REIGN: Teenage Drama & Intrigue in 16th Century France

Reign was one of those projects that piqued my interest immediately: a dramatization of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, co-starring my beloved Megan Follows (Anne of Green Gables, Sisters). Since it was coming from the CW, I expected it to be sexier and less reverent than past screen adaptations, and the pilot certainly didn’t disappoint!

Although it feels more like “high school with period costumes” than I expected, Reign has potential. Lead actress Adelaide Kane is winsome and likeable, but has a bit of steel in her backbone that has me anticipating clashes with Follows’ Queen Catherine d’Medici. Yes, as in those Medicis. The Medici reach extended beyond Italy into France, and from the beginning we see that Catherine is skilled in scheming and plotting to further her own plans, albeit behind the scenes.

Mary’s arrival at the French court is the result of an assassination attempt at the convent where she was supposedly incognito. With her identity known, the teenage Queen of Scotland is transported to the home of her betrothed, Prince Francis, where she will have to survive the intrigues and dangers of court. Francis (Toby Regbo) seems like a nice enough boy, and the pair’s initial awkwardness with each other is endearing. By the end of the first hour, however, we, and Mary, are left with no doubt where his loyalties lie.

Surrounding Mary are her ladies in waiting, a quartet of teen girls who giggle and dance and primp and gossip and generally behave like teen girls of today. It’s not all pretty dresses and batting eyelashes, however. While Mary is expected to remain pure, the rest of the young people – including the prince – apparently have few restrictions over their sexual adventures. Following the bedding ceremony of Francis’ older sister and her new husband, the ladies in waiting seek the arms of their own lovers. Or themselves, in the case of one. The prince has his own paramour, and the King, well, I suppose rank has its privileges.

The idea of bringing this historical period to life in a way that appeals to teens and young adults is something I can get behind, and I am delighted to see Megan Follows on my screen again. For those reasons, I can forgive some plot holes (would Mary really be allowed to wander off on her own so often?) and the prerequisite love triangle (this is the CW, after all) to give Reign a season pass on my DVR.

Reign premieres Thursday, October 17 at 9/8c on the CW.