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Netflix's Thursday Murder Club is a charming murder mystery set in the British countryside at a bucolic retirement home. It's the kind of place with lots of memories - including an understated homage and tip of the hat to two upper-class British series. 

And when I say 'tip of the hat', I should say 'tip of the crown.'

Thursday Murder Club stars Helen Mirren as a retired MI6 agent named Elizabeth with a curiosity and sense of justice that never retires. While the marketing for Thursday Murder Club highlights her co-stars Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley, the quiet team-up I enjoyed most was Mirren and her in-story husband, Jonathan Pryce (as Stephen). The two are iconic for their film and TV roles (especially in British circles), but until now never shared the screen together. 

In fact, it's a big reason why Pryce signed up for the secondary role in this Netflix movie.

"That was major. The inspiration for doing this film was to work with her," Pryce told Wales Online. "We were in the same scene, but I never got to talk to her on Woman in Gold, and Helen is an actress I've long admired. She's extraordinary, and it's a privilege to work with her."

Of the several scenes they share together, there's one that has that trademark British understated majesty. It's when Mirren's character adopts a subtle disguise for her investigation, and tells Pryce (as her husband) she is departing. He remarks that she looks like Queen Elizabeth, and there's a quiet moment where they (and director Chris Columbus) let that sit.

Why is it so important? Because Mirren and Pryce played Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, albeit in two separate productions, and this scene keys in on that.

Mirren played Elizabeth in 2006's The Queen, while Pryce played Philip years later in the 2022 and 2023 episodes of The Crown. What brings it closer is that both productions were written primarily by the same person, Peter Morgan. And there were several scenes in The Queen where Mirren (as Elizabeth) wore a similar outfit and scarf.

Helen and Jonathan. 

Elizabeth and Philip.

Elizabeth and Stephen.

Like two star-crossed lovers in a meta sense, finding each other once again. Sounds like a movie, doesn't it? But better yet, why not leave it all unstated for us to enjoy in our minds?

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