document_title: American Horror Story: Hotel

question_text: who did lady gaga play in american horror story

text: American Horror Story: Hotel

text: Plot[edit]

text: The fifth season of American Horror Story focuses on the Downtown Los Angeles Hotel Cortez which has been recently purchased by a New York fashion designer, Will Drake (Cheyenne Jackson). The 90 year old hotel is haunted by demons and mysterious ghosts including the founder, James Patrick March (Evan Peters); heroin junkie Sally (Sarah Paulson); and the strap-on-wielding Addiction Demon. Staff and residents of the hotel include the 111-year-old "vampire", Elizabeth/The Countess (Lady Gaga), and her longtime paramour, the former drug-addict Donovan (Matt Bomer), as well as Donovan's mother, the manager and front desk clerk Iris (Kathy Bates); the eccentric transgender bartender Liz Taylor (Denis O'Hare); and the Countess' vengeance-obsessed lover, Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett).

text: As the season unfolds, the information and backstory of each character is revealed. Elizabeth was married to James March and had an illegal abortion at the Murder House (of AHS Season One) back in 1926. Ramona was a Hollywood actress who had a romantic past with Elizabeth, before the latter killed Ramona's new boyfriend in a jealous rage. Liz was formerly known as Nick Pryor and lived in Topeka, Kansas up until 1984 when she was given a makeover and christened as Liz Taylor by Elizabeth. Sally, after supplying Donovan heroin, was shoved out a window by an angered Iris. Finally, James tortured and murdered many visitors to his hotel, which he built with a series of secret chutes and hallways used primarily for covertly disposing the bodies of his victims.

text: The present and past stories of the Hotel are interwoven with the present tale of Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley), who is first drawn to the hotel by a series of murders committed by a serial killer the victims of whom each exemplify a sin in violation of one of the Ten Commandments, and his wife, Dr. Alex Lowe (Chloe Sevigny). As the season unfolds, it is revealed that certain past events — including the earlier disappearance of Lowe's young son Holden — are also entangled in the stories of the Countess and the Hotel Cortez.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Kathy Bates as Iris
Sarah Paulson as Sally McKenna and Billie Dean Howard
Evan Peters as James Patrick March
Wes Bentley as Det. John Lowe
Matt Bomer as Donovan
Chloë Sevigny as Dr. Alex Lowe
Denis O'Hare as Liz Taylor
Cheyenne Jackson as Will Drake
Angela Bassett as Ramona Royale
Lady Gaga as Elizabeth Johnson / The Countess

tag: ul

text: Special guest stars[edit]

text:
Mare Winningham as Hazel Evers
Finn Wittrock as Tristan Duffy and Rudolph Valentino
Naomi Campbell as Claudia Bankson
Lily Rabe as Aileen Wuornos
Gabourey Sidibe as Queenie

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Lennon Henry as Holden Lowe
Richard T. Jones as Det. Andrew Hahn
Shree Crooks as Scarlett Lowe
Lyric Lennon as Lachlan Drake
Jessica Belkin as Wren
Max Greenfield as Gabriel
Helena Mattsson as Agnetha
Kamilla Alnes as Vendela
Anton Lee Starkman as Max Ellison
Darren Criss as Justin

text: Guest stars[edit]

text:
Mädchen Amick as Mrs. Ellison
Christine Estabrook as Marcy
Alexandra Daddario as Natacha Rambova
Roxana Brusso as Dr. Kohan
David Naughton as Mr. Samuels
John Carroll Lynch as John Wayne Gacy
Seth Gabel as Jeffrey Dahmer
Anthony Ruivivar as Richard Ramirez
Nico Evers-Swindell as Craig
Robert Knepper as Lieutenant
Jessica Lu as Babe
Kristen Ariza as Mrs. Pritchard
Mouzam Makkar as Nurse Leena
Matt Ross as Dr. Charles Montgomery
Charles Melton as Mr. Wu
David Barrera as Dr. Kaplan

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod.
code
U.S. viewers
(millions)

52
1
"Checking In"
Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuk
October 7, 2015 (2015-10-07)
5ATS01
5.81[1]

Two female Swedish tourists check into the Hotel Cortez in downtown Los Angeles. They are attacked by a disfigured creature who was inside their room's mattress. Meanwhile, Detective John Lowe is investigating the torture-murder of a couple and goes to the Cortez for clues. He sees a vision there of his missing son Holden, who was abducted five years earlier. Heroin addict Gabriel checks in and is violently raped by the Addiction Demon. The resident couple, Countess Elizabeth and Donovan have a foursome with a couple they met, murdering them after and savoring their blood. In a 1994 flashback, it is revealed that the hotel manager Iris shoved Hypodermic Sally out a window to her death after Sally drugged Donovan to death. John arrives at the hotel and checks into Room 64.

53
2
"Chutes and Ladders"
Bradley Buecker
Tim Minear
October 14, 2015 (2015-10-14)
5ATS02
4.06[2]

Will Drake, a designer and the new owner of the Cortez, hosts a fashion show in the hotel, which model and actor Tristan Duffy, a drug addict and narcissist, stars in. Elizabeth turns Tristan into a vampire and the two engage in a relationship. Donovan becomes jealous, resulting in Elizabeth ending their relationship. Iris tells John about the hotel: The sadistic James Patrick March built the hotel in 1926 as a place for him to torture and murder people. Eventually, the police find him, so he and his loyal laundress Miss Evers commit suicide. Will's son Lachlan shows John's eight-year-old daughter Scarlett a room that contains coffins for Elizabeth's vampire children. Scarlett recognizes her brother, Holden, in one of the coffins and later takes a photo with him to prove to her parents that he is alive; however, Holden is blurry in the photo.

54
3
"Mommy"
Bradley Buecker
James Wong
October 21, 2015 (2015-10-21)
5ATS03
3.20[3]

Tristan meets March and promises to murder Will. Elizabeth stops Tristan from killing Will and reveals that she plans to marry the designer and murder him to gain his entire estate. Iris is rejected as a mother by Donovan who convinces her to kill herself. Donovan is kidnapped by Ramona Royale (Angela Bassett), an ex-lover of Elizabeth. Ramona aims to kill Elizabeth's children in revenge for her murdering Ramona's male lover. She releases Donovan when he reveals he and Elizabeth broke up. Iris decides to end her life by overdosing on heroin supplied to her by Sally. Donovan bursts in and turns her by feeding her his vampire blood to save her. John's doctor wife Alex (Chloë Sevigny) gives him divorce papers at the Cortez. There, she is shocked to see Holden, who greets her.

55
4
"Devil's Night"
Loni Peristere
Jennifer Salt
October 28, 2015 (2015-10-28)
5ATS04
3.04[4]

On Devil's Night (Oct. 30), serial killer Richard Ramirez checks in and goes on a murder spree. More serial killers check in, including Aileen Wuornos, who tries to kill John. The hotel's transgender bartender Liz Taylor informs John of March's annual Devil's Night dinner, where the spirits of the most notorious American serial killers, who had checked into the hotel prior to their death, come together to celebrate their crimes. John is introduced to Ramirez, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and the masked Zodiac Killer. During the dinner, he witnesses the guests murdering a man for "dessert." Alex takes Holden home, but then Holden leads her to Elizabeth, who explains that she took Holden away to "save him". Elizabeth offers Alex the opportunity to become a vampire so she can spend eternity with her son and she agrees.

56
5
"Room Service"
Michael Goi
Ned Martel
November 4, 2015 (2015-11-04)
5ATS05
2.87[5]

Donovan and Ramona decide to get revenge on Elizabeth by making Iris their inside man. The newly-turned vampire Alex saves her dying kid patient Max by turning him, not knowing the consequences. Max feeds on his parents and starts a strain of virus at school, infecting his classmates, who then feed on the teachers. At the Cortez, John awakes in bed with Sally. She claims he practically dragged her into his room, where they had sex but John denies doing any of it. A pair of arrogant hipsters check in and provoke Iris to the point of tears. She receives comfort from Liz Taylor, who details how she came to be at the hotel. Iris brutally murders and feeds on the hipsters in a rage, feeling better after. Alex starts working as the vampire children's new governess under Elizabeth's rules.

57
6
"Room 33"
Loni Peristere
John J. Gray
November 11, 2015 (2015-11-11)
5ATS06
2.64[6]

In 1926 in the Murder House (from Season One), Dr. Charles Montgomery meets with Elizabeth to perform an abortion. During the process, the baby attacks Charles' nurse. He tells Elizabeth she had a boy. In present day, it is revealed that Elizabeth keeps him in Room 33. John discovers Alex in the coffin and faints. Realizing he is losing his sanity, he checks out and returns home. Donovan, Ramona and Iris plan to murder Elizabeth's vampire children but Donovan backs out. He meets Agnetha and Vendela, the two Swedish tourists, who are now ghosts unable to leave the hotel, and he explains to them that they must find their purpose. Tristan and Liz fall in love but worry about Elizabeth's reaction. They ask her if they can be together, but Elizabeth kills Tristan in retaliation.

58
7
"Flicker"
Michael Goi
Crystal Liu
November 18, 2015 (2015-11-18)
5ATS07
2.64[7]

In present day, two ghoulish figures are found in a barricaded corridor in Hotel Cortez. In 1925 Los Angeles, a young human Elizabeth gets into a relationship with actor Rudolph Valentino and his wife Natacha. He dies suddenly and Elizabeth heartbrokenly marries James March. Valentino later returns and explains he faked his death and is now a vampire. He changes Elizabeth, but a jealous March traps Valentino and his wife in the corridor, where they have been for years: they are the ghoulish figures who were found. John Lowe checks into a mental health hospital and meets a child named Wren, who was an accomplice to The Ten Commandments Killer. He and Wren escape and she reveals to him that the killer is at the Cortez. Wren then darts into traffic, not wanting to live forever anymore, and is run over.

59
8
"The Ten Commandments Killer"
Loni Peristere
Ryan Murphy
December 2, 2015 (2015-12-02)
5ATS08
2.31[8]

John heads to the Cortez, where Sally leads him to Room 64 and unveils a secret room that March had built. She reveals that John has been the murderer all along: he was repressing his memories of the murders, but believes he is doing them to correct the injustice he sees everywhere. Through flashbacks, it is shown that John had first visited the Cortez in 2010. He met March, who decided John was the perfect protege to continue his work. To get him to truly fall into darkness and stop holding back, March had Elizabeth kidnap Holden. Distraught, John's first murder is Martin Gamboa, a child molester. John almost kills himself after realizing what he has done, but March saves him.

60
9
"She Wants Revenge"
Michael Uppendahl
Brad Falchuk
December 9, 2015 (2015-12-09)
5ATS09
2.14[9]

Elizabeth reflects on her situation and realizes she only has space for those she can feel love for. She tracks down Valentino and Natacha and reunites with them. She plans to construct the Cortez as a shelter against the modern world for her and Valentino, but only once she murders Will and inherits his fortune. Alex tracks down the kids from the school massacre and finds the bodies of their parents. She attempts to bring them back to the Cortez but they refuse help. Donovan and Ramona enact their plan of vengeance but just as Ramona is about to stab Elizabeth, Donovan betrays her and traps her in the blocked hallway. Will marries Elizabeth in a private ceremony and immediately after, Elizabeth imprisons Will with Ramona and watches on a camera as Ramona slashes Will and drinks his blood.

61
10
"She Gets Revenge"
Bradley Buecker
James Wong
December 16, 2015 (2015-12-16)
5ATS10
1.85[10]

Elizabeth kills Natacha so she and Valentino can be together while Donovan kills Rudolph out of jealousy. John and Alex rekindle their relationship now that they have Holden back, and find the rogue vampire children turned because of Alex saving Max. They take the children back to the hotel and trick them into being sealed in with Ramona. Sally does not like that John and Alex are back together, feeling used because she'd been there for John when Alex wasn't. Miss Evers helps Liz reconnect with her son, Douglas, whom she has not seen for 31 years, and they invite him to come to the hotel. Douglas admits he wants his father in his life, regardless if she is a woman, changing Liz's decision about committing suicide with Iris. Instead, Liz and Iris team up to take over the hotel, starting with shooting up the penthouse with Donovan and Elizabeth inside.

62
11
"Battle Royale"
Michael Uppendahl
Ned Martel
January 6, 2016 (2016-01-06)
5ATS11
1.84[11]

Liz and Iris shoot Elizabeth and Donovan, and Elizabeth escapes while Donovan lies dying. At his request, Iris and Liz move him outside the hotel to die so his spirit will not be trapped inside forever. Sally saves Elizabeth, reviving her with blood from her vampire children, and reveals her past. Iris and Liz free Ramona to use as a weapon against Elizabeth. Ramona confronts a now-weak Elizabeth, but is seduced by her old lover. Elizabeth packs and is about to leave the hotel for good but she is gunned down by John as his final kill: "Thou Shalt Not Commit Murder." Now trapped in the hotel forever, Elizabeth's ghost arrives at March's suite, where he tells her that he can finally forgive Elizabeth for turning him in to the police; she reveals that she did not. Hazel admits she was the one who called the police so that she could have March to herself. March banishes Hazel from his presence, who feels oddly free now that she is not bound to him.

63
12
"Be Our Guest"
Bradley Buecker
John J. Gray
January 13, 2016 (2016-01-13)
5ATS12
2.24[12]

A year later, Liz reflects on the reinvention of the Hotel Cortez under her and Iris's new management. The two lament the problems that the murderous ghosts are leaving them with. Sally and Will don't want to stop killing the guests but March agrees that they need to stop until the Cortez becomes a historical landmark. Liz and Iris inspire Sally and Will to release their urges through other means. Liz discovers she is terminally ill and decides to die in the Hotel so she will be with the other ghosts and vampires, whom she considers her family. After becoming a ghost, Liz visited by Tristan, who stayed invisible while she was alive so that she could live her life. Psychic Billie Dean Howard begins investigating the Cortez with her TV show, making the residents worry. John takes Billie Dean to Devil's Night, where they threaten to kill her if she mentions the Cortez again. Elizabeth proceeds to seduce a man who looks like Donovan, finding a new lover in his image, implying she loved Donovan after all.

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: Conception and writing[edit]

text: On October 13, 2014, FX renewed the series for a fifth season for an October 2015 premiere.[13] Network president John Landgraf stated that the season would necessitate a "huge reinvention" for the series.[14] The season's subtitle was confirmed as Hotel in February 2015. The theme and Gaga's involvement were hinted in the previous installment as an image of a top hat, an arcane clue alluding to the 1935 screwball musical comedy film Top Hat, which is set in a hotel and features a song called "Cheek to Cheek", also the title of Gaga's duet album with Tony Bennett.[15] Co-creator Ryan Murphy explained that the casting included a number of actors and singers, but would be a much darker season compared to the previous ones. Inspiration came from old hotel horror films and actual hotels situated in downtown Los Angeles, with horrific reputations. This included The Cecil, where the death of 21-year-old Canadian student Elisa Lam occurred. Murphy had watched a surveillance video of Lam in the hotel, in which she displayed erratic behavior just hours prior to her supposed death.[16][17] It was around this time that the writing for Hotel was conceptualized,[18][19] which included Murphy's personal phobia and fears, a fear that had not been explored since the first season.[20]

text: The upcoming season that we're doing is much more horror-based; it's much more dark. It's about a theme and an idea that's very close to my heart that I've always wanted to do that's a little bloodier and grislier, I think, than anything that we've done before; it's straight horror this year. Murder House, I thought, was a very primal season because everybody's great fear is about the bogeyman under the bed in their house, and this feels similar to me in that when you check into a hotel, there are certain things beyond your control... Other people have the keys to your room; they can come in there. You're not exactly safe, it's a very unsettling idea.[18]

text: Murphy and some of the cast appeared at the 2015 Comic-Con International and revealed further information about the series. "[Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Matt Bomer, Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters] are bad boys and girls this time."[21] Regarding the season having no primary character, Murphy confessed that "the thing that's different about the season is that before we've always been very driven by the Jessica Lange character. She was always the lead character... This year, it's a true ensemble and I think we have more male parts and more male stories. The Wes Bentley part is really big, the Matt Bomer part is really big; Evan Peters and Finn Wittrock are really big. [But] that's not to say that the women aren't either."[20][22]

text: Co-creator Brad Falchuk explained that like the first and second season of the series, Hotel would explore the "trapped" horror trope, though the actions would not be limited to just within the premises. "This season, the horror is sneaking out of the hotel," he added explaining that the plot would revolve around the hotel in the center, with a more noir like ambience.[23] Named as Hotel Cortez, the titular structure was built by James March in 1930, who was created as a rich and charming but deeply psychotic character. The season features two tormentors, The Ten Commandments Killer, who is inspired by biblical teachings, and The Addiction Demon, who wields a drill bit dildo. They are in the vein of previous seasons' Bloody Face and Rubber Man, respectively.[24] The Halloween episode, "Devil's Night", features a dinner with "the biggest serial killers of all time", including Wuornos and John Wayne Gacy.[25]

text: Set design[edit]

text: The Hotel's two-story lobby set, along with a working elevator, was constructed over the course of seven weeks. While no particular hotel served as inspiration, production designer Mark Worthington was influenced by Timothy Pflueger and William Van Alen when selecting patterns and schemes, stating, "Tonally, I thought Art Deco would make sense for the horror genre because it can be dark and spiky and odd and the composition is strange. It's beautiful, but it isn't necessarily inviting." The hotel consists of labyrinthine structures housing March's murderous fantasies with dead ends, secret rooms and includes plot-lines corresponding to it. A painting of Hernán Cortés, after whom the establishment is named, hangs in the reception area. Worthington and his team had a hand in creating even the smallest of details; such as hotel insignias for the light fixtures, bar coasters, and a venus flytrap column carving that reflects the nature of Gaga's character. The staircase was structured in such a way as to not pull focus from the elevator, which will serve as prime location.[26] The exterior of the set was inspired by the James Oviatt Building in Downtown Los Angeles, while the interior decorations were modeled from the Cicada restaurant situated inside the Oviatt.[27]

text: Casting[edit]

text: In February 2015, it was announced that American singer Lady Gaga had joined the show.[29][30] Murphy stated she wanted her role in the series to be "evil". He also explained that Hotel would be devoid of any musical numbers. Instead Gaga's character, Elizabeth/The Countess, is a fashion icon and owner of the Hotel Cortez.[31][32] Created as a glamorous socialite character, The Countess maintains her beauty by imbibing human blood.[24] Murphy was so pleased with Gaga's performance that he invited her back for the yet-to-be-confirmed sixth season of the series, before Hotel had even made its debut.[33] In March 2015, series star Jessica Lange definitively announced that she would not be returning for the fifth season.[34][35] During PaleyFest 2015, it was announced that Matt Bomer and Cheyenne Jackson would co-star.[36] Afterwards, more castings were confirmed, including Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Kathy Bates, and Angela Bassett.[37] Murphy tweeted about the latter's involvement in Hotel, including a plotline with Gaga, as a character called Ramona Royale, an actress and former lover of The Countess returning to the titular hotel for revenge.[31][38] Chloë Sevigny, who was a recurring special guest in Asylum, returned to the series for Hotel, playing the wife of Wes Bentley's character, a detective.[31][39]

text: In May 2015, it was announced that Max Greenfield would also be joining the cast, in a role later revealed to be that of an addict. Greenfield had to dye his hair platinum blond for the role.[31][40] His is intertwined to that of Sally's (Paulson) and together with The Addiction Demon feature "the most disturbing scene" the show had ever produced, according to Murphy.[41] In an interview with Vanity Fair, Paulson described Sally as someone who is "selfish and greedy", with hygiene problems.[42] The next month, Murphy announced that Denis O'Hare would return as a cross-dressing bar worker in the hotel.[43] He also confirmed that Finn Wittrock would return in the new role of Tristan Duffy, a male model who is involved in a love triangle with Gaga and Bomer, and later a fated love of Liz's.[22][37] Wittrock explained that the character might have similarities to his previous Freak Show character, Dandy Mott.[44] In July 2015, Murphy stated that Coven alum Emma Roberts would return for a few episodes toward the finale, after completing filming on her Fox series, Scream Queens. Her character would be associated with James March (Peters).[45] While promoting Queens in September 2015, Roberts spoke about her role with less certainty, but optimism, stating, "...it's just everything you could dream of and more. Everything you could nightmare about and more. Granted, things over there are always changing, but I definitely want to go back to it. If it still stands, what Ryan told me, everyone's in for a great shock."[46] However, she later confirmed that she would be unable to return, due to her demanding feature schedule. Furthermore, she did state that Murphy and her had already discussed about a "devilish" role for her in the forthcoming season six.[47]

text: Later in July, Richard T. Jones joined the cast as Detective Hahn, a homicide detective,[48] for an eight-episode arc. That same day, Helena Mattsson announced that she had also joined the series in an unspecified role.[49] Series alum Lily Rabe portrayed infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos during the Halloween installment and the finale.[31] With her appearance in the season, Rabe is one of three cast members to appear in all five seasons (along with Paulson and Peters) of the show.[50] Naomi Campbell was cast as a fashion editor who does not get along with Gaga's character.[51] In August 2015, Murphy revealed that Mädchen Amick joined the season as a "mother of a boy who becomes ill", and shares screen time with Alex Lowe (Sevigny). Later in the month, Darren Criss was announced to guest star as a hipster that has conflicts with Iris (Bates),[52] while Mare Winningham joined as the laundress of the Cortez, who works closely with Mr. March, in the 1920s.[53] Christine Estabrook returned to the series as Marcy; the realtor who sold the first season's Murder House to the Harmons.[54] Gabourey Sidibe appeared in the eleventh episode as her Coven persona Queenie. Paulson also reprised her first season role of psychic Billie Dean Howard, appearing in the final episode of the season.[55]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Principal photography for the season began on July 14, 2015, in Los Angeles, California, marking a return to where the series shot its first two cycles (Murder House and Asylum).[56] According to the Los Angeles Times, creative reasons, not economic factors, was the deciding key for moving the series from Louisiana back to Los Angeles since Hotel's story is connected to the city.[57] Murphy revealed a six-story hotel set was being built on the Fox lot. A dummy set of the hotel was built at Comic-Con, showing an Art Deco style building from the 1920s, inspired by the old Hollywood era.[58] Murphy announced at the TCA Summer Press Tour in August 2015 that he would be directing the season's Halloween episode, "Devil's Night", marking the first time in series history that he will helm more than the premiere. He stated he would direct it "because I love the script so much, when we finished it I said, 'I can't give this to anybody else'."[31] However, ultimately Murphy did not direct the episode. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Murphy spoke about Gaga's entrance scene, confirming it to be about six minutes long and describing it as "like a silent movie with no dialogue, and lots of blood and nudity".[59]

text: Greenfield recalled that Murphy wanted to push the limits of the scenes between him, Paulson and The Addiction Demon, while admitting that it was scary. Paulson described it as a normal day of shooting for her since she was accustomed to the theatrics surrounding the show. She added, "None of it's crazy to me. I walk in and I'm like 'Hello conical dildo demon person'. I don't even think twice."[41] For The Countess and Donovan, who both suffer from blood lust, Murphy was insistent on chainmail gloves being used as their weapons of choice. Costume designer Lou Eyrich created the custom gloves in the mold of armor, deriving inspiration from artist Daphne Guinness; "We wanted it to look both rock-n-roll but old at the same time. But then the nail that pops out with diamonds on the edge to slice you," said Eyrich.[60]

text: Filming also took place at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, in front of Chris Burden's art installation called Urban Light, where Gaga was seen in a floor length pink gown shooting scenes. Media reported that the filming involved a party scene with Gaga walking through the installation while singer Dinah Washington's "Coquette" played in the background.[61][62] Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack spent three days on set, where he witnessed the filming of a foursome/murder scene, involving Gaga and Bomer's characters. Murphy recounted Gaga's day of filming stating, "You write a foursome for her and you expect a lot of questions. She never did that. She showed up and she was wearing diamond pasties, a Band-Aid on her hoo-ha, heels, and a black veil that Alexander McQueen made for her on the day before his death."[63] Additional filming for the exterior shots of the Hotel Cortez took place outside the James Oviatt Building.[27][64] Other locations include the lower level of the Los Angeles Theatre at 615 South Broadway, The Majestic Downtown at 650 South Spring Street acting as John Lowe's office, the Loews Hollywood Hotel at 1755 Highland Avenue filming The Ten Commandments Killer murder scene, and Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where scenes with Gaga and Bomer were shot.[27] Also used was the house from the first season located at 1120 Westchester Place.[65]

text: O'Hare revealed that he had filmed three episodes by September 2015, with his scenes involving Bomer, Sevigny and Bates mostly. "We're kind of doing it piecemeal. You'll do five days on this one, three days on that one. You know, they always start out rocking. There's no warm-up. You're in it," the actor explained.[66][67] He later went on to compare the aesthetic to Murder House, stating, "It feels like season 1 in many ways... and I think it's because we're back in LA. You can't help it!" He also revealed that his character, Liz Taylor, would be wearing a dress that Lange was supposed to wear in Coven.[68] The actor explained that for his part, he had to shave his body including his head, and wear eye make-up, since the character was inspired by actress Elizabeth Taylor's films like BUtterfield 8 (1960) and Cleopatra (1963).[69]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: In February 2015, Gaga tweeted a link to the first promotional video for the upcoming season with the caption "Make your reservation now. #GagaAHSHotel" announcing her presence in the season and the official title.[70] In July 2015, a promotional trading card was unveiled by Entertainment Weekly, available at Comic-Con, where after entering the hotel set built there, one could receive the trading card with a promotional key.[58][71] The first official teaser for the season was released later that month, showing Gaga's long-nailed hand ringing the bell at the front desk.[72] In August 2015, FX revealed the premiere date of the season along with a new teaser poster, showing an Art Deco peephole on a wooden door, beyond which an obscure image revealed a blond woman putting a body to bed.[73] Later that month, Entertainment Weekly exclusively unveiled two teaser trailers of the season, entitled "Beauty Rest" and "Do Not Disturb", set to singer Heidi Feek's cover of Elvis Presley's 1956 single, "Heartbreak Hotel".[74]

text: On August 26, Entertainment Weekly revealed exclusive cast photos, along with character descriptions.[75] Gaga also took to her Twitter account to release another photo, showing her as The Countess with three cherubic blond boys, who are seemingly sucking on bottles of blood. The singer captioned the image: "We are family. Meet my magical children. HOTEL #AHS."[76] Murphy released three new teasers through his Twitter account, titled "Towhead", "Sleepwalk", and "Jeepers Peepers", all set to "Heartbreak Hotel".[77] Jef Rouner from Houston Press complimented the teasers, describing them as "things of fleeting, awful beauty. So far I've seen six for this season and at least one of them is creepier than every episode of Coven combined... Each one of these is usually less than 15 seconds long and they are murderously effective. I find myself wanting to watch the show again."[78] On September 10, 2015, an extended teaser was released, featuring a psychedelic tour of the hotel, with cameos by most of the cast.[79] Few days later, two more trailers were released, one showed the hand of an addict, with a keyhole in place of the needle point, while the other, titled "Above & Below", portrays Gaga as The Countess, with several psychedelic intercuts inside a hotel, featuring Rammstein's "Du hast".[80][81]

text: American retail chain Hot Topic announced on their Instagram account that starting September 28, 2015, they will launch a clothing and apparel line based on Hotel, that will be sold in-store and online.[82] On September 16, 2015, a featurette was released, giving more details about the season and showing some footage.[83] An actual scene from the season, released in October 2015, showed Bentley's character resting in the Hotel, while Greenfield's character hiding underneath his bed.[84] Same day the title sequence of the season was released by Murphy, consisting of the same soundtrack like previous seasons, intercut with scenes of a dirty hotel and the Ten Commandments written across a wall.[69] Jacob Bryant from Variety was impressed with the clip, saying that "The opening credits for [American Horror Story] have always managed to be unsettling, but season five's creepy credits might top the list."[85]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: American Horror Story: Hotel initially received mixed reviews from critics, but, as the season progressed, the reviews became more positive. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the season a 63% approval rating (average episode score of 75%) with an average rating of 6.38/10 based on 43 reviews. The site's consensus reads, "Favoring garish style over effective storytelling, the fifth American Horror Story strands a talented cast at Ryan Murphy's Hotel."[86] On Metacritic, the season was given a score of 60 out of 100 based on 24 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[87]

text: Dan Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review, writing, "Early on, Hotel hasn't hooked me with its storytelling, but it's always fun to see what the series does with its repertory acting company and with new additions. Throw in the normal grotesquerie and visual panache and that should keep me going for a while, even if all of the humor appears to have been funneled into Scream Queens."[88] Amber Dowling of TheWrap also gave a positive review, saying, "It's a visual, visceral romp into what is being set up to be another haphazard foray into the world of horror, as imagined by Murphy and his writing counterpart Brad Falchuk. The show has rarely made sense in terms of story, and this is no exception."[89] Willa Paskin of Slate called this season a "promising new start", saying, "AHS: Hotel more obviously resembles the first two, better seasons of American Horror Story than it does the latter, lesser two."[90]

text: On the other hand, Matt Zoller Seitz of New York Magazine found the season "confusing, tedious, annoyingly precious, and often ostentatiously brutal", but also praised it for being "darkly beautiful, deeply weird, and (sometimes) exhilarating."[91] Although Scott D. Pierce from The Salt Lake Tribune praised the production design and the cinematography, he said "the storytelling is derivative; the scares are non-existent; and it's all about style without much substance."[92] Mike Hale from The New York Times complained that it "suffers from the absence of Jessica Lange".[93] IGN's Matt Fowler gave a rating of 5.9 out of 10, criticizing the season as "mediocre" and concluding "all weight and meaning is gone".[94]

text: Gaga's performance has received mixed reviews from critics. Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture called Gaga "terrible here in the way that Madonna was terrible in a lot of her '90s films, at once too poised and too blank."[95] David Weiland of San Francisco Chronicle said Gaga "makes an enormous visual impact, but the minute she opens her mouth to deliver a line, it's obvious that acting just isn't one of her many talents."[96] Ben Travers of Indiewire wrote that he "wouldn't go so far as to say Gaga's talent adds much to the proceedings, but her presence — and the manner in which its captured — certainly does."[97] On the other hand, Emily L. Stephens from The A.V. Club and Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly both gave a B- rating. Stephens praised Gaga's first appearance as "slickly exploitative and hellishly effective"[98] while Jensen described her as "the show's most potent symbol for all of its themes about our Bad Romance with fame, fortune, sex, sex, and more sex, materialism and consumerism, the denial of death and the corrupt want for cultural immortality".[99] Brian Lowry of Variety praised the look of Gaga's character as "gloriously photographed" and felt her addition to the show was "extraordinarily well-timed".[100]

text:
American Horror Story (season 5): Critical reception by episode

Season 5 (2015–16): Percentage of positive reviews tracked by the website Rotten Tomatoes[101]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: In its fifth season, the series has been nominated for 64 awards, 20 of which were won.

text:
Year
Association
Category
Nominee(s)
Result

2015
MTV Fandom Awards[102]
Feels Freakout of the Year
Lady Gaga joins American Horror Story: Hotel
Nominated

2016
20th ADG Awards[103]
TV Movie or Limited Series
Mark Worthington (for "Checking In")
Won

Short Format — Web Series, Music Video or Commercial
Zach Mathews (for "Hallways")
Nominated

47th NAACP Image Awards[104]
Outstanding Actress in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Angela Bassett
Nominated

42nd People's Choice Awards[105]
Favorite Cable Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show
American Horror Story: Hotel
Nominated

Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress
Lady Gaga
Nominated

20th Satellite Awards[106]
Best Actress – TV Series Drama
Nominated

Best TV Series – Genre
American Horror Story: Hotel
Nominated

68th WGA Awards[107]
Long Form – Original
Brad Falchuk, John J. Gray, Todd Kubrak, Crystal Liu, Ned Martel, Tim Minear, Ryan Murphy, Jennifer Salt, James Wong
Nominated

73rd Golden Globe Awards[108]
Best Actress – Mini-Series or TV Film
Lady Gaga
Won

Best Mini-Series or TV Film
American Horror Story: Hotel
Nominated

6th Critics' Choice TV Awards[109]
Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series
Wes Bentley
Nominated

Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Kathy Bates
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Limited Series
Sarah Paulson
Nominated

27th PGA Awards[110]
Outstanding Producer of Long-Form TV
Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy, Brad Buecker, Tim Minear, Jennifer Salt, James Wong, Alexis Martin Woodall, Robert M. Williams Jr.
Nominated

18th CDG Awards[111]
Outstanding Contemporary TV Series
Lou Eyrich
Won

52nd CAS Awards[112]
TV Movie or Mini-Series
Brendan Beebe, CAS (Production Mixer)
Joe Earle, CAS (Re-recording Mixer)
Vicki Lemar (Re-recording Mixer)
(for "Room Service")
Nominated

Brendan Beebe, CAS (Production Mixer)
Joe Earle, CAS (Re-recording Mixer)
Doug Andham, CAS (Re-recording Mixer)
Judah Getz (ADR Mixer)
John Guentner (Foley Mixer)
(for "Checking In")
Nominated

Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards 2016[113]
Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Make-up
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Sarah Tanno
Won

Mini-Series or TV Movie Period and/or Character Hair Styling
Monte C Haught, Darlene Brumfield, Frederic Asperas
Won

Mini-Series or TV Movie Period Special Make-up Effects
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Michael Mekash, David Anderson
Won

Commercials and Music Videos – Best Make-up
Kerry Herta, Jason Collins
Won

Commercials and Music Videos – Best Hair Styling
Nicole Alkire, Marissa Smith
Won

Fangoria Chainsaw Awards 2016[114]
Best TV Actress
Lady Gaga
Nominated

Best TV Supporting Actor
Evan Peters
2nd place

Denis O'Hare
Write-in

Best TV Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates
Write-in

Best TV Makeup/Creature FX
Eryn Krueger Mekash, David LeRoy Anderson
3rd place

Best TV Series
American Horror Story: Hotel
Write-in

7th Dorian Awards[115]
Campy TV Show of the Year
Nominated

42nd Saturn Awards[116]
Best Horror TV Series
Nominated

68th Primetime Emmy Awards[117]
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Sarah Paulson
Nominated

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Kathy Bates
Nominated

68th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards[117]
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More)
Mark Worthington, Denise Hudson, Ellen Brill
Nominated

Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie
Lou Eyrich, Helen Huang, Marisa Aboitiz
(for "Chutes and Ladders")
Won

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series Or a Movie
Monte C. Haught, Fredric Aspiras, Darlene Brumfield, Kelly Muldoon, Gina Bonacquisti
Nominated

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special
Gary Megregian, Steve M. Stuhr, Jason Krane, Timothy A. Cleveland, Paul Diller, David Klotz, Noel Vought, Ginger Geary
(for "Checking In")
Nominated

Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Kim Ayers, Michael Mekash, Silvina Knight, Sarah Tanno
Won

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Mike Mekash, Bradley A. Palmer, Bart Mixon, James MacKinnon, Kevin Kirkpatrick, David Leroy Anderson, Glen Eisner
Nominated

20th OFTA Television Awards[118]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Limited Series
Lady Gaga
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Limited Series
Kathy Bates
Nominated

Sarah Paulson
Nominated

Best Limited Series
American Horror Story: Hotel
Nominated

Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series
Nominated

Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Limited Series
Nominated

Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Limited Series
Nominated

Best Music in a Non-Series
Nominated

Best Editing in a Non-Series
Won

Best Cinematography in a Non-Series
Nominated

Best Production Design in a Non-Series
Won

Best Costume Design in a Non-Series
Won

Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-Series
Won

Best Sound in a Non-Series
Won

Best Visual Effects in a Non-Series
Won

Poppy Awards 2016[119]
Best Limited Series/Movie
Won

Best Lead Actress, Limited Series/Movie
Lady Gaga
Won

Best Supporting Actor, Limited Series/Movie
Denis O'Hare
Won

63rd MPSE Golden Reel Awards[120][121]
TV Short Form – Dialogue / ADR
Gary Megregian (Supervising Sound Editor)
Steve Stuhr (Supervising Dialogue Editor)
Jason Krane (Dialogue Editor)
(for "Checking In")
Nominated

TV Short Form – Music
David Klotz (Supervising Music Editor)
(for "Checking In")
Nominated

Gold Derby TV Awards 2016[122]
Best Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actor
Denis O'Hare
Nominated

Best Movie/Miniseries Supporting Actress
Sarah Paulson
Nominated

38th Jupiter Awards[123]
Best International TV Series
American Horror Story: Hotel
Won

16th Black Reel Awards[124][125]
Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series
Angela Bassett
Nominated

37th Young Artist Awards[126]
Best Performance in a TV Series - Recurring Young Actor (13 and Under)
Thomas Barbusca
Nominated

text: Ratings[edit]

text: Hotel's premiere episode, "Checking In", was initially watched by 5.81 million viewers. After factoring in delayed viewing, the episode rose to 9.1 million, with 6.13 million in the 18-49 demographic, while combined linear, nonlinear and encore viewing, it drew 12.17 million viewers through October 11. Variety stated that "Checking In" could become FX's most-watched telecast, with the 60 full data tabulated.[127] Through its first four episodes, Hotel averaged at 3.7 rating in 18-49 adult zone and 6.9 million viewers total, which is up by 7% and 1% from previous installment, Freak Show, respectively, pacing ahead of the average ratings of all prior installments on a Live +3 basis.[128] The season finale, "Be Our Guest", initially watched by 2.24 million viewers, more than doubled its 18-49 rating with three days of delayed viewing, going from 1.1 million to 2.3 million, an 109% of increase. The episode increased 94% in total viewers, upping to 4.3 million.[129]

text:
Season
Ep. 1
Ep. 2
Ep. 3
Ep. 4
Ep. 5
Ep. 6
Ep. 7
Ep. 8
Ep. 9
Ep. 10
Ep. 11
Ep. 12
Ep. 13

Murder House
3.18
2.46
2.59
2.96
2.74
2.83
3.06
2.81
2.85
2.54
2.59
3.22
N/A

Asylum
3.85
3.06
2.47
2.65
2.78
1.89
2.27
2.36
2.22
2.21
2.51
2.30
2.29

Coven
5.54
4.51
3.78
3.71
3.80
4.16
4.00
4.07
3.94
3.49
3.46
3.35
4.24

Freak Show
6.13
4.53
4.44
4.51
4.22
3.65
3.91
3.30
3.07
2.99
3.11
2.94
3.27

Hotel
5.81
4.06
3.20
3.04
2.87
2.64
2.64
2.31
2.14
1.85
1.84
2.24
N/A

Roanoke
5.14
3.27
3.08
2.83
2.82
2.48
2.62
2.20
2.43
2.45
N/A

Cult
3.93
2.38
2.25
2.13
2.20
2.15
2.07
2.06
1.48
1.82
1.97
N/A


document_title: The Crown (TV series)

question_text: when does the king die in the crown

question_tokens: when does the king die in the crown

root

text: The Crown (TV series)

text: Premise[edit]

text: The Crown traces the life of Queen Elizabeth II from her wedding in 1947 through to the present day.[5] The first season, in which Claire Foy portrays the Queen in the early part of her reign, depicts events up to 1955, with Winston Churchill resigning as Prime Minister and the Queen's sister Princess Margaret deciding not to marry Peter Townsend.[6] The second season covers the Suez Crisis in 1956, the retirement of the Queen's third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, in 1963 following the Profumo affair political scandal, and the birth of Prince Edward in 1964.[7][8][9]

tag: p

text: Beginning with season three, Olivia Colman will portray the Queen.[10] Season three will cover Harold Wilson's two terms as Prime Minister, starting in 1964 with his first, until 1976 at the end of his second.[11] It will also include Princess Margaret's five-year affair with baronet and gardening expert Roddy Llewellyn that leads to the Princess's divorce from Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1978,[7][12] and introduce Camilla Parker Bowles and Lady Diana Spencer. Lady Diana will be a focus of the fourth season, covering Margaret Thatcher's premiership.[11]

text: Cast[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Claire Foy as Princess Elizabeth and later Queen Elizabeth II.[5]
Matt Smith as Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and later Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Elizabeth's husband[5]
Vanessa Kirby as Princess Margaret, Elizabeth's younger sister.[5]
Eileen Atkins as Queen Mary, Elizabeth's grandmother[13] (season 1)
Jeremy Northam as Anthony Eden, Churchill's Foreign Secretary, who succeeds him as Prime Minister[14]
Victoria Hamilton as Queen Elizabeth, George VI's wife and Elizabeth's mother, known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother during her daughter's reign[5]
Ben Miles as Group Captain Peter Townsend, George VI's equerry, who hopes to marry Princess Margaret[15]
Greg Wise as Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Philip's ambitious uncle and great-grandson of Queen Victoria
Jared Harris as King George VI, Elizabeth's father, known to his family as Bertie[5]
John Lithgow as Winston Churchill, the Queen's first Prime Minister[5]
Alex Jennings as Edward, Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, who had abdicated in favour of his younger brother Bertie to marry Wallis Simpson; known to his family as David[16]
Lia Williams as Wallis, Duchess of Windsor, Edward's American wife[16]
Anton Lesser as Harold Macmillan, who follows Anthony Eden as Prime Minister[17] (season 2)
Matthew Goode as Antony Armstrong-Jones, known as Tony, a society photographer who marries Princess Margaret[7] (season 2)

text: Featured[edit]

text: The below actors are credited in the opening titles of single episodes in which they play a significant role.

text:
Stephen Dillane as Graham Sutherland, a noted artist who paints a portrait of the aging Churchill (season 1)
Gemma Whelan as Patricia Campbell, a secretary whom Altrincham works with and types up his editorial (season 2)
John Heffernan as Lord Altrincham, a writer who penned a scathing criticism of the Queen (season 2)
Paul Sparks as Billy Graham, a prominent American minister with whom Elizabeth consults (season 2)[16]
Michael C. Hall as John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States who visits the Queen (season 2)
Jodi Balfour as Jacqueline Kennedy, the First Lady of the United States (season 2)
Burghart Klaussner as Dr. Kurt Hahn, the founder of Gordonstoun, where Philip and Charles went to school (season 2)
Finn Elliot as school-aged Prince Philip (season 2)[16]
Julian Baring as school-aged Prince Charles (season 2)[16]

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Billy Jenkins as young Prince Charles
Clive Francis as Lord Salisbury
Pip Torrens as Tommy Lascelles
Harry Hadden-Paton as Martin Charteris
Daniel Ings as Mike Parker
Lizzy McInnerny as Margaret "Bobo" MacDonald
Michael Bertenshaw as the Master of the Household
Patrick Ryecart as the Duke of Norfolk
Will Keen as Michael Adeane
James Laurenson as Doctor Weir
Mark Tandy as Cecil Beaton
Michael Culkin as Rab Butler
George Asprey as Walter Monckton
James Hillier as Equerry
Anna Madeley as Clarissa Eden
Nick Hendrix (season 1) and Tom Durant-Pritchard (season 2) as Billy Wallace
Josh Taylor as Johnny Dalkeith
David Shields (season 1) and Pip Carter (season 2) as Colin Tennant[18]
Julius D'Silva as Baron Nahum
Jo Herbert as Mary Charteris
Richard Clifford as Norman Hartnell
Joseph Kloska as Porchey
Amir Boutrous as Gamal Abdel Nasser
Abigail Parmenter as Judy Montagu

text: Season 1[edit]

text:
Harriet Walter as Clementine Churchill[14]
Nicholas Rowe as Jock Colville[13]
Simon Chandler as Clement Attlee
Kate Phillips as Venetia Scott
Ronald Pickup as the Archbishop of Canterbury
Nigel Cooke as Harry Crookshank
Patrick Drury as the Lord Chamberlain
John Woodvine as the Archbishop of York
Rosalind Knight as Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark
Andy Sanderson as Prince Henry[13]
Verity Russell as young Princess Elizabeth
Beau Gadsdon as young Princess Margaret
Jo Stone-Fewings as Collins
Tony Guilfoyle as the Bishop of Durham
Paul Thornley as Bill Mattheson

text: Season 2[edit]

text:
Chloe Pirrie as Eileen Parker
Nicholas Burns as Anthony Nutting
Lucy Russell as Lady Mountbatten
Richard Elfyn as Selwyn Lloyd
Adrian Lukis as Vice-Admiral Sir Conolly Abel Smith
Sophie Leigh Stone as Princess Alice of Battenberg
Guy Williams as Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark
Leonie Benesch as Princess Cecilie of Greece and Denmark
Simon Paisley Day as Meryn Lewis
Sylvestra Le Touzel as Dorothy Macmillan
Catherine Bailey as Elizabeth Cavendish
Paul Clayton as Bob Boothby
Yolanda Kettle as Camilla Fry
Ed Cooper Clarke as Jeremy Fry
Ryan Sampson as Dudley Moore
Tim Steed as John Profumo
Lyla Barrett-Rye as young Princess Anne
Robert Irons as Freddie Bishop
Patrick Warner as Peter Cook
Oliver Maltman as Jim Orr
David Annen as Alec Douglas-Home

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Season 1 (2016)[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original release date

1
1
"Wolferton Splash"
Stephen Daldry
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In November 1947, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark renounces his royal titles in order to marry Princess Elizabeth, King George VI's elder daughter and heiress presumptive. The newlyweds move to Malta, where Philip returns to the Royal Navy and Elizabeth gives birth to her son Charles and her daughter Anne. In 1951, the couple returns to London when King George undergoes surgery for lung cancer. After being told that he has months to live, the King counsels Philip on how to further assist Elizabeth when she becomes the new sovereign. Meanwhile, former Conservative Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine return to Downing Street following six years of a Labour government.

2
2
"Hyde Park Corner"
Stephen Daldry
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In 1952, with King George still in ill health, Elizabeth and Philip tour the Commonwealth in his place. While the couple is on safari in Kenya, the King is found dead in his bed. His wife Queen Elizabeth, younger daughter Margaret, and widowed mother Queen Mary mourn as news of George's sudden passing spreads via radio to the rest of the world. Philip breaks the news to Elizabeth, who returns to the United Kingdom as Queen and reunites with her family in their grief.

3
3
"Windsor"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In February 1952, as the Royal Family prepares for King George's funeral, Elizabeth's uncle Edward, Duke of Windsor, who has been living in Paris with Wallis Simpson since his abdication in 1936, arrives in the United Kingdom. This causes the Queen Mother and Queen Mary to reopen old wounds surrounding his choice of wife. Elizabeth meets Churchill to discuss Philip's requests that his family keep the name Mountbatten, and live at Clarence House rather than move into Buckingham Palace. The Prime Minister is reluctant to grant either request; Elizabeth later drops them after receiving counsel from Edward. Churchill later informs Elizabeth that the date for her coronation has been set for the following year; she understands that Churchill is trying to secure his position within his own party, which is eager for Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden to replace him.

4
4
"Act of God"
Julian Jarrold
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In December 1952, as a great smog affects London and kills thousands, Elizabeth's advisors pressure her to ask Churchill, who referred to the event as an "act of God", to step down. While initially reluctant to do so, the Queen summons him for a private audience after he comes under fire from the opposition and refuses to discuss the smog at a Cabinet meeting. Before the meeting, Churchill's eyes are finally opened when his beloved secretary, Venetia Scott, is killed by a double-decker bus. He makes an impassioned speech outside the hospital where Venetia's body is being held, promising a longer-term approach to preventing future smog. His speech prompts Elizabeth to change her mind, when the smog clears moments before their audience takes place. Philip begins flying lessons from Royal Air Force Group Captain Peter Townsend, who is having a clandestine relationship with Margaret.

5
5
"Smoke and Mirrors"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

Following Queen Mary's death in March 1953, the visiting Duke of Windsor clashes with Elizabeth's Private Secretary Tommy Lascelles after being asked not to attend Elizabeth's coronation and learning that Wallis will also not be receiving an invitation. Elizabeth places Philip in charge of preparations, only to regret her decision when he upsets her with a request that he should forego kneeling to pay homage when she is crowned, and his insistence that the event be televised, which annoys the committee. On June 2, Elizabeth is crowned at Westminster Abbey. Edward and Wallis view the coverage from their villa in Paris, and spitefully mock the new Queen.

6
6
"Gelignite"
Julian Jarrold
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

When Margaret and Townsend ask for Elizabeth's permission to marry, the Queen promises her support, while Lascelles and the Queen Mother advise against it. As a local newspaper publishes an article about the relationship, Elizabeth changes her mind after learning that the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 prohibits Margaret from marrying without permission until she turns twenty-five. Elizabeth and Philip take Townsend, who is set to be posted to Brussels, with them on a trip to Northern Ireland, but his popularity causes Lascelles to recommend that he be posted to Brussels sooner than promised, causing a lasting rift between the two sisters.

7
7
"Scientia Potentia Est"
Benjamin Caron
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In August 1953, Churchill urges an international summit with American President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to the Soviet Union testing their first thermonuclear weapon. At the last minute, Churchill falls victim to a stroke, which inhibits his ability to govern and prompts Conservative Lord Salisbury to try and keep his ailment secret. Meanwhile, Elizabeth contemplates whether to replace the retiring Lascelles with senior deputy Michael Adeane or with her preferred choice Martin Charteris. She later engages a private tutor to improve her knowledge of science, which helps her gain enough courage to dress down Churchill and Salisbury for lying to her.

8
8
"Pride & Joy"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

With Elizabeth and Philip on a stressful tour of the Commonwealth, Margaret takes on more royal engagements, and the Queen Mother goes to Scotland to reflect on her new position. While she is there, she buys a castle. Meanwhile, Philip grows frustrated over Elizabeth using him as a prop, and the couple have a heated argument that is recorded by photographers. While Elizabeth convinces the photographers to surrender the recording, she and Phillip remain unable to resolve the argument, but must pretend to have a stable relationship for the public's sake. Churchill visits Margaret and, after explaining that the public do not want someone with passion or personality, tells her that she will no longer be taking on royal engagements.

9
9
"Assassins"
Benjamin Caron
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

Philip begins spending more time away from home, while Elizabeth begins spending time with her horse racing manager and friend Lord "Porchey" Porchester. The tension escalates after Elizabeth has a direct line put in for Porchey to call Buckingham Palace, and culminates in a heated confrontation. Elizabeth later tells Philip that he is the only man she has ever loved, which has disappointed many others. He, in turn, silently mouths an apology after she makes a moving speech at Churchill's eightieth birthday dinner. As part of the celebrations, contemporary artist Graham Sutherland paints a portrait of Churchill as a birthday gift from Parliament. However, the Prime Minister hates its accuracy and, after a heated confrontation with Sutherland, admits his pain at what aging has done to him. The portrait is later destroyed on Clementine's instructions.

10
10
"Gloriana"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

In 1956, Elizabeth finds herself torn when the public approves, but officials from Parliament and the Church of England disapprove, of Margaret's relationship with Townsend. As Elizabeth tries to dissuade Margaret from the relationship, the Queen Mother complains at Philip's domineering attitude towards Charles. At the suggestion of both Lascelles and the Queen Mother, Elizabeth asks Philip to open the Summer Olympics in Melbourne so he can adjust to life in her shadow. A five-month royal tour onboard the newly commissioned Royal Yacht is later added to Philip's itinerary, to which Elizabeth responds by suggesting that he be thankful everyone is helping him to find a public role. Meanwhile, Eden replaces Churchill as Prime Minister and becomes trapped in an escalating dispute with Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser over rights to the Suez Canal.

tag: table

text: Season 2 (2017)[edit]

text:
No.
overall
No. in
season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original release date

11
1
"Misadventure"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In February 1957, Elizabeth and Philip discuss the state of their marriage while onboard the Britannia in Lisbon, seeing that divorce is not an option. Five months earlier, Elizabeth had suspected he may be having an affair after finding a photograph of Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova in his briefcase. Chancellor of the Exchequer Harold Macmillan challenges Eden's solution to the Egyptian takeover of the Suez Canal, but then agrees to military intervention. Philip's uncle Earl Mountbatten overhears and warns Elizabeth, who confronts Eden about the Israeli invasion of Sinai. Eden confesses that there is a secret agreement between the Israeli, French and British governments to reclaim the canal from the Egyptians, without approval from Parliament or the United Nations. British forces begin moving into Egypt. After her nightly prayers she resolutely closes the door to the room with an empty double bed.

12
2
"A Company of Men"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In December 1956, Eden withdraws British forces from Egypt following international political pressure, before going on holiday to Jamaica to recover his health. Meanwhile, Philip continues his royal tour, punctuated by an interview which he abandons when the reporter asks about his family history. At Christmas, Philip makes a radio broadcast, prompting Elizabeth to let him know that his family is waiting for him as part of her Christmas Message. Meanwhile, Eileen, the wife of Philip's private secretary Michael, initiates divorce proceedings because her husband has had an affair that started at Philip's lunch club. Elizabeth's assistant private secretary Martin Charteris warns Adeane that this could cause the press to start asking about Elizabeth and Philip's own marriage.

13
3
"Lisbon"
Philip Martin
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

Eden returns from Jamaica to find himself forced out of Downing Street by the Cabinet and the Conservative Party, who blame him for the Suez Crisis. As Macmillan becomes Prime Minister, Adeane enlists a retired Lascelles to change Eileen's mind about the divorce. When he fails, and Elizabeth, Philip, and Parker learn about the decision, Elizabeth attempts to convince her to hold off an announcement, but she is rebuffed. The story goes public, prompting Philip to force Parker to resign. Elizabeth arranges Philip's return before meeting the Britannia in Lisbon, where they again discuss their marriage. Philip says that he resents his son outranking him, and needs more respect from the court and palace staff. On February 22, 1957, Philip is made a Prince and becomes "His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh".

14
4
"Beryl"
Benjamin Caron
Amy Jenkins and Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

Shortly before her birthday, Margaret accepts a marriage proposal from her friend Billy Wallace. She breaks off the engagement on finding him drunk and recovering from a duel on the night of the intended announcement, during a gala celebrating Elizabeth and Philip's tenth wedding anniversary. Later, she meets photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones at a dinner party and becomes infatuated with him. He invites her to his studio for a sitting. Bored with traditional birthday pictures, she gives one of the photos, which suggests that she is nude, to the newspapers. The following day, the picture is published, shocking Elizabeth and the rest of the Royal Family. Macmillan's wife Dorothy decides to end her longtime affair, but Macmillan overhears her talking to her lover on the telephone.

15
5
"Marionettes"
Philippa Lowthorpe
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

Lord Altrincham, a minor peer and magazine editor, sparks a constitutional crisis after writing an article criticising Elizabeth. The piece was written after he had listened to a radio broadcast of a particularly tone-deaf speech of hers, written by her aides, to workers at a car factory. While both local newspapers and the general public are initially against him, they support him after he appears on ITV and argues that the monarchy must adapt to post-war and post-Suez society. Macmillan reminds Elizabeth of the trend of nations to abolish their monarchies, prompting her to meet with Altrincham in secret. She later implements two of his suggestions: that the 1957 Royal Christmas Message be televised, and that the Debutante Ball be opened to some of her subjects. Six months later, the Queen Mother expresses embarrassment over the monarchy's slow loss of authority, while hosting a garden party.

16
6
"Vergangenheit"
Philippa Lowthorpe
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In 1945 Germany, a German officer leads American soldiers to a box containing top-secret diplomatic papers. After discovering that these contain information about "Windsor", Churchill informs King George and is asked to ensure that the files are never published. In 1958, shortly before meeting American evangelist Billy Graham, Elizabeth receives a letter from Edward asking permission to re-enter the UK to find employment. She agrees, but he starts convincing former sycophants to support his return. When historians unearth the papers, reorganised and titled the Marburg Files, Macmillan brings the matter before Elizabeth. He and the Queen Mother explain that one volume, which the United States wants published, concerns Edward's clandestine relationship with the Nazi High Command. After a confrontation with Edward does not go as planned, Elizabeth asks Lascelles for advice, only to learn the extent of the relationship. She then seeks spiritual counsel from Reverend Graham, before exiling Edward for betraying his country and allowing the volume to be published.

17
7
"Matrimonium"
Benjamin Caron
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

After learning that Townsend is engaged to a much younger woman, Margaret retaliates by pressing Armstrong-Jones into proposing marriage. Because Elizabeth is pregnant, protocol prevents her from announcing the engagement. Adeane and Lascelles inform Elizabeth that Armstrong-Jones is currently engaged in sexual relationships with other women, and also with his best male friend and his wife, who is pregnant with what might be Armstrong-Jones's child. On February 19, 1960, Elizabeth gives birth to Prince Andrew. She decides against telling Margaret about Armstrong-Jones's sexual activities. Three months later, on May 6, Margaret and Armstrong-Jones are married at Westminster Abbey.

18
8
"Dear Mrs. Kennedy"
Stephen Daldry
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In June 1961, Elizabeth invites newly-inaugurated American President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jackie to Buckingham Palace for dinner. The Queen finds common ground with the First Lady, only to become annoyed on hearing that Jackie had insulted both her and the Palace at a party. Feeling challenged, she travels to Ghana to meet President Kwame Nkrumah, whose relationship with the Soviet Union is worrying Macmillan. Elizabeth convinces him to cut ties with the Soviet Union and to realign Ghana with the United Kingdom, in exchange for agreeing to dance the foxtrot with him. Later, Jackie makes an unexpected visit to the UK and sits down with Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, where she says she is sorry for insulting her, explaining that she had been under the influence of "substances". Elizabeth later confides in Philip, asking him if she should have responded in a more personal way. Two years later, after watching news coverage of President Kennedy's assassination, Elizabeth arranges for a week of mourning to take place and sends Jackie a personal letter of sympathy.

19
9
"Paterfamilias"
Stephen Daldry
Tom Edge and Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In May 1962, on Philip's insistence Charles is sent to Gordonstoun School. Elizabeth and Louis, who are against the idea, recommend Eton College, only for Philip to use his deal with Elizabeth to compel her to back him. As he takes Charles to Scotland, Philip recalls his time at the school, when he was punished for fighting by being forced to construct the school's front gate during the winter holiday, and when his favourite sister Cecile and her family had died in a plane crash, for which his father Andrew blamed him. Charles starts to struggle with Gordonstoun's rigorous curriculum and, when he disappears during the Gordonstoun challenge, is found crying by his security detail. Philip admonishes Charles for being "bloody weak".

20
10
"Mystery Man"
Benjamin Caron
Peter Morgan
December 8, 2017 (2017-12-08)

In April 1963, the government is thrown into chaos by an affair between the Secretary of State for War John Profumo and model Christine Keeler becoming public knowledge. When the media begins to speculate about a "mystery man" seen in a photograph taken at a party hosted by London osteopath Stephen Ward, who is charged with immorality offences, Margaret and Tony notice the similarities with Philip. Ward commits suicide, and the police find a hand-drawn portrait of Philip among his belongings. An embarrassed Macmillan resigns, and is succeeded by Alec Douglas-Home, whose appointment is controversial due to his relationship with the Royal Family. Elizabeth asks Philip if he is the mystery man, and confronts him with the photograph of Ulanova. Philip admits to knowing Ward in a minor capacity, having visited his clinic the previous year after injuring his neck. He denies attending Ward's weekend parties, and reaffirms his love and support for Elizabeth. On March 10, 1964, Elizabeth gives birth to Prince Edward, her fourth child.

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: Peter Morgan, who wrote the 2006 film The Queen and the 2013 stage play The Audience, is the main scriptwriter for The Crown.[19] The directors of the television series who were also involved in the stage production are Stephen Daldry, Philip Martin, Julian Jarrold, and Benjamin Caron.[20] The first 10-part season was the most expensive drama produced by Netflix and Left Bank Pictures to date, costing at least £100 million.[21][22][23][24] A second season was commissioned,[25][26] with the series intended to span 60 episodes over six seasons.[5] By October 2017, "early production" had begun on an anticipated third and fourth season,[10] and by the following January, Netflix confirmed the series had been renewed for a third and fourth season.[11]

text: Casting[edit]

text: By November 2014, Claire Foy had entered negotiations to portray Queen Elizabeth II in the series.[27] The following May, Vanessa Kirby was in negotiations to portray Princess Margaret.[28] In June 2015, John Lithgow was cast as Winston Churchill, and Matt Smith was cast as Prince Phillip; Foy was confirmed as Queen Elizabeth II.[29] Also starring in the first season were Victoria Hamilton, Jared Harris, and Eileen Atkins.[30]

text: The Left Bank producers noted that Smith was paid more than Foy in the first two seasons, partially because of his Doctor Who fame.[31] This information brought up discussion on the gender pay gap, including the creation of a petition asking Smith to donate the difference between his and Foy's salary to the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund.[32] Left Bank later issued an apology to Foy and Smith for putting them "at the center of a media storm... through no fault of their own." Left Bank also clarified that they "are responsible for budgets and salaries; the actors are not aware of who gets what, and cannot be held personally responsible for the pay of their colleagues." They added that they support "the drive for gender equality in film and TV and [were] eager to talk to the British Time’s Up campaign and [were] already speaking to Era 50:50, a group campaigning for gender equality on screen and stage."[33] Suzanne Mackie, Left Bank's creative director, did note that moving forward, no other actor would be paid more than the actress portraying the Queen.[31] Regarding the controversy, Foy was "not [surprised about the interest in the story] in the sense that it was a female-led drama. I'm not surprised that people saw [the story] and went, 'Oh, that's a bit odd.' But I know that Matt feels the same that I do, that it's odd to find yourself at the center [of a story] that you didn't particularly ask for."[34]

text: The producers will recast some roles with older actors every two seasons, as the timeline moves forward and the characters age.[35] In October 2017, Olivia Colman was cast as Queen Elizabeth II for the third and fourth seasons.[10] By January 2018, Helena Bonham Carter and Paul Bettany were in negotiations to portray Princess Margaret and Prince Philip, respectively, for these seasons.[36][9] However, by the end of the month Bettany was forced to drop out due to the time commitment required.[12] On March 28, 2018, it was confirmed that Tobias Menzies had closed a deal to be cast as Prince Phillip for the third and fourth seasons.[37]

text: Filming[edit]

text: An estimated 25% of the first season was filmed at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, with the remainder filmed on location, altogether taking 152 days. Sets for private quarters, the interior of a private jet, the cabinet room, and the exterior of 10 Downing Street, were built at Elstree Studios,[26][38] while Lancaster House, Wrotham Park and Wilton House were used to double as Buckingham Palace. Ely Cathedral stood in for Westminster Abbey, while locations in South Africa doubled as Kenya.[26] Additional locations in the UK included Eltham Palace, the Royal Naval College,[39] Goldsmiths' Hall, Shoreham Airport, New Slains Castle,[40] Balmoral Castle, Cruden Bay, Lyceum Theatre, Loseley Park, Hatfield House,[38] The Historic Dockyard Chatham,[41] Southwark Cathedral, Ardverikie House, Englefield House, and the Glenfeshie Estate.[42] Filming on the second season began in early October 2016.[35] Each episode of the first two seasons would shoot for about 22 days, with each costing about GB£5 million (US$7 million) to produce. The third season is expected to begin filming in July 2018.[31]

text: Historical accuracy[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: The show has been interpreted as perpetuating the idea that the Queen and Prime Minister Churchill had forced Princess Margaret to give up her plan to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend. In the series the Queen is seen telling her sister that if she marries Townsend she would no longer be a member of the family because of the Royal Marriages Act 1772. Yet there is clear evidence that in reality efforts had been made to prevent any further delay of the marriage, which would have allowed Princess Margaret to keep her royal title and her civil list allowance, stay in the country and even continue with her public duties. [43]

text: The re-enactment of the removal of the King's cancerous lung, originally performed by Sir Clement Price Thomas, was researched and planned by Pankaj Chandak, specialist in transplant surgery at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London. Chandak and his surgical team also became part of the real scene.[44] The surgical model of King George VI was donated to the Gordon Museum of Pathology for use as a teaching aid.[45]

text: Peggy Noonan of The Wall Street Journal highlighted the historical inaccuracy of the series, and argued for "more truth in art and entertainment".[46]

text: Release[edit]

text: The series's first two episodes were released theatrically in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2016.[47] The first season was released worldwide in its entirety on November 4, 2016.[48][49] The second season was released on December 8, 2017.[50]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: Season 1[edit]

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported 90% approval for the first season based on 51 reviews, with an average rating of 8.7/10. Its critical consensus reads, "Powerful performances and lavish cinematography make The Crown a top-notch production worthy of its grand subject."[51] On Metacritic, the series holds a score of 81 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[52]

text: The Guardian's TV critic Lucy Mangan praised the series and wrote that "Netflix can rest assured that its £100m gamble has paid off. This first series, about good old British phlegm from first to last, is the service's crowning achievement so far."[53] Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Ben Lawrence said, "The Crown is a PR triumph for the Windsors, a compassionate piece of work that humanises them in a way that has never been seen before. It is a portrait of an extraordinary family, an intelligent comment on the effects of the constitution on their personal lives and a fascinating account of postwar Britain all rolled into one."[54] Chief television critic Jaci Stephen of The Mail on Sunday lauded the series and said, "Faultless is the only word for The Crown with its exquisite writing and magnificent acting."[55] Writing for The Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert also praised the series saying, "The show, created and written by Peter Morgan of The Queen and Frost/Nixon is thoroughly engaging, gorgeously shot, beautifully acted, rich in the historical events of postwar England, and designed with a sharp eye to psychological nuance."[56] Vicki Hyman of The Star-Ledger said, "A sumptuous, stately but never dull look inside the life of Queen Elizabeth".[57] The A.V. Club's Gwen Ihnat said, "The Crown easily rises far above, adding a cinematic quality to a complex and intricate time for an intimate family. The performers and creators are seemingly up for the task."[58]

text: The Wall Street Journal critic Dorothy Rabinowitz said, "We're clearly meant to see the duke [of Windsor] as a wastrel with heart. It doesn't quite come off—Mr. Jennings is far too convincing as an empty-hearted scoundrel—but it's a minor flaw in this superbly sustained work."[59] Television critic Robert Lloyd writing for the Los Angeles Times said, "As television it's excellent—beautifully mounted, movingly played and only mildly melodramatic."[60] Hank Stuever of The Washington Post also reviewed the series positively: "Pieces of The Crown are more brilliant on their own than they are as a series, taken in as shorter, intently focused films like The Queen and another Morgan achievement, the play and film versions of Frost/Nixon."[61] Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times said, "This is a thoughtful series that lingers over death rather than using it for shock value; one that finds its story lines in small power struggles rather than gruesome palace coups.".[62] The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg said, "The first chapter of Peter Morgan's chronicle of the rule of Queen Elizabeth II remains gripping across the entirety of the 10 episodes made available to critics, finding both emotional heft in Elizabeth's youthful ascension and unexpected suspense in matters of courtly protocol and etiquette."[63] Other publications such as USA Today,[64] Indiewire,[65] The Atlantic,[66] CNN[67] and Variety[68] all reviewed the series positively.

text: Some were more critical of the show. In a review for Time magazine, Daniel D'Addario wrote that it "will be compared to Downton Abbey, but that .. was able to invent ahistorical or at least unexpected notes. Foy struggles mightily, but she's given little: Avoiding her children, her husband, and her subjects in favor of meetings at which she either acquiesces to her advisors or puts off acquiescing until fifteen minutes later, The Crown's Elizabeth is more than unknowable. She's a bore".[69] Vulture's Matt Zoller Seitz concluded, "The Crown never entirely figures out how to make the political and domestic drama genuinely dramatic, much less bestow complexity on characters outside England's innermost circle."[70] Verne Gay of Newsday said, "Sumptuously produced but glacially told, The Crown is the TV equivalent of a long drive through the English countryside. The scenery keeps changing, but remains the same."[71] Slate magazine's Willa Paskin, commented: "It will scratch your period drama itch—and leave you itchy for action."[72] Writing for The Mail on Sunday, Hugo Vickers, an English biographer of the Royal Family, argued that "while [The Crown] certainly holds the attention, it is marred by a series of sensationalist errors and some quite remarkable lapses into vulgarity."[73]

text: Season 2[edit]

text: Rotten Tomatoes reported a 93% approval rating for the second season based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 8.45 /10. The website's critical consensus read "The Crown continues its reign with a self-assured sophomore season that indulges in high drama and sumptuous costumes."[74] On Metacritic, the second season holds a score of 87 out of 100, based on 27 critics, retaining the first season's indication of "universal acclaim".[75]

text: Foy and Smith both earned significant praise from critics. Chancellor Agard of Entertainment Weekly wrote "As always, Claire Foy turns in an amazingly restrained performance."[76] Gabriel Tate of The Daily Telegraph wrote "Matt Smith, too, has seldom been better. If the scripts do them justice, we could be in for another memorable series."[77] Hugo Rifkind of The Times said "While ardent monarchists might bristle at the way this is going, for the rest of us it's getting better and better."[78]

text: Alison Keene of Collider said "Like its first season, each new episode makes its mark and tells its own complete story, all while staying linked to Elizabeth's journey as a monarch, mother, and wife. It's another exceptionally strong season of television, full of compelling drama and sweeping grandeur."[79] Krutika Malikarjuna of TV Guide wrote "Season 2 is centered on why the public-at-large (especially those outside of Britain) still engage with the royals at all: celebrity and star power. The brilliance of this framing becomes clear as the show evolves into The Real Housewives of Buckingham."[80] Sophie Gilbert wrote for The Atlantic "This personal, complex portrayal of a monarch who by her own admission in the show would rather be living any other life is riveting enough. But The Crown is also a history lesson, as my colleague David Sims has put it, albeit a selective one. It's gorgeously shot, with flawless re-creations of everything from the Throne Room in Buckingham Palace to a 1950s hospital ward. And it's surprisingly funny."[81]

text: The Wall Street Journal critic John Anderson said "The Crown attains genuine sexiness without sex. Margaret, à la Ms. Kirby's interpretation, smolders, as does Elizabeth, at least on occasion."[82] Meghan O'Keefe of Decider wrote "Season Two of The Crown continues to romanticize the British royal family, but the romance comes from how they're normal, not divine."[83]

text: Less complimentary reviews saw the season criticized for what some regarded as failing to meet the emotional intensity of the first. John Doyle wrote for Globe and Mail "Yes, it is still so lavishly made that it is breathtaking. But The Crown now leans toward a three-hanky weeper about marriage. It is less than it was, like the monarchy itself, and of interest to monarchy fans only."[84] Alan Sepinwall of Uproxx added "Many of the season's wounds are self-inflicted, in particular Morgan's mystifying fascination with Prince Philip, who despite Matt Smith's best efforts still comes across as a whiny man-child."[85] Phil Owen of The Wrap described the season as "trashy" and saw dry comedy in Northam's portrayal of Prime Minister Anthony Eden: "I'm assuming that creator Peter Morgan meant for it to be comedy. There's really no other explanation for why Jeremy Northam played Prime Minister Anthony Eden like he's having a nervous breakdown in every scene."[86]

text: The Royal family[edit]

text: Adam Helliker from the Daily Express reported in May 2017 that Queen Elizabeth II and her third son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie had watched the first season together. Other royal family members who were fans of the first season included the Queen's granddaughters Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall. While the Queen was reported to have enjoyed the series, she found some depictions of events to be "too heavily dramatised".[87]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee(s)
Result
Ref.

2016
American Film Institute Awards
Top 10 TV Programs of the Year
The Crown
Won
[88]

Critics' Choice Television Awards
Best Drama Series
Nominated
[89]

Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Lithgow
Won

Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Jared Harris
Nominated

Hollywood Music in Media Awards
Best Main Title – TV Show/Digital Streaming Series
Hans Zimmer
Nominated
[90]

2017
Golden Globe Awards
Best Television Series – Drama
The Crown
Won
[91]

Best Actress – Television Series Drama
Claire Foy
Won

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
John Lithgow
Nominated

Screen Actors Guild Awards
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Crown
Nominated
[92]

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
John Lithgow
Won

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Claire Foy
Won

Art Directors Guild Awards
One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Television Series
Martin Childs
Nominated
[93]

American Cinema Editors Awards
Best Edited One Hour Series for Non-Commercial Television
Yan Miles (for "Assassins")
Nominated
[94]

Satellite Awards
Best Television Series – Drama
The Crown
Won
[95]

Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Jared Harris
Nominated

Costume Designers Guild Awards
Outstanding Period Television Series
Michele Clapton
Won
[96]

Dorian Awards
TV Drama of the Year
The Crown
Nominated

TV Performance of the Year – Actress
Claire Foy
Nominated

Broadcasting Press Guild Awards
Best Online First/Streaming
The Crown
Won
[97]
[98]

Best Actor
Matt Smith
Nominated

Best Actress
Claire Foy
Nominated

Best Writer
Peter Morgan
Nominated

Irish Film and Television Awards
Best Editing
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle
Nominated
[99]

Location Managers Guild Awards
Outstanding Locations in Period Television
Pat Karam, Robert Bentley
Won
[100]

BAFTA Television Craft Awards
Best Costume Design
Michele Clapton
Won
[101]
[102]

Best Director: Fiction
Stephen Daldry
Nominated

Best Photography and Lightning: Fiction
Adriano Goldman
Nominated

Best Production Design
Martin Childs
Nominated

Best Special, Visual and Graphic Effects
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, Molinare
Won

Best Title and Graphic Identity
Patrick Clair, Raoul Marks
Nominated

Best Writer: Drama
Peter Morgan
Nominated

BAFTA Television Awards
Best Drama Series
The Crown
Nominated
[103]

Best Actress
Claire Foy
Nominated

Best Supporting Actor
John Lithgow
Nominated

Jared Harris
Nominated

Best Supporting Actress
Vanessa Kirby
Nominated

Glamour Awards
Best UK TV Actress
Won
[104]

TCA Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Drama
The Crown
Nominated
[105]

Outstanding New Program
Nominated

Individual Achievement in Drama
Claire Foy
Nominated

Primetime Emmy Awards
Outstanding Drama Series
The Crown
Nominated
[106]

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Foy
Nominated

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
John Lithgow
Won

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Stephen Daldry
Nominated

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Peter Morgan
Nominated

Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Nina Gold, Robert Sterne
Nominated

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
Adriano Goldman
Nominated

Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series, or Movie

Nominees[show]

Michele Clapton, Alex Fordham, Emma O'Loughlin and Kate O'Farrell

Won

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Ivana Primorac, Amy Riley
Nominated

Outstanding Main Title Design

Nominees[show]

Patrick Clair, Raoul Marks, Javier Leon Carrillo and Jeff Han

Nominated

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series
Rupert Gregson-Williams
Nominated

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More)

Nominees[show]

Martin Childs, Mark Raggett and Celia Bobak

Won

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role

Nominees[show]

Ben Turner, Tom Debenham, Standish Millennas, Kim Phelan, Oliver Cubbage, Lionel Heath, Charlie Bennet, Stephen Smith and Carmine Agnone

Nominated

Hollywood Music in Media Awards
Original Score – TV Show/Limited Series
Rupert Gregson-Williams
Nominated
[107]

American Film Institute Awards
Top 10 TV Programs of the Year
The Crown
Won
[108]

2018
ASC Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Regular Series for Non-Commercial Television
Adriano Goldman (for "Smoke and Mirrors")
Won
[109]

Art Directors Guild Awards
One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Television Series

Nominees[show]

Martin Childs (for "A Company of Men", "Beryl", "Dear Mrs. Kennedy")

Nominated
[110]

Cinema Audio Society Awards
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Series – One Hour

Nominees[show]

Chris Ashworth, Lee Walpole, Stuart Hilliker, Martin Jensen, Rory de Carteret, Philip Clements (for "Misadventure")

Nominated
[111]

Costume Designers Guild Awards
Excellence in Period Television Series
Jane Petrie
Won
[112]

Critics' Choice Television Awards
Best Drama Series
The Crown
Nominated
[113]

Best Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Foy
Nominated

Producers Guild of America Awards
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama
The Crown
Nominated
[114]

Golden Globe Awards
Best Television Series – Drama
The Crown
Nominated
[115]

Best Actress – Television Series Drama
Claire Foy
Nominated

Location Managers Guild Awards
Outstanding Locations in Period Television
Pat Karam and Robert Bentley
Nominated
[116]

Screen Actors Guild Awards
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
The Crown
Nominated

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Claire Foy
Won