Friday, January 31, 2014

Reign (Episode 10)

Reign is a 2013-2014 TV series, broadcasting on the CW network, on Mary, Queen of Scots stay at the French court during the 1550s. The tenth episode of the series garnered an audience of 1.62 million people.

Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots
Alan Van Sprang as King Henry II of France
Torrance Coombs as Sebastian "Basch"

Henry travels to Rome in order to state Sebastian's case, leaving the man in charge of the kingdom while he is away. Basch shows no enthusiasm in the task and few nobles show any enthusiasm for the new heir. While listening to people who have come to court to have a word with the regent, Basch is almost assassinated by a woman with a poisoned knife. Thankfully, he is saved by his new body guard, Alec. It appears to be a plot on the part of Catherine and a dubious Lord Hugo.

One of the people brought up against a pregnant peasant by the name of Isobel. It turns out that Isobel is related to Basch through her traitor Father and if anyone were to discover their connection Basch would be disinherited immediately.  Mary and Sebastian managed to smuggle Isobel out of the castle but as it turns out, she is going into labor. The troop decides to spend the night in the forest to allow Isobel to give birth to her baby. Suddenly, they are surrounded by a group of pagans. The group avoids becoming fresh sacrifices when Isobel, Alec and Basch start chanting in a pagan language. Mary is clearly horrified by this display but she stays in order to help Isobel deliver her baby. It is a healthy baby girl. 

Catherine is left under the supervision of Kenna, Lola and Greer. Catherine tries to persuade Kenna to release her with promises of a secure future but Kenna is not fooled. Lola is unable to find any incriminating letters from Catherine so she decides to forge them and use them to blackmail Catherine instead.

Isobel dies soon after giving birth. The child is given to the castle's communal nurse maid and an excuse is given that Isobel tried to kill Basch but he did her in first. Basch declares his feelings for Mary and they honour Isobel with a pagan ceremony.

I give this episode a 1.5/5. The highlight of the episode was definitely when the pagans start surrounding the tent. You really get a sense of being hemmed in, with enemies at all sides. The chanting really added to the scene as well. Now for the bad side, logic. Mother flippin' logic. I know that Catherine is in a lower position than Mary but what gives Mary the right to order Catherine around. Yes, Mary is Queen of Scotland but she has as much power in France as Queen Elizabeth I of England has over Scotland. Technically, Mary has no official position to France. She's not Dauphine of France yet so I don't know why she's throwing her weight around. 

The entire time that Catherine is talking to Lola in her cell I kept thinking to myself, 'WHY DON'T YOU RUN?!" There are no guards and no one else is there. Lola is standing deeper in the cell than Catherine is so if she ran, she'd make it to the door first. Neither Basch nor Mary are on the premises, she could literally take back the palace if she wanted to (especially considering she has Lord Hugo's support). But nope, she just stands there.

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