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

Jane Lapotaire alone made this episode

[drevil31 · 10/10 · 9 December 2019]

I cant quite remember the last time a performance of an actress was so striking as was the one of Jane Lapotaire in this episode. Shortly before the end I had to pause and remind myself that this is not real, she is just acting... she is just amazing. The character she created was loving and broken at the same time. It seems that the only thing holding her together was the faith in god. What a fantastic portayal...

Perfect sequel to Episode 3

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

After the emotional intensity of the previous episode, this was just right. There is some humor (the scenes with Philip and Anne are brilliant) and great warmth and humanity. Jane Lapotaire has long been one of the greatest actors on the planet, and she is amazing as Princess Alice (and unrecognizable). Her character is beautifully written too. This episode has such warmth and decency. Plus it has Colin Morgan, getting to actually speak in his own Northern Irish voice! Anything is better if Colin Morgan is in it!

Wow

[theoriginalantiblonde · 9/10 · 25 February 2020]

Brilliantly acted and written episode! Jane Lapotaire as Princess Alice was just beautiful! The depth of her characterization was such that you felt for her, and wanted to know more about her, before you even knew who she was. Then after finding out who she was, you felt confused by your empathy for this character because you only have known her from Prince Phillip's narrative -- and his perspective from his experiences is so vivid, so valid.

I understand the frustration of the reviewers regarding the butchery of of the Greek language, but watching the core cast of Colin Morgan, Erin Doherty and Tobias Menzies spearheaded by Jane Lapotaire's subtle handling of the storyline in this episode was so... right, that I can't see anyone else pulling it off to the same degree, and don't want to bother trying.

PS Lost a point because the needless aging of Queen Elizabeth in particular is just so confusing and needless.

Brilliant episode

[zrichardson-32076 · 9/10 · 26 November 2019]

A brilliant episode, giving us more insight into Prince Phillip's past and family. Beautiful acting by Jane Lapotaire and Colin Morgan.

Moving and powerful episode

[RanjK · 21 November 2019]

This is a wonderful episode of a wonderful show. Princess Alice´s Story was always intriguing to me and she is right. Faith is everything.

I wept

[AleksandrBelenko · 10/10 · 8 December 2021]

There are critiques of Greek language, locations and so on in this episode. And well, I myself consider season 3 to be not as good as S1 and S2. And that obvious, different cast and different portrayals of Royals during another period of time. But returning to this episode in particular, I find it heart-wrecking.

Not only what Princess Anne endured during her life, but mostly who is she in the old age.

Despite everything she never lost hope. She is kind and forgiving, misunderstood and mistreated by her own son, yet never blame anyone for hardships in her life. Instead she gave her life to public service.

The tone of the show is indeed different to previous seasons, but it doesn't mean it is lacking in quality.

Peak drama.

Beautifully Presented

[Hitchcoc · 9/10 · 13 September 2020]

Really! Ignore the plot and the substance of the show and give it a 1 because of the Greek accent. I don't know the actress who played Alice. I only know her fact and her presence was awesome. It was dignified and touching. The whole business of the documentary, trying to get sympathy for the Royals actually happened. Phillip is a complex character and is so wound up in his subservient position. Following the Aberfam episode, this nicely segued into the next part of the story.

Sweet

[guser-74214 · 10/10 · 20 March 2020]

Who plays young Prince Philip? His son in real life? Looked exactly like him. So realistic

Royal = not normal

[Calicodreamin · 8/10 · 25 November 2020]

Solid episode with an interesting storyline, as a regular person I have to agree that royals aren't normal and should definitely have an air of mystique. Good acting.

Fantastic!

[hyacintoblack · 10/10 · 25 July 2022]

People moan about the accent, but I'm not Greek so I didn't care because the acting and storyline were superb!!

I found the Jane Lapotaire playing princess Alics just spell binding and amazing.

Prince Phillip's past

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 1 February 2022]

Season 3 was something of a slow starter, which disappointed somewhat after being so impressed by the previous two seasons, and the new casting took a lot of getting used to. The quality of the season does get much better, and "Aberfan" for example was one of the best episodes of 'The Crown' and some of the best and moving pieces of television seen in a while. When any conflict, past and present, conflict was explored with Prince Phillip, it mostly was done very well (i.e. Season 2's "Paterfamilias") and Phillip has grown in development.

Evident here in "Bubbikins". It doesn't quite have the extra something that "Aberfan" (still fresh in my mind when watching this) had, but "Bubbikins" is a fine episode and one of the better episodes of Season 3. It certainly doesn't deserve low ratings solely for the accents, that criticism is completely understandable and agreed with, but it is not fair and actually quite disrespectful to everything else that makes up the episode and everything else is so good. Especially the acting.

The weak link of "Bubbikins" is the accents, which are very dubious at best and contributes towards some of the dialogue being rather awkward.

However, everything else is wonderful. As said, the acting is especially good. Tobias Menzies is a more than worthy successor to Matt Smith and has a great subtle charisma and authority. Best of all is Jane Lapotaire, whose performance is full of poignant dignity. The chemistry between the actors is always natural and doesn't come over as too basic or histrionic. The direction is always professional and always at ease with the material.

Can't fault "Bubbikins" visually either. The expense really does show in the classy, sumptuous period detail and the atmospheric and elegant way it's shot. The music for me wasn't too intrusive or low-key and was beautiful scoring on its own. The main theme is not easy to forget.

Writing probes a lot of thought and is never less than intriguing and emotionally investable, it never veers into soap-opera land and doesn't sound too modern. Failing occasionally in when in Greece. The story is always compelling, the pace not being drab or too deliberate even when taking its time and the final 10 minutes or so tugs at the heart-strings.

Phillip's character writing is some of his most balanced, illuminating and insightful, nearly "Paterfamilias" level. All the other characters fascinate too.

On the whole, excellent. 9/10.

Bubbikins

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 1 January 2020]

They made it so hard to root for Princess Alice, but she added a very interesting and welcome dynamic to the show. We are so used to proper personalities on The Crown so to see someone who wasn't so, to put it mildly, made for a fun shift and shake up.

Couldn't find a couple of GREEK actors?

[michelianna · 2/10 · 5 December 2019]

Really? The dialogues supposedly spoken in Greek are laughable to say the least. Not only none of the actors are native or even good speakers of greek and they sound like tourists trying to repeat words the hear in a taverna on a Greek island, but also the script is bad Greek, full of grammar and vocabulary mistakes. Very amateur for a Netflix series with such attention.

Ouch... What happened to the Greek language

[dmaioglou · 7/10 · 21 June 2020]

It was agonising hearing Greek language like that... And the location. Ok maybe they couldn't shoot it in a real Greek location because we might cost the production a billion and we have a history of scaring away filming productions in Greece... But didn't you saw a picture of Athens at the sixties before you choose a location.

Regardless the above... Good episode as always

No greek actors in the UK?

[clairepivot · 4/10 · 9 December 2019]

Greek language mistreated. The actors are speaking bad, incomprehensive Cypriot Greek-some kind of dialect- and not standard greek. Inacceptable! Greeks do not speak this dialect. Lamentable translation in greek. There are no any greek translators in Left Bank Pictures? Maybe they think it's not worth it...

Couldn't find ONE Greek actor?

[pogworld · 7/10 · 24 November 2019]

The scenes where the Greek language was spoken were comical at best. I've heard better broken Greek from tourists visiting Mykonos on holidays.

This was an insult to the Greek language

[ptsiogas · 1/10 · 12 January 2020]

Very sloppy production. Couldn't you find some Greek actors to hire?

Nice episode, but no Greek actors?

[faygramm · 6/10 · 5 December 2020]

As a Greek I have to say, the scenes that took place in Greece have nothing to do with the reality. I was a little bit disappointed because of that...and you couldn't find two Greek actors? I mean the accent had nothing to do with Greece and I say that from experience, I'm Greek. Generally the episode was really good!

A huge mistake

[ChrisaRafa · 3/10 · 8 December 2019]

Seriously now? You couldn't find Greek actors? I'm sorry but in this kind of productions it's inexcusable that mistake. We live in 2019, for God sake. There are many Greek actors to use.

Dull

[crumpytv · 4/10 · 30 November 2020]

I found this episode pretty dull after the zenith reached in the previous episode. The lack of subtitles at the beginning to explain what was happening was really irritating and even I knew the Greek accents were all wrong. The last 10 minutes picked up a bit, and Jane Lapotaire was excellent as Princess Alice. We are 4 episodes into series 3, and I really find the portrayal of the Queen lacks consistency with the first two series. She seems hard boiled and aloof and really not in touch at all with anything, whereas before she was portrayed in a way where we could see her frailties, and understand her decision making, whether flawed or not. I felt compassion before, but not now. I don't think this is necessarily the fault of Olivia Coleman, more the way she is being directed.

Sloppy production

[natadoyle · 1/10 · 14 June 2020]

You can t expect to get away with using non greek actors to play the greek parts and speak like they are repeating words they don t understand in an english cypriot accent. It s 2020. Cheap sloppy production.

Terrible terrible Greek!!!

[agaratzioti · 1/10 · 6 January 2020]

Seriously?? This is hilarious, you couldn't find a decent greek actor for this? This is unacceptable for such an expensive production!!

Not a good research

[a_petropou · 2/10 · 27 January 2021]

That language was greek? Really? Cause I am Greek and I couldn't understand a word! Couldn't find any actor /actress speaking greek? Really? What a pity! And the city.... Have you ever been Greece? I don't think so.... U should have done more research! Luck of money maybe....