Ok, this is got to be the most confusing and poorly written episode in the show so far. Why you ask? Well, let's get into it.
Let's start with Mohammed Fayed. He's established almost straight away as hating the British, and yet he's so intent on integrating into British society. Why? Why would you want to be popular with the class of people you hate? The episode doesn't explain this. Is it because he wants to be more powerful than the family who kept his people downtrodden for so long? That would make a lot of sense but then he seems delighted at the thought of making the Queen happy, so that's confusing. What also adds to the confusion is why would he want to give back so many of Edward VIII's belongings? It just doesn't make any sense for him to essentially worship people he supposedly hates. Unless he doesn't hate them now, in which case, what changed and why?
Next, the time jumps. This is honestly the worst part of the episode. Why was the Queen shown to be the same age in 1979 as she is in the 1990s? The audience is told that we have gone from 1946 to 1979 and we are shown the Queen but she looks the same as she did in the previous episode...so are we back in the 1990s now? But that couldn't be the case as Chariots of Fire was made in 1981. It came across as if the writers had forgotten when Chariots of Fire was made. It seems that the producers couldn't be bothered to show a younger Queen when it was needed. This is an objective mistake in the episode and it was honestly jarring.
As someone who didn't know anything about the Fayeds this episode was honestly the most confusing episode of the show. As an audience member you kept hoping that the episode was leading somewhere but it doesn't and leaves you feeling utterly bewildered.
People criticised the previous season for being too much like a documentary but at least there was enough information provided to fill the gaps. This season so far has the same problem but there isn't enough information. So unless you know who the Fayeds are and what their deal is, this episode will just feel empty, pointless and confusing.
So to conclude, the writers have really dropped the ball in this one. You can still enjoy the episode but there are writing issues left and right and this is by far the worst episode of the show.
Let's start with Mohammed Fayed. He's established almost straight away as hating the British, and yet he's so intent on integrating into British society. Why? Why would you want to be popular with the class of people you hate? The episode doesn't explain this. Is it because he wants to be more powerful than the family who kept his people downtrodden for so long? That would make a lot of sense but then he seems delighted at the thought of making the Queen happy, so that's confusing. What also adds to the confusion is why would he want to give back so many of Edward VIII's belongings? It just doesn't make any sense for him to essentially worship people he supposedly hates. Unless he doesn't hate them now, in which case, what changed and why?
Next, the time jumps. This is honestly the worst part of the episode. Why was the Queen shown to be the same age in 1979 as she is in the 1990s? The audience is told that we have gone from 1946 to 1979 and we are shown the Queen but she looks the same as she did in the previous episode...so are we back in the 1990s now? But that couldn't be the case as Chariots of Fire was made in 1981. It came across as if the writers had forgotten when Chariots of Fire was made. It seems that the producers couldn't be bothered to show a younger Queen when it was needed. This is an objective mistake in the episode and it was honestly jarring.
As someone who didn't know anything about the Fayeds this episode was honestly the most confusing episode of the show. As an audience member you kept hoping that the episode was leading somewhere but it doesn't and leaves you feeling utterly bewildered.
People criticised the previous season for being too much like a documentary but at least there was enough information provided to fill the gaps. This season so far has the same problem but there isn't enough information. So unless you know who the Fayeds are and what their deal is, this episode will just feel empty, pointless and confusing.
So to conclude, the writers have really dropped the ball in this one. You can still enjoy the episode but there are writing issues left and right and this is by far the worst episode of the show.