Hey Royals! Are you ready to talk about this week's episode of
Reign? I know I am. This episode had lots of sexy intrigue, terse Frary fake out moments and even action with Bash leading the charge. There is lots to discuss so let’s get started…
This week’s episode was written by Nancy Won and Robert Doty. We found Deborah Chow in the director's chair this week. I like the new writing team pairing of
Reign veteran Nancy Won with newcomer Robert Doty. You get the wisdom of Won and some fresh blood with Doty and it resulted in an intense episode with great pacing and lots of sexual tension. Nevertheless, there was a lot of repetition of dialog, which drove me a little mad at some points.
This week’s episode saw Mary's actions drive Condé into the arms of another and who just so happens to be a rival queen! - Mary with the threat of England looming, aligns herself with France and thus, the ailing Francis. Condé makes a bold move that would tie him to England. With all of the turmoil, Catherine and Narcisse work to win favor in court. Meanwhile, Kenna got closer to General Renaude as Bash continued to be distant.
Did anyone else get excited when the episode opened up with an action scene? Call me corny but I love a good old fashion sword fight.
However, for some reason we bring the action to a grinding halt to cut to a Mondé meet-up in the woods. Apparently, Condé has been gone for a few weeks. Um, OK... If you ask me it sure would have been nice to see those weeks when was gone but whatever. I just want to ask what the point of moving the story ahead a few weeks was if you are going to employ the same exact stalling tactics for almost three fourths of the episode as the last batch of dreary episodes anyway. SIGH...
Back at the castle, Bash sets off back into the woods to get away from Kenna and Kenna inquires about his new “friend” She demands to know if this “friend” has breasts and a vagina. He informs that his new friend is of the female persuasion and tells her it is not her business just like what she does is not his. Before he can leave, news comes down about the children hostages. It turns out this is the doing of radicals who are ticked off about Francis sending troops to Scotland to defend Mary's crown.
Quick Aside: They really beat the dead horse about France being so vulnerable no thanks to Mary, didn't they?
Angry nobles gather to inquire about just what Francis is doing to get their boys home safe. A loose-lipped count gets reprimanded by Mary for speaking out of turn and she assures them that they are doing everything in their power to get their children back home safe and sound. Mary is genuinely concerned for the boys as she can relate to what they are going through on a visceral level. Francis tells Mary not to worry that she has his protection. And just when we think we're about to get a sweet and tender Frary moment, Condé shows his face and Francis quickly hardens his heart once more.
Catherine heads over to Narcisse's place to vent and plot. Turned on by Narcisse’s calculating, Catherine gets her creative scheming juices flowing and wants to hatch a plan to get rid of Condé. Narcisse is down for that but first he wants to satisfy some other primal needs first.
Meanwhile, Kenna and Lola are heading out to Greer's new place to drop off some money and offer up some moral support. Kenna bitches about Bash moving on so quickly and Lola tells her at now she does not have to feel bad anymore. Kenna and Lola are floored when they see Greer's new fabulous place and they don't even bat an eyelash when she tells them she's a running a brothel. Lola is happyish for her and Kenna is super impressed and curious. It’s not all peaches and cream because she can't buy certain things from certain establishments because of what she does. The upside? It is a mandatory requirement to have the finest champagne. Kenna offers up a toast to them, the fallen women.
We see Narcisse's and his men planting the dead bodies of Condé's men at the monastery.
Bash returns to update Francis and Mary with a scout report. Things don't look good. The boys are scattered throughout the monastery. The radicals have no demands but tons of gunpowder. Looks like this is a murder-suicide pack. They want to martyrs and they want to channel their inner Fallout Boy and be remembered for centuries apparently. Mary surmises that they are waiting for word to spread and for the fear to grow and when the fear and fervor is at its apex, that's when they'll blow it all up. Of course Francis feels the need to remind Mary that it is her fault, AGAIN. Now don't get me wrong, I totally see where Francis is coming from and agree with him but he is a king, he shouldn't be coming across a such a petulant child is all that I'm saying. And the fact that he did in front of Bash and an open door with guards there was just crazy.
Bash tired of the bickering tries to move the conversation along and set up a course of action. Bash gets all dramatic and assures his brother and king that he is willing to lay down his life for this cause but the team he has is not equipped for the mission he is about to embark on and off he goes out into the fray. Bash and his men try to take on the radicals at the monastery but it is a fail of epic proportions. In addition, Bash has spied men with Condé's seal. Uh oh...
Did anyone else catch the 'No Tea, No Shade' tea party Kenna and Lola threw for Mary? They are very concerned about Mary and her dangerous relationship with Condé. But all Mary can blather on about is Condé and how she needs to protect him. Lola tries to push Mary to get back in Francis' good graces but Mary informs them she is his queen only and not his wife. Kenna adds insult to injury when she asks if Mary really thinks she and Condé still have a chance. Apparently, at that moment Mary really did. Why? Your guess is as good as mine is.
Bash returns to the castle to scold Francis about forcing him to use the wrong soldiers. Catherine suggests that Francis use General Renaude's men. Mary reminds them that the general is loyal to Narcisse. Francis is hesitant to have anything to do with Narcisse but even Bash thinks it's a good idea so Mary acquiesces and finally so does Francis. But before Bash rides off he tells Francis that he saw Condé's dead men at the monastery and Condé did meet with Protestant leaders. Bash even suggests that perhaps Condé is looking for a way to power.
Bash meets up with General Renaude and they storm the monastery. It is pretty much a success but a few men are lost, including Renaude's right hand man.
Upon hearing, the news that some of his men were found at the monastery Condé makes a brash decision to come to Mary in her chambers. He tells her he is being setup and that maybe they should run. Mary insists that he stay and let her protect him and he DOES (at first)!
Mary storms into Francis' quarters and claims that Condé is innocent. Francis tries to blame the affair on Condé but Mary insists that it was her fault and not take it out on Condé. Francis is swayed somehow and says that contempt alone is not enough. But treason just might be…
Speaking of that, Elizabeth's envoy just so happens to still be at French court and offers Condé one last chance to be the king consort of England. But because he is a prince of blood this would be an act of treason if he does so without the permission of his king. The envoy tells him, he is damned if he does and he damned if he does not, so why not choose the path that will make you powerful. Condé says what the hell and off they ride.
While all of this is going on Kenna and Lola decide that it would be nice to get Greer that damask that she couldn't get. Lola is uncomfortable and wants to leave. Kenna is giddy and curious and has spied Renaude. Outside, Lola runs into Narcisse who offers some friendly advice and a tender touch. Unfortunately, for the both of them one of Catherine's spies see them. Inside, Greer and Kenna talk about great equalizers in life, death and perversions. Greer tries to satiate Kenna's curiosity about Renaude but it only piques it even more.
Somewhere off in the distance, Condé is marrying queen Elizabeth - by proxy as Mary sends word for Condé that he has the protection of Francis. Condé and the proxy sleep on a bed to represent consummating the marriage. He recognizes her surname as a prominent French family and wonders how she came to be a proxy for an English queen. The proxy wonders if he'll be a good king. He assures he will.
The next morning Condé and the envoy head off to the port but they see a fire in the village where the marriage was performed.
Renaude returns to the castle to schmooze and curry favor with the nobles. He asks about her night at the brothel and she asks if it was worth it trying to come off all high and mighty only he burst her bubble. But she actually is turned on by his pragmatism. He leaves her with confirmation of Bash's infidelities and tells her she doesn't belong to anyone and wants to change all that.
The envoy returns with bad news for Condé. His wedding has been undone. Condé is left alone and in even more danger than ever before.
Cut to Catherine and Narcisse gossiping about Condé and how to get rid of him. Catherine learned that Condé had married Elizabeth but the wedding was undone. They gleefully rejoice in the new news that Condé will be done away with.
You remember that spy, well yeah, he now delivers the news about the exchange between Lola and Narcisse. Catherine is none too pleased.
Finally, Francis breaks the news to Mary about the wedding. Mary confesses everything she knew about Condé and his doings. Mary tries to come off all high and mighty but Francis calls her out on doing the right thing, politically. Francis fears that this might be the beginning of the end of their Reign and that's where the story leaves us until next week.
The best part about this episode was that all the main players each had their moment in the sun and they actually gave us some Bash and Francis time as well as a swashbuckling, heroic Bash. Not to mention it feels like they realized it was time to give Megan Follows' Catherine something to do. She even has a duplicitous love interest that can handle her (but not really). Yep, the end of the season is shaping up to be pretty awesome and with season 3 having been already guaranteed a while ago that means that better planning is assured (hopefully). Neither the character of Claude or Leith were missed by me but I did miss the actors themselves.
The show runners and writers' room now have two season of sampling to figure out what the fans like and what the fans don't. The only thing that really worries me is that we are running out actual historical stuff (well the exciting stuff anyway). I'm curious how the show will continue. I'm all for completely deviating from the history books and making it an alternative timeline. I mean so many liberties have been taken already, what's a few more? I'm eager to see what is in store for us Royals.
Grade: B-
Episode Awards
Character of the Night
• Narcisse
Best Character Interactions
• Kenna and Lola
Scene of the Night
• Bash pulling Francis aside discuss his discover of Condé's men at the monastery.
Line of the Night
• Kenna: Does this ‘friend’ have a name? Breasts? A vagina?
Most Memorable Moment
• The fallen ladies-in-waiting raise a toast to themselves.
• Bash pulling Francis aside discuss his discover of Condé's men at the monastery.
Best Dressed
• Mary (but Toby Regbo's butt in those black leather pants was definitely in the running).
Favorite Lady-In-Waiting
• Greer
That awkward moment when…
• That awkward moment when someone gives a backhanded compliment. General Renaude not only confirmed for Kenna that Bash had indeed moved on but that she didn't belong to anyone.
Miscellaneous
The 'Go Put a Dollar in the Douche Jar' Award
Narcisse: Won’t be long until I am slipping into your warm…royal…bed.
The 'What a Historical Cowinkydink' Award
• The most famous historical marriage by proxy of royalty is Mary, Queen of Hungary to Louis I, Duke of Orléans in 1385.
Burning Questions
• Who undid the wedding?
• Why did the Frary and Benna relationships both have to go up in flames this season?
• Why can't the writers let us have nice thing? Do they enjoy bathing in our tears or something?
What did you think of this week's episode of Reign? Who was your favorite character? Are you ready to see Condé hang? Are you still hopeful for a Frary reconciliation? Feel free to answer these questions or any other comments below.
Thanks for stopping by, you know I love you guys for reading.
