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The Crown

                            series review and strictly just my opinion

*clears throat*

      For Netflix, this was a gamble; a gamble that just happened to cash out laurels for the team. The Crown has been met with top-notch ratings, glorifying reviews, and a plethora of awards for the actors and the show itself. The show is quite a rarity really. Overall, it has simple, ordinary themes which are shy from gripping romance, scintillating thriller, or gut-wrenching comedy. Yet, the show somehow manages to retell this un-mystified, unembellished human history in the most magnificent and surreal way possible. These simple arcs did occasionally make me feel like an old soul for till now I had gawked at tactful renderings of war, or mystical, other-worldly creatures and their concocted fictions and surely not at Queen Elizabeth II giving a dressing-down to English prime minister, Winston Churchill! The Crown was a successful attempt at historical fiction and here is why I dare to make such a claim.

*DISCLAIMER: CONTAINS SPOILERS. THOU HAST BEEN WARNED*

 Plot/Accuracy:

  Let’s get the topic that calls for the most discourse out of the way first. The plot cannot be disputed much considering that these are factual events. While some of the arcs are manipulated to provide the plot with flow, and continuity and the characters with some foundation, most of them are quite authentic. There are two points of conversation when it comes to the plot- the accuracy and the choice of incidences chosen to be revisited.

One should bear in mind when talking about accuracy, that this show doesn’t fall under documentaries, but rather historical ‘fiction’. Therefore, I find that the certain liberties taken by the show are completely acceptable. To reinforce my point, here are some words from Philippa Gregory’s ‘Three Sisters Three Queens’:

“The rules of writing history mean that a historian can only speculate about [her] emotions; but a novelist (or in this case, a writer) is allowed, indeed, obliged to recreate a version of them. This is where historical fiction- the hybrid form- does something [I] find profoundly interesting- takes the historical record and turns it inside out; the inner world explains the outer record.”

You see, this indeed is the flair of historical fiction. Not just with analyzing these characters and their intentions and emotions in said moment, but also with threading out a consequence in an interesting way: take Season 4, Episode 5, Fagan, for example, where the effects of Thatcherism (the unemployment crises for one) were highlighted through a real but unrelated incident. I think the central problem here is that the Royal Family of the show are still very much alive and attributing these traits to them may not be undisputed, consequently, as opposed to talking about a by-gone era where media didn’t have much influence either.

As to do with the show’s selection of incidents to portray, I don’t know if I can fully agree on the argument that the show missed out on a few major events. Again, I find myself searching for the exact words to explain my stance thoroughly so once more allow me to cite the words of one redditor who aced my job for me. @sharedimagination on Reddit:

“The show is more about interpreting and recreating the events that shaped the monarchy- the Crown as an entity, not people…. The events [you reference] were moments that didn’t impact on the ultimate trajectory of the Crown and the Queen’s reign. We see so much of Charles and Diana because their marriage and ultimate divorce changed the face of the monarchy and how it operates forever.”

Pretty self-explanatory ain’t it? That being said, some events of the show also acted as a backdrop to explain the conditions in Britain during a certain period and well, they made sense too. A common argument I had noticed being brought up was them not showing more of Princess Diana’s wedding. I for one, never found that to be a problem because the events leading up to it were evidence enough to show the precarious condition she had been roped into and the ceremony in itself wouldn’t have added much to that. In contrast, Princess Margaret’s wedding scenes, for instance, were insinuative and descriptive of her circumstances.

Writing:

      The writing…oh my God. That’s all there is to say. The writing is appropriate and not over-done, smart and rather iconic at times. Bless whoever came up with John. F Kennedy’s slandering of honorifics in Season 2, Episode 8, Dear Mrs. Kennedy. Be it the witty remarks between Philip and the Queen (the discussion regarding her new haircut in Season 2, Episode 5, Marionettes, the burn regarding the ballerina in Season 4, Episode 9, Avalanche, to name few), the heart-wrenching monologues from the characters ( “the only person I have ever loved is you…” from Season 1, Episode 9, Assassins, “you have a father…” from Season 4, Episode 1, Gold Stick), the wise insights of theirs (“…alongside the dull, dutiful, reliable, heroic strain runs another…” from Season 3, Episode 2, Margaretology) or even the audacious comments of Charles’ about/to Diana, each seemed to have been written with much thought and ingenuity. One of the maybe two instances where the dialogues seemed to me a bit unhinged were the last words from the Queen to Churchill. Her going on about him being the roof over her head, the spine in her back, and the iron in her heart came off a tad extra and maybe even pretentious. He was a support to her in the genesis of her reign and a great help to her and the country he served, but the dialogue was far too flowery. It’s still a great achievement, nevertheless, that this show has a such paucity of bad writing. The repeat of certain lines in the show to draw parallels between two characters never failed to hit either.

Each of the major characters represented their own ways of looking at the world and the monarchy. Eventually, you’d find yourself siding with a character and their own thought-out morals. Being a lover of regularity and rationalism, I found my compass leaning toward Queen Elizabeth throughout most the series. Her inner monologue comparing herself to her far more ‘edgy’ and fun sister, and at another time to the bewitching beauty of Mrs. Kennedy and her finally embracing her dutiful and mundane self as one that was needed to sustain the monarchy, gave the character much authenticity and depth. It was also fascinating to see the narrative switch to Princess Diana in the later season in a very fluid way. The story sort of panned out from the Queen and other family members to the Princess who now has an intimate and personal front where each of her feelings and actions are validated or analyzed as opposed to the Queen herself who is now presented from a third person’s point-of-view where some of her reactions may come off a bit callous or disregarding as attestation to the same.  

Acting:

I’ve come upon a staunch consensus that British television has some of the most brilliant actors to grace the big screens. Both Olivia Colman and Claire Foy nailed the impression of the Queen. Olivia Colman also struck a continuity within the cast change by not only doing the former but also by capturing the nuances in Claire’s acting as well. Speaking of Claire Foy, her take on the lovesick Queen Elizabeth was heart-wrenching. I couldn’t help but feel smitten, and at the same time, admire her acting chops in the scene where she was showing the family videos of the Duke of Edinburgh’s voyage. Adding to the romance of the series, another raw and well-acted out sequence was with Charles and Diana, where they began to fall in love just before Charles’ ego got the best of him. You almost start to believe they could make it. Ahh if only! Jason Watkins did a great job at portraying his real-life counterpart, Harold Wilson. The fact was made apparent to me only after watching one of the Prime Minister’s own interviews. The intonation and the manner of speaking were uncannily similar. There were several other actors who did well regardless of their screen-time. Several of them I’ve seen continue to ace their roles in other dramas/ movies too, supporting my conviction in the beginning. Among the actors who were praised for their rendition, but I believe fell short of the task were, Gillian Anderson and Josh O’Conner. There was something uncharacteristically amateur about Gillian Anderson’s acting in particular. Forgive me, it felt very disingenuous and had weirdly no semblance with the real Margaret Thatcher. It was forced and yet off-the-mark at the same time.

Recasting in a series is usually tricky and most often faulty. The Crown arguably had one of the most tolerable recasts in TV history. While it did take some time warming up to the entirety of the new cast, they did a pretty good job with most of the actors. I am, however, apprehensive of the newer cast for the upcoming seasons. There’s something about Umbridge *winces* playing the Queen that just rubs me the wrong way. I am prepared to be swayed though, if that be the case.

Music:

The music was simply *chef’s kiss* Much appreciation to the sound department for choosing fitting pieces which were also relevant to the time period. This is surely one of the few shows with the best music choices. To revisit my favorites selections: Inglan is a Bitch from Season 4, Episode 8; Uptown Girl from Season 4, Episode 9; Carlo from Season 3, Episode 6; Beggin’ from Season 3, Episode 8; Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You (wasn’t this just absolutely adorable?) from Season 4, Episode 6; Starman (posh bougie) from Season 3, Episode 9… The soundtrack for the whole production was euphonious.

After all that’s been said, there are countless more moments where the show moves you. Countless more where the team’s work truly stands out not only amongst partnering Netflix shows but also in the genre. It truly leaves one at the edge of their seats musing about what’s next. I would say let’s wait and see how the story plays out but oh… how ironic! I had said that The Crown was a successful attempt at historical fiction? I gladly rest my case.

My rating: 9/10.

Feel free to share your opinions and views down below.

[adollarformythoughts-joemama]

“There is no possibility of my forgiving you. The question is: How on Earth can you forgive yourself?”

-Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown.

“I am aware that I am surrounded by people who feel that they could do the job better, strong people with powerful characters, but for better or worse, the Crown has landed on my head.”

-Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown.

[adollarformythoughts-joemama]

Welcome to the N.H.K.

                    exclusively anime review and strictly just my opinion

*clears throat*

       I’m someone who’s never taken much of a liking towards ‘slice-of-life’ animes. I’ve intentionally overlooked them along with their, in my opinion, equally drab counterparts such as ‘coming-of-age’, romance and marvel films. Regardless, the genres do surprise me as well as most with the occasional spurts of good films/ animes/ series. Welcome to the N.H.K, I can gladly admit, is one of them.

*DISCLAIMER: CONTAINS SPOILERS. THOU HAST BEEN WARNED*

 To recapitulate: Tatsuhiro Satou is a 22-year-old ‘hikikomori’ who has reclused himself from the outside world for nearly 4 years and who’s primary means of living is entirely satisfied by his parents. He meets Misaki Nakahara, who takes him up on a weird project to heal him of his condition. During the course of the story, he weaves himself into developing games with his neighbor and high-school junior, Kaoru Yamazaki, an actual suicide pact/ expedition with high-school senior, Hitomi Kashiwa, and a freaking pyramid-scheme aided by his high-school class leader, Megumi Kobayashi, along with other oddities. All the while, he blames his downfalls on a conspiracy, the idea of which was seeded into his head by Hitomi, the N.H.K.

And if I were to recap just the ‘essence’ of the long winding plot points of the anime, I would say “it is the most slice-of-life anime that has ever slice-of-life -ed.”

Welcome to the N.H.K is a depressing story of someone who has removed himself from the outside world and who struggles on a day-to-day basis to do anything at all other than being holed up and waste away. And this is exactly what the writing of his character portrays. With his nervous breakdowns in public, his blabbering when he does come in contact with someone else, his incessant lying to escape tedious situations, him alluding his shortcomings to the works of the N.H.K, everything depicts spot-on how a person like him would be in real-life. In fact, every character in this anime have been written with a level of accuracy and relevance to real-life individuals and not as exaggerated and unrealistic depictions. One of the scenes that I found impressive, in this regard, was when Satou pushes himself to find a job and repeats his introduction to himself countless times as he walks up to the job-offer. As someone who’s been an introvert most of my life, I can confirm that this ,in fact, couldn’t be more accurate to character. All this takes on an eerie note when you get to know that the author himself is a hikikomori.

Satou frequently recalls his high-school literature club where the only other member was Hitomi. From his flashbacks we understand that Satou was never as worse as he is now but has to some extent always been detached from the rest of his colleagues. Therefore, it isn’t too far-fetched as to how he ended up in this precarious situation, nor is it difficult to know why he alludes his misfortunes to the conspiracy of the N.H.K. He even occasionally regrets not taking things further with his senpai, Hitomi, thinking he wouldn’t have been stuck in this position if he did. Then comes along, Misaki Nakahara.

Misaki Nakahara, as we learn later on, is even more so dark than Satou is. At first, she comes off like a means of hope and redemption. This image of hers is strengthened as Satou, much like everyone else who watches this anime, relates her to an angel. An angel sent from God to rescue him from his affliction. A guardian angel, if you will. Her inconspicuous and shrouded ways of finding out and knowing everything about Satou justifies our stance. Even her character art comes off as this innocent, delicate, loving and kindred soul. However, this is not who Misaki is under her façade. She spies on Satou through the direct view from her own room and gathers his information from the landlord of his building who happens to be her uncle. All this she does just to convince herself that she’s not as helpless as she seems and that there is someone who is more worthless than she is. Her character is twisted in all sorts of ways. She blames herself for all the misfortunes she has imagined to have inflicted on those around her. She has no drive and no purpose. She’s just as Satou is- wasting away but in a rather move concealed and outwardly pleasant way. Her rather pointless counselling sessions for Satou sometimes reveals her own gnarled ideologies: being confident by believing that the other person is worse or in a lower position compared to you. Her relationship with the cat is yet another example of her ideologies: “As long as I give him what he wants, I’m sure he’ll remember me.”

The suicide pact scene. I bring this up to discuss the characteristics of the above mentioned two. While it was a truly interesting sequence with some dark humor behind it, it also made it clear how far gone both Satou and Misaki were. Satou throughout the anime, fights a dynamic where he’s comfortable and almost okay at some points, with his horrible condition, but also desperate at others to get out of it (which I can again attest to and say it’s quite accurate to when someone is in similar conditions IRL). His desperateness pushes him to be selfish at times, one of it being his ‘trip’ with Hitomi. In his head, Hitomi seeks solace in him and is on the verge of falling off the map (no pun intended) for a few days as is the norm. He takes the opportunity to accompany her on a trip which would eventually relieve him of his hikikomori condition. Whether or not his feelings for her are significant or true enough doesn’t seem to be his concern while choosing her as his ticket out. Cut to the scene where they stand on the cliff’s edge, ready to dive into their awaiting coffins. Satou finally understanding the awkward situation he’s in, doesn’t know how to back down. As the others, one by one, back out, realizing they would be leaving something behind, Satou realizes he has absolutely nothing to leave behind. His only ember of hope stands beside him, clutching his hand and brimming with certainty of dying. So, he would die too. But alas, my boy can’t catch a break! Hitomi’s boyfriend rides in and proposes, providing her with something (-one) she could call her own. Something that she could look forward too. Something that could brighten up her life. She decides not to jump and along with that the ember of hope to Satou is snuffed out. Now he really WANTS to jump. Here is where I turn to Misaki. Any ‘friend’ or ally in their right minds would call out the reasons as to why he shouldn’t end his life but continue to live. Now this isn’t what she does, is it readers? Ah, you’re right. The answer is no (I do apologize for having my little Dora the Explorer moment). She calls him out for what she sees him as- a worthless, up-to-no-good individual. His heart breaks even more, if it were even possible to in the first place. Here ends all the fluffy moments the two share. And that, rightfully so. Misaki doesn’t want Satou to die because she needs him in her own little selfish way, to live.

Hitomi Kashiwa, the depressed high school senior of Satou who turns to substance abuse to keep herself going. She is probably one of the best characters along with Satou and Misaki. Her conditions are not that bad compared to the latter. She seems to be doing well enough and even has a loving boyfriend. Sure, he’s often preoccupied with business matters and her own work atmosphere doesn’t seem like the best, but she is in a lot of ways more stable than the others. Nevertheless, she is probably on the best media portrayals of a depressed individual. Not just sad. Not just grieving. But in perpetual gloom. That, readers, is what depression is. Despite having a loving boyfriend, who she herself undeniably loves, she turns to Satou for a sense of comfort. An eerie, disturbing, transient and eventually unsettling comfort which would seem foreign and even stupid to someone unaccustomed to her condition. While she was never my favorite character and she isn’t really an interesting one either, she plays into the theme of the anime and is quite instrumental to it. Just like Satou’s neighbor, Kaoru Yamazaki. He provides Satou with some purpose, for a while, as well as companionship. He has his own set of battles to war in, into which I won’t go too much. Near the end of the anime, Yamazaki is forced to return home and manage the family ranch, giving up on his passion and dream of game designing as well as cutting off all connections with his love interest, who takes up a lot of his raw emotions during the course of the anime.

The final sequence is just…amazing. Everything Misaki could live for, she loses. Satou, having been cut off of all expenses, is practically forced by his primal instincts of survival, to look for a job and feed himself, much like Megumi’s brother (the gut-wrenching cry of pure pain he lets out as the gang leaves his place is similar to the cry of defeat Satou lets out on the cliff. The similarity is both sad and impressive). At this point, Misaki decides to end her life. Satou rushes to save her, owing to the love he has for her, despite the bitterness between the two. As Satou embraces the trembling Misaki, he tells her that the misfortunes she seems to be plagued with, are not her fault. She should live. She shouldn’t give up. If she must blame it on something, let her blame it on a conspiracy, the N.H.K for example. You can call it whatever you want. You can even call it God, he says. But she doesn’t need to blame herself and she doesn’t need to feel worthless. She isn’t. And here, he takes off running to the edge of the cliff, this time determined to jump. He shouts for her to live a long life, at least because of what  he’s about to do. He breaks character. He stops being selfish. He’s ready to die a dramatic death if it means she would accept it and live. Of course, in the end both leave alive but also having died and reborn. The anime ends on a rather neutral and open-ending note. Satou is still an anxious outcast but he’s in a better place. He signs a (third) contract agreeing to the terms that both him and Misaki would help each other and keep each other going. This isn’t a happy ending. This is an ‘okay’ ending and that’s what makes it amazing.

 Life is often filled with one bad experience after another. There are times we are able to pick ourselves up and keep going but there are times we fall down and seem to forget how to get back up. Most times we cruise through life having done nothing significant. Most times we feel worthless. Sometimes, we stay down and only seem to stay there. The weight of the world and the weight of the emptiness we feel, crushes us and squishes us into the recesses of the Earth. Sometimes we get tired and decide to give up. But that’s how life is. No matter how bad of a place you’re in, life has a weird way of actually getting better, a way of giving you some space to breath. No matter how bad life gets, you can always come back. You can always get a chance to smile. Satou and Misaki aren’t suddenly living in a fairy-tale, where it’s all glee and rainbows. They continue to live in their trying situations, but they aren’t as worse off. They get to live not just for the sake of living. Hitomi on the cliff earns something similar: a future that brings her happiness. Yamazaki finds the same in the ranch. He isn’t doing what he initially craved to do but he’s content and has someone equally content to share it with. His ending tells us that life has a strange sense of humor. We may never know where happiness may pop out off. Life does get better and is worth all the gold in this world and even more, to experience it.

“Welcome to the N.H.K is the most slice-of-life anime that has ever slice-of-life-ed.” You get it now? The OP is filled with abstract imagery, quite fitting to the anime itself. Satou, first painted as a normal guy, reveals a dejected, terrified person when the camera pans into his mind. Misaki, looking like an angel, reveals a sad, twisted person as the camera pans into hers. The opening song, if you notice, changes ever so slightly yet at the same time very significantly, throughout the anime. The trumpets in the first version fade away and a more opera-like music takes its place signaling to the change in tone of the story itself. Throughout the anime as well, the music is very appropriate, and the scenes are always tinged with a bit of dark humor. I wouldn’t be surprised to catch myself laughing at an otherwise pathetic scene. But that’s the anime for you. Sick but beautifully written.

Would I recommend this anime to others? I surely will. It’s beautiful, realistic and doesn’t glorify being an addict or an otaku as some other media do. Meme culture has normalized depressing tones and other media has romanticized the idea and planted misconceptions that these people would somehow, someway end up heroic. This anime testifies life for what it is.

It’s a light watch in terms of storyline but definitely an unsettling one in the one of the best and hopeful way possible.

My rating: 8/10.

Feel free to share your opinions and views down below.

[adollarformythoughts-joemama]

“People who neglect to make efforts or who don’t take any actions at all are always the ones who dream that someday they will suddenly become wildly successful”

-Misaki Nakahara, Welcome to the N.H.K.

“No human being, regardless of who they might be, want to look directly at their own shortcomings.”

-Tatsuhiro Satou, Welcome to the N.H.K.