Fans of Netflix’s The Crown, a drama centered around the late Queen Elizabeth of England and her family, eagerly awaited the much-anticipated November 16th release of season 6 for one particular reason: its subject matter. While past seasons have introduced Princess Diana and her tumultuous relationship with Prince Charles, it was season six that promised to cover the infamous accident that resulted in her death. But did this latest installment fall short of critics’ expectations? Did these episodes truly do the late princess justice?

Elizabeth Debicki has played Diana since season 5 of The Crown, and has received overwhelmingly positive reviews for her portrayal of the princess’s pain and personality. From her style to her accent, fans agree that she has captured the overall image of Diana perfectly–but season six brought a new challenge to the forefront. The weeks leading up to Diana’s death were to tell a story that evoked sympathy and, for many, memories of the event itself. She had to capture the enormity of the loss without making it seem inevitable. 

In my opinion, Debicki does this perfectly. In fact, most critics agree that Debicki was not the problem with this season. She manages to wrap the intense love Diana had for her children with the complicated feelings she had for Dodi Al-Fayed without seeming overly dramatic or artificial. Most criticism comes with the rest of the storyline–how they dealt with the other characters, inadequate recreations of famous headlines, etc. It seems the agreement is that The Crown has lost some of the original mystery that made the whole thing more appealing. 

As a viewer since season 1, I have to disagree. The events of season 6, while vastly different from what the show normally covers, were handled in a similarly artistic manner to the rest of the show. The reactions after the crash scene were especially emotionally stirring and in my opinion, contained some of the best acting the show has ever seen. While I’ve always been a fan of this drama, this was the first season I actually felt moved enough to cry at its events. I can concede that some members of the cast are not as memorable as the originals (as the actors have changed as the story progressed in time), but on the whole season six has brought forth the most heart, and made the whole royal family seem all the more human. 

Part 2 of The Crown season 6 is set to air December 14th, introducing Princess Kate to the story for the first time, along with the promise of covering other notable moments in the royal family’s history, such as the death of Princess Margaret. I definitely recommend fans tune in to season six no matter what other opinions have stated, and urge them to make a judgment for themselves. Season 6 part 1 was the necessary heart The Crown desperately needed, and was truly a pleasure to watch.