Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!
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This is a post I’ve been dying to write for some time, going back to when the Gilmore Girls revival was first announced. Now that the revival has come and gone, and Reign has come to an end (the final episode aired Friday, June 16, 2017), I thought it was finally time.
Reign and Gilmore Girls are VERY different shows: Reign is a historical drama based on the life and reign of a young Mary Queen of Scots, while Gilmore Girls is a modern-day dramedy about a mother/daughter duo obsessed with coffee and pop culture references.
One thing these epic shows have in common? They both feature a fierce matriarch.
Emily Gilmore and Catherine de Medici might have been born centuries apart, but they have much in common:
They both command the room. When Catherine de Medici speaks, you listen. Unless you want to lose your head. Meanwhile, Emily will stare you down until you shut up and listen – and listen you will.
Catherine has her Flying Squad, Emily has the DAR. Catherine’s Flying Squad does her dirty work for her. They seduce powerful men and gather intel/gossip/vital information that Catherine can then use to blackmail others. Though the DAR members don’t seduce powerful men, they’re all MARRIED to powerful men and love a good gossip session during afternoon tea.
They both run their households with an iron fist. On the one hand, you have Emily, who wants things done precisely her way. If a maid puts one toe out of line, it’s grounds for termination. Catherine, on the other hand, uses her power as Queen/Queen Mother to ensure her servants are loyal to her and ONLY her. You don’t double-cross Catherine de Medici and get away with it. With their help, Catherine ensures that she’s ALWAYS the first to know EVERYTHING happening in her domain.
They love their children fiercely, but don’t always know how to show it. Neither woman is great at showing her soft side – emotional displays of affection? Super rare! This means they often come off as being cold-hearted and uncaring, yet both women are incredibly maternal and protective of their brood.
On a similar note: meddling is their specialty. Catherine broke Mary and Francis up for fear a prophecy threatening her son would come true, while Emily broke Luke and Lorelei up because she felt her daughter could do better. Again, both women meant well – they just handled their respective situations a bit… rashly.
On a lighter note, they both dress impeccably. They’re always poised and put together – heck, Catherine even dressed in her finest for her own execution!
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At the end of the day, Catherine’s castle may overshadow Emily’s mansion, but they both rule with an iron fist, determination and – when necessary – manipulation. And for that, we love to hate them and hate to love them!
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So, what are your thoughts? Do you watch one or both show(s)? If so, do you agree with the above parallels, or have parallels of your own to add? Tell me in the comments! (And, for the record, if you HAVE watched and enjoyed one of these shows, I highly recommend the other! Again, while they’re very different shows, they do have some parallels and they’re both EPIC – amazing plots/stories, amazing characters, etc).
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**Special thanks to my good friend, KM Robinson, for helping with the pictures included in this post! Check out her website, follow her on social media and buy her books!**
Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!
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Hey everyone! Today, I’m going to be reviewing Fuller House season two!
Spoiler Warning!!! I couldn’t do a full review without sharing ALL my thoughts and feels and that means spoilers! So if you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read on (unless you don’t mind being spoiled)!!
If you want to read my review of season one as a refresher, you can check that out here.
Final spoiler warning!!! Okay, review time!
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I’m going to break my review down into Atmosphere, Cast, Pet Peeves and Favorite Scenes, and Overall Thoughts.
Atmosphere:
All I really have to say here is, I still can’t get over the inconsistencies in the house. I know I harped on this last time, but I just can’t.
Cast:
As I did last time, I’m going to break this down by actor/actress. In some cases, I’ll be talking more about the character than the actor/actress (or vice versa). It’s just easier! So:
Candace Cameron Bure: Candace Cameron still can’t act. I know I said it last time, but she just seems really uncomfortable with some of the things she has to say and do. That habit she has of raising her voice at the end of a sentence, like she’s asking a question, even when she isn’t? Still happening and still annoying. Her Danny-isms were even more obvious in season two and it was almost out of hand, like they were trying to make it as obvious as possible that she had turned out like him. I think we got the picture – they can tone it down now. I did like DJ’s overall storyline this season, though, and I felt sooo bad for her near the end, with the whole Steve/Matt thing. I will say, at times, her comedic timing was brilliant and she had some great lines! Example, said to Kimmy: “My son’s best friend is a pain in the butt… Oohhh, now I know how my dad felt about you.”
Jodie Sweetin: Jodi’s acting is the best so far, in my opinion. But I’m a bit biased because, as I’ve mentioned, Stephanie has always been my favorite. I’m really happy she found love this season, but I was really thrown by WHO she found love with. He just didn’t seem her type.. However, he made her happy and I’m very excited to see where their relationship goes in season three! Also, I looooved when she sang! She’s got a great voice!
Andrea Barber: Once again, Andrea Barber was hilarious and on point as Kimmy. Her acting hasn’t really improved much since season one, but she completely embodies her character.
Scott Weinger: I don’t have much to say about Steve. I didn’t like him in season one and I don’t like him now. He and DJ just don’t belong together anymore. I loved them together in the original show, but they’ve just outgrown each other. And that “revenge girlfriend” thing he pulled was atrocious.
John Brotherton: Still love Matt! He’s got great comedic timing, he and DJ have great chemistry, and he’s hilarious! “I can’t feel a thing below my waist and that worries me.”
Juan Pablo Di Pace: Fernando was, once again, hilarious and perfect. His acting and comedic timing were brilliant. I loved his chemistry with Kimmy and I LOVED LOVED LOVED their couple costume for Halloween!!!! It was perfection. Also, his butting heads with Max was HILARIOUS and was the only redeeming thing for Max, who I otherwise couldn’t stand (see below).
The New Kids: –Ramona (Soni Bringas): I still liked Ramona a lot. I love that she and Jackson, for the most part, get along. They’re like partners in crime! I love their scheming. –Jackson (Michael Campion): Some of my favorite moments were the DJ and Jackson moments. They were sweet and cheesy and a bit touching. Also, for some inexplicable reason, they made me cry, or at least WANT to cry. I have no idea why, but there you go. Also, the kid who played Jackson’s best friend (Popco?) is hilarious. He was a real smooth-talker, exactly as I imagine Uncle Jesse was at his age. –Max (Elias Harger): Max is now my least favorite person for that corn cob incident. I’ve had a dog nearly die from swallowing a corn cob. So I’m just done. Maybe that’s not fair because he’s a kid and he should have been taught that corn cobs are bad for dogs, maybe the fault lies with DJ. But that’s just how I feel. I wasn’t really crazy about him to begin with, so this just furthered those feelings. Also, can he please stop screaming and growling his lines! So obnoxious!!!
The Original Cast Adults: The original cast was… Just okay. Once again, their scenes felt awkward and out of place, like they were trying desperately to make them relevant. And since when does Joey have kids?!?! Was that mentioned in season one and I just forgot? Because what the heck?!?! And why were they so bratty?!?!?! And Joey, in general, once again felt like he was just there because fans would riot if they didn’t bring back all the original actors.
Pet Peeves and Favorite Scenes: Pet Peeves:
**Biggest Pet Peeve this season: What was with the “Dumb as dirt for comedic effect” trope? So many of the characters suffered from it, like Jimmy and – to a certain extent – Fernando and Kimmy. It was almost insulting how overused it was. It wasn’t this bad in season one and I REALLY hope they tone this down in season three!
**Overall, the show was still campy and cheesy. Possibly campier and cheesier than season one. Probably because of the “Dumb as Dirt” trope (above).
**Some of the lines and punch lines were delivered WAY too fast. And the sudden entrances were almost TOO convenient. It adds to the cheesiness.
**The swearing with antacids “holy mylanta” thing is getting REALLY old REALLY fast. It’s totally fine if an actor doesn’t want to swear, but it sounds ridiculous and is WAY overused.
Favorite Scenes:
**The flashbacks to DJ’s, Stephanie’s and Kimmy’s first kisses packed a punch of nostalgia. So did Steph talking about her “three dads” in the wedding crasher scene.
**DJ and Kimmy’s high school reunion was also packed with nostalgia and perfectly on point!
**Gia and Girl Talk! I know Gia was a horrible influence on Stephanie, and also a horrible bully. But I love Marla Sokoloff and I love her character. And we’ve established that I love when Stephanie sings, so I loved Girl Talk being back together, brief as it was.
**The Dwayne cameo is EPIC, for so many reasons. Also Viper and Nelson, but I wish Jason Marsden had reprised his role as Nelson. I know he chose not to return, but it still sucked.
**Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky naming their adopted baby after Pam made me sob so hard… I can’t even.
Overall Thoughts:
Though still packed with cheesiness, the amount of nostalgia you’ll feel will win you over. If you were a fan of season one, I think you’ll love season two. If you didn’t enjoy season one… Maybe put this one on the back-burner for a bit. As far as the future of this show, it was recently announced that there would be a season three and I absolutely can’t wait! What can I say? Full House was a HUGE part of my childhood and I absolutely love this revival, cheeseball moments and all!
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So, what are your thoughts on Fuller House? Did you like it? love it? Hate it? Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you weren’t a fan, try to keep it civil, please!
Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!
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It was recently announced that season four of Reign would be its last. You can read about it via Variety and Deadline Hollywood.
Anyone who has followed me on here and on social media knows how obsessed I am with Reign. It’s an amazing, amazing show with an incredibly talented cast. Adelaide Kane SLAYS as Mary Queen of Scots
And Megan Follows is brilliant, though a bit scary, as Catherine de Medici
This show brought us Frary
And Matherine
It has given us ALL THE FEELS and gutted us time and time again – usually all in the same episode!
The cancellation announcement has truly gutted me, though. The loss of this show – of these characters – is nothing short of heartbreaking. I don’t say this to be a drama queen. I am honestly, truly devastated.
I started watching Reign during the second season, which aired from October 2014 to May 2015. It was on its mid-winter break and I wanted to binge it before it returned in January. I bought season one on DVD and used a combination of the CW website, iTunes and YouTube to watch the first half of season two. I fell in love right from the first episode, with my deep fangirl devotion hitting an all-time high during season two.
But it wasn’t until later on in 2015 when this show really began to mean the world to me. My family went through a really rough (understatement) period from October 2015-April 2016. And during that time, this show was my solace. My sanctuary. My escape from reality. I fell into this show to avoid thinking of all the loss and heartache occurring in my life. I watched and rewatched the show. I bought the books and DVDs. I even bought books outside of the Reign-verse, both fictional and non-fictional. This was my collection 39 weeks ago, as posted on Instagram (and it’s only grown since then):
I threw myself into the story of Mary Queen of Scots, in any and every way I could. I cheered when the characters triumphed, and cried when horrible things befell them – including death. The deaths of several characters, especially, devastated me beyond words. I felt as though I had lost loved ones – as I was losing loved ones in real life. When I rewatched the show, I cried again at all the same parts (and then some), even though I knew what was coming this time. I felt raw and broken after each death (one in particular), but I knew the show had to go on.
When Mary left French Court to return to Scotland, I felt conflicted. I mourned the loss of her life there and feared for her life in Scotland. But she had grown so much and had become such a strong, confident queen. I was eager to see what would come next – and still am, though that eagerness is tinged with the sadness of knowing the show is ending.
Reign has been suffering from poor ratings for awhile now. I was so relieved when it was renewed for season three, and then for season four. I knew the odds of a fifth season were slim to none, especially when the CW announced that season four would be a mid-winter show. But I still prayed for the best. And then the cancellation was announced. I still don’t think I’ve 100% accepted that this is truly happening – that this great show is coming to an end. It’s been my escape for so long now, I can’t imagine my life without it.
But the producers have promised fans an ending befitting a queen. They knew the end was near and began plotting how to best wrap things up. According to the Variety article:
“The fourth season is currently still in production, so the team behind “Reign” will be able to work on a series finale, knowing that it will be the final episode, giving fans a real conclusion to the story of Mary Queen of Scots. Insiders say that conversations about the show’s possible ending have been ongoing with producers, so the decision to make this season the last were not totally unexpected.”
I’m a little bit wary of what this will mean, though, as anyone who knows history knows that Mary Queen of Scots did NOT have a happy ending IRL. And photos circulating around Instagram are suggesting the show will mirror real life. I know it would be historically accurate but… I just really hope it doesn’t happen. This strong, fierce Queen does not deserve that kind of ending.
But since the show IS ending and there’s nothing that can be done about it (fans have been begging Netflix to pick the show up, but if the show ends in a historically accurate way, there won’t be any show left TO pick-up), all I can do is enjoy the time we have left and remind myself that I have the DVDs and can watch and re-watch to my hearts content. I have the based-on-the-show books and my Mary Queen of Scots book collection. And I have this fandom. Because this fandom is amazing. And I hope it lives on for a long time to come, despite the show ending. Because for as long as I have repeats and this fandom, this show will forever Reign over my heart (see what I did there??).
I want to thank the cast and crew for giving us four amazing seasons of this show. For bringing Mary Queen of Scots into our hearts. For giving us Frary and Matherine. For giving ME a show that allowed me to shut out reality and to push forward, day after day. You’ll likely never see this post, but you have done so much for me and I’m so, so grateful for it. I’ll miss you guys and I’ll miss this show. You’ll be gone, but never forgotten.
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So, are you a fan of Reign? Will you miss it? Do you have any fond memories of the show? Share in the comments!
Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!
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Hey everyone! For today’s Television Tuesday, I’m going to be reviewing Fuller House season one! Spoiler Warning!!! I couldn’t do a full review without sharing ALL my feels and that means spoilers! So if you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read on!!
I decided to break my review down into Atmosphere, Cast, Cheeseball Vs. Nostalgia and Overall Thoughts.
Atmosphere:
Starting from the very beginning: I LOVED the opening credits and the way they threw back to the original! It gave me SO MANY FEELS!!! And I know some people are torn about Carly Rae Jepsen singing the theme song, but I actually really liked it – she did a brilliant job, making it feel fresh but also keeping the feel of the original.
Now, onto my biggest pet peeve: The house. As a super fan of the original show, some of the house inconsistencies drove me crazy. Like in the attic, the room they kept saying used to belong to Nicky and Alex was actually the closet in the original show! In Full House, the twins’ room was located by the stairs, next to the bathroom. How did they not catch that MAJOR inconsistency?!?! And the room that was Stephanie and DJ’s? I’m almost positive it was bigger in the original, whereas the room that used to be Jesse’s seemed to be bigger than it originally was. Things like that had me like
Cast:
I’m going to break this down by actor/actress. In some cases, I’ll be talking more about the character than the actor/actress (or vice versa). It’s just easier! So:
Candace Cameron Bure: Oh, DJ… I liked DJ in the original and I always thought Candace Cameron was the best actress of the three kids. But she always had a habit of raising her voice at the end of a sentence, like she was asking a question. And that was even more painfully obvious now that she’s an adult and it really got annoying after awhile. Honestly, her acting was pretty atrocious, which surprised me – again, I liked her when she was younger and she wasn’t a bad actress then! So.. what happened?!? Her acting was awkward and forced. It was almost like she didn’t want to be saying or doing certain things, like she was uncomfortable. Overall, I did like DJ’s storyline. It was hilarious how she was so Danny-like in her behavior and I loved that she became a vet – though NOTHING from the original show EVER hinted at her wanting to be a vet. So that felt like it was out of nowhere.
Jodie Sweetin: Stephanie has always been my favorite of the daughters and I love the way her story has gone. She’s like the new Uncle Jesse – carefree until she realizes how much she loves being an aunt. It just felt very fitting for her. There was one thing she told DJ that made me cry; I felt SO bad for her. Sweetin’s acting was pretty good – not amazing, but slightly improved from when she was a kid.
Andrea Barber: Andrea Barber was hilarious and on point as Kimmy. Her acting wasn’t necessarily the best, but it was like she’d never stopped playing Kimmy – like no time had passed. Plus, Kimmy was always a cheeseball character, so the cheesiness of the show (I’ll get to that soon) was least noticeable with her.
Scott Weinger: Steve was terrible. I loved him and DJ together in the original. But he was pushy, needy and stuck in his high school glory days. Weinger’s acting wasn’t terrible, all things considered. Like with Andrea Barber and Kimmy, it was like no time had passed since he was last on set as Steve.
John Brotherton: Brotherton was epic as Matt!! He was hot, a dog lover, and perfect for DJ. I could feel the chemistry and sexual tension! They worked so well together and they really bounced off each other (um.. is that the right phrase??) in their scenes. Brotherton was hilarious and had GREAT line delivery and comedic timing.
Juan Pablo Di Pace: Fernando – the actor and the character – was hilarious and I loved him and Kimmy and their chemistry. His acting and comedic timing was perfect. He was like the Fez of the show, but hotter!
The New Kids: Ramona (Soni Bringas) was great and I loved her and Jackson (Michael Campion) and their scheming. Max (Elias Harger) was kind of annoying (what is it with little kid actors and SCREAMING their lines???) but he had great comedic timing.
The Original Cast Adults: The original cast was… Just okay. Ever since I saw Bob Saget’s comedy routine, I can’t get it out of my head. So now I see him as Danny and he gives me the creepy vibe… Plus, why does he look shorter…? And why is his voice so weird? Joey (Dave Coulier) was okay but it felt like his whole role was forced, like there was no point to his return. He didn’t do much except appease the fans (because, if the WHOLE original trio hadn’t returned, I think fans would have been upset). John Stamos was epic – Uncle Jesse’s still got it! But there was something.. Off?… About Lori Loughlin a Becky. Her character was SO baby obsessed, which was cute at first, then became creepy and annoying. And her acting made it seem like she didn’t even want to be there to begin with..
I know I’m probably missing a few cast members in there (like Nicky and Alex, who were hilarious, but barely in the show, so don’t require much comment) and Danny’s new wife (random, much?). But I basically just wanted to cover the original and main cast members.
Cheeseball Versus Nostalgia:
Overall, this was not an amazing, incredible, epic show. The original did a lot of things WAY better. There were a LOT of cheeseball moments between certain lines and certain plots. However, there was also a TON of nostalgia, between references to the original show and general 90s references. The nostalgia – for me – more than made up for the cheeseball stuff. And, really, as awesome as the original Full House was, it was still filled with a LOT of cornball jokes/scenes/plots and cheesy/sappy moments. So if you’re a fan of the original, you won’t care that much of Fuller House is cheeseball. And you’ll DEFINITELY appreciate the nostalgia!
Overall:
If you were a fan of Full House, prepare for major nostalgia feels with Fuller House! If you weren’t.. You might not enjoy it as much or catch all the references. But in my opinion, this DEFINITELY deserves a season 2 (and, from what I last heard, it WAS renewed for a second season!!)! There are so many questions I want answered!!! And I’m REALLY excited to see where the show goes next!
Favorite Moments (MAJOR SPOILER WARNING): This next section is just a quick list of some of my favorite moments – whether because they were hilarious or because they were nostalia-inducing. Some of these are MAJOR spoilers, though, so I HIGHLY encourage you to NOT READ the next section if you haven’t watched the show!!!
Stephanie singing and dancing: I always thought Jodie Sweetin was a great dancer, even when she was a kid, but I never realized she was a great singer, too! I know some people HATED the seemingly random song-and-dance moments, but I loved them.
Matt/Steve kiss: This moment was BEYOND hilarious! The actors NAILED it!
Stephanie/Kimmy kiss: Again, BEYOND hilarious! This whole scene was hilarious, but the kiss had me lmao!
The sly references to Michelle and the breaking down of the “fourth wall.”: A lot of people were annoyed by this, but I thought it was hilarious. It was like they were making fun of themselves and acknowledging that certain things were being done purposely or for the sake of logic (this is especially true for the Michelle stuff).
The parallels/references to the original: Nostalgia galore! Need I say more??
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So, what are your thoughts on Fuller House? Did you like it? love it? Hate it? Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you weren’t a fan, try to keep it civil, please!
Television Tuesday is a new feature in which I chat with you about all things television!
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Hey everyone! I’m really excited to introduce this new feature to you. I’ve been in a bit of a blogging and reading slump lately and I’ve been searching for ways to make blogging fun again. Of course Once Upon a Time has been epic, even though I haven’t been doing it for long yet. But I just felt like I needed something more and I think Television Tuesday is going to be a fun way to spice things up around here!
I often find that I have a lot of thoughts and feels when it comes to the shows I watch – both past and present. And, as we all know, Twitter isn’t a great place to discuss these thoughts and feels, between spoilers and trolls. I mean, every time I try to comment on The Walking Dead on Twitter, I get trolled! I’ve been told I’m an ugly bitch and that I should’t f*cking watch it if I hate it… *Cue cackling.*
Plus, let’s face it, it’s hard to discuss TV shows in depth when we only have 140 characters to do it. A simple thought ends up taking 10+ tweets. So this seemed like a much easier way to execute some thoughtful conversations – in a safe, troll-free environment.
In a way, this feature really began when I did the Irish Banana Blog Tour for the Reign books based on the TV show and discussed the Many Ships of Reign. I had so much fun with that post – not only in writing it, but in doing my research and looking up the perfect pictures/GIFs/videos – that Television Tuesday began taking shape in my mind. And now I’m finally making this feature a reality!
I have some AMAZING posts planned for you guys and I’m really excited for them! Sometimes, I’ll be reviewing new shows (like Fuller House and the Gilmore Girls revival). Sometimes, I’ll re-watch a show and share my thoughts as compared to my first run-through of the show. I also have some in-depth discussions planned for particular aspects of particular shows – But I don’t want to spoil you by mentioning what they are now!
Speaking of spoilers, I’m going to try to keep my posts relatively spoiler free. But if I’m reviewing a season or discussing characters and plots in-depth, it may be difficult to do. I promise to always include spoiler warnings! And I ask that you do the same in your comments!
Next Tuesday (March 8), I’ll be sharing my Fuller House review! I debated posting it today, but since it JUST released, I want to give others a chance to watch and enjoy it before I post my review. It’s basically spoiler free, but it still only seems fair to give others a chance to finish it!
I know I’ve said this a few times, but I’m really excited for this new feature, you guys. Between this and Once Upon a Time, I can already sense that 2016 is going to be a great year for Pandora’s Books!
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So, tell me what you think! Are you excited for Television Tuesday? I know Pandora’s Books is 98% book blog, but I hope you’re as excited as I am for this feature!
And I’m open to taking requests! Have something you want me to cover? A certain show (just in general) or a certain topic (whether it be in general, or in relation to a particular show)? Let me know in the comments! If I’ve watched the show and/or feel I have enough to say on the topic you suggest (and it’s a safe, relevant and appropriate topic), I’ll write about it!
Hey everyone! Today, I’m BEYOND EXCITED to share with you my post for the Reign Blog Tour! That’s right – Reign as in the television show! For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you know I’m OBSESSED with this show. Like, I cried happy tears when it was renewed for season three and I’m PRAYING it gets renewed for season four. I live tweet almost every episode. I randomly re-watch favorite episodes on Netflix and via my DVDs. I also tend to cast the Reign characters as characters in the books I’m reading – frequently.
So it comes as no surprise that, when I received the blog tour sign-ups for this tour, I POUNCED. Like, I told Queen Hannah (the blog tour host) that I’d be forever grateful and call her Queen Hannah forever and I think I even promised to be her loyal subject, but I’m not positive. I also may have said something about “heads will roll and I will sob” if I didn’t get on the tour, hehe.
ANYWAY. Long intro is long! My point is, I’m obsessed with this show and SO EXCITED to be on this tour! For my tour stop, I’m going to be discussing the MANY ships of Reign. First, here’s some info about the books based on the show:
An original novel based on the hit television series, Reign.
Since Mary, Queen of Scotland was a child, the English have wanted her country and her crown. She is sent to France to wed its next king–to save herself and her people. It’s a bond that should protect her, but there are forces that conspire…forces of darkness, forces of the heart. Mary’s rule, and her life, has never been safe.
Find out what happens to Mary, Francis, Bash, and the rest of the French court after the season one finale.
France is aflame with rumors of witchcraft and treachery. Who will be burn for their transgressions? Find out in this haunting original novel based on the hit CW television show, Reign.
Something sinister has been sweeping the villages surrounding the French court. Rumors of Satan’s horsemen traveling the countryside and claiming the souls of villagers have sent the people reeling into a religious frenzy and soon fear and suspicion lead them to accuse a young girl of witchcraft. After the prisoner is brought to the palace for questioning, Mary, Greer, Kenna, and Lola work to prove her innocence. But there are others who will stop at nothing to see the girl and her secrets silenced forever…
FAIR WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS! Because, unfortunately, it’s hard to discuss ships without spoilers. Even just shipping a couple can be a spoiler if you didn’t know they were a couple or if you didn’t know Person X had broken up with Person Y and you find out because Person X is with someone new. So yeah, SPOILERS AHEAD! Read at your own risk!
As I mentioned above, today I’m going to be chatting with you about the Many Ships of Reign! This show, guys. Omg, this show! I have SO MANY ships in this show! Most of them are of the romantic variety but one is more a Friend-SHIP and one is of a more devious nature. But I can promise you, this show is full of ships and feels and sinking ships and heartache and heartbreak and joy and DID I MENTION FEELS?!?!? I’ve narrowed it down to my Top Five Favorite Ships, going from #5 down to #1, with #1 being my ultimate OTP of the show. So, here we go!!!
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Reign Ship #5: Catherine and Narcisse
Okay, okay! Before you boo and scream and hiss, let me explain! I can’t stand Narcisse as of late. His treatment of Mary and Catherine, his manipulation of Charles and Lola – I’m not a fan. HOWEVER. Catherine and Narcisse together? They’re both manipulative, conniving and devious and together, they’re Wickedly Delicious. Plus, they shared some pretty hilarious moments together! Can we please talk about Catherine’s bold… Er.. Hand slip? *Cackles*
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Reign Ship #4: Kenna and Bash
I’m 98% positive that Kenna and Bash were doomed from the beginning. That didn’t stop me from shipping them, though! First of all, I adore Bash! Like, HE’S SO YUMMY! And I actually did ship him and Mary VERY BRIEFLY in season one. He’s just epic and adorable and awesome! And at the time they’re ship began, Kenna was my favorite of Mary’s ladies. Her plot was the most intriguing, at least. I just thought they were adorable together and they were both so stubborn and perfect! I’m sad they didn’t work out, but I kind of didn’t expect them to. So it didn’t hurt TOO much when this ship sank.
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Reign Ship #3: Greer and Leith / Claude and Leith
Okay, I’m cheating here. Because I’m still holding out hope for Greer & Leith – I mean, has everyone forgotten Nostradamus’s prediction?!?!?!
“You’ll fall in love with a man with a white mark on his face” – Nostradamus to Greer, referring to Leith. Season one, episode 3
Like, I’m still holding out hope for that! I know it was said in season one, but Nostradamus’s prediction regarding Mary and Francis also didn’t happen until season three, so, you know.. There’s still hope!
However, the last few episodes of season three were giving me major Claude and Leith feels! It feels like a betrayal to my original ship and I seriously couldn’t stand Claude and Leith together in the beginning. But yeah, they’re growing on me and I actually find them pretty adorable now!
Plus, honestly, I think Greer and Leith might be past the point of no return and they make pretty good friends now. So.. Sigh. Despite coming to terms with it, this ship sinking still hurt a bit.
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Reign Ship #2: Mary and Catherine (Matherine)
Anyone who watches the show can guess why Matherine is my number two favorite ship. It’s not a romantic ship, but Mary and Catherine – when they’re working together and not at odds – are epic! For most of seasons one and two, they were fighting each other, thanks to that vision Nostradamus had. But they still had some amazing moments together, especially when Catherine’s maternal instinct kicked in and she tried to protect or comfort Mary. Especially after that one excruciating episode in season two…
Trigger Warning (Rape) for the video below. But this powerful moment defined Matherine and I feel it relevant to this post
*Shudders* Guys, that scene… That scene gives me chills and makes me cry every time I see it. But again, it’s a very defining moment for Mary and Catherine and it shows Catherine’s maternal instinct, that she cares for Mary and her country. More importantly, it shows Mary’s strength and resilience, her determination to not be a victim, but a Queen.
Matherine will never stop being one of my favorite duos on television. When they work together, they’re amazing. They’re powerful. They’re bold and brilliant. They’re fierce.
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Reign Ship #1: Mary and Francis (Frary)
Did anyone really doubt this would be my number one ship? My OTP in the Reignverse? If you did, you don’t know me at all! My heart hurts just talking about Frary because, if you watch the show, you know this ship has sunk so hard and so permanently… But I SWEAR I’LL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP! And, to be honest, I already have.
I know there are many people who despised Francis, especially in season two. I did, too. But in season one and season three? This power couple was EPIC. I adored the genuine love between them. They started out at odds in season one and then grew closer, becoming closer still in season two until Francis’ poor decisions led to Mary’s rape. I loved the way the writers handled this, taking Mary’s recovery slowly, having her pull away from Francis until she felt healed. And I loved their reconciliation in season three, especially.
But, sadly, this ship sank harder than the Titanic and in a VERY permanent, tear-inducing, heart-breaking way. But Frary will always live on in my heart. Long May They Reign!
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Reign Ship Bonus Round: Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots is fierce and fabulous. If you look up “Fierce” in the dictionary, you’ll see a picture of Mary. She makes this show what it is. She has so many incredible moments in her story, things she needs to do, sacrifices she needs to make. Being a Queen isn’t always about what you want, but what’s best for your country. Mary definitely struggled and suffered, but she also thrived.
I’m very sad to see that she’ll be leaving French Court to return to Scotland (when season three returns) because MATHERINE! SOBS!! But I also can’t wait to see her thrive in her own kingdom.
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So! Those are my Reign Ships! What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts with me in the comments! But keep it friendly, guys! I know Ship Feels can run deep, but let’s be kind and respect everyone’s ships!
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And now for the giveaway! 1 Grand Prize Winner will receive both books in the REIGN series and a set of Season 1 DVDs!!! And 2 Winners will receive both REIGN books. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!
They both command the room. When Catherine de Medici speaks, you listen. Unless you want to lose your head. Meanwhile, Emily will stare you down until you shut up and listen – and listen you will. 
