been a while.) Or does she buy that he's been loyal all along? I can't tell!
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 8:09 AM on January 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
The first one, well, I seriously started to wonder if she was going to ask about the possibility of the palace arranging An Accident for the duke. The second one, there was this faint smile, the sense of "now you're caught so clearly that you finally have no choice but to acknowledge the truth".
But then he doesn't acknowledge it, and she seems to... accept this outcome. Why? Are we to understand that Philip's statement of "in not out" is supposed to tell us he's changed from the time of the 1957 tour, and she believes him? ( I guess it has been a while.) Or does she buy that he's been loyal all along? I can't tell!
posted by Clandestine Outlawry at 8:09 AM on January 12, 2018 [1 favorite]
The BCC documentary on the Coronation sounds like it has some interesting stuff in it:
-During WWII, the crown jewels were kept in a biscuit tin buried at Windsor Castle;
-The crown is so heavy, the Queen says you can't look down while wearing it or else it would break your neck (which just sounds like a delicious way of describing the themes of "The Crown")
-The Queen's gown/train at the coronation got caught up in the pile of the carpet and she couldn't move.
posted by nubs at 8:59 AM on January 12, 2018 [2 favorites]
-During WWII, the crown jewels were kept in a biscuit tin buried at Windsor Castle;
-The crown is so heavy, the Queen says you can't look down while wearing it or else it would break your neck (which just sounds like a delicious way of describing the themes of "The Crown")
-The Queen's gown/train at the coronation got caught up in the pile of the carpet and she couldn't move.
posted by nubs at 8:59 AM on January 12, 2018 [2 favorites]
Christ, that was some beautiful gaslighting on Philip's part. I really love the power politics of their marriage--it feels like the theme of "will Philip bow to his wife?" is repeated over and over again. He does here. Or does he? He can never let her be the grown-up in their relationship and it's fascinating.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 12:09 PM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 12:09 PM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Do they use actual newspaper headlines in the show or do they make them up? (I’ll be very disappointed if they make them up)
posted by LizBoBiz at 3:08 PM on February 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by LizBoBiz at 3:08 PM on February 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Do they use actual newspaper headlines in the show or do they make them up?
They may be actual headlines from the time, but the papers themselves were pretty obviously mock ups. It baffles me why tv and movie newspapers-with-screaming-headlines can never seem to get the typography right. There's always enough whitespace around the words and letters to fly a fleet of Saturn V's through. Even in the days of cold type, the typesetters did a farrrrrr better job than is usually portrayed.
Bummer there won't be any more Foy and Smith. Foy was quite amazing in her ability be so very calm and collected in appearance, yet conveying so much with her eyes. And Smith was very surprising to me (in a very good way), though I will admit occasionally flashing on the vision of Dr. Who playing Prince Phillip.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:23 PM on March 15, 2018
They may be actual headlines from the time, but the papers themselves were pretty obviously mock ups. It baffles me why tv and movie newspapers-with-screaming-headlines can never seem to get the typography right. There's always enough whitespace around the words and letters to fly a fleet of Saturn V's through. Even in the days of cold type, the typesetters did a farrrrrr better job than is usually portrayed.
Bummer there won't be any more Foy and Smith. Foy was quite amazing in her ability be so very calm and collected in appearance, yet conveying so much with her eyes. And Smith was very surprising to me (in a very good way), though I will admit occasionally flashing on the vision of Dr. Who playing Prince Phillip.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:23 PM on March 15, 2018
I found (and then lost) a link to a supercut of Foy just saying "Oh" and "I see".
Were you talking about this?
posted by MiraK at 7:15 AM on October 22, 2019
Were you talking about this?
posted by MiraK at 7:15 AM on October 22, 2019
Philip is so infuriating in this episode - as per usual - but I got a bit sucked in at the end. Wanted to believe he might actually be in (after he trotted off to Switzerland in the middle of a scandal, leaving his pregnant wife without a thought).
I did like Margaret scolding Philip. That was nice.
posted by bunderful at 3:48 PM on September 18, 2022
I did like Margaret scolding Philip. That was nice.
posted by bunderful at 3:48 PM on September 18, 2022
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
posted by Cash4Lead at 6:11 PM on December 20, 2017 [2 favorites]