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Reign – 2.05 – Blood for Blood – Review: “The Hunter with the Butterfly Tattoo”

Hey, Royals! It’s time to discuss another episode of Reign. There were quite a few twists and turns that left me scratching my head as well as clutching my pearls. I found it to be another solid outing. Shout out to the Frary folk, it’s always darkest before the dawn and as a member of Team Castelroy I’m happy to say it looks like we have scored the definitive win (for now). Well, let’s just jump straight into the review.

This week’s episode was written by P.K. Simonds & Nancy Won, who are brand spanking new writing team it seems. I thought they did a great job, no character felt off and there was a great variety in types of scenes as well as emotional highs and lows. Not to mention every single character got a chance to shine. The directorial reigns were handed over to Norma Bailey who always does a wonderful job and this week no exception. Both the scoring and the soundtrack were pleasantly well done once again this week. The song that kept playing in my head after the episode ended was “Starts” by Charles William.

If I had to make a long story short here’s how I would sum up the episode’s course of events: Tensions rose between Catholics and Protestants. During one confrontation Louis' Protestant nephew was killed. It's revealed that Caroline was in the pay of Narcisse, and she faked being possessed in order to get Francis to confess to his father's murder. Narcisse heard the confession and used it to blackmail Francis into letting the Catholic murderers of Louis' nephew go free. Mary demanded to know why Francis was acting strange, and Francis lied to her and told her that it's because he believes she will never give him an heir, which hurt Mary deeply. Greer learned that Castleroy is close to converting to Protestantism, but she accepts this and the pair are wed. Lola is surprised when she's approached by Narcisse, who wishes to pursue her as a potential partner.

“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.”

Character Contemplation
OK, let’s be real, Bash’s storyline has stalled and I hope I’m not the only that is disappointed. I love Torrance Comb to pieces (just in case you haven’t gathered that information for yourself at my umpteenth time saying it). I thought being the king’s deputy would be a great opportunity for the character. So far it has not been. It keeps Bash on the fringes of the story, out of the castle and away from the two characters (Kenna and Francis) that shine best when he is around them and vice versa. While I am a fan of the potential the new characters have, if they weren’t going to do anything with the old characters they should have just killed them during the plague. There is nothing worse than having a bloated ensemble cast that is primarily for fan service.

OK, it’s been awhile since I have said this… criminal underuse of Megan Follows. Now the little we did see of Catherine was awesome. It was great getting to see Catherine as the comedic relief. I like the light and sarcastic side of Catherine. I really appreciate that even though Catherine is an older woman they still show her as relevant, capable and desirable.

While I am still very much smitten with Sean Teale, I am completely over Louis Conde for now. He has been nothing but duplicitous trouble since he showed up. I know this show is “historical” drama but can we focus more on the historical and just a smidge less on the drama. It’s interesting that Conde now possesses the mark but this character is very ho hum right now. I liked that spark his character first interjected into Francis but much like Bash he has been pushed to the fringes of the current arc and I’m losing interest fast.

I am so happy for Greer. She is married to a man who loves her and wants her to be his full partner in life. I’ve been on Team Castleroy for quite some time. I’ve actually never really been a fan Leith’s (unless he’s spending time with Francis). The wedding was so cute and her dress was fabulous. It’s odd how we never got to see her mother for as much as she was mentioned. But now I’m worried about the thrice scorned Leith being vindictive and outing Castleroy as a secret Protestant. It’s nice to see one of the ladies having a slice of happiness though with it being Reign, you know it can’t last for long.

Finally, some substantive use of the character of Kenna and it quite a fun use of her to boot. The Kenna’s dressing dowdy than ever her spirits seem to be better than most of her friends. I love how Kenna just wants her friends to be happy. It was also refreshing to see them remind us that Kenna is smart and cunning in her own way (we haven’t seen that in a while). Much like Catherine, Kenna is at her best when she is being lighthearted.

Being a single mother in any time period is hard but when you’re the mother of a royal bastard and not the king’s actual mistress I couldn’t even fathom the burden. I’m not sure that I really want to see Lola dating. I love the glow that Anna Popplewell gives to the character of Lola when she is the baby. I would love to see the focus for Lola shift there. But hey, every character has to have a little titillation about them or what’s the point. Am I right?

When Mary hurts, I hurt. This was a brutal episode for Mary. Mary actually wasn’t in this episode very much and I’m OK with that. Her absence makes since story wise and it also allowed for a lot of other things to happen and more character interactions that we haven’t got to see much of as of late. I love that Mary can still hold onto her ideals but I’m going to need her to be more shrewd and pragmatic. You can’t rule with your heart all the time, especially if you want to keep your throne and your head off a pike.

The most succinct manner to describe my feelings about Narcisse is to imagine me letting out the longest and loudest sigh you can imagine. Last week, we learned that he was just unlucky in love and not an actual wife killing monster. This week we get hit with two other ice filled snowballs. The first being that he hired Caroline and it has been a long con, this whole time. The second was that he is interested in Lola. My verdict for this character? Off with his head. Craig Parker is doing the most with this character but the writers are all over the place. Let a bad guy be an unredeemable bad guy. I think those are the kinds that work best for this show, unless it’s Catherine. Actually, to be honest, I think that is what is rubbing me the wrong way, he is very much the male Catherine and well we already have a Catherine and it’s played by Megan Fellows so that space doesn’t need to be filled or retread.

Grade: B-

Awards
Character of the Night
• Francis

Best Character Interactions
• Lola and Kenna
• Greer and Castleroy
• Francis and Mary

Line of the Night
• Kenna: This is smut.

Scene of the Night
• The girls enjoying Greer’s last day as a single woman

Favorite Lady-In-Waiting
• Kenna


Lowlights
• Francis wasn’t being haunted by his father after all.

Miscellaneous

Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• Narcisse expressing interest in Lola.

Friendly Reminder
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@CWReign) and me (@lilithhellfire) every Thursday night at 9 pm EST.

Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

PS: Don't forget to promote this and all interesting ‘Reign’ articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work

Benched - 1.01 - Pilot - Review: This show sure is something.

I don't know about you but I am in love with USA's latest offering in the comedy department, Benched. I found Benched to be one of the best comedy pilots of the 2014 Fall TV season. The casting is phenomenal. The characters are colorful, memorable and relatable, especially Nina which great considering she is the main character.

I will admit that one name in particular, which was of course Eliza Coupe, was my main reason for initially checking this show out. Eliza Coupe as Nina Whitley is superb. It's no secret I've been a huge fan of Coupe's for quite some time. I love that she has great comedic timing as well as a penchant for physical comedy as well. While it's true that the the story of Nina Whitley isn't breaking any new ground (a successful, driven woman tries to have it all but focuses more on her work and loses touch with everything else. She eventually looses her job, in this it is due to being passed over for a promotion and not taking it very well and begins a journey of self-discovery and redemption);the fact that it is funny, has heart as a well a carefully buried message is what sets it apart for me personally.

The thing that made me a little hesitant at first was the fact that it was yet another female led legal drama which seems to be all the rage this TV season. But I took a chance and this show really wowed me. I'm talking serious deep belly laughs. This show is playful on every level, right down to the soundtrack and sound design. The show is full of spirited (and sometimes spite filled) and sarcastic characters so naturally that means it most definitely my kind of party. The first five minutes alone nearly had my sides in stitches. There is nothing like a good old-fashioned emotional meltdown, am I right?

This show reminds me of Judging Amy, only it's on steroids and it's told from the public defenders side of things. I'm pretty sure that's why I'm so smitten. The cast chemistry is through the roof already and everyone has great comedic timing and really sold their character. Even Trent, who didn't get a ton of screen time. Is it just me or does Benched feel like the best of all worlds when it comes to shows about lawyers? I mean we have that fish out water vibe because she was a well-paid corporate lawyer who will now probably have to downsize her life who entering the underdog of all legal professions --being a public defender (I'm pretty sure public defender is even a notch below pro bono lawyer because pro bono lawyers choose to do so and want to affect some positive change into the world in most cases).

Then we get the obvious undertones of a workplace comedy as well as the mundane procedural element of having to deal with cases every week. Although, I also noticed a strong undercurrent of style that seems to being leaning towards an Orange is the New Black vibe but that could just be the show unapologetic coarseness giving off that particular vibe. Only time will tell for sure.

As I mentioned in the Advanced Preview Review, I'm not a shipper at all. But I totally am OK with them setting up the 'will they or won't they' dynamics between Jay Harrington's character and Coupe's. The actors play well of each other and the chemistry is definitely there. As long as the show keeps giving me funny I'm OK with a slow burn between these two. I'm actually looking forward to the evolution of that relationship in particular to be honest.

Another thing that I was excited to see was Maria Bamford. I have waited ages to see her in a TV show. I love her stand up routines. Actually, the whole supporting cast is awesome and I love that they threw in Oscar Nuñez for kicks and giggles. While his character didn't get much screen time in the pilot I have a feeling they are going to eventually let this character shine (and it would awesome if he gave a little Office reference by staring into the camera when someone does something ridiculous at least just one time, am I right?).

All in all the pilot was a great first outing that really showcased this series potential. I am very much looking forward seeing how this show progresses and where it goes from here.

Benched airs every Tuesday at 10:30/9:30 CST
What did you think of this episode? Will you be tuning in for episode 2? On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you love Eliza Coup? Feel free to leave your thoughts below.

Arrow - 3x04 - The Magician - Review: Enter the Demon

This week’s episode of Arrow, 3x04: The Magician was very interesting and what might prove to be a pivotal turning point in the series. Last week, I briefly discussed how at episode three the season finally felt like it was beginning. Well, this week’s episode subtly kicked into high gear and is back on track to being the Arrow that I’ve come to know and love with some slight improvements.

Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law) returns to Starling City. Thea (Willa Holland) begins to rebuild her life and regains control of Verdant. Team Arrow learns that Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman) is alive and he becomes strong suspect in the murder of Sara. Meanwhile, Quentin (Paul Blackthorne) remains in the dark about his daughter’s death. Also in flashback land Oliver completes his first assassination, and learns that Amanda Waller was behind Edward Fyers' actions on the island

To read more click here.

Arrow - 3.03 - Corto Maltese - Review: Finally Setting the Stage

If you are a die hard DC comics fan like me then Corto Maltese probably rang some bells. Batman is my everything and Frank Miller is king when it comes to telling a tale involving the world’s greatest detective. My first encounter with this mysterious little island was when I was reading a Frank Miller tale, ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ and the island is even featured in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. In DC comic book lore Corto Maltese is an island that is jam packed with adventure, mystery, intrigue and suffering. So in other words Arrow really captured its essence this week.

To read more please follow the link to read it on Voice of TV.

Benched - 1.01 - Pilot - Advanced Preview: 10 Reasons You Should watch.

A few days ago, a ton of buzz swept across the internet about USA’s Benched. I’m not a huge fan of the comedy genre as of late but since it was on USA I thought I’d give it a try as I really enjoyed their other comedy offerings they debuted over the summer which were Sirens and Playing House. So here are my 10 reasons as to why you should watch Benched.

To read more please be sure to follow the link and read the article in full over on Voice of TV.

Reign – 2.03 – Coronation – Review: “Kneel before Frary.”

Hey Royals! It’s time once again to dissect and discuss a brand new episode of Reign. The ratings may be low but the writing quality has really kicked it up a notch. Along with costume design and overall production value. There's so much to love about Reign (especially the talented cast and crew) and this season its potential is so great that I just wish more people would tune in and I'm doing everything I can to encourage others to watch. I hope other Royals are out there doing the same (read: HINT!). But enough of that let's get to the review, shall we?

If I had to make a long story short here's the rundown of what I would say happened over the course of this episode: With France in a state of famine, as well as religious and political unrest, Mary looked for a way to feed the people and risked the wrath of a vengeful Lord Narcisse in doing so. Francis was preoccupied by the harrowing suspicion that his dead father’s spirit can possess the living and is haunting Francis as revenge for his murder. Meanwhile, Catherine made excessive and lavish preparations for a coronation ceremony to give the impression of stability to the realm. Also, Bash was confronted by the harsh realities of a country plagued by fear, bankruptcy, and murder and resolved to stay above reproach.

This episode introduced us to a new collaborator in the writers’ room, a Mr. Harley Peyton. After a little research I must say am impressed with his resume as well as how fast he grasped all the facets of our characters and their interactions. I consider Peyton to be a welcome addition (let me know if you agree in the comments, k?).

After a 19 episode absence I was pleased as ever to see the name Holly Dale beside the designation of ‘directed by’ in the credits this week. Episode 1x03: Kissed was the last time we heard from her. The cinematography featured in this episode was excellent. I do love when we get to do exterior shots in the day time.


The soundtrack for this episode was so pitch perfect and apropos I could die. The song that was my absolute favorite was the song that was used when Francis and Mary were crowned king and queen. It was ‘Hills to Climb’ by Tim Myers. The title alone really just sums up the relationship between Francis and Mary as well how they want to rule and how they plan on getting there. The other song was ‘Wraggle Taggle Gypsies’ by Domnic Ashworth. That song had a very Renaissance Fair vibe going which of course is what makes it blend so well with the show. As for the sound design itself this week, the scoring was subdued and subtle. It had very little ambient noise incorporated into it. The scene where the scoring really stood out as well as enhanced the mood was when Mary went to go speak to Conde.

"Show respect to all people, but grovel to none." - Tecumseh
Character Contemplation
Bash has come so far in such a small amount of time. Back in the middle of the first season there were times when I struggled to find nice things to say about him. So far this season, I haven’t witnessed a thing I don’t like. Every week he just gets better and better. The conversation about Lola’s baby between he and Kenna was a nice little touch to give us some insight into both his and Kenna’s frame of mind (even it was a bit obvious). Bash’s sense of duty is so damn endearing. I’m really enjoying his role as the King’s Deputy so far. Bash’s role is great because we get to see an even seedier side of life at court that Francis and Mary are not experiencing.

Catherine is a saucy little minx who has an endless amount of tricks up her sleeve. Just when you think you can count Catherine down and out she’s starting her shenanigans all over again. I like that they are staying true to the history books about Catherine and her scheming ways to get and maintain power and relevancy. I love her interactions with Francis but they grow more and more suspect by the episode. Another interaction I’m here for is between Catherine and Narcisse. Do I smell another crack ship forming in the ether? The two actors play well off one another and the characters themselves seem like perfect foils for each other. Megan Follows continues to slay in this role and I say she should get a spin off based on an alternate timeline (as long as she takes one of her younger sons, Nostradamus and Clarissa with her).

Conde is such a wonderfully complicated guy. I don’t know what to make of him. I like him which of course means he can’t be trusted. He’s a fast talker and a manipulator. I think he might be this season’s Tomas; which is actually something I don’t want to happen. I think that he could really help shape Francis into being the kind of man I need him to be (if he doesn’t turn out evil that is). I liken Conde to Sir Thomas More (Jeremy Northam) in The Tudors. I loved that relationship until it turned sour and when it turned sour it got even more interesting. Nothing like a bittersweet relationship and it’s kind of even more interesting when both parties are of the same gender (less angst in most cases).

Toby Regbo is nailing it in the tortured and haunted soul department. I don’t like that he is keeping secrets from everyone but it’s a king’s prerogative. I was floored with the twist that it was Francis who killed his father at tournament and never expected this twist. While I think Bash and his history lends itself better to the supernatural, I’m all for shaking things up and letting other characters wander into something outside of their normal boundaries. Maybe it will be Francis who brings back Nostradamus. It this is case that will earn Francis a ton of brownie points. I don’t know if I’m the only one or not but I’m having a super hard time emotionally connecting with Francis. I think the end of this episode was a good push in the right direction. I enjoy the complicated relationship between Francis and Mary but I’m really invested in him being an excellent AND a better man than his father.

Greer got to be the smart and loyal one this episode. Though she did little else besides look fabulous and question Mary on her certainty about her course of action. I’m actually kind of glad they we’ve been able to take a step back from her drama. I liked Greer before the writers wrote her into a love triangle. It’s something about how no matter what show it is, if it’s on The CW an awesome female character is going to get roped into a love triangle and knocked down a peg or two. While I am team Castleroy I’m sure she’ll end up with his money and Leith’s ring on her finger when it’s all said and done. I miss the relationship between Mary and her ladies from the beginning of the series. They drifted so far apart and every last one of them has brought some form of shame on Mary and I’m just not OK with that. So when I get glimpses of the ‘old days’ I cling to them fiercely.

Poor Kenna! This character is just a lovable mess. I don’t begrudge her wanting the finer things in life but come on she’s married to Bash, I take him over a chateau any day. He has the love of his brother the king and she has the love of Mary the queen. If I was Kenna I wouldn’t want to live at court after the messes I’d made their either but things could be worse, a whole lot worse. And did anybody else go, ‘What the hell?’ when Pascal wasn’t brought up? I know we are a few weeks removed but still, come on. I guess we’re glossing over that so that we can “forget” the pagans and The Darkness storyline altogether. I’m bummed but I’ll go along to get along. I like this whole reckoning thing along with Francis being haunted by his father.

I guess I should enjoy this Lola light episode in light of this week’s sneak peak for 2x04: The Lamb and the Slaughter. I really hate this “love” triangle. Babies complicate modern day stories. Throw in a bastard child of a king and well things can easily get derailed and end up hopelessly soapy and never get back on the right track. While I trust the writers of this show that doesn’t mean I’m not nervous every step of the way until we reach our final destination on this particular journey. I know Mary as a queen has to make some personal sacrifices but what really drew me into this show was the girls’ friendship and standing together (and also the relationship between Bash and Francis). Seeing them married off, broken and fractured hurts a little. I thought once they were all paired off we could get back to some female bonding. I guess I was wrong. I think they really cut off the budding friendship between Francis and Lola too soon as well. In that one episode we learned a lot about Lola and their scene really softened Francis in my eyes. Now everything is just awkward and stifled.

I hope I’m not the only one who has mixed emotions about Mary this week. I love her flaws and all. I love that in the end she usually tempers Francis and gives him hope and shows him there is a better way to lead. She is kind, compassionate and head strong. I love that she is a queen in her right; but man sometimes I just want to slap her. She’s a reactionary and that’s dangerous. She needs to learn to be more diplomatic and aware of her surroundings. I’m aware she didn’t have the luxury of learning these things because she was hidden away due to threats on her life but sometimes it feels like life at court hasn’t taught her a damn thing. I feel like she was very lucky that this incident with the German Protestants worked out but I think Francis was right and that some will see it as him losing control of his nobles. Adelaide Kane still brought depth and complexity to the character of Mary and even when things felt dire she still managed to carry an air of regal elegance. I love the infusion of stoicism and burning passion that Kane brings to the role every week and I’m really excited to see Mary go off emotionally next week.

What can I say about Lord Narcisse other than state the fact he’s the pain in my ass that won’t go away. I think the actor who plays Narcisse, Craig Parker, is absolutely killing it when it comes to playing the vengeful, arrogant and maniacal noble. But I think that his goals are a little over the top and I just want Reign to tone it down on the soapy elements a little bit.

Grade: B+

Final Thoughts: Reign just keeps heating up. Every week I'm sitting in front of my TV at 9 PM with bated breath. This season holds a lot of promise and is shaping up to be quite a roller coaster ride. I'm enjoying the build up and I can't even fathom what the climax of this season is going to be. Every week just keeps getting better on every level. This was a show that I definitely thought might be hit with a sophomore slump in terms of writing because of the time frame they are working with but they surprised me and even brought back a factor I thought was a moot point at this stage in the game. They are rebuilding bonds and learning the lessons from what worked and what didn't last season. And as a fan that all you can ever really hope for. It's amazing to feel like you've been heard and that the writers, execs and showrunner think that your opinion matters.

Awards
Character of the Night
• Catherine

Best Character Interactions
• Mary and Conde
• Bash and Kenna
• Catherine and Lord Narcisse

Line of the Night
• Francis: This is not a coronation for a king. This is a coronation for king AND queen.

Scene of the Night
• Francis and Mary are crowned king and queen of France

Favorite Lady-In-Waiting
• Kenna

New Crack Ship Alert
• Tell me I wasn’t the only one who felt the palpable chemistry between Adelaide Kane and Sean Teale (and you guys know I am so NOT a shipper so that’s saying something).

All Kinds of Awkward Award
That awkward moment when you fear Reign is about to turn into Game of Thrones and attempt child murder.

Highlights
Memorable Moments
• Frary love scene (don’t you judge me, you know you liked it too)
• Conde explains to Mary that he was sending his mistress back to her husband and children.
• Francis has a chat with his father via the possessed nanny.

Superb Scenes
• Lord Narcisse and Catherine have a chat over wine when they should be at the post-coronation festivities.
• Mary confronts Conde about the German prisoners
• Francis and Mary rub Lord Narcisse’s nose in the fact that got grain without his help



Lowlights
• No update on Nostradamus.
• There was a miniscule amount of Greer.
• There was also no Leith at court. I want to see more interaction between him and Francis.
• A reminder of the ill-conceived love triangle from last season reared its ugly little head.
• For the love of all things good and sweet, give me some actual Bash and Francis bonding time!

Miscellaneous
Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• It was Lord Conde who took the prisoners.

Side Note: Should I bring back ‘Ratings Round-Up’?


Friendly Reminder
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@CWReign) and me (@lilithhellfire) every Thursday night at 9 pm EST.

Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

PS: Don't forget to promote this and all interesting ‘Reign’ articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work.

Reign – 2.02 – Drawn and Quartered – Review: “Return of the King.”

Hey Royals! It’s time once again to dissect and discuss a brand new episode of Reign. I thought this episode was great. I don't mind the slow build up of the season either. We are really getting a good hard look at our characters, their motivations and their coming trials and tribulations. So many interesting things are being put into place and I'm eager to see our cast react to what's going on. Hopefully, they'll be a cohesive unit and come out of it ever stronger.

With that said, I guess, I'll just get right into this review...

If I had to make a long story short here's the rundown of what I would say happened over the course of this episode: In the aftermath of the plague, a powerful lord discovers that Mary was responsible for the death of his son and demands vengeance, testing the loyalties of Mary, Francis and Catherine. Francis returns to the castle with Lola and their newborn son, creating tension with Mary. Greer is torn by her loyalty to her fiancé, Lord Castleroy, who blames Leith for his daughter’s demise. Meanwhile, Kenna urges Bash to be formally recognized in his new role.

I enjoy the writing team of Wendy Riss Gatsiounis & Drew Lindo. I am an especially huge fan of the last episode they wrote together which was episode 1x21: Long Live the King so I was pleasantly surprised that were back so early in the season. Gatisionis and Lindo are the type of writing partners that really seem to balance each other out and work well together. I’m not sure who does what but what I do know is that they do it well together. Most of all I appreciate that there weren’t flashbacks (or what I call recapping) in this episode. The writers trusted the viewers were paying attention and aren’t complete idiots.

This was yet another well-paced episode. I enjoyed the character interactions between everyone but most of all between Francis and Mary. I found the dialog to be ominous and riddled with foreshadowing and in case you’re wondering, that’s not a bad thing at all. I love a good mystery and intrigue even more. I’m really loving this glimpse into the under belly of royal politics and how the kingdom of France is really run.

This episode saw a return of Jeff Renfroe to the director’s chair. Episode 1x16: Monsters was the last time we heard from him and oddly enough it was an episode that Gatisionis and Lindo wrote as well. Renfroe has a very simplistic directorial aesthetic. I’ve noticed he’s not one for tracking shots and a lot pans and zooms. Instead he is master of the medium shot and subtly detached close-ups. Renfroe definitely has a varied and fantastic repertoire in the aesthetics department. I did notice a nice angle shot during the Castleroy and Leith confrontation scene and found the use of it very interesting. I love the way he uses space and lighting as an enhancement to a scene. The episodes he shoots seem a lot more vibrant than others. The composition of a lot of early scenes in this with Mary and Francis were very purposefully blocked with a lot of space between. I especially love how the sex scene between Francis and Mary was shot both during and afterwards.

I thought Renfroe did a fantastic job in getting the actors to emote in a very regal manner and subdued manner which of course is necessary when at court because all eyes are on the royals and gossip spreads like wildfire. Also the composition of the scenes with Francis, Mary, Lola and Bash were blocked nicely and maybe were a tad bit suggestive about where these characters allegiances lie right now or will lie eventually. While we didn’t linger in the moments and every scene ended on a strong note. I appreciate that the transition between scenes, they weren’t jarring and the episode flowed very nicely.

I am really enjoying the soundtrack and general sound design of the season. This episode only featured one song which was ‘Fuel to the Fire’ by Agnes Obel. The scoring was muted and really enhanced the emotional as well as tense scenes. The season thus far has been really thoughtful and a step up from last season with its use of “jump scare” noises and other ambient noises as well. It seems like this season there will be a bigger focus on some kind of supernatural element and the scoring is really laying that ground work so it seems. I hope I’m right because ‘Reign’ needs to start blending into the new CW (which is heavily based around action oriented Sci-Fi & Fantasy) if stands any chance at a renewal and drawing in new viewers to make it to a season 3.

“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.” - Aristotle

Character Contemplation
They better not be teasing me with this whole Bash is tied to the supernatural myth arc of the season or so help me, I will be taking a trip to Canada. I’m here for the creepy, spooky and supernatural on Reign. It’s even better if Bash is all tied up in it as well. Bash is just a feels inducing machine for these past two episodes. I’m like a mother just beaming with pride. I love Bash’s sense of duty and right and wrong. The fact that he is embracing Kenna and becoming inspired by her to do better and be better and want more out of life is just amazing. I also like that the brothers are reconnecting and reestablishing the bond that drew to me this show in the first place. Reign writers, keep it up!

You can’t keep a scheming, manipulative, two faced woman down for long. Catherine was back in action as deliciously biting and conniving as ever. But the thing I love most about Catherine, her fierce mama bear personality, was out in full force again. I really like that Catherine loves her children, it’s her saving grace. The scene between her and Francis where they talk about whether or not Francis should be in Lola’s baby’s life was very well written and very well acted. Though, I wonder if was just another one of Catherine’s schemes to get Mary out of the picture.

Francis as a king, I’m just not buying it right now. I only want good things for Francis. But I just feel like his heart is just not that into ruling. But Francis as a husband and a father to a bastard child, now that’s interesting and compelling to me. My jaw dropped in one of Francis’s final scenes where he is holding the baby and his father’s ghost possesses the wet nurse. His facial reaction was priceless. I love this twist that Francis killed Henry and in the end might go mad like his father did with the guilt (a lot of mental illnesses are hereditary and royals are pretty incestuous by nature on top of that). I know last week I said I was interested in seeing how Francis would rule but now that I’ve gotten a taste I don’t think that’s where personal investment with this character is going to lie.

Greer is a hot mess and she needs to pull herself together. Don’t hate me but I’m totally rooting for Lord Castleroy. He’s definitely a character that can be put in contention for most improved character. While I may not want to see a sex scene between Greer and Castleroy I still think he is a better choice for her (within the parameters of the social mores this show is steeped in). I enjoy the qualities Greer brings out in him and I like that he is a stabilizing force in her life. I’m not a fan of love triangles so the sooner they decide on Greer’s course of action the sooner I’ll be happy not to have to write about this.

I know not every side character can be in every episode but I did miss Kenna something fierce. There had better be some really good scenes with her in them next week to make up for this. I’m really enjoying Kenna’s growth as a character and am eager to see more. I’m most definitely interested in seeing how Pascal’s death is going to affect her.

I’m just not feeling Leith anymore. I can’t believe they gave his character a full season story arc. Here’s hoping things get a little more interesting. But wow, that was a crappy thing for Francis to do to him. But I guess that old saying, the good of the many outweigh the needs of the few is true. That was also a kind genius plot contrivance to get Leith to move to court. I hear they are building up this character to be one of Francis’s good friends and I did enjoy their interactions when they were last seen together so there is definitely a lot of potential for this character, here’s hoping they don’t take too long kick this character into gear.

The situation between Francis, Lola and Mary is so damn awkward that I’m in a constant state of secondhand embarrassment for everyone involved anytime the three of them are in a room together now. Motherhood does agree with Lola, however. Anna Popplewell is nailing the nurturing and maternal act! There wasn’t much for Lola to do in this episode but be a third wheel unfortunately. I imagine it’s going to be a good long while before things are truly cordial between her and Mary. That is something I hate because I love the chemistry between Kane and Popplewell. I’m also going to need a lot less of Francis and Lola to stomach this whole messed up situation as well. I’m still very curious how this is all going to work out in the end; especially if Francis does claim the baby publicly.

We seriously need to slow clap it out for Mary. She was absolutely brilliant. Kane killed it with her performance of Mary this week. She was large and in charge and wasn’t going to back down from a fight. I really love Mary’s sense of what’s right and wrong and her willingness to stand in her truth and convictions. Mary can easily become Catherine 2.0 but she is proactively fighting against that tide. I wish France was ready for a queen like Mary but sadly it doesn’t seem like it is. I hate the way the French nobles treat her because she is a queen in her own right and just hate people practically spitting in her face. I wonder what lies ahead for Mary… We can’t possibly still be on historical side of story, right? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we need to jump the track and take this story into the realm of unadulterated fiction otherwise we are hindered by time constraints.

So Nostradamus is coming back right? At the end of this episode that is by far my biggest burning question. The relationship between Mary and Nostradamus had such promise. It can’t end like this. Catherine is going to hunt him down and drag him back to the castle. Right? The scene between Catherine and Nostradamus in the holding cell was great. Everything about that interaction was on point. Nostradamus can’t go right when things are getting creepy and spooky. He’s the king of that stuff. I’ll be royally ticked if Nostradamus’s absence is permanent.

Grade: A-

Final Thoughts: This was a terrific follow up to the season opener. There was just the right amount of angst, drama, tension and intrigue. I’m really enjoying Kane’s performance this season as Mary and her determination to be a fair and just queen. I very much look forward to witnessing all of the growing pains that come along with this journey.

Awards
Character of the Night
• Mary

Best Character Interactions
• Francis and Mary
• Francis and Bash
• Catherine and Nostradamus

Line of the Night
• Lola: I just want to be with my child.

Scene of the Night
• Francis and Mary work together to trick Lord Narcisse

Favorite Lady-In-Waiting
• Lola

Highlights
Memorable Moments
• Francis’s face when the wet nurse gets possessed by his father’s ghost
• Lord Narcisse discovers a survivor in the catacombs and learns the truth about what happened to his son
• Mary puts all the pieces of the puzzle together about what Narcisse has been up to
• Catherine realizes what Mary and Nostradamus did to her

Laudable Lines
• Francis: Your kisses are more easily attained than your words.
• Catherine: Bring us some whiskey!
• Mary: I let my anger get the best of me.

Superb Scenes
• Lord Conde challenges Francis to rule righteously as Lord Narcisse accuses him of being a radical protestant.
• Mary tells Francis to recognize his child
• Mary tries to express her hurt over the fact that Francis has a child with Lola

Lowlights• No Kenna.

Miscellaneous
Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• No Kenna
• Nostradamus running away
.

Friendly Reminder
Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@CWReign) and me (@lilithhellfire) every Thursday night at 9 pm EST.

Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

PS: Don't forget to promote this and all interesting ‘Reign’ articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work.

Reign – 2.01 – The Plague – Review: "Buy When There's Blood in the Streets."

Hey Royals! Did you miss me? You know I missed you. It is finally once again time to dissect and discuss a brand new episode of Reign. I know I for one am very pumped about the season 2 opener. I think my avoidance of all the spoilers over the summer really helped me enjoy it even more as it kept me guessing about was going to happen.

If I had to make a long story short here's the rundown of what I would say happened over the course of this episode: Just as Nostradamus foresaw, the Black Plague has come to France’s door once more. Francis found himself on the wrong side of the quarantined gates, on his quest to find Lola and their baby. A noble named Lord Edward got too big for his britches and tried to pressure Mary into exacting his revenge for him. Meanwhile, Kenna and Bash found themselves separated. Lastly, Greer persuaded Leith not get involved with her fiancé’s daughter.

I have to say nothing puts my mind at ease more than when an episode (especially a premiere or a finale) is written by one of a show’s most prolific writers, as was the case for the season 2 premiere of Reign. I can honestly say I have loved every single episode she has a part to play in. She wrote my favorite episode of the series to date, ‘The Consummation’ single handedly, so yeah, I’m a fan.

I think McCarthy really brought her game and knocked this one out of the park. It was an excellent way to open the season and get us all caught on what’s been going on as well as a jumping off point for the first half quarter or half of the season. This episode was well paced and enjoyed the dialog as well as a glimpse at characters motivations and growth in some cases.

In the director’s chair this week was another name often seen in the credits, Fred Gerber. Fred Gerber is one of my favorite TV directors hands down. I love his aesthetic. He really knows how to set up the ambiance and uses the surrounding environment. I love the composition of his shots and his instincts on when and when not to linger in a scene. I always notice the acting is kicked up a notch as well when he is around, too.

And this episode did not deviate from the formula. I particularly loved his use of medium shots and two shots in this episode as well as a few choice and well placed close ups that managed to somehow be subtle. The composition of every scene was also very well thought out. The scenes between Mary and Catherine as well as between Francis and Lola were fantastic. There were lots of reaction shots and Gerber was not afraid to linger in the moment for emphasis which I enjoy in general but especially for emotionally charged situations.

The soundtrack and sound design for this episode was muted, subtle but at the same time a little ominous, which was very apropos for the subject matter that was dealt with in this episode. I thought the use of 'Fight for Your Castle' by Don Brownrigg was a nice choice. I also thought the song choice for the scene where Lola finds Francis holding their child and he tells her she can't leave and also while Mary has Lord Edward locked away with the ill was quite fitting. The name of that song was 'My Lair' by Bear's Den.

"No longer were there individual destinies; only a collective destiny, made of plague and emotions shared by all." – Albert Camus

Character Contemplation
Bash was the best he's been in a very long time in this episode. I love his deep sense of responsibility. He gets the way world works and tries his best to prevent bad things from happening if he can help it. I really enjoyed the tender moment he and Kenna shared after he found her. 'Benna' is growing on me (I still say it should be Kash but whatever). It has made both parties better characters and when it comes to TV couples (especially on The CW, yeah I'm looking at you TVD) that's the rarely case now days so it is super refreshing. Bash also seemingly got a "vision" or "premonition" of some sort. I've been dying for some supernatural happenings in this show since it was revealed that Clarissa was just a flesh and blood creeper and don't even get me started on that whole 'The Darkness' shenanigans. So my hopes are way up on this even though I know they shouldn't be.

Catherine was a quite the pistol in this episode and while initially wanted Catherine to be Mary's mentor after her mother sold her out I've decided there could never be a better foil for her than Catherine. Especially since the role is played by the lovely and talented Megan Follows. I love the pragmatism of Catherine. She is from the house of Medici after all. I love that Catherine is so fierce as well as ready, willing and able to seize power at a moment's notice. But what I love more than that is vulnerable and utterly honest Catherine. My absolute favorite scene in this episode was Catherine giving Mary advice on what she thought was her death bed. I can't wait to see what Catherine gets up to this season. But I know one thing for sure; it's going to be entertaining as hell.

Francis, too, was the best he's been in a very long time as well. They finally back around to giving Toby Regbo something meaty to sink his teeth into and he knocked it out of the part. I loved chemistry between Toby and Anna. I'm not sure where this storyline is going but will one hell of ride it seems. His best scene hands down was when he finally picked his son up and decided that Lola couldn't leave. I loved all the new interactions he had a chance to have as well. Francis being beyond the gates is something that is a win every single time. I am very eager to see him rule as king of France though so the sooner he gets back to the castle the better.

The award for most awkward situation goes to Greer for sure. I was kind of shocked that they didn't drag this situation out a little longer. I really thought Greer pleading with Leith basically saying he is her weakness and if exposed long enough she would give into the temptation that he represents.

My heart broke for Kenna in this episode. It was just one trauma after another. But she was strong and managed to stay alive. I really loved what the character of Pascal brought out in Kenna. But maybe this loss will spur her to want to have a baby with Bash. I have enjoyed Kenna's meteoric rise to a great, complex and interesting character. I have high hopes for this character over the course of season 2 and I don't think Reign writers plan on disappointing me.

I love Anna Popplewell and in the beginning of this show's run she was consistently winning the best 'Lady-In-Waiting' award. I still like Lola well enough and Popplewell is still slaying every week but the Lola broke the girl code and it's kind of tainted the character for me. Do I still want her to have nice things? Oh, most definitely. Did a secret part of me want either her or the baby to die to make things less confusing for Francis and Mary? Don't judge me but yes there was just the teeniest part of me that was holding out for that option and only because the Frary relationship drama is already pretty contentious and doesn't need any more fuel to the fire at the point.

In the end I was glad to see both the mother and child doing just fine. My heart absolutely broke for Lola when Francis decided that he wasn't going to let her and the baby go. But the scenes between Francis and Lola really opened up both characters. This is the storyline that I'm most invested in at this point because it really is a game changer and might be the jumping off point where the writers decide to ditch the historical aspect and allow themselves to get a little more creative.

The hits just keep coming for Mary and with no end in sight it seems. Adelaide Kane slayed in this week's episode. She really holds her own with Megan Follows and their scenes together just simmer with quiet loathing and begrudging respect from both characters. Mary is beginning to think like a queen. Unfortunately, for her, the queen she is channeling happens to be Catherine. I thought it was great that they had Catherine tell Mary that she didn't set out to become the kind of queen she ended up either. I'm not sure if this is foreshadowing or not. But I kind of hope so. Mary wants to do the right thing. But is the right thing always going to be good for the kingdom? Probably not. What's that saying about good intentions?

I don't think most rulers set out to become tyrannical dictators but there is a reason there is saying about how absolute power corrupts absolutely. We got a glimpse of how things really work in the kingdom of France and it was bleak. How Mary adjusts to these new realities now that her eyes are wide open is anyone guess but I'd venture to say she's going to the play the game and play to win. Something tells me this business with Lord Edward will definitely come back to bite her in the butt and I'm going to enjoy watching it unfold and see Mary's evolution as a ruler.

Finally, Nostradamus has head in the game! I was floored that Nostradamus chose to help Mary pull one over on Catherine. I've wanted to see a lot more from Nostradamus but this character still remains the most underdeveloped and mysterious. We gotten glimpses of the man he is but not nearly enough. I hope this season is the rise of a manipulative Nostradamus who wants to pull all of the strings in the French court. Whether his intentions are noble or malevolent, it doesn't matter to me just give that man something more to do. I mean there is still the threat of Clarissa hanging over his head (and Mary's as well presumably) too so that could come as an unexpected twist quite literally at any time. I really enjoyed when he a love interest as we got to see a different side of him so I hope he gets another love interest this season (for the character development I swear, LOL).

Grade: A

Final Thoughts: This was a lovely season opener. I was surprised that it picked up right after the events of last season's finale and didn't utilize a time jump. But I thought that was actually a good choice. This episode was well paced and had pretty good dialog. I enjoyed this episode because it was basically a character study and a really nice way to come back to the characters we know and love and see the growth from the end of last season expanded upon.

Awards
Character of the Night
• Mary

Best Character Interactions
• Mary and Catherine
• Francis and Lola

Line of the Night
• Nostradamus: I am immune to the plague my queen but not fire.

Scene of the Night
• Mary locks up Lord Edward with the victims of the plague.

Favorite Lady-In-Waiting
• Kenna

Highlights

Memorable Moments
• Bash finds Kenna.
• Francis finally holds his child
• Mary orders Catherine as her queen to shut the hell up.


Laudable Lines
• Kenna: Catherine’s being too nice.
• Catherine: Welcome to your rule, my queen. And welcome to the real France.
• Catherine: It worked for the pope.

Superb Scenes
• Catherine tells Mary not to let Lola get between her relationship with Francis.
• Greer confronts and pleads with Leith not pursue her fiancé’s daughter.
• Bash's dream of the little girl ghost telling him there will be a reckoning.


Lowlights• There wasn't a Francis and Mary reunion.

Miscellaneous
Biggest Surprise of the Episode
• Nostradamus helping Mary pull one over on Catherine.
• Nostradamus having a clean shaven face.

Friendly Reminder
• Don’t forget to live tweet with the show (@CWReign) and me (@lilithhellfire) every Thursday night at 9 pm EST.

Well, now it's your turn to sound off in the comments section below. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

PS: Don't forget to promote this and all interesting Reign articles in all the social media you can. For instance be sure to click the like button, retweet this and +1 this article if you like it and appreciate this reviewer's hard work.