On the whole, Season 3 was not as good as the previous two seasons and did start off slowly. It was however better than expected and the best episodes of it were pretty outstanding, with "Aberfan" for examples being one of my favourite episodes of 'The Crown'. The final Season 3 episode "Cri De Coeur" focuses primarily on Margaret, who to me was variably written in this series (with me not being enamoured with her in the first season and finding that she had come on a long way in development in the second).
"Cri De Coeur" really isn't one of the better Margaret-centric episodes, the subject in real life was a lot more interesting than what is shown here. It is not a particularly great end to a season that started off slowly but showed significant improvement and it was like the things that came on a lot over the season had never shown much improvement. Instead of something earth shattering as one might expect from a season ending perhaps, "Cri De Coeur" was like going back to where the season starting.
By all means there are things that are done well. S 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. There is some thought provoking scripting and intrigue and some of the story compels.
The episode is also a case of the supporting cast being better than the leads, in fact the supporting cast were excellent and the supporting character writing came on quite a long way too, with the characters that could easily have been stereotypical ciphers instead coming over as real people.
Really do wish however that "Cri De Coeur" was much better than it was. This reviewer likes Helena Bonham Carter as an actress, but she never really gelled for me as Margaret who was also very underused this season. Too old. Too melodramatic and too neurotic, and it was difficult shaking off her very oddball roles that she became typecast in in the 2000s onwards (which is a shame because she showed herself to be a very good dramatic actress beforehand). Olivia Colman improved massively over the season when given very meaty material in harrowing situations, but here it was like the growth had not happened, here coming over as too firm, sour and cold.
Of all the episodes of Season 3, "Cri De Coeur" had real potential for it to be Margaret's most interesting appearance, but the real story was a good deal more compelling than the soapy and dull treatment it's given here. The story is thin and over stretched and the dialogue lacking in tautness.
In conclusion, disappointing end to a season that was pretty good in the end on the whole. 5/10.
"Cri De Coeur" really isn't one of the better Margaret-centric episodes, the subject in real life was a lot more interesting than what is shown here. It is not a particularly great end to a season that started off slowly but showed significant improvement and it was like the things that came on a lot over the season had never shown much improvement. Instead of something earth shattering as one might expect from a season ending perhaps, "Cri De Coeur" was like going back to where the season starting.
By all means there are things that are done well. S 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. There is some thought provoking scripting and intrigue and some of the story compels.
The episode is also a case of the supporting cast being better than the leads, in fact the supporting cast were excellent and the supporting character writing came on quite a long way too, with the characters that could easily have been stereotypical ciphers instead coming over as real people.
Really do wish however that "Cri De Coeur" was much better than it was. This reviewer likes Helena Bonham Carter as an actress, but she never really gelled for me as Margaret who was also very underused this season. Too old. Too melodramatic and too neurotic, and it was difficult shaking off her very oddball roles that she became typecast in in the 2000s onwards (which is a shame because she showed herself to be a very good dramatic actress beforehand). Olivia Colman improved massively over the season when given very meaty material in harrowing situations, but here it was like the growth had not happened, here coming over as too firm, sour and cold.
Of all the episodes of Season 3, "Cri De Coeur" had real potential for it to be Margaret's most interesting appearance, but the real story was a good deal more compelling than the soapy and dull treatment it's given here. The story is thin and over stretched and the dialogue lacking in tautness.
In conclusion, disappointing end to a season that was pretty good in the end on the whole. 5/10.