This episode is dedicated to the adventures of Phillip and the boys' club on their commonwealth tour. However, rather than focusing solely on Phillip's perspective, the episode examines its overall impact by looking at it through the lens of every story-line, depicting both the negative and positive aspects. We see the misogyny, racism, civic injustice, and scandal involved but also the valour, fun, and brotherhood. As in real life, we are shown the good and the bad, then forced to make the moral judgment ourselves.
At the centre of this contradiction is Phillip, who is undoubtedly the main character of the episode. There are moments where we find his behaviour reprehensible, and there are moments where we are made to sympathize with him. Nowhere is the latter more prevalent than the fantastic interview scene, which uses interwoven flashbacks incredibly effectively to illuminate his character. By the end of the episode, while we may not condone his behaviour, we can understand it and perhaps forgive it.
Phillip's friend, however, proves himself beyond forgiveness with his unabashed deviance. One of the episode's central plots is his wife's investigation into his adultery, which serves both as a glimpse into the effects on the victims left in the wake of the boys' club, and a big threat to the monarchy. This is where we get into the ugly side of their activities.
On the whole, this is another smoothly executed hour of The Crown, which takes a narrower focus than most and is able to dive deeper as a result.
