21 Shows To Watch While You’re Recovering From A Food Coma

Image Courtesy of Netflix

21. The Crown

In Netflix’s latest original offering, Claire Foy plays Queen Elizabeth II in the early years of her reign. She’s accompanied by Matt Smith of Doctor Who fame, who plays her husband, the insecure Prince Philip. John Lithgow plays Winston Churchill, the aging Prime Minister who clashes with the British government and, occasionally, with the Queen herself.

If you love costume dramas, then The Queen is going to be a feast for your eyes. The visuals of the show are immaculate, from the clothing, to the set design, to the cinematography itself. It doesn’t hurt that the actors involved are top-notch. They deliver arresting performances, despite playing characters that, certainly to modern viewers, can be difficult. Prince Philip, for example, can sound awfully whiny about being married to a Queen, and is even downright racist. However, Smith’s performance (and the excellent writing) lends a complexity to the character that makes him hard to dismiss.

Claire Foy’s performance as Elizabeth is likewise excellent. She often encapsulates the complexity of her roles as wife, mother, and sovereign in the mid-twentieth century in a single uneasy look. It’s also deeply satisfying to see her stand her ground as Queen when faced with challenges to her reign, including her own husband and Winston Churchill himself.

Where to watch: Netflix.