In the final season of the groundbreaking series, a relationship blossoms between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences. Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy must ride the wave of public opinion. As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the Queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new royal fairy tale in William and Kate.

For previous thoughts on The Crown, please check out our Blu-Ray reviews of Season 3, Season 4, and Season 5.

For thoughts on The Crown: The Complete Sixth Season, please see our piece here.

Video Quality

The Crown: The Complete Sixth Season debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment with a lush AVC encoded 1080p transfer. The cinematography on display is never less than striking with its attention to composition and crisp capturing of detail. Every shot is presented perfectly here with the cool color palette opening up to bold colors within some key settings. Black levels are deep and nimble, allowing for substantial detail in darker scenes. Highlights are likewise luminous while avoiding any blooming in this presentation.

This presentation lives up to the high bar set by the previous seasons in terms of clarity and overall quality. Skin tones appear consistent and natural throughout the presentation, and compression artifacts and noise are never an issue. The image spotlights a world of fine detail within the iconic costumes and opulent production design. The Blu-Ray presentation from Sony is first-rate and holds up a bit better than the Netflix stream.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a multifaceted DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings this series to life without a hiccup. Dialogue always comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by any competing sounds. The score typically permeates the room with a spacious and lush sonic experience overflowing with subtle touches. There is seldom traditional action featured on this show, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in a really authoritative way. Ambient sounds are deftly placed in the rear channels. There is more activity than you might suspect in interior spaces. The audio track delivers on all fronts.

Special Features

A Family Saga: A ten-minute featurette that delves into the introduction to the new cast members, how the actors went about adapting to these figures, the performances, the look of the characters, and more.

The Royal Weddings: A seven-minute piece that explores the production of the various weddings over the course of the series, the challenges faced along the way, and more.

A Lasting Legacy: An eight-minute look at the creative journey to bring this series to life over the years, the directors who guided the show, the attention to detail, and more.

Final Thoughts

The Crown glides to its ultimate conclusion with a general sense of aimlessness that was rarely felt during its early seasons. The headline of the season is the ultimate fate of Princess Diana, and the series does not seem to know how to lock in with the remaining history left to be told. The performances are as excellent as ever, but the series does not end on a note of glory. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a handful of supplemental features. The series had a hold on us from the beginning, but we wish the conclusion could have been more satisfying. Recommended

The Crown: The Complete Sixth 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.