25 Netflix shows you could binge over the holiday weekend

24. The Crown

Another British series and another Netflix Original, The Crown traces the early life of Queen Elizabeth II, during her first years as the queen. Claire Foy takes on the role and puts in admirable work, down to mimicking that awfully familiar prim and proper accent. You’ll also enjoy John Lithgow’s take on Sir Winston Churchill, as he doesn’t miss a beat as the aging Prime Minister. Furthermore, Matt Smith of Doctor Who fame turns in a good performance as Prince Philip, although you really might find yourself disliking him as a character.

The Crown could make for some excellent food-coma watching, especially if you’re already a British royal family enthusiast. It has some pretty slow pacing, so you won’t be left agonizing what happens next so much as merely intrigued. Additionally, it’s extremely well-costumed and well-shot, making it a pretty show with the aforementioned slow pacing.

Like Black Mirror, The Crown has a TV-MA rating, but again, it’s more based on its language use and its adult themes. (The dynastic marriages, in particular, play a large role in the more personal story arcs. This includes both Elizabeth’s own marriage to Prince Philip and her sister’s potential marriages.) Since there are only 10 episodes, you don’t have to make a serious commitment to get through the entire series.