The Reason Netflix Went for The Crown Season 6 Split Release is Obvious
The final season has been divided into two parts for a reason.
There is no doubt that Netflix's The Crown is one of the most popular shows in the streaming giant's repertoire. This high-budget biopic of the late Queen Elizabeth not only offers fans a glimpse behind the scenes of the British royal family but also demonstrates that even the royals are ordinary people with their own challenges and victories. The show has captivated fans for five seasons with breathtaking cinematography and stellar performances. However, the time has finally come for the series to bid farewell.
The upcoming sixth season will be the show's last, featuring several significant moments in the royal family's history - the death of Princess Diana, Charles' second marriage, and Prince William's encounter with Kate Middleton. However, we won't be able to see the whole thing in one sitting.
Split Release
The upcoming season will be divided into two unequal parts. The first four episodes, which focus on Diana's death, will premiere on November 16, with the remaining six episodes scheduled for release almost a month later, on December 14.
While such a gap can be justified from the point of view of the narrative as a way to give viewers enough time to process Diana's death before witnessing Charles' second marriage, fans believe that Netflix's decision to split the finale into two parts has a different reason altogether.
Milking the Ratings
Given the popularity of The Crown, it's evident that Netflix executives are reluctant to see the show end. As a result, they've opted to capitalize on the project one last time by ensuring its fans will need to extend their subscription for at least two more months and denying them the opportunity to binge-watch the entire season in one go in the process.
While this strategy may seem harsh to some, considering the substantial amount of money Netflix invested in producing The Crown, it seems fair to allow the streaming service to make a little extra during the show's final run, don't you agree?
In any case, at least Netflix executives didn't attempt to separate the two halves of the season by a year or more, as Starz did with Outlander Season 7, a move that fans are unlikely to feel sympathetic about.