Critic Reviews

It's Pretty Little Liars meets Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, and it's good, frothy fun. [18 Oct 2013, p.59]

This joyful look into the past makes the dullest of facts come alive.

This is all good, capering, costume-ball fun, even if Mary's life was dismal. My chief complaint is that pretty Adelaide Kane, as Mary, lacks any spirit or presence. [21 Oct 2013, p.50]

History aside, Reign, created by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie SenGupta, is not only engaging but also pretty classy for a CW production.

The script by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie SenGupta never finds a wholly convincing Venn diagram intersection between period piece and teen soap, but it also doesn’t bother trying, hoping it can turn insane tonal shifts into a virtue by stepping on the gas. That this approach mostly works is thanks to their script being unafraid to unleash the crazy and the surprisingly beautiful direction from Brad Silberling, who makes the most of an Irish location shoot the rest of the series won’t have the advantage of.

It is all very campy and salacious (the young ladies are quite overcome after witnessing a bedding, although the resulting masturbation scene was trimmed from the pilot shown to the press), and historical accuracy takes a backseat to hair product and a driving contemporary soundtrack. But the show seems to be a bit aware of its own absurdity, which is more than one can say for some of the dreck the networks have served up so far this season.

Mary rises to the occasion, ruling with (sometimes deadly) determination. Sadly, Francis' adventure in the woods isn't half as interesting as the disease within the castle's walls.

History purists who loathe artists taking creative license steer clear, but for viewers who enjoy a good soap, gorgeous costumes/locations and a winning soundtrack, The CW’s Reign delivers an entertaining romp in its premiere outing.

Soapy and silly this all may be, but immersion in the intrigue of Reign has its pleasures, not all of them from laughing at its absurdities.

It’s sexy, pretty and fun, but don’t use it to cram for that European history exam. The show plays fast and loose with the facts.