THE INTERPRETERS | Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West
THE SHOW | The crown
THE EPISODE | “Couple 31” (November 9, 2022)
SHOWS | Season 5 of Netflix’s royal drama chronicled the slow and painful demise of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage, and at times it was hard to remember what they even loved about each other in first place. But in a masterful scene near the end of the season’s penultimate episode, the newly divorced couple met privately to share some laughs and take a hard look at what was wrong with their relationship, Debicki and West bringing shocking frankness and new vulnerability to the two former lovers.
In the extended scene — it’s just the two of them for about 12 minutes of screen time — Charles moved on to Diana’s residence after their divorce became final, and although she was kept at first, they were rediscovered a bit of their old spark, with Debicki softening Diana’s steely gaze and West adding a levity to Charles’ tough exterior. They even laughed together as Diana tried and failed to cook him an omelet, with Debicki and West displaying a warmth we haven’t seen between these two since they started dating. However, the long history between them hung heavily in the air: after Charles complimented Diana, he added sadly, “I probably didn’t do that enough, did I?” Say nice things. West was surprisingly kind and contemplative as Charles surveyed the wreckage of their marriage, Debicki tearing up as Diana opened up about her insecurities. But old conflicts resurfaced and they ended up yelling at each other, with Charles eventually admitting he only married Diana ‘because I had no choice’ which landed like a knife in the heart from Diana. After storming out, Debicki dissolved into sobs that it seemed Diana had been holding inside for over a decade.
It was a fascinating scene because in it, Charles and Diana weren’t the future King of England and beloved Princess of Wales; they were just two ex-spouses who looked back on their time with a bittersweet mix of affection and regret. That kind of intimate look behind the curtain is what we watch The crown for, and the penetrating work of Debicki and West has given us a whole new level of understanding of the kind of emotional turmoil that lurks behind the majestic gates of Buckingham Palace.
HONORABLE MENTION | Emily Blunt was utterly sublime through the last two episodes of English, as Cornelia slowly came to terms with a fate she didn’t deserve – an attack of incurable syphilis inflicted on her by the rapist who had also given her his son. She knew full well that her midnight dust bath would do nothing to wash away the disease from her body, but Blunt was simply spellbinding as Cornelia gave way to madness and tried to dissociate herself from her own decline. She got even better later, when Cornelia described the impact of syphilis on her boy, who died at the age of 14. This scene was the exact opposite of Cornelia’s dust bath. She managed to keep her composure, even as tears streamed down her face. But Blunt made us feel every ounce of her character’s unrelenting grief as she expressed her gratitude for the helpless child who prepared her for her eventual demise.
HONORABLE MENTION | Gino Barelli’s relentless pursuit of truth never wavered during American Horror Story: NYCfive weeks, nor is the work of Joe Mantello, whose gripping turn as a gay Manhattan reporter on the eve of the AIDS crisis anchored the hauntingly gritty season. As one of the series’ few surviving characters (and not for long), Gino was given a prolonged spotlight during Wednesday’s heartbreaking finale, giving Mantello one last chance to command the screen with another eye-opening performance. . This powerful montage of Gino fighting through the years, both for his own life and the future of his community, will stay with us for a long time.
HONORABLE MENTION | For Linda Cardellini’s Judy Hale, the events of dead to me has always been an exercise in maintaining his heartbreaking demeanor as his personal life implodes – a business that only got more complicated in the third and final season of the Netflix comedy, where (spoiler alert!) Judy battled cervical cancer. In episode 6, which found Judy undergoing chemo, Cardellini took every chance to present the full spectrum of Judy’s emotions, punctuating even Judy’s most upbeat moments in that treatment chair with hints of sadness and tired. And just when we were feeling hopeless, Cardellini (and his ever-awesome co-star Christina Applegate; we’ll have more to say about her performance) easily shifted gears for a hilarious sequence in which Judy and Jen tripped over mushrooms. . dead to meJudy’s swan song may have taken Judy on a mad and often ruthless ride, but Cardellini dazzled at every hairpin turn.
Which performance(s) hit your socks this week? Tell us in the comments!