The Crown (TV Series) Aberfan (2019) User Reviews

Tearful Reminder

[robjohn2407 · 10/10 · 19 November 2019]

Having personally lost relatives in this disaster I must applaud the makers of this programme. The sense of realism was horrific and gave a true understanding of the tragedy. The destruction of the school and how the wall of the school collapsed with children hiding under tables brought a gasp then floods of tears to my eyes. The fight by locals to find their children was heart wrenching. But most upsetting was the funeral of so many young lives.

Simply this was one of the most incredible pieces of television ever made.

This episode broke me

[alexandratmurphy · 10/10 · 19 November 2019]

The Crown is a brilliant tv show nevertless. All the attention to detail is just incredible and the cast is doing a fantastic job I have never written a review in my life ever so not even sure what to say but this episode has left such a mark in me that I felt complied to create an account and review it. It's the finest television I have ever seen and I watch some good quality stuff (thanks to my husband) I have two children and I couldn't stop crying while watching this episode. All 116 children loosing their lifes in this tragedy is just unthinkable. To know it's not just a show it really happened. I felt for those parents and honestly the crown has showcased these emotions so well. No excuse for the queen for not showing up for so long at the village. No matter how much she regrets it! Best episode to an otherwise brilliant tv show anyway. Thank you for reading my review

Breathless

[zicoalpha · 10/10 · 18 November 2019]

Beautifully poignant! My heart reeled as my emotions felt the full weight of such a tragedy. Storytelling at its powerful best.

Wow, I am drained

[caramel-7 · 10/10 · 20 November 2019]

I was 1yr old when this happened and have been told many stories by my parents as we lived in a nearby town. I found this episode quite incredible and totally heart wrenching in the telling of this tragedy. The reactions of the different parties is interesting to see, I was particularly moved by Lord Snowdons and Prince Phillips accounts. I feel incredibly strongly that this should be shown as a part of british history as there are so many aspects touched on it might raise questions about corporate and political responsibility when such a tragedy happens. I felt that the story could have continued, my only fault with it was that it couldn't as I understand this is a story about the Queen not a story about the tragedy of Aberfan and the story must move on. I would urge everyone to watch even if it is the only episode you watch, brilliantly done.

Unforgettable episode

[matiasbockerman · 10/10 · 24 November 2019]

I mainly watch this show cause i'm interested history and especially monarhcy. Entire run has Been educative, entertaining, very well shooted: outstanding camera views and endless amount of details and of course, spectacular acting. I never ever could imagine that this show can hit my feelings this hard. I don't have words To describe this amazing and very sad episode. Just tears.

Sad

[walesara54 · 10/10 · 26 December 2019]

I was nine years old when this disaster happened. The age of the majority of the children that died that day. I lived about 50 miles from Aberfan but now live in Sweden. Two years ago I brought my swedish family over to Wales and we visited the graveyard. 2 grandchildren one of them the same age...9... said to me that she felt so sad after visiting there. But was able to learn about and tell about the disaster in her school. The whole school wanted to hear about it. There are many on here that were not aware of it. I suggest you read the BBC story...Aberfan the mistake that cost a village its children. Also I highly recommend you visit here if you wish to feel it for real. Read the story first though. What you see in the crown is nothing to what really happened. The story about the National coal board will anger you. God be with you little ones.

So Tragic

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 13 September 2020]

First of all, the portrayal of the horrid event was masterful. Nature is the ultimate force and when one thinks it's possible to be safe from it, they need to think again. This is a character study of Elizabeth. Olivia Coleman had to be the perfect choice as the middle aged queen. She exudes the fear and stillness of emotion that was appropriate. We can judge her, but we can't say the performance left anything to be desired. Breathtaking portrayal of a tragedy.

Tears, tears and more tears.

[moosahussain1 · 10/10 · 22 November 2019]

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not someone who cries a lot. I'll shamelessly say, I shed tears more than once throughout the entire episode. This episode ruined me. The scene with Lord Snowdon describing it, as well as the beautiful hymn and Prince Philip's description of it. Absolutely gut-wrenching. Such a sad tragedy, and without a doubt the best/most emotional episode of The Crown to this date.

Eleven stars (or more)

[ecarlson-593-120461 · 10/10 · 21 November 2019]

This is easily the best episode of the series. It's beautifully written and acted. The filming took my breath away. It's emotionally draining, and I'm not going to get over it any time soon. It did make me think about the Queen's delayed public response to the death of the Princess of Wales. Didn't she learn anything from Aberfan?

Perhaps one of the greatest episodes of any TV show

[jonniebakes · 10/10 · 19 November 2019]

You simply have to watch it. It will be something you will remember for an extremely long time. The acting is beyond superb from every member of the cast. Olivia Coleman deserves an award simply for the last five minutes. In my eyes those few moments of her performance have lifted her from a good actress to great actress. I now understand why she receives so much praise.

I'm lost for words but I will remember that for a very long time. We couldn't watch the following episode, it felt disrespectful to do so. It is that powerful.

Best Television Acting & Writing

[dmoorejdrf-30802 · 10/10 · 23 November 2019]

I applaud the writers and directors of the Crown. This episode clearly highlights the brilliant talent of all those involved. Olivia Coleman embodies the queen as we know her today. The delay in her presence at the site of this disaster shows the disconnect the royal family often appear to have with the emotions of the people they represent. The cast of the first 2 seasons were a tough act to follow. I, for one, did not see how a new cast including the brilliant Olivia Coleman could rise to the occasion. Three episodes in they have raised the bar even higher. Clearly from the 10 Out of 10 ratings I believe most viewers agree!

Aberfan

[bobcobb301 · 6/10 · 1 January 2020]

Olivia Colman is obviously a talented actress, but this episode highlighted why I was unhappy with her casting in this lead role. It doesn't feel like the same Queen we saw in the first two seasons and it does not feel like they have a clear direction of where she is heading. Many liked this episode, but it wasn't that great to me.

It's gone downhill

[grahamvr · 1/10 · 20 November 2019]

Seasons one and two were excellent but in my opinion it has started to go downhill in Season 3. The change of leading cast has not helped at all, the others were so much better. The new Queen Elizabeth is becoming so nasty especially her reaction to the disaster in Wales. She states, we visit hospitals NOT dead people. This reaction was unbelievable. The plane journey by the Prime Minister was so badly filmed, the roar of the engines drowned out the dialogue on the plane.

I lived through these times and certainly do not remember the Queen showing such disrespect. Also the depiction of Princess Margaret is disgraceful. Yes she was a party girl and so was young Harry until he married.

Masterfully crafted episode

[kvn_cttn · 10/10 · 19 November 2019]

This episode ranks in top tier masterful storytelling with not only television but any film I can think of. Brilliant cinematography, writing and acting. It's beautiful, thought provoking, riveting and extremely heartbreaking.

Chilling

[crumpytv · 10/10 · 30 November 2020]

I was 15 when the Aberfan tragedy occurred, and what has stayed with me is the sense of shock and disbelief from the media relaying the reports through the television. The Tonight program in particular sticks in my mind. This is a standalone episode of The Crown and will be the subject of many nominations for awards with regards to the way the whole event was portrayed. Forgetting the usual unsubstantiatable dialogue between the main characters, the events leading up to the tragedy, the aftermath and not least of all, the event itself, was sympathetically and respectfully portrayed, without being overly sensational. The explanations as to why the event occurred and the visual impact of the event was quite outstanding. I would have liked a bit more at the end to illuminate what lessons were learnt and what actions were taken to prevent such a disaster happening again.

Touching and sensitively made

[Mat_Nichol · 10/10 · 31 December 2019]

The best episode of an already great series. So sad and so well made. Having being born after the 60s I had heard of the tragedy but this episode really brought it to life. Well done.

Wow.

[skinbobrabbit · 9/10 · 23 December 2020]

I'm the first to admit I'm no royalist. However, the series has gripped me by the throat and won't let go. This episode so far has been the best yet. As a working class son of a former miner, the story of Aberfan has been told many, many times. The heartbreak that those proud families suffered should have been impossible to put into a tv programme. The writers of the show, absolutely nailed it. 116 children and 28 adults lost their lives thanks to greed and corporate neglect. May we never forget.

My heart is broken.

[cockadoody73 · 10/10 · 16 November 2020]

The sight of slurry crashing through a school wall whilst children cower under tables is an image I can't forget. One of the most heartbreaking things I have seen on TV. Brilliantly done, but so sad that it happened at all. 10/10.

Drama at its best

[lindaneuen · 10/10 · 20 November 2019]

I don't know if drama gets better than this. The close-ups, the camera work... I had never hear of Aberfan before, and will now never forget it. This story touched my heart. Directed beautifully, just the right amount of dialogue, incredible acting and really breath taking story telling.

Exceptional

[skniazi7 · 9/10 · 23 November 2019]

This is easily the single greatest episode of the series. The last scene, simply brilliant.

Remarkable

[santigil-06113 · 10/10 · 17 December 2019]

I didn't know about this happening but I must say it capture all my attention from the very beginning. The timing, the cast, the music and the performances are all remarkable. It is without doubt my favorite episode of the show so far.

Most well done episode so far.

[laurhartwick · 10/10 · 29 December 2020]

This episode had me in tears and impacted by heart but it was also the best episode yet in terms of acting and production. It also did an impressive job portraying Elizabeth's character and once again highlighting the limitations and challenges of the monarchy to stay relevant.

The Best Episode of the Series

[dewberrydays · 10/10 · 6 December 2020]

Four wonderful seasons in, I can still say that this is hands-down the best episode of a show that has literally never made a bad episode. Still, Aberfan shines above the rest. It's a defining moment for the show but also for television generally. 10 years ago, I don't think anyone could've imagined but just a decade later, television would look like this. I think this is an episode that will be taught in film and television courses, much like episode 8 in the Twin Peaks revival which I also recently rewatched. This is yet another career-defining performance for Colman and it affirms that this new Queen was the perfect choice to continue Foy's legacy and indeed engineer her very own. Her performance was just as good if not better than anything Foy ever did on the show. Her understated, somber performance reflected so perfectly the likeness of the Queen herself. Brava.

Powerhouse

[RussHog · 10/10 · 10 December 2019]

This is a story about how people respond to grief. The main characters are The Queen and the Prime Minister. In the aftermath of a tragedy where over a hundred children lose their lives - both express grief very differently. The Prime Minster goes to the site of the tragedy and bonds with the bereaved but Queen Elizabeth seems cold and stays in her palace. Pressures mount until The Queen is forced to go to the site of the tragedy. The final meeting between The Queen and the Prime Minister sheds light into their true motivations for how they expressed their grief and leave the audience to make up their own mind about their choices.

Heart touching...!

[abidduib · 10/10 · 18 April 2020]

This episode can be considered as a feature film. Or, If it is a feature film that film could get the Oscar for this episode. Before or after watching this episode, I will like to suggest everyone watch the "beneath the crown" (explanation video ) on the "Netflix UK & Ireland" channel (YouTube) to know the details about the real event.