S04.E02: A Grain of Deception

[PinkRibbons]

NOTE: Reign airs on Thursdays in Canada, meaning that the episodes are very often viewed a day before they have aired in the US. Therefore please be aware that this thread will almost definitely have spoilers for those who wish to wait until Friday night to view the new episode.

Quote

Mary learns there's a traitor within her inner circle of advisers, and she's determined to unmask the guilty party. Meanwhile, Elizabeth seeks Narcisse's help as she tries to expand her power; and Catherine is desperate to reclaim some of her lost power.

 

 

 

[PinkRibbons]

I felt like this was an episode of everyone trying to Catherine but not quite succeeding. Elizabeth's murder ploy was very Catherine but she doesn't seem to have thought it through too far. Mary was Catherine-ing quite decently IMO, playing around the court as hard as she can, but she seems too desperate to trust James and she should see by now how incredibly weak he is, switching sides left and right. I felt sorry for Mrs. Knox but I sympathize with Mary having learned that you have to sacrifice some pieces to win the game (another thing she learned from Catherine), which kind of shows how James, for all his work as regent, doesn't seem to have the same kind of slithery snakiness that is needed in such a cut-throat world. Meanwhile, poor Catherine couldn't even Catherine enough to get her way, either at her party, or with her son.

I like having Greer back but I thought it was very silly that she had to even consider moving back to Scotland. Her husband is a heavily persecuted Protestant -- they need to live in a Protestant country. The sad fact is that her baby is going to have rumors circulating about her no matter where she lives. I do like Greer still being the most useful lady-in-waiting Mary has ever had; she's a perfect spy-mistress.

Charles has grown up into a handsome young fella! And suddenly he seems to be dying super-fast, I guess to make up for how long it took to kill Francis. I assumed that we'd get Catherine back as regent at some point (I mean, she had that position waaaay longer in history than the five minutes she had on the show), but I thought it would be because Charles would realize he's incompetent. I guess we'll see Henry on the throne by the end of the series.

Claude continues to be a ridiculous brat. Her mother just killed a man for her, why is she suddenly all up Catherine's ass again? Take your frustration out on frikkin' Leeza with her stupid smug face you want to smack. (Although I'll admit it helped that in literally every scene between Catherine and Leeza it looked like Catherine was a second away from smacking Leeza.)

Mary looked better this episode -- I loved her tiara. Still not loving her Scotland color palette though.

[missbonnie]

Did you notice how Mary and Greer were discussing how much prettier the dresses in France were compared to the wool dresses of Scotland. What is wrong with Charles? 

[TaurusRose]

Reign really should have been cancelled last year. It's not even a little entertaining now.  I'm seriously hate watching.  I would have preferred Lola over Greer as the last LIW.  I haven't liked Greer since she became a low rent madam and her "darker than her father" child problem reeks on so many levels I can't begin to list them.  Seriously, show?  The French court is a mess.  I'm sick of ungrateful, whining Claude and smug, pompous Leeza. What's the point of the French court scenes if Catherine isn't kicking butt and taking names? I would have paid money to see Narcisse gut Knox like a fish, but I guess that's off the table.  The struggle to make Mary and Elizabeth look like powerful women is real and failing.  Mary is so out of her depth, it's not funny.  Kudos to James for telling her off.  I couldn't believe her audacity in telling James she would never betray him.  I actually laughed out loud, Mary is the queen of betrayal.  Oh, well, I'm only here for her beheading. Please hurry this along, show.

Edited February 18, 2017 by taurusrose