All 6 seasons of Netflix's 'The Crown,' ranked by critics

Rotten Tomatoes score: 54%

The sixth and final season of "The Crown" has the distinction of being the lowest-rated season of the royal drama — but that may change with time as only four episodes of the season have been released so far.

The four episodes focus almost entirely on Princess Diana's (Elizabeth Debicki) final paparazzi-hounded days, and critics seem to be in agreement that Debicki's captivating and haunting performance is award-worthy.

However, the general consensus is that the series has lost its steam.

"Whether it's the Royals or the filmmakers who lost their golden touch, after all those well-deserved laurels 'The Crown' and its perfectly stiff upper lips remain intact, but reputationally, the buildup toward the finish has dulled at least some of its luster," said CNN's Brian Lowry.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

The fifth season debuted in November 2022, just a couple of months after its subject matter and muse — Queen Elizabeth II — passed away. That, combined with the fact that the season saw Imelda Staunton take over the lead role to portray an aging, silver-haired version of the monarch more familiar to viewers, ramped up fervent anticipation for the episodes.

Many felt the show, while still visually impressive and with great performances from the new cast — including Dominic West, Jonathan Pryce, and Lesley Manville — had lost some of the mystique that shrouded the first seasons, as it began catching up with modern history.

"Much less of this season feels as revelatory as prior installments. It's all still executed at a very high level, mind you," Alan Sepinwall wrote in his review for Rolling Stone, while The Telegraph (UK)'s Anita Singh pointed out: "As the storylines catch up with the present, the show is edging towards trashy telenovela."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%

The first season of "The Crown" burst onto screens in 2016 and gave legions of Netflix viewers a peek into what goes on behind closed doors at Buckingham Palace.

Creator Peter Morgan, who previously showcased his talents for humanizing the famously remote royals in "The Queen," was praised for creating "one of the most entertaining productions Netflix has ever streamed," per Yahoo TV critic Ken Tucker.

Meanwhile, critics lauded lead star Claire Foy's ability to convey the complex emotions and challenges faced by the young sovereign. "It is a star turn of the highest order, but not remotely showy," Variety's Maureen Ryan wrote.

The show's lavish cinematography and meticulously designed costumes, sets, and overall production, were also praised, with The Boston Herald's Mark Perigard describing it as a "sumptuous treat" with "astonishing attention to detail."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

"The Crown" continued its reign as must-watch prestige television with its second season, which saw Foy, Matt Smith, and the rest of the cast return for another turn that critics, on the whole, felt was just marginally stronger than the show's first.

Chancellor Agard wrote for Entertainment Weekly that Foy once again "turns in an amazingly restrained performance," while others enjoyed seeing more of Smith's Prince Philip, who Gabriel Tate wrote for The Telegraph (UK) "has seldom been better."

"It is another nuanced, psychologically acute 10 hours of stately - but never dull - plotting and portraiture, which uses the past to illuminate the present, rather than merely retelling history," Lucy Mangan wrote for The Guardian.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Season three of "The Crown" marked the first turnover of actors on the show and Foy was replaced by Olivia Colman, who took on the middle-aged monarch.

The Oscar-winning actor won over critics, with USA Today's Kelly Lawler describing her as "deliciously well-suited for the role."

In general, the majority of critics and viewers found season three to be a compelling continuation of the series, which depicted the royals reckoning with how to stay relevant in the quickly-changing world.

They also welcomed the departure from focusing mainly on the monarch, with the ensemble cast like the young Prince Charles (Josh O'Connor), midlife crisis-stricken Prince Philip (Tobias Menzies), and soul-searching Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) given more time to shine.

"Without these steady, nuanced performances, 'The Crown' could easily droop under the weight of its own ambition and others' expectations," Variety's Caroline Framke wrote. "With them, 'The Crown' becomes as compelling a portrait of how power warps individuals, and the world along with them, as exists on TV."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

Taking the spot as the season ranked highest out of all six seasons of "The Crown" is the '80s-set fourth season, which covered a time of great change for the royal family and Britain as a whole.

Many critics seem to be in agreement that the season was propelled to great new heights thanks to the powerhouse performances of Colman, Gillian Anderson, and Emma Corrin. Anderson and Corrin earned Golden Globes for their performances as the imposing Margaret Thatcher and the young ebullient Princess Diana, respectively.

The series was "anchored" by the two era-defining women, wrote News.au's Wenlei Ma, while The Guardian's Rebecca Nicholson, called season four "a delicious stage for brilliant actors to do their best work."