S03.E10: To Show My Duty in Your Coronation

[peachmangosteen]

Who's the Daddy? is a soap staple, but Kathryn is such a boring drip that I don't give a shit.

[mochamajesty]

30 minutes ago, Cupcakes said:

Did anyone else notice on the blackboard at Kathryn's it said "Friday- Results from doctor"? Looks like guesses that she will be pregnant and not know which is the father might be true. 

 

I must confess that I only had eyes for Robert. Even after you pointed it out, it took me a few seconds to find it. :)

[EarlGreyTea]

2 hours ago, Cupcakes said:

Did anyone else notice on the blackboard at Kathryn's it said "Friday- Results from doctor"? Looks like guesses that she will be pregnant and not know which is the father might be true.

God please no! I didn't even see that, excellent catch! If it means dragging on of the boring ass triangle and Kathryn becoming a bigger character, I'm out. Who's the daddy stories are usually boring, especially if none of the people involved have chemistry with one another. And they already had a baby storyline on this show.

As a person who liked Ophelia, I just shake my head. I bet the audience who wanted her gone miss her now! But then we probably would never have gotten Willow, since she was clearly brought in as a replacement love interest.

Edited February 23, 2017 by EarlGreyTea

[catrice2]

No, just to make Liam more noble when he decides to man up and be the daddy regardless of who the father is to show how much he loves her and he is the better man. 

Now I hate her even more for not using good birth control when you are sleeping with brothers. 

[peachmangosteen]

14 hours ago, EarlGreyTea said:

As a person who liked Ophelia, I just shake my head. I bet the audience who wanted her gone miss her now! 

I always liked Ophelia, too. And looking back she was the only person WM was able to generate at least some heat with imo. I think it was a mistake for them to pander and get rid of her.

[Ashand11]

On 2017-02-20 at 0:48 AM, omgsowicked said:

I don't like that they've made Liam such an unlikable ass, and now Robert's this cold mastermind, but I like your post, phoenics. That helps me understand why Robert is the way he is. I was impressed by the reveal that Robert saw them kissing (even though it's ridiculous that he would be able to walk to the palace sans guards). I'm happy that they're going there with Robert/Willow, as I wasn't sure if the writers saw the chemistry between them like we did. But I really, really hope he actually likes her and this isn't about getting back at Liam (since Robert's so observant, he must know there were feelings on her end, at least). Interesting that he doesn't want his family with "the help" but now he's going to do so.

Cyrus was pointing the gun at Liam at the end, what the heck was that about? I don't believe they'll kill Liam off, although they were hinting at it with his comment to Helena (about how Robert would be her only son). As shitty a person as Cyrus is, I'm glad he didn't get to kill himself because I like the actor. (What was up with his body double killing himself, though?! That was so messed up.) I was underwhelmed by Robert's big secret, and glad that Helena and Eleanor treated Liam like he lost his damn mind. Again, glad that the writers were seeing what we were seeing, haha. But I don't understand what he was trying to say. Like, OK, Robert didn't allow himself to be rescued until much later... so what? If he had, Simon would still be alive? How does he think Robert could have prevented that? Or is Liam suggesting that Robert had a hand in his murder, especially considering his conversation with Simon about disbanding the monarchy (though Liam doesn't know about that)? I mean, Liam's right that Robert's more manipulative that everyone thinks (lurking around every corner, eager to interfere) but Liam really does seem like a conspiracy theorist, and I think they mean for us to be on his side.

So they introduced Helena's American lover, had them get serious very quickly and off screen, and now he's died. What was the point? For her to find out that Robert was behind it or something? And the chamberlain was fired, which was a relationship we got to see on screen, at least. I don't know what to think about any of that.

I skipped past the Jasper/little girl scene and most of the Jasper/Eleanor flashbacks because I don't care. I'm sure they'll be together again one day but I'm really surprised that Eleanor told him she couldn't get back with him. They put so much importance on her finding her bliss and doing it for herself, I almost worried she might be killed off. I'm also surprised Rosie told Jasper to go talk to Eleanor, considering their interactions have consisted of threatening to shoot each other. I'm still kind of into the idea of Eleanor/Rosie, even though another relationship with a bodyguard isn't a good idea.

I like Agnes Obel so I was happy to hear a song of hers in this episode. Eleanor's outfits are usually trashy but that black corset thing was atrocious. I hope as she grows personally, she changes her style a bit.

I'll tune in next season but I'm not very excited about it. I'm interested in Robert/Willow but that's about it. This used to be a fun, campy little guilty pleasure and now it's so serious, with a bunch of miserable people. But I'm enjoying the actor playing Robert, even if I don't like how cold and controlling the character is. And Cyrus is abhorrent but the actor is excellent as well.

Sorry what chemistry do Robert and willow have? They barely spent any time together. 

[leslieo54]

On 2/20/2017 at 8:01 AM, Popples said:

The return of King Simon in flashback was probably the highlight of the episode for me.

This is totally true for me, too! The rest, well... though I think the actor is doing a great job with it, I've definitely felt that Robert has been off since his return, so I'm able to roll with it all. Sure, they're writing him as a Harry Potter villain, but I should know not to expect subtlety from a Mark Schwan show, I guess. 

Don't love Liam, but I will accept that he's right within the show's canon. I just wish he weren't so whiny!

[omgsowicked]

15 hours ago, Ashand11 said:

Sorry what chemistry do Robert and willow have? They barely spent any time together. 

True, but the scene or two they had together had a lot more heat between them than Robert/Katherine and Liam/Willow have had. I mean, it's all subjective but for me, there's a spark worth looking into. If anything, the actors have talent and charisma which should make it interesting to watch.

[methodwriter85]

16 hours ago, leslieo54 said:

This is totally true for me, too! The rest, well... though I think the actor is doing a great job with it, I've definitely felt that Robert has been off since his return, so I'm able to roll with it all. Sure, they're writing him as a Harry Potter villain, but I should know not to expect subtlety from a Mark Schwan show, I guess. 

Don't love Liam, but I will accept that he's right within the show's canon. I just wish he weren't so whiny!

I thought it's been pretty clear to me that Robert has been brought on as the "Dan" of the show- the golden boy villain who our brave, overlooked younger brother has to stand up against.  But they had to work up to that first because Robert was talked up so much as a great guy instead of flat-out making him Dan from day one.

Although lucky for the Robert fans Mark does tend to like the villains of his show even if the "good" guys have to win. Dan had a pretty long run on One Tree Hill. (Although really, the Royals is done after season 4.) As long as Robert doesn't turn into Psycho Derek or Nannie Carrie, we should be okay. He'll probably do really despicable things, though.

Max Brown is either really desperate for a job, or he's okay with what he's doing because the guy is promoting the hell out of the show on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Quote

I always liked Ophelia, too. And looking back she was the only person WM was able to generate at least some heat with imo. I think it was a mistake for them to pander and get rid of her.

Someone earlier wrote that Ophelia left the show because the actress apparently went to another show or something. I don't think they got rid of her because of negative audience feedback- if they had, they would have basically given the character as a tongue bath with everybody saying how much they'd miss her, a la Megan's not-really-exit on Mad Men. They basically wrote out the character in as a spiteful a way as possible by making sure there would be no possible way that character would ever step foot inside England again.

Mark Schwan has pretty much, from what I've seen, done whatever the hell he wanted on his shows despite audience feeback.

Edited February 25, 2017 by methodwriter85

[waving feather]

About Robert's character appearing out of place and too serious on this campy show, it may be true... But I felt that way about King Simon as well. And those two are my favorite characters show.

[grisgris]

Did this show get confirmed for season 4?

I want to know where Cyrus got his butterfly print suit!

Another thing about Cyrus ... I noticed that when he was loading the gun his phone showed an incoming call from a doctor that he ignored before he threw his phone into the fire. I wondered if it was his doctor telling him that his cancer was in remission or his test results had been mixed up all along and he'd never had cancer in the first place?

Edited February 26, 2017 by grisgris

[emjohnson03]

I just came to say, the music is always a blast. I have found SO many amazing songs from the show. Love that they showcase those bands that aren't so mainstream but always pop up in my Spotify playlist. (Looking at you Bear's Den and Boxer Rebellion). While the show can get too cartoony or the characters get too soapy for even me sometimes, the music grounds the scene alot and really pulls me.

And the eye candy isn't half bad! So many good looking men on this show!

Goes back to putting "Fortress" by Bear's Den on repeat.

[VartanFan]

I don't understand at all why Robert decided to make Eleanor miserable by torpedo-ing her relationship with Jasper.  Especially if Jasper fell in line with his plan of revealing Ted as his father's murderer.  We know why he's pissed at Liam, why he was pissed at SImon, and why he might be pissed at his mother...but making his sister miserable is a mystery.  I see some have speculated that he didn't want her hooking up with the help...but if he really just didn't want them together, he could have left Jasper's firing stand...instead of bringing him back into the castle.  That (rehiring him) feels more to me like purposefully making Eleanor suffer.  

[EarlGreyTea]

5 minutes ago, VartanFan said:

I don't understand at all why Robert decided to make Eleanor miserable by torpedo-ing her relationship with Jasper.  Especially if Jasper fell in line with his plan of revealing Ted as his father's murderer.  We know why he's pissed at Liam, why he was pissed at SImon, and why he might be pissed at his mother...but making his sister miserable is a mystery.  I see some have speculated that he didn't want her hooking up with the help...but if he really just didn't want them together, he could have left Jasper's firing stand...instead of bringing him back into the castle.  That (rehiring him) feels more to me like purposefully making Eleanor suffer.  

I'm probably cutting Robert more slack than he deserves, but knowing only what Robert knows - the insanely creepy and gross way Jasper came into Eleanor's life, and none of his redemption arc - I don't really blame him. And royals can be notoriously snobby about the "help," so there's that too. This fictional family is way more touchy-feely with their staff than would be allowed IRL. Robert is more based in reality as a royal than the rest of the family, so I can buy his disapproval. If he can't have his commoner relationship, he seems hell bent on making sure no one else can either. I can see his point there too.

I think he's keeping Jasper around because, as in the case of Willow, Robert knows talent when he sees it, and he may as well keep Jasper around strictly for that. It IS cruel to dangle that carrot in front of Eleanor, though. I can't really excuse him for that.  

Robert also has no idea how much Eleanor has changed since he "died." He might think this is one of her many flings, and she'll be over him and onto the next one in no time, so may as well keep around a useful member of the help.

....But I'm sure I've given him way too much credit. Long may Robert wave!