Reign

 Reign Review and Things To Look Forward To

*Contains spoilers*

I had to share my thoughts on Reign since this season has been so great and my thoughts on the next half of season 1.

I have to say, if historical inaccuracy is not your thing and you're very particular about it, then this may not be the show for you. There are characters and plot points that, sure, they don't follow history exactly but it's all good fun. I think the writers will stay close to the story of Mary and Francis because they play big roles in history but the details along the way are filled in with embellishments and new theories on what exactly happened behind closed doors.
 

First of all, Reign, from the first episode, quickly became one of my favorite shows on TV. The modern-renaissance atmosphere is beautiful and reminds me of Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette in its cross between old and new.

The gowns on this show remind me of (if they aren't actually) Alexander McQueen's exquisite designs and the flower crowns/headbands leave me drooling. I love the way they've done the costumes and character development, the sets and the schemes. All in all, it's been a deliciously drama-filled season. I believe it returns January 23rd as a second part of season 1.

Promo for episode 1x09:

I will be back on my couch with a bowl popcorn to watch the Francis-Mary-Bash love triangle unfold even deeper after the holiday hiatus. Watching Mary ride away with Bash while Francis yelled after her was heartbreaking and exciting and left me biting my nails in anticipation. The CW gave us a tantalizing peek at the next episode(s) and I will be back to review every second.

I have a lot of theories as to what will happen to the characters when we see them next and my list of hopes for the next half of the season are extensive:

Francis Stepping Up His Game

I want Francis to fight for Mary and show her he won't look at anyone else ever again (especially after that terrible Olivia streak). He needs to play the game to win her heart in the end and not stand on the sidelines waiting for her to come back to him. I do agree that he put up an okay fight for her hand but I felt at times it wasn't whole-heartedly or enough.
The promo above gives me high hopes for him BUT I hope he doesn't become a darker character. Sure, his heart was ripped out because the love of his life ran away with his brother but I don't want him to go to the dark side. He can be passionate and loving and brave but I can kind of see how he could turn out a lot like his father. And his mother, for that matter.
All I'm asking for is a passionate, not cruel, Francis.


Bash & Mary Scenes

I really really wish for some Bash and Mary bonding time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I put this on my Christmas list. Their relationship is very different from Francis and Mary's and I think it's more of a friendship feeling because they trust and lean on each other. But the passion there is undeniable. I want these two to explore their feelings for each and learn more about one another.
 Because all the characters are so good, I don't know who I like Mary with at this point! I like that this pair is more easy-going and trustworthy. It seems like a breath of fresh air compared to Francis' high demands and the threats of assassination from every other country. Anyways, really looking forward to their, on-the-run-alone-time together!


Ladies In Waiting

Now that the shocking and brutal death of Aylee has passed (but will be inevitably debated), the three handmaidens of Mary's are left to defend themselves. I'm curious to see how Lola, Kenna and Greer fair in French court life after their (kind of) protector and sovereign has left them. I don't know if Francis will grill them for details as to where Mary went or kick them out entirely, as he has that power. I don't see the latter happening as these are main characters. But, then again, that's what we thought about Aylee.
I love Lola's character and her strong, wise voice against the more juvenile girls.I'm hoping her plot will be bigger in the coming season.
 Kenna's position as Slut #2 to the king is precarious, as Catherine was very willing to have her offed by Diane de Poitiers (Slut #1 to the king). Although it was Clarissa who actually killed Aylee-supposed-to-be-Kenna, Diane did not ultimately try to poison her. Kenna may have a friend in her yet but it's still not clear where Diane's allegiances lie - other than Bash. I think Kenna is in the most danger of all the girls.
Greer and Leith's love story is possibly the cutest thing ever. I like the class-separated element to their plot and the character development between the two. It was a very quick start to the romance but it seems to be genuine and sweet. I want more, please.

Clarissa Explains It All

How creeptastic is she?! Despite the under-the-bed-creeping and poisoning, this character is interesting and I want more of her back story. There are theories floating around that she is Nostradamus' daughter - which would be crazy and intriguing. She seems to have a lot of inside information about the important people at Court and her knowledge could be a key roll in Mary's protection. I'm curious to know what dirt she has on who and if they'll reveal that.
Her loyalty to Mary is something I still don't fully understand and I want more interaction between the two. I could see her turning on Mary and plotting against her which would be so scary! But hopefully she stays cordial.
I was glad from the beginning, when the brief stroke of lightening lit her potato sack face from behind Mary, that she wasn't an enemy.
It's still not clear what her intentions are but Nostradamus made it seem like she simply likes Mary and considers her a friend and/or her equal. So yeah, a few more spooky Clarissa scenes and I'll be a happy camper.







 This season has been great, I can't believe it's only been 8 episodes, it feels like more! I had my doubts about this show but I'm not disappointed at all, now that I can sit back and see it as a whole. There are definitely times when the characters annoy me or a cheesy line is spewed but I think it adds to its charm, not to mention the fact that this show is new and finding its voice.

I encourage everybody to go watch and catch up and then join in seeing the new episodes in January and have a Merry Christmas!

Pretty Little Liars: 2013 Halloween Episode Review

Intro

Hi there guys! It's been a while! I thought I'd come back to this blog to share my thoughts on, you guessed it, Pretty Little Liars (PLL). I'm afraid I will be quite harsh in this review and I apologize if it offends anyone for any reason or contradicts any good opinions you may have had on it but I believe there are important things to point out so here we go!

I want to start off by saying that I had my problems with this entire past season ( the pace, the new characters, the plot holes, and the out of place story lines to name a few) but this episode made me teeter on the edge of being a loyal fan and leaving the show.

So last Thursday night the Halloween episode premiered and I was initially disappointed. That is to say, I still don't like it - but I picked the few things from this episode I DID enjoy and compiled them into a list:

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 1. Hanna's Costume 

I love the vintage cape and silk dress with the cloche hat. The only con of this dress was the cut, particularly in the cleavage area. I thought there was going to be a nip-slip at any moment, I mean what was with the fitting? Please find a dress that fits your cast appropriately next time, Costume Department. But it was still a heck of a lot better than the other girl's outfits (getting to that later...I'm looking at you, Emily)

2. Ezra as A 

I am enjoying this storyline so much! I've loved Ezra from the very beginning. From the ups and downs with Aria, Malcolm and Maggie to his always-on-the-verge-of-being-fired teaching job. I was so excited to see this new side of a character we all thought we knew so well. And it was great to see Ezra lurking around after the girls in classic A fashion (even if we never saw his face). And the fact that he kept his hand in his pocket towards the end, confirms to us that it was indeed Ezra who Spencer sliced with pruning sheers.

3. Supernatural Elements 





What were those weird orbs/lights that appeared and surrounded Hanna in the Phone Box? What about the man on the bus with Caleb and Miranda who turns out to be dead? And Grunwald's freaky blue eyes, not to mention her psychic abilities? Delightfully spooky.


4. The Set

I don't know about you, but when a set consists of an old Victorian mansion, a graveyard, and Spencer's backyard, I love it! The greenhouse where Spencer was confronted with Army Man (Ezra) was so creepy, and a perfect setting for a showdown involving A. The graveyard scenes were, admittedly, dragged out but it's classic PLL scenery.


5. The Suspense 

Okay, watching the girls run around and disappearing and reappearing got really old really quickly but the sneaky small things throughout the episode were pretty good for a scare at night in the dark.


6. The Ending 

I waited to see any sign of Alison in this episode and finally got it. I fully thought, because of the fact that it was only a few minutes until the episode ended, that we would be treated to a classic PLL ending with a crazy cliffhanger and a vague clue, it would cut off and we would see Caleb in Ravenswood with only a backside view of Red Coat to leave us with, that would make us cry until January. But no! I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, I think we all knew that Ali was still alive. But it was a nice confirmation for us and something to satisfy the fans until Season 4 B begins in three months time. The most clues revealed are in the last five minutes during Ali's short comeback. Needless to say, it was the best part of the episode.

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 As you can see it's a very short list (and I was being generous), which is surprising what with the high standards the previous Halloween episodes have produced.
 

The Costumes 

 First of all, the costumes were so awful I thought the Liars were going to change half-way through the episode into their real costumes and was disappointed when it didn't happen. Or I would come to like their outfits as the episode went on but sadly not. If anything, I disliked them more. 

Spencer's getup was boring and over-sized and too plain to be interesting. The hat was cool but it was a little too much black for me. But while it lacked the usual Rosewood flair, it was historically accurate and that's very Spencer - so I let it slide. 

Aria's hot pink and black lace mess looked so cheap and Gothic, I wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. Pretty sure I could get that dress for ten bucks at my local costume store. What happened to Aria's vintage finds and unique style? They really downplayed Aria in this episode which made me sad and also makes me wonder if her and Ezra are on the A-Team together . . .

Emily's slutty mafia-esque outfit was hideous. Blue and black with white pinstripes? Ew. Low-cut bulging cleavage, really? Her Pocahontas costume was so much cuter and Emily is so pretty, why didn't they play that up with a more flattering dress?

I thought Ezra's Army Man was scary enough but the intense breathing under the mask reminded me of Darth Vader and it quickly lost all scare-factor in my eyes. Except for the Greenhouse scene where he seriously scared me!


 Ravenswood Takes Over

 I thought the scenes on the bus with Caleb and Miranda dragged out for FAR too long.


That was another problem I had. The Ravenswood scenes (we all know those weren't PLL scenes, let's be honest) had way too much air time. 
They interfered with a, what was supposed to be, Pretty Little Liars Halloween Special. Instead, this episode was dedicated solely to setting up Ravenswood and making it so that Hanna found Miranda in the house and produced Caleb's exit from PLL. 

There was no classic Hanna one-liners or any great dialogue or character build up we have come to know and love from this show. Instead we had awkward, chemistry-lacking scenes with a new girl that had terrible lines and boring delivery. The story of her past so soap-opera worthy, I wanted to fast forward to any other scenes available to us. Miranda's entrance to the show is blunt and rushed from what I saw.

I probably don't need to point out that I do not like Miranda's character. Sure, we've only seen her in less than two episodes (the next is tonight at 8/7 central) but the writers did not give her the lines her character needed to be likable. 

She attempts to steal from an old man on a bus, walks right into somebody's house and explores, tells Caleb her life story right after she meets him, and flirts and clings to a guy who she learns has a girlfriend. Did they really think I would like her after all that? At least, I didn't. Nor do I think the actress is that great.

Miranda's attempt at humor fell so flat it was painful to watch and the awkward posture and abruptness of the character (not to mention all the things listed above) made me less and less interested in tuning in to Ravenswood.

Also, two words: her clothes. They tried to make this character appear quirky, hipster and adorably awkward. But they failed so miserably, I felt bad for the actor who plays Caleb and the scenes he had to do with her. She came off as rude, nosy, and attention-seeking in my eyes. 

Okay, so did anyone else think the scenes between Hanna, Caleb and Miranda were really strange? They trusted and accepted her almost immediately (both Hanna and Caleb separately and together) even though she was a stranger and have had dangerous encounters with strangers in the past. 

What also really bothered me was that they also regarded Miranda as if they had known her for years. It was too unrealistic.

We all know Hanna has a good heart and she can be very protective. But to ask her boyfriend (who not too long ago swore to protect her no matter what, in any way he could I might add) to stay and help a girl they don't know, was a little too extreme. Especially when it seems like Hanna needs more protection from devious A, than some new girl in a new town.

Some Confusion?

 I don't know about everyone else but I was very confused with the pacing and editing. There is a scene where Hanna is looking at her phone, wandering the tunnels after being separated from the other Liars. She calls out, "Hellooooo?" and yet, when you look closely, her mouth doesn't move. Yes; the show has been reduced to voice-overs, my friend. I'm so disappointed in you, producers. 

 Also, all the "clues" and supposedly scary parts as well as the dialogue were incredibly and infuriatingly vague. When I think of this episode, the word vague definitely comes to mind. The way Spencer gets separated, for example. The way people come in and out of scenes and the jumpiness from one scene to the next and how they got there was done horrendously. I had to watch this episode three times in order to make sense of it and even now, I have my questions.

The episode also spent an incredible amount of time on Hanna's character. Did anyone else notice this? She was almost like the main character. Well, her and Caleb what with his entrance to Ravenswood being so built up. 

It's Hanna who disappears, gets locked in a phone booth, sees Ali, let's Caleb go, and escapes the house first and is seen running around tunnels like it was its own mini-movie. Not that I don't like Hanna. Usually I do. But when I am made to watch the longest scenes in existence of her running around, getting separated and stuck in a phone box for an hour, it gets very boring.

 One thing that struck me as supremely vague was the encounter that Spencer, Emily and Aria have with the ever creepy, Mrs. Grunwald. If Grunwald had recordings of Ali during what was vaguely explained as "sessions" with her, then what kind of recorded sessions were they that Ali was screaming bloody murder and talking to a pursuer? That makes no sense! Unless Grunwald hypnotized Ali and she was in a trance when she recorded it. In which case, why wouldn't they just say that?

Oh, and where the HECK was Toby? Honestly. They never explained that - at least not in this episode. That goes for Mona as well.  

This episode felt forced for the most part, rushed in some places and terribly long in others. 

The reactions from every character at some point was under or over acted. I could go on about the the nonexistent character development, the nonsensical decisions the characters made and much more but I honestly don't have the energy to rant any more about it at this point.

I think the writers were trying to make this suspenseful and dwelling and wanted to tie it all up in a neat little bow but it failed in every regard. I'm so disappointed this year. I'm hoping next year's Halloween episode won't be anything like this one and will, at the insistence of the fans, be more like it's predecessors.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

That being said, I will come back to watch the new season in January. The new promo looks good and I can't wait!

Two Very Random Things I noticed:

The fuzzy white "A" to the right of the screen when Miranda is looking at the old photographs when she first arrives in her Uncle's house. 

The fact that Caleb and Miranda look like each other?! She could seriously be his little sister or his twin. They even have the same hair cut. Does anyone else agree?

Let me know in the comments below if you caught any hidden things in this episode, what you thought, if you agree with me or what your theories are and thanks for reading :)