Preston Smith
If you’re in search of a new series to binge watch on Netflix, look no further because I have you covered. I recently watched Reign and fell completely in love with the world it built.
Reign was broadcast on the CW from 2013-2017, and despite the CW often having a negative connotation associated with its name, Reign is a standout series. The overall story arc – which centers on Mary, Queen of Scots – is based on real life events during her life in the 1500s. She is named the queen of Scotland at only six days old and the show picks up with Mary returning to French court after an attempt on her life at the convent at which she had been staying.
I’ll be honest. I originally started the series simply because I’m a fan of Adelaide Kane and she portrays Mary Stuart, but Reign immediately engrossed me and didn’t let go through all four seasons. The series is led by amazing, strong women, including the deliciously wicked Catherine de Medici (Megan Follows), who takes the viewer on one wild ride.
The world-building done in this show is spectacular. You get a sense of not only French culture, but also Scottish, English, and a touch of Spanish cultures. There’s class conflict and religious conflict on top of Mary’s coming into herself and realizing just how powerful she is and can be – which is quite powerful considering she’s the queen of Scotland, has a claim to the English throne, and is the future queen of France through marriage when the show begins.
The music used in the series also immensely added to my enjoyment of the series. Vitamin String Quartet provides some of the music for Reign, and their covers of popular songs are nothing short of breathtaking. I distinctly remember the scenes in which their covers of Sia’s “Chandelier” and Elle King’s “Ex’s and Oh’s” play. While it may not sound like a huge aspect, these covers transplanted the 1500s setting and brought it to the present as a way of making this time period recognizable and relatable.
As the series’ trailer notes, Reign is a story caught between passion and politics, but its standout qualities mark it as anything but familiar. While I won’t spoil the ending of the series, the finale was handled exceptionally well and made watching the series so worthwhile. It returned the show to its core: The life of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
If you haven’t seen Reign yet, I highly encourage you check it out. All four seasons are streamable on Netflix. As always, comment below and tweet us @Fuzzable with your love for everything Reign!
