Time stamps in the description box! EDIT: Really interesting that we seem somewhat divided on this episode. I really enjoyed it. Like a lot of you have been saying, it felt very “Crown” - esque.
Great to see you back! I only started watching reactions after your first crown season. Though I wish you'd have done season 1... but hey you have a life to fit in aswell.
This was my favorite episode of this season because something about it felt very Crown-esque. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this season as a whole. It felt like a different show.
I completely agree, at this point I'm just waiting to see how the series ends because most of the episodes in this season were a snooze-fest. At first I was hoping that they'd go up to Elizabeth's death but after seeing this season I'm glad that they're finishing up with the series finale.
@Zarin Rahman I think the lowering of the flag in Hong Kong was a memorable moment. Especially since we know the Chinese didn't stick to any agreements after they "had the keys".
One of my favorites as well. Mou Mou's "fascination" with British culture was so cringe and somewhat unhealthy but i do love how his relationship with Sydney grew and developed because i've always believed that babies aren't born racist, they learn it from others. But when you spend the time to connect with someone on a human level and see them as they are, all those subconscious prejudices just washes away and become so trivial. Who cares about the color of your skin, you're my friend and that's all that matters. It's so gosh darn beautiful 🤧
@@shashankbisht4758 Margaret is always saying snarky lines in the show. I imagine it was to get at the Queen a little bitsince she was supposed to be sitting with him but ditched him for her friend.
THIS is the episode that pulled season 5 together, and character started to gel. I really found it quite interesting that "Chariots of Fire" was backed by the Fayed family. Cultural norms are changing, and I certainly am hoping for greater tolerance in the future. But, YES--this episode pretty much hits the nail on the head. Thanks, Steffi!
IMO this is when we really get going in terms of momentum for the rest of the season. To answer your question, no I don't like Mohamed as a person. As a character however, he makes for great TV lol. Diana's pop-up at the very end was so *chef's kiss*
i think this ep was brilliant cos it was another trademark Crown 'standalone' ep which they do so, so well. you might wanna check out the 'Beneath the Crown' youtube vid for this ep. lots of interesting info, like pics from when Mohammed threw a big party for the reopening of Villa Windsor. Joan Collins went!...have you seen United 93? remember the, um, 'pilot?'
not you getting increasingly bored in every thumbnail 😭 tbh the first few episodes are very slow but the season picks up in the second half. glad to see you back reacting to the crown!
I think this episode managed to showcase the aftereffects of British Colonialism, it's the reason why Mohamed Al-Fayed spent so much of his life fighting for respect that he never felt like he got. But he was fighting for respect from a system that would never fully accept him due to a combination of racism, classism, and general British aloofness. Along with the fact that by the time he was sort of in the system, the 'British' system was largely irrelevant on the world stage. The British Empire hadn't existed for decades by the time of the 90's, the Crown is literally the last remnant of that era that exists in the modern world, which is where the core story of the show lies. The friction between the Crown representing the past, while the world has moved on from all that.
I do like that for the last few seasons the show has tackled the post colonial period, particularly as most of us are too young to have any concept of a time where colonisation was seen as good. However, this is in no way exclusive to the UK (hence the way Mohammed experiences racism in France, linking to France's colonial history in North Africa and the Middle East). It's also good that it acknowledges that racism is also not exclusively white i.e Mohammed's casual antisemitism and initial contempt for black people whilst at the same time being subject to racism himself). They probably didn't have time but in the episode where the Emperor of Japan featured they could have touched on Japan's colonial history in countries such as China and Korea and the resulting racism....
I liked this episode and also Mou Mou, I mean maybe not as a person but I did like him as a character. Also, no one is perfect and you have to take into account the time and culture, of course it does not justify racism but at least we see an evolution, the way he treats and cares for Sydney afterward I found even touching.
I loved this episode , it was really interesting. New and different character, different locations, edward played by alex jennings always interesting, sidney johnson as link between ex king and mr.fayed, and a small role of phillipine leroy beaulieu...
This episode was a great surprise. Also didn't know this, Dodi Al-Fayed was cousin to Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post reporter that was killed in the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul. Dodi's mother was a Khashoggi, what a fascinating family!
Anything i watch on The Crown, i take it with a grain of salt, the real Mohamed had some serious sexual harassment allegations which the show doesnt touch on, but the actor who portrays him is so charismatic that it really helps, also im kind of pissed we didnt get to see Porchie, like come on they have the budget.
@@innmyhumbleopinion was really hoping you would do a season review 😔 Always enjoyed your thoughts and reactions to the show .. but you should definitely watch the rest of the season it's really good.. having watched all of your handmaid's tale videos you will definitely enjoy it. Wish you all the best
Season five is a terribly insular season that leaves out much of the external world, the politics, the changes in British society that so enriched previous seasons. That is why this episode, which both gives us an outsider perspective and has something to tell us about the relationship between Britishness and formerly colonized peoples, felt like such a breath of fresh air. Also: the pacing of this episode was as good as it was in the classic seasons, whereas much of the rest of season five either dragged on (like the horse carriage storyline) or crammed too much stuff together (such as the annus horribilis / Townsend episode).
Granted, I found Mohammad al-Fayed's social climbing off-putting, I can honestly say the same about the Royal Family's dismissive and patronizing attitude toward him.
This is the season where I’m not loving watching the queen. I love this actress in other stuff but I feel like she’s a little wasted here..at least up until now. Haven’t seen the entire season though. Maybe she gets great material later on..
The decades and all personal sacrifices for protocol weighted on her and shaped her world view and priorities. It makes for a sad begining of a third act of her life, but it is a logical progression and mostly true to life, it seems.
IRL it takes decades for people to grow old and as we do the same, at the same speed, we almost never really notice those around us changing as much as they do, unless there is a huge hiatus in communication or a sudden moment of realization. A tv show that skips decades at a time can make it all feel more sudden.
Not giving away any spoilers, but this season managed to paint a portrait of princess Diana that is... unexpected. I guess I grew up watching tv portray her as almost perfect and you are about to see her being... QUITE imperfect. Specially when it comes to being a bit dumb and fetishizing and stereotypying men of color.
I’m kind of shocked you and your subs loved this one so much. It’s good to know the background of the Al Fayed family and how they came into this story, but a whole episode on their background was ridiculous and really felt like they were writing an essay using large font and double spacing to fill time
Well, it sounds like "social climber" is an insult. But how got the royals to the top? They stole and killed through the centuries and no they are the so-called the "high society" who earned their position just by being born. Mohammed did maybe some shaddy business but he climbed up on his own. Is he a racist? Kinda. But so are the royal. And he was not so pretentious than the royals regarding their staff. He treated Sidney with respect becaused he earned it. I'm not sure the royal would do that. And what about the moment where the queen refused to go Mohammed and sent Diana instead? Maybe that was racism too (in my opinion)
To be fair, the ancestors that DID all the social climbing to put the British royal family in power WERE seem as social climbers, disliked by many and opposed by a lot of people, so there's that.
Im just gonna say it, if diana didnt die the public would hate her. Obviously she was mistreated but she was also insane. I see a lot of Meghan in her story its the same. Sure she wasn’t completely wrong but they both are unreasonable.
I did like Dodi dad. The reason why I really like him is because of when Diana died the royal family treated him the worst. Along with Diana. Also Dodi did some good movies I think. Another movie The Scarlett Letter. That was a good one. With Demi Moore.We will never know what was going on. All I will say is rest in peace. I did not really like the season. Season 1-4 was good . Season 5 not soo good.
Time stamps in the description box!
EDIT: Really interesting that we seem somewhat divided on this episode. I really enjoyed it. Like a lot of you have been saying, it felt very “Crown” - esque.
Great to see you back! I only started watching reactions after your first crown season. Though I wish you'd have done season 1... but hey you have a life to fit in aswell.
This was my favorite episode of this season because something about it felt very Crown-esque. I'm honestly not sure how I feel about this season as a whole. It felt like a different show.
^Agree. Favourite episode for same reason. The last half of 9 was good and Crown-esque. The rest of the season fell flat for me.
I completely agree, at this point I'm just waiting to see how the series ends because most of the episodes in this season were a snooze-fest. At first I was hoping that they'd go up to Elizabeth's death but after seeing this season I'm glad that they're finishing up with the series finale.
@@theoutsider8745 i expect it'll finish in 2002
@Zarin Rahman I think the lowering of the flag in Hong Kong was a memorable moment. Especially since we know the Chinese didn't stick to any agreements after they "had the keys".
@@icarus_falling Oh yeah I forgot about that, that scene was very well shot. Only one of a handful of good scenes though.
One of my favorites as well. Mou Mou's "fascination" with British culture was so cringe and somewhat unhealthy but i do love how his relationship with Sydney grew and developed because i've always believed that babies aren't born racist, they learn it from others. But when you spend the time to connect with someone on a human level and see them as they are, all those subconscious prejudices just washes away and become so trivial. Who cares about the color of your skin, you're my friend and that's all that matters. It's so gosh darn beautiful 🤧
A product of the effects of colonialism, it's a hell of a drug.
"out of the acorn of a simple kindness an oak tree of happiness will grow"
wow, that aged like milk...
I still didn't get why Margaret would say that line. Felt forced and out of place.
@@shashankbisht4758 Margaret is always saying snarky lines in the show. I imagine it was to get at the Queen a little bitsince she was supposed to be sitting with him but ditched him for her friend.
Probably the best episode of the season. I loved seeing Edward again
This is one of like 3 episodes that made watching the season worthwhile.
So happy I found your channel! I watch the episode first then watch your video, I love your commentary
I think this was my fave episode
I really enjoyed this episode and this was my favorite episode of this season
THIS is the episode that pulled season 5 together, and character started to gel. I really found it quite interesting that "Chariots of Fire" was backed by the Fayed family. Cultural norms are changing, and I certainly am hoping for greater tolerance in the future. But, YES--this episode pretty much hits the nail on the head. Thanks, Steffi!
Best episode of the season.
Mou mou was definitely one of my favorite episodes from this season.
IMO this is when we really get going in terms of momentum for the rest of the season. To answer your question, no I don't like Mohamed as a person. As a character however, he makes for great TV lol. Diana's pop-up at the very end was so *chef's kiss*
i think this ep was brilliant cos it was another trademark Crown 'standalone' ep which they do so, so well. you might wanna check out the 'Beneath the Crown' youtube vid for this ep. lots of interesting info, like pics from when Mohammed threw a big party for the reopening of Villa Windsor. Joan Collins went!...have you seen United 93? remember the, um, 'pilot?'
not you getting increasingly bored in every thumbnail 😭
tbh the first few episodes are very slow but the season picks up in the second half. glad to see you back reacting to the crown!
I think this episode managed to showcase the aftereffects of British Colonialism, it's the reason why Mohamed Al-Fayed spent so much of his life fighting for respect that he never felt like he got. But he was fighting for respect from a system that would never fully accept him due to a combination of racism, classism, and general British aloofness. Along with the fact that by the time he was sort of in the system, the 'British' system was largely irrelevant on the world stage. The British Empire hadn't existed for decades by the time of the 90's, the Crown is literally the last remnant of that era that exists in the modern world, which is where the core story of the show lies. The friction between the Crown representing the past, while the world has moved on from all that.
I do like that for the last few seasons the show has tackled the post colonial period, particularly as most of us are too young to have any concept of a time where colonisation was seen as good. However, this is in no way exclusive to the UK (hence the way Mohammed experiences racism in France, linking to France's colonial history in North Africa and the Middle East). It's also good that it acknowledges that racism is also not exclusively white i.e Mohammed's casual antisemitism and initial contempt for black people whilst at the same time being subject to racism himself). They probably didn't have time but in the episode where the Emperor of Japan featured they could have touched on Japan's colonial history in countries such as China and Korea and the resulting racism....
The thumb nail was me throughout the entire episode
You caught on the Fayed name wayyyy faster than me
Through all the drama and smoke in-between, there is Sydney Johnson. A Gentleman even after being dismissed without cause.
I liked this episode and also Mou Mou, I mean maybe not as a person but I did like him as a character. Also, no one is perfect and you have to take into account the time and culture, of course it does not justify racism but at least we see an evolution, the way he treats and cares for Sydney afterward I found even touching.
I loved this episode , it was really interesting. New and different character, different locations, edward played by alex jennings always interesting, sidney johnson as link between ex king and mr.fayed, and a small role of phillipine leroy beaulieu...
I love this episode !
This episode was a great surprise. Also didn't know this, Dodi Al-Fayed was cousin to Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post reporter that was killed in the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul. Dodi's mother was a Khashoggi, what a fascinating family!
Anything i watch on The Crown, i take it with a grain of salt, the real Mohamed had some serious sexual harassment allegations which the show doesnt touch on, but the actor who portrays him is so charismatic that it really helps, also im kind of pissed we didnt get to see Porchie, like come on they have the budget.
Will you be reviewing season 5 of the handmaid's tale?
No. I got the screener for it but only watched up to episode 3.
@@innmyhumbleopinion That's a shame. I have found your reactions and reviews to this show very enjoyable and uplifting. I wish you all the best!
@@innmyhumbleopinion was really hoping you would do a season review 😔
Always enjoyed your thoughts and reactions to the show .. but you should definitely watch the rest of the season it's really good.. having watched all of your handmaid's tale videos you will definitely enjoy it.
Wish you all the best
Season five is a terribly insular season that leaves out much of the external world, the politics, the changes in British society that so enriched previous seasons. That is why this episode, which both gives us an outsider perspective and has something to tell us about the relationship between Britishness and formerly colonized peoples, felt like such a breath of fresh air.
Also: the pacing of this episode was as good as it was in the classic seasons, whereas much of the rest of season five either dragged on (like the horse carriage storyline) or crammed too much stuff together (such as the annus horribilis / Townsend episode).
You probably don t watch shitty shows like emily in paris , but stil....3:34 Sylvie Grateau!!!!
Granted, I found Mohammad al-Fayed's social climbing off-putting, I can honestly say the same about the Royal Family's dismissive and patronizing attitude toward him.
This is the season where I’m not loving watching the queen. I love this actress in other stuff but I feel like she’s a little wasted here..at least up until now. Haven’t seen the entire season though. Maybe she gets great material later on..
The decades and all personal sacrifices for protocol weighted on her and shaped her world view and priorities.
It makes for a sad begining of a third act of her life, but it is a logical progression and mostly true to life, it seems.
IRL it takes decades for people to grow old and as we do the same, at the same speed, we almost never really notice those around us changing as much as they do, unless there is a huge hiatus in communication or a sudden moment of realization.
A tv show that skips decades at a time can make it all feel more sudden.
@@edisonlima4647 fair point!
Not giving away any spoilers, but this season managed to paint a portrait of princess Diana that is... unexpected.
I guess I grew up watching tv portray her as almost perfect and you are about to see her being... QUITE imperfect. Specially when it comes to being a bit dumb and fetishizing and stereotypying men of color.
I’m kind of shocked you and your subs loved this one so much. It’s good to know the background of the Al Fayed family and how they came into this story, but a whole episode on their background was ridiculous and really felt like they were writing an essay using large font and double spacing to fill time
Well, it sounds like "social climber" is an insult. But how got the royals to the top? They stole and killed through the centuries and no they are the so-called the "high society" who earned their position just by being born. Mohammed did maybe some shaddy business but he climbed up on his own. Is he a racist? Kinda. But so are the royal. And he was not so pretentious than the royals regarding their staff. He treated Sidney with respect becaused he earned it. I'm not sure the royal would do that.
And what about the moment where the queen refused to go Mohammed and sent Diana instead? Maybe that was racism too (in my opinion)
To be fair, the ancestors that DID all the social climbing to put the British royal family in power WERE seem as social climbers, disliked by many and opposed by a lot of people, so there's that.
Im just gonna say it, if diana didnt die the public would hate her. Obviously she was mistreated but she was also insane. I see a lot of Meghan in her story its the same. Sure she wasn’t completely wrong but they both are unreasonable.
Oh my God! Oh my God! You actually used your criticism of Diana to bash Meghan as well? Seriously? What the fuck?
Neither Dodi nor his father are likable or empathetic characters. Over both of them.
This episode did feel like filler to my mind.
I liked seeing Edward again and it makes sense to have this episode in for next season.
I did like Dodi dad. The reason why I really like him is because of when Diana died the royal family treated him the worst. Along with Diana. Also Dodi did some good movies I think. Another movie The Scarlett Letter. That was a good one. With Demi Moore.We will never know what was going on. All I will say is rest in peace. I did not really like the season. Season 1-4 was good . Season 5 not soo good.