Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign. It’s a new decade, and the royal family are facing what may be their biggest challenge yet” proving their continued relevance in ‘90s Britain. As Diana and Charles wage a media war, cracks begin to splinter the royal foundation.

For previous thoughts on The Crown, please check out our Blu-Ray reviews of Season 3 and Season 4.

For in-depth thoughts on The Crown: The Complete Fifth Season, please see my colleague Brandon Lewis’s review of the season here.

Video Quality

The Crown: The Complete Fifth Season debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment with a gorgeous AVC encoded 1080p transfer. This presentation lives up to the high expectations set by the previous seasons in terms of clarity and overall quality. The image reveals a world of fine detail within the intricate costumes and opulent production design. Skin tones appear very detailed and natural throughout the presentation, and compression artifacts and noise are never an issue.

The cinematography of the series frequently dazzles with its attention to composition, and it is rendered impeccably here. The series is immaculate with a lovely, steely color palette that showcases vibrant colors within the various settings. Black levels are deep, allowing for substantial detail in darker scenes. The highlights of the show are luminous and avoid any blooming in this presentation. The Blu-Ray presentation from Sony is fantastic and holds up a bit firmer than the Netflix stream.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a complex DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that realizes this sonic journey quite capably throughout the season. There is rarely meaningful action featured on this show, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in a really powerful way. Ambient sounds are carefully placed in the rear channels. This is most effectively showcased by the murmuring throughout crowded interiors and some of the lively rural environments. Dialogue always comes through crisp and clear without being drowned out by any competing sounds. The score often soars and immerses you with a spacious and lush sonic experience replete with subtle touches. The audio track serves as a first-rate presentation of the series.

Special Features

A Royal Transformation: A seven-minute featurette that delves into the transition to the new cast members, how the actors went about adapting to these figures, the performances, the look of the characters, and more.

War of the Waleses: A ten-minute piece that explores the rocky relationship of Diana and Charles, what went into bringing their story to life in an “even-handed” way, trying to keep things historically accurate, the dynamics they had amongst one another, and more.

Script To Screen: A nearly eight-minute look at the more creative side of the series including the immense amount of historical research undertaken by the creative team, the care put into parsing out the narrative time dedicated to each episode and season, and more that brings this series to life.

Final Thoughts

The Crown finds itself wrestling with how exactly to portray the increasingly complicated lives of the royals as it gets closer to the modern day. While the series remains entertaining, there is a sense that certain punches are being pulled and characters given charitable portrayals due to how the creative figures personally feel about the subjects. The performers are doing terrific work with material that can be very frustrating and charitably referred to as image rehabilitation. There are some rewarding moments this season, but it fails to reach the heights of prior installments. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a few decent supplemental features. We know how good this show can be, and we can only hope that the final season feels a bit more emotionally truthful. Recommended

The Crown: The Complete Fifth Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.