‘Reign’ was a historical drama centering around Mary, Queen of Scots, that aired on The CW from 2013 to 2017. Now that the show is over and done, it’s time to reflect on our favorite things about this historically inaccurate but addictively interesting show. From Adelaide Kane’s insane acting skills to the nonstop drama, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
Mary’s Ladies
While Greer was the only lady to make it to the end of the show, there were originally four ladies in total. Greer’s storyline was easily a fan favorite, though her romances were always laced with misfortune. Lola (aka Susan from the ‘Narnia’ movies) was probably the hardest death of the show to watch because she was always so sweet and just trying to be the best she could be for her family and friends. Was anyone else a little miffed that we never saw Kenna again? She was always the more daring of the bunch, but got written off with a quick pregnancy plot. The fourth lady was Aylee, who only survived eight episodes. Though being a lady certainly had it perks, it seemingly just led to a lot of heartbreak.
The Villains
Yes, Adelaide Kane is phenomenal, but can we give it up for Megan Follows and Craig Parker? Queen Catherine de’ Medici and Lord Stephane Narcisse were deliciously devious characters. With fire behind every word, you could always tell these two were calculating some plot or another, sometimes as partners but other times as enemies. They both faced death many times but managed to escape it, normally with trickery and deception. But, as we were often reminded, everything Catherine did was for her children. Narcisse’s gains were mostly for his own advantage, but after Lola’s passing, he was set on avenging her. With a strong monologue, both of these actors could captivate and engage the audience as well as any ‘hero’ could.
Romance! Romance! Romance!
From the early love triangle of Sebastian, Francis, and Mary, to the late days of Gideon and Elizabeth, there was never any shortage of romantic drama. Leith and Greer had their day in the sun, which turned into Leith and Claude, which turned into Claude and Luc, which honestly got tiring. Though Kenna and Bash were fun to root for, they were ultimately doomed, as were Gideon and Mary (Gideon got it on with both the Queen of Scotland and the Queen of England!). Narcisse’s actions made it hard to root for him and Lola, though his grief after her death was nearly unbearable. I don’t think a single ‘ship on this show was unproblematic, except maybe Mary and Francis despite his early demise. Whoever is your cup of tea, they were almost certainly unhappy in the end- but that’s television!
The Costumes
Not much needs to be said about the costumes because from weddings to feasts to funerals, the costumes were entirely gorgeous. Sometimes, it was easy to get caught up in checking out what everyone was wearing and completely miss the dialogue in the scenes.
France, Scotland, and England (Oh my!)
The writers deserve credit for taking the show from only being set in France to having plots going on in France and Scotland and England. The show definitely had to change pace after being set only in France for so long, and Mary went home to Scotland. We also began to see England, and Rachel Skarsten’s powerful and lonely Queen Elizabeth. While many characters ventured between all three lands, Mary and Elizabeth never shared a scene together. This transition ultimately led to Mary’s beheading, which seemed like an ending written in five minutes once they learned they were being cancelled, but it’s not often television shows end on good note.
The Cast
As previously mentioned, Mary and Elizabeth never shared a scene, but Adelaide Kane and Rachel Skarsten are BESTIES in real life (can you say #Radelaide?). They hang out a lot with Torrance Coombs, and this tweet is legendary.
Even with random subplots that totally defy actual history about witchcraft and magic, this show is an easy binge-watch for anyone into historical dramas. Check it out anytime, as it’s all on Netflix!
Gifs courtesy of Giphy.
Cover photo courtesy of The CW.