S01.E18: No Exit

[ElectricBoogaloo]

MARY’S BROTHER ARRIVES AT THE CASTLE TO PLEA FOR MARY’S RETURN TO SCOTLAND — When Mary’s brother James arrives in France and convinces Mary to return to Scotland, Francis is suspicious and uncovers a plot that would destroy Mary, which causes a rift between them. King Henry’s downward spiral continues, leaving Penelope in charge, causing Catherine and Kenna to take drastic measures. Meanwhile, Lola becomes wary of Lord Julien’s motives behind his marriage proposal.

[Rhetorica]

I just love this fluff of a show, especially chamber music set to "Royals" during the wedding.

I'm happy Catherine and Kenna worked together to oust the potato queen. Poor Henry has demons chasing him. I wonder if his dead lovers will haunt him too.

Lola at least had some sense to be suspicious of Lord Julien. I suppose she's not destined for happiness.

I'm liking Bash and Kenna together. The have chemistry. I hope they don't move away from the castle; the show needs their story lines. 

Nostradamas....did he really think Catherine was his friend?

Mary's and Francis' plot thickens.

[ally862]

I'm confused about why Penelope was still around. I thought she was just queen for a day. Is she just around because Henri wants her?

[Featherhat]

I'm confused about why Penelope was still around. I thought she was just queen for a day. Is she just around because Henri wants her?

Basically. She gave him what he wanted sex wise and manipulated him into making her a mistress.

[Petunia846]

That was a fun episode. I dig it. I like Bash and Kenna together, which is kind of crazy because I find both of them insufferable on their own. Also loved Kenna and Catherine plotting together, good job ladies. Mostly loved all the stuff with Francis and Mary, and especially strong Francis who got the job done. Have to say I was also sympathetic to Mary's brother and how annoyed he was with Mary bringing along her French husband. That's a real rock and a hard place. I've never understood the concept of a country's king or queen living in another country. I know it happened historically too, but it just seems so hard to manage in a time without phones and TV and the internet.

How old is Nostradamus supposed to be? It seemed super creepy to see him laying in bed with Olivia. I know she's not a virginal young flower or anything, but it was still weird. Maybe it's just that I've always found him a little creepy.

[Rhondinella]

Ok, I'm behind and just watching this week's ep.  And. . . . 

Was the wedding orchestra actually playing "Royals"?  Cheeky.

[HotSauce]

They were!!  And I found it delightful!!!  Yes, Cheeky indeed!!!  

I found Mary to be even more unbearable in this episode, and applauded when Francis grew a pair and locked her in the tower  (as another poster else where said ) "give her sometime to think about her choices".  lol.    I loved that he stood up to her finally.  Yes, exactly Mary, go ask your half brother, whom I don't think you have had much dealings with in your life, and believe that he gains the thrown should something happen to you, if he intends to harm you ...at sea, away from any real protection.   Smashing Idea!!!  

Show, please don't make me like Kenna!!   My favorite line of the whole series thus far was uttered by Henry one time when Kenna was complaining (when doesn't she) and Henry said "Nobody cares Kenna"! -  That's how I feel and I want to keep feeling that.   But I do love Bash more and more with each episode that he is away from Mary!

The Henry and Catherine scenes are always my favorite and never disappoint!  Those two actors are outstanding!!

And as always, the inaccuracies an costumes are delightful!!

[Allie56]

Poor old Nostradamus. No happiness for anyone on this show!

 

I'm liking Bash and Kenna together. The have chemistry. I hope they don't move away from the castle; the show needs their story lines.

I, too, am liking Bash and Kenna together, which is strange since I used to feel annoyed every time either was onscreen. Greer is still my favorite, but Kenna is rising in my estimation. I like that their affection for each other is slowly building, instead of some explosive and dramatic passion. 

Lola running up to her friends - one who is now marrying impish Lord Peppercorn and one whose wedding was forced by a mad king - to show them the elaborate sapphire necklace her fiancé gave her seemed really tactless, even though it did end up being a Chekov's gun in her discovery of Julian's potential duplicity. I think their relationship is going to explode at some point.

Alan van Sprang is a champion for going along with being all trussed up. I was so glad to be rid of Penelope, and I LOVE Catherine plotting with anyone and everyone. 

The actor playing Francis is about as physically imposing as a newborn kitten, but he did an amazing bad ass walk when he had his wife locked up. Mary acts like a complete idiot. She says she's always in danger, but she does little to avoid getting into more danger.

[Rhondinella]

Yeah, I'm gonna start needing some depth to Mary's character right quick.  The constantly taking the moral high ground and putting others before herself is admirable but very boring.

[faceupandsing]

I just caught up on this show and I have to admit, for a silly CW show playing fast and loose with European history, I'm actually really enjoying it. Catherine and Henry are always a highlight, but I'm hoping his insanity plot will be tied up by the end of the season, thankfully the bean queen seems to be gone for good. I'm hoping the fake cardinal will bring Henry back down to Earth a bit, I liked him as a self-obsessed power hungry king, but the actual insanity/visions are a bit much. 

Bash and Kenna were actually fun to watch for me this week, turns out the only thing I needed to find him bearable was to get him away from that horrid love triangle with Mary and Francis. Those two have more than enough drama on their own, I'll be happy if that subplot has been buried for good but knowing this network I'm not getting my hopes up. 

[Rhondinella]

Bash and Kenna were actually fun to watch for me this week, turns out the only thing I needed to find him bearable was to get him away from that horrid love triangle with Mary and Francis.

Co-sign.  Actually Kenna's not nearly as annoying now that she isn't hanging out with Mary as much.  Moral of the story:  Mary and Francis are boring.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I LOATHED that they used "Royals" during Lola's wedding reception. I thought it was cute when Gossip Girl had the freshman girls sing "Glamorous" accapella way back in S1. I even liked it when The Vampire Diaries used an instrumental version of "How to Save a Life" at Tyler's dad's funeral. I'm not opposed to the CW using songs in a new way (and I even liked the way A Knight's Tale used contemporary music) but for some reason, I hated the use of "Royals" in this episode. I can just imagine the producers sitting around a table giggling about how funny and clever it would be use a song called "Royals" on a show about royals and patting themselves on the back. I will concede that the choreography in that scene was MUCH better than the dance scene in A Knight's Tale though.

I agree that somehow Bash and Kenna are interesting together even though I didn't like them individually before they got married. It's some sort of witchcraft!

Poor Nostradamus. He will never be free.

Penelope was fun at first but she quickly became a one note villain, so I have been bored with her for the last few weeks. I'm glad that Catherine and Kenna ousted her, but it seems stupid that all they did was send her back to the kitchen. How do they know she won't try to retaliate? She could try to poison their food or pay one of the other servants to get revenge somehow. I don't think that the show will allow Bash and Kenna to leave permanently so I wonder what kind of complication they will come up with keep them at court.

I don't think they will let Lola just run off forever either, so I'm sure they will have to create a reason for her to stay and have the baby be around Mary and Francis indefinitely. I suspect that Lola's husband is probably broke and he's hiding it from her. Both of his rich wives dying makes me fear that Lola will be next. I was also afraid that once he found out she delayed approving the dowry transfer, he would turn into a crazy violent lunatic.

As always, Catherine and Henri are the best. They always amuse me, even when they're creeping me out. I love that despite their differences, Catherine knows him well enough to know exactly how to get to him.

Edited because these line breaks are still killing me!

Edited April 23, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Rhondinella]

I don't think they will let Lola just run off forever either, so I'm sure they will have to create a reason for her to stay and have the baby be around Mary and Francis indefinitely.

 

I still think it's likely they'll try to pass off Lola's baby as the child of Mary and Francis.  It would be one of the less wacky things that has happened on the show, and solve several problems at once (while raising lots of other delicious possibilities).

[atomationage]

I liked them bringing in Mary's brother, the earl of Moray.  I hope we see more of him in the future.