Elizabeth Debicki, Dominic West’s appearance on Season 5 of The Crown.

THE ARTISTS | Elizabeth Debicki and Dominic West

THE SHOW | The crown

THE RESULT | “Couple 31” (9.11.2022)

THE SERVICES | Season 5 of Netflix’s royal drama chronicled the slow, painful demise of Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage, and at times it was hard to remember what they even liked about each other. But in a masterful scene towards the end of the season’s penultimate episode, the newly divorced couple met privately to exchange a few laughs and take a close look at what had gone wrong in their relationship, with Debicki and West bringing shocking openness and newfound vulnerability to the relationship brought two former loves.

In the extended scene — it’s just the two of them for about 12 minutes of screen time — Charles came to Diana’s apartment after their divorce became final, and though she was wary at first, they rediscovered a bit of their old spark, with Debicki softening on Diana’s steely eyes and western lend an airiness to Charles’ rugged exterior. They even giggled together when Diana tried and failed to cook him an omelette, with Debicki and West showing a warmth we hadn’t seen between the two since they met. However, the long history between them hung heavy in the air: after Charles complimented Diana, he ruefully added: “I probably haven’t done that enough, have I? Say nice things.” West was surprisingly kind and thoughtful as Charles viewed the shattered marriage, while Debicki burst into tears as Diana revealed her insecurities. But the old conflicts crept back in and they ended up yelling at each other, until finally Charles admitted he only married Diana “because I had no choice,” which stabbed Diana in the heart. After storming out, Debicki broke down in sobs that Diana had apparently been holding on to for more than a decade.

It was a fascinating scene because in it Charles and Diana weren’t the future King of England and the beloved Princess of Wales; They were just two ex-spouses who looked back on their time together with a bittersweet mix of affection and regret. That’s the kind of intimate behind-the-curtain look we’re going to see The crown for, and the penetrating work of Debicki and West gave us a whole new glimpse into the emotional turmoil that hides behind the stately gates of Buckingham Palace.

honorable mention | Emily Blunt has been absolutely gorgeous in the last two episodes of The English, as Cornelia gradually accepted a fate she didn’t deserve – an incurable bout of syphilis inflicted on her by the rapist who also gave her her son. She knew full well that her midnight dust bath would do nothing to wash the disease from her body, but Blunt was downright mesmerizing as Cornelia succumbed to insanity and attempted to distance herself from her own demise. She felt even better later when Cornelia described the toll syphilis was taking on her boy, who died at the tender age of 14. This scene was the exact opposite of Cornelia’s dust bath. She managed to keep her composure even as tears streamed down her face. But Blunt made us feel every ounce of her character’s unrelenting heartbreak as she expressed her gratitude for the helpless child she was preparing for her eventual death.

honorable mention | Gino Barelli’s tireless pursuit of the truth never wavered American Horror Story: NYC‘s five-week run still features the work of Joe Mantello, whose gripping role as a gay newspaper reporter in Manhattan at the dawn of the AIDS crisis anchored the hauntingly true-to-life season. As one of the show’s few surviving characters (and not for long), Gino was thrust into the spotlight in Wednesday’s heartbreaking finale, giving Mantello one last chance to dominate the silver screen with another revealing performance. This powerful montage of Gino, who has fought both for his own life and for the future of his community over the years, will be remembered for a long time.

honorable mention | For Linda Cardellini’s Judy Hale, the events of dead to me has always been an exercise in maintaining her perky demeanor while her personal life implodes – a feat that only got more difficult in the third and final season of the Netflix comedy, where (Spoiler Alert!) Judy battled cervical cancer. In Episode 6, when Judy was undergoing chemotherapy, Cardellini took every opportunity to show Judy’s full range of emotions, even punctuating Judy’s most optimistic moments in that dental chair with tones of sadness and fatigue. And just when we were feeling lost, Cardellini (and her always amazing co-star Christina Applegate; we’ll have more to say about her performance) easily shifted gears to a hilarious sequence in which Judy and Jen tripped over mushrooms. dead to me‘s swan song may have taken Judy on a wild, often unforgiving ride, but Cardellini dazzled at every hairpin turn.

Which performance(s) knocked your Socks out this week? Tell us in the comments!