The Crown season 5, episode 8 review: Princess Diana's BBC interview and its impact

The Crown premiered on Netflix with its fifth season on November 9, 2022, bringing with it a truckload of Royalty stories from what can be considered the Windsor family's most turbulent period.

The new season of The Crown covered the period from the early to the mid-1990s when a lot was happening both inside and outside the family. It is no surprise that this release was vehemently protested against.

The eighth episode of The Crown season 5 intensified the story that started in the previous episode: the Diana chapter. Those who know the real history of the family already know how the tragic story ends, but these are some of the most grueling bits that form the base for some very compelling drama.

This episode in particular deals with the infamous BBC interview, where Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) spoke against the Crown, damaging the Royal Family's reputation.

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The Crown season 5, episode 8 review: A big risk for BBC, a big revelation for the world

It is no secret that the 1990s was a time when the archaic laws of the Monarchy were strongly questioned by citizens around the world. It was also a time the Windsor family was going through several landmark events, including their special focus on Princess Diana. As revealed in the previous episode, Secret Services were constantly tracking Diana as she tried to live a life of her own.

The previous episode also introduced Martin Bashir, who wanted Diana to speak about her struggles in an interview. The majority of episode 8 was centered around the same issue.

The episode began with the BBC having a board meeting, where Martin Bashir's interview also became a subject. The BBC was also in a dilemma, with their Royal Charter approved and a tasty story around the corner, the top-level executives were left with a difficult choice.

The show went on to follow Diana's secret affair with Dr. Khan for a while before returning to the issue of the interview. After Duke Hussey met with the director of BBC, John Birt decided to go ahead with Diana's interview.

The interview was, of course, the most intriguing part of the episode, with Bashir sneaking into Diana’s home on bonfire night and the royal family engrossed in the fireworks outside.

Though this season had some radical changes that were not welcome, the entire sequence was excellently choreographed and written.

The next part of the episode dealt with the network's controversial decision. It also featured an exchange between Diana and Queen Elizabeth II (Imelda Staunton) as the latter tried to near-gaslight her daughter-in-law.

Those who have seen the interview already know what its content was and how it damaged the reputation of the Windsor family well beyond repair. The final sequence of the episode focused on this. Diana did give Elizabeth a heads up, but it was not long before the interview caused a massive uproar.

This brave episode had the kind of content that The Crown has time and again delivered. Along with the seventh episode, this was one of the best episodes of the new season.

All the episodes of The Crown are now streaming on Netflix.