S04.E01: How Prodigal The Soul

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

Robert gains popularity on his coronation tour, while Jasper and Liam have information that could end his reign; Eleanor must choose between returning to Jasper or working abroad with Sebastian.

 

[Dvldj]

Kinda predicted that ending when

Robert insisted Jasper accompany him to South London. It was only confirmed with the look Robert gave Jasper as he said "Just stay with me."

I hope Liam knows what he's getting himself into. Robert is really conniving. Should make for a great season though. Can't wait to see how Cyrus molds his nephew. Also, I love how he got into Helena's head about becoming a dowager.

Ugh and PLEASE, Wilhelmina, I need you to see the light! This is not someone you want to be married to.

[EarlGreyTea]

SO glad this show is back! It's appointment TV for me because I really love the discussion here with you fine people.

I continue to be the Captain of Team Robert. A dynamic character who has shaken up the canvas and has forced every single other character to react and take notice of him. I continue to call bullshit on this retcon of Robert turning heel and ordering Simon's death. No way do I  think these writers had this planned out during season one, particularly since that season was all about the halo on Robert's head and what fuck-ups the two spares were in comparison. This does explain the rather sloppy way that Ted Price was named as Simon's killer, though. And if it's true, Cyrus is kind of right: "If he actually did it, maybe he deserves to be king." Obviously horrible if this happened IRL, but on TV, I like my characters complex and chessmaster-y.

Willow and Robert seem to be getting off the ground, but I shouldn't get too excited, since Robert is the villain and they rarely end up getting nice things. I loved their first scene together. I don't know if it was blocked as such, or was natural, but I liked how closely they walked together, almost touching shoulders. I'm hoping they actually go all in with the Willow/Robert romance, giving him some redeeming qualities and having him fall for her. Their last scene together when he listed all her good qualities and she returned with a snarky comment was brilliant. But I'm not getting too hopeful about the pairing. And when he inevitably starts to terrorize her, it's going to look bad because the actress seems like such a tiny doll, especially with that new haircut.  Also, the age difference between them looks more noticeable than it did last season. 

Kathryn's "going away for a while" is totally telegraphing a pregnancy. God save us all from a Who's the Daddy storyline.

Rosie is so badass. I love that she was the one to rescue Eleanor, not Jasper. And is it me, or with this new haircut, doesn't Alexandra Park look a lot like Kate Middleton?

Shut up, Liam.

[WhosThatGirl]

Yeah.. I don’t know how I feel about this. The last scene was predictable and I’m not sure if I like it that’s the way to get Jasper abd Arkeanot back together.

i don’t really like Robert, but then again I’m not a big fan of evil characters who are always evil just to be evil.

[omgsowicked]

Me too, @EarlGreyTea, I'm excited to talk about this show with you guys. I was worried after the extended hiatus but it felt like good ol' Royals.

I'm really unsure about Robert's supposed feelings for Willow, which I know is the point, lol. He's clearly a master manipulator, and considering all of his research, I could see him pursuing Willow as payback for Liam getting with his girlfriend. But I think it could be an interesting direction to take, Robert legitimately liking Willow, especially if he's really behind all of these horrible things. If/When she finds out, would it cost him the one person he truly loved and was honest with? Would he care about losing her? Or would she completely back him, becoming a bit of a power hungry Helena herself? Would he have her offed to keep the secret, is he that much of a megalomaniac? For now, I'm worried for Willow but their chemistry is fantastic, so I appreciate that.

Was Helena's Lord Chamberlain really writing a tell-all or did Robert gain that "figgy pudding" information from security footage and use it to get him out of the picture? Was the Chamberlain the one Helena was texting at the end or was it that politician? I couldn't remember either of their names. And this business about Robert killing Simon... it sounds like it's legit right now, considering the cutscenes where Jasper was explaining what he learned to Liam. But it would be even crazier if it wasn't true and Liam's actually delusional.

Jasper's not dead and I hate that they're even trying it. They hyped up "Jaspenor" in the promotional materials so I know their ~amazing romance~ will survive. Blah. I'm just glad it was Rosie who saved Eleanor, not Jasper. Sign me up for that.

I did appreciate Cyrus's comment about Liam's earnestness being irritating because it's partially why I'm worried this "Liam goes to the dark side" plot won't work, acting-wise. So far, he still has a conscious, which is more believable than him immediately going "bad," but if he's supposed to go completely, legitimately off the rails by the end of the season... well, we'll see if William Moseley can pull it off or not.

Oh yeah, didn't Helena's Secret True Love (forgot his name but we thought he'd been killed off) cut his hand on a napkin so they could find out if Liam and Eleanor were his children? I don't remember how long ago that happened but did we ever get an answer on that?

[WhosThatGirl]

2 minutes ago, omgsowicked said:

Me too, @EarlGreyTea, I'm excited to talk about this show with you guys. I was worried after the extended hiatus but it felt like good ol' Royals.

I'm really unsure about Robert's supposed feelings for Willow, which I know is the point, lol. He's clearly a master manipulator, and considering all of his research, I could see him pursuing Willow as payback for Liam getting with his girlfriend. But I think it could be an interesting direction to take, Robert legitimately liking Willow, especially if he's really behind all of these horrible things. If/When she finds out, would it cost him the one person he truly loved and was honest with? Would he care about losing her? Or would she completely back him, becoming a bit of a power hungry Helena herself? Would he have her offed to keep the secret, is he that much of a megalomaniac? For now, I'm worried for Willow but their chemistry is fantastic, so I appreciate that.

Was Helena's Lord Chamberlain really writing a tell-all or did Robert gain that "figgy pudding" information from security footage and use it to get him out of the picture? Was the Chamberlain the one Helena was texting at the end or was it that politician? I couldn't remember either of their names. And this business about Robert killing Simon... it sounds like it's legit right now, considering the cutscenes where Jasper was explaining what he learned to Liam. But it would be even crazier if it wasn't true and Liam's actually delusional.

Jasper's not dead and I hate that they're even trying it. They hyped up "Jaspenor" in the promotional materials so I know their ~amazing romance~ will survive. Blah. I'm just glad it was Rosie who saved Eleanor, not Jasper. Sign me up for that.

I did appreciate Cyrus's comment about Liam's earnestness being irritating because it's partially why I'm worried this "Liam goes to the dark side" plot won't work, acting-wise. So far, he still has a conscious, which is more believable than him immediately going "bad," but if he's supposed to go completely, legitimately off the rails by the end of the season... well, we'll see if William Moseley can pull it off or not.

Oh yeah, didn't Helena's Secret True Love (forgot his name but we thought he'd been killed off) cut his hand on a napkin so they could find out if Liam and Eleanor were his children? I don't remember how long ago that happened but did we ever get an answer on that?

Yeah we did, Helena dug up her husbands bones and it turned out they really were the kings true children. 

Anyways.. I don’t know. Jasper isn’t dead, I know that much but I’m just not excited to sit though episode(s?) where he’s unconscious. Plus it’s kind of boring that it’s been done before.

Also both Robert and Liam annoy me. And the fact that all their issues stem from katherine, which btw is some random girl we met last season who apparently Liam has been In love with all along(even though he was in love with Ophelia in season one) is hilarious to me.

[GaT]

I recorded this, but I'm not sure if I'm done with this series or not. Reading the comments makes me think I'm done.

[EarlGreyTea]

20 hours ago, omgsowicked said:

Was Helena's Lord Chamberlain really writing a tell-all or did Robert gain that "figgy pudding" information from security footage and use it to get him out of the picture? Was the Chamberlain the one Helena was texting at the end or was it that politician? I couldn't remember either of their names. And this business about Robert killing Simon... it sounds like it's legit right now, considering the cutscenes where Jasper was explaining what he learned to Liam. But it would be even crazier if it wasn't true and Liam's actually delusional.

 

Yeah, that was weird. At first I thought Robert was making it up, but when he mentioned the "figgy pudding" information I figured he was telling the truth. I don't remember the reference, but it seemed to mean something to Helena. I was disappointed because I liked the chamberlain a lot. He was the first person to have an ounce of chemistry with Helena. Now that I read your post, though, you're probably right about the camera footage.

I hope Liam's delusional, but those would be delusions of epic proportions. i just hate that it's all so predictable that Robert will turn heel and Liam will be the hero. This show isn't exactly know for nuance and subtlety, so I'm 100 percent sure they're going to ruin the best character to happen to their show in years in favor of Liam.

[LordOfLotion]

What happened to Cyrus's illness? Did he go into remission last season and I just spaced out on it?

[WhosThatGirl]

1 hour ago, EarlGreyTea said:

Yeah, that was weird. At first I thought Robert was making it up, but when he mentioned the "figgy pudding" information I figured he was telling the truth. I don't remember the reference, but it seemed to mean something to Helena. I was disappointed because I liked the chamberlain a lot. He was the first person to have an ounce of chemistry with Helena. Now that I read your post, though, you're probably right about the camera footage.

I hope Liam's delusional, but those would be delusions of epic proportions. i just hate that it's all so predictable that Robert will turn heel and Liam will be the hero. This show isn't exactly know for nuance and subtlety, so I'm 100 percent sure they're going to ruin the best character to happen to their show in years in favor of Liam.

I kind of wish elenaor had a choice at the throne instead of her stupid idiot brothers. Liam who never wanted to be king but now does just because it seems like he doesn’t want to be second best anymore and Robert just because he wants to stick it to his father for thinking of abolishing the Monarchy. 

[catrice2]

Hey 

I vowed to boycott the season when they made Robert evil and I am so proud that I did not watch...however, there was an interview where Max Brown indicated that all is not as it seems and that Robert's motivations would be revealed and there is  chance they won't write him totally evil without cause....more layered.  

If you all would be so kind, could someone post or direct message me when the tide turns?  I honestly cannot stand Jasper and Eleanor and it sounds as if Sebastian is out (my only eye candy) ....lord knows Liam is too much for me, as well as the Uncle since they made him so pathetic last season.  I am not there for the Robert they wrote in the last episode, but could be there for a Robert that is written as sympathetic to some degree...I just can't stand to watch until it happens, if it happens.  

I have loved Max Brown since MI-5/Spooks was canceled right after he joined and have not enjoyed how he has been treated in numerous series....hyped as a possible addition to Sleepy Hollow an had one of the worst guest spots.....Beauty and the Beast....and now this!   

As I wrote this I realized that unless he is on the screen I really am not interested in any other storyline....ha ha! 

[paisley]

My biggest wish for this possible (probable) final season of The Royals is that Willow gain the upper hand on Robert. I think she and Helena's assistant are the most clever, capable people on the show. It would also be nice if it has a closed ending and not a cliffhanger.

I'm still surprised at how much I truly enjoy every aspect of The Royals. The sheer madness of it is entertaining and appealing.

But...that atrocity Eleanor had on with the pentagram harness and lace trimmed curtain sheers...WTF? 

[GaT]

This sat on my DVR, & every time I thought about watching it, I just couldn't make myself do it. That's pretty much a sign that I'm done with this show, so I deleted it from the DVR. I'll come back occasionally to read the comments, but I won't be watching. Unless I decide to rewatch the first season, I miss the cousins so much.

[Rachel RSL]

On 3/11/2018 at 11:02 PM, EarlGreyTea said:

I continue to be the Captain of Team Robert. A dynamic character who has shaken up the canvas and has forced every single other character to react and take notice of him. I continue to call bullshit on this retcon of Robert turning heel and ordering Simon's death. No way do I  think these writers had this planned out during season one, particularly since that season was all about the halo on Robert's head and what fuck-ups the two spares were in comparison. This does explain the rather sloppy way that Ted Price was named as Simon's killer, though. And if it's true, Cyrus is kind of right: "If he actually did it, maybe he deserves to be king." Obviously horrible if this happened IRL, but on TV, I like my characters complex and chessmaster-y.

Yes to all of this! His character saved the show for me. I know I'm supposed to hate him for how he treated Katherine but, whatever, she hooked up with her boyfriend's brother so it's kind of hard to feel sorry for her. Plus, her character is just so damn boring.  

I know it'll never happen but it would make me so happy if they killed off Jasper. This stupid romance should have ended after the first season. They have so much potential with Eleanor's character but they just keep making her pine over Jasper season after season. Why? He's really not that much of a catch.

[catrice2]

5 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

Yes to all of this! His character saved the show for me. I know I'm supposed to hate him for how he treated Katherine but, whatever, she hooked up with her boyfriend's brother so it's kind of hard to feel sorry for her. Plus, her character is just so damn boring.  

I know it'll never happen but it would make me so happy if they killed off Jasper. This stupid romance should have ended after the first season. They have so much potential with Eleanor's character but they just keep making her pine over Jasper season after season. Why? He's really not that much of a catch.

I only watched last season and about 3 episodes of the season before that when I was at my sister's for Christmas and they were having a marathon.  I don't know what happened and only realized from reading these boards that at some point the father was alive. 

Liam is so annoying and the Jasper love I don't get. I think that relationship stifles the Eleanor character. Robert/Max Brown was the only reason I watched most of last season and anything outside of his scenes bored me. I remember possibly liking the uncle in the 3 episodes I saw, but I don't know what his last season was about.  Eleanor was so much more interesting to me with Sebastian than Jasper that I actually partly started liking the character.  Even the mother seems like she is not a good as she could be.  They need better writers/showrunners. 

Yeah....I will watch the comments and see the headline recaps on TV line to determine if Max Brown was right about the direction of the Robert character. That would make me tune in again...at least for an episode or so. 

[DragonFaerie]

Ok, so throwing in my 2 cents.

Wilhelmina is like a cardboard actoress.  To me she has no spark, no nothing and I can't stand the scenes with her.

I have never been able to like Robert - not in last season and not in this one.  Those flashbacks in last season where his own father tells him that he would make a horrible king and he'll be making the monarchy go away are rather telling.  Robert reminds me of a cross between a narcissist and a serial killer almost - harsh, but yea, if he DID have a part in his father's assignation - um, yea.

In the firing of the Chamberlain - I don't believe he was writing a book.  In last season, Helena and the Chamberlain have sex in the cellar while looking for the figgy pudding, which apparantely takes like a year to make.  All the other staff, other than the Chamberlain and the head of security and his daughter had been sent home.   Helena comes up to a parlour where all of the family is with a black eye and offhandily mentions spontaneous sex.  Well, that either means she had it with Chamberlain or with the head of security who has his little girl with him - not a hard leap to figure out who she had sex with, I'm guessing.  Especially when the guy Helena is seeing at the end of last season dies in a plane crash and the Chamberlain comes in and gives her a hug and calls her my name instead of your Magesty! in front of Robert which he has great afront with.

This, I think is the first time I may have ever liked Cyrus.

I like how Eleanor started the show as a drunken, wasted, drugged up, sexed up lost girl and is finding her place.  Yes Rosie saved her and not Jasper, which was awesome, but Jasper was in a different country at the time too.

I am thinking Robert is found to be an evil bastard and out of the running, Liam realizes what he wants out of life and it's not to be king so he refuses and Eleanor rises to the occaision and is crowned Queen. 

Oh, and Helana didn't get the dna for the twins tests with her husband's bones - she broke into his "coffin" and found no bones, only the note - gone fishing - left by Cyrus who had his brother's body cremated and tossed out at sea.  They got it from using Cyrus' removed testical that he kept on his mantle after it was removed during his cancer surgery.  

[grisgris]

The Cyrus mentoring Liam would be way more interesting and funny if Liam wasn't such a boring drip.

I like Max Brown and Alexandra Park, so I don't mind them edging towards front and center. However, I wish that Elizabeth Hurley had more screen time.  Her flouncing around in that "Cinderally Does London" white gown didn't do much for me. I like Helena best when she's being a conniving bitch.

I know I need to be patient as the season unwinds but I felt a bit letdown after Ep. 1.

I honestly didn't recognize Eleanor at first.  Without all of that harsh makeup, overly dark hair and extreme wardrobe, Alexandra Park looks quite different. It looks like maybe she put a couple of much-needed pounds, too. (Her face looked softer and a wee bit fuller.) During the scenes of her during her travels and reading the letters from Jasper, I was almost picking up a Kate Middleton (pre-Wills days) vibe from her styling.

P.S.: I don't get the Jasper love either. He strikes me as being very dour and no fun. Although, Tom Austen seems like a good guy IRL.

Edited March 19, 2018 by grisgris

[nilyank]

So now that the world knows that Jasper is an American conman, does that mean he isn't going to be using his British accent anymore?  Because I like that better than his American accent.

Liam seems to have the same story each season. Trying to follow up some conspiracy about who killed his father and spending inordinate amounts of time with some bland blonde female who thinks he is wonderful. He is an idiot for listening to Cyrus who is as immoral, awful and selfish.

I like Robert and Willow so much.

[EarlGreyTea]

On 3/15/2018 at 1:13 AM, DragonFaerie said:

I like how Eleanor started the show as a drunken, wasted, drugged up, sexed up lost girl and is finding her place.  Yes Rosie saved her and not Jasper, which was awesome, but Jasper was in a different country at the time too.

Agreed. She's had the best arc out of all the characters on the show. As much as I do enjoy her chemistry with Jasper, it's rather telling, isn't it, that she has made the most strides when she's not with him? Her entire arc with Sebastian designing the hotels or whatever it was, and then her quitting partying for Beck's sake and also for that woman she dated (can't for the life of me remember her name). He holds her back, quite frankly. Robert is dead right about that. Unfortunately, since he's the villain, we're supposed to think otherwise.

[seacliffsal]

So, I am giving up this show.  Liam seeking revenge on his brother and taking lessons from his uncle?  I just have no interest.  Especially when a character is basically "my evilness/revenge is righteous, but yours isn't."  I would love to watch a show in which the Queen has to start dealing with becoming a dowager.  That would be hilarious.

[phoenics]

On 3/12/2018 at 2:20 AM, GaT said:

I recorded this, but I'm not sure if I'm done with this series or not. Reading the comments makes me think I'm done.

I'm done.  I watched the first 5 minutes of the season 4 premiere, saw the "Make Liam look better by completely and utterly villainizing Robert" storyline that we feared would happen last season and bolted.  I'm mad because I already bought the season pass - but I just can't watch this.  Liam as a lead is utterly boring and I can't stand his self righteousness.

I HAAAAAAAATE it when shows retcon things in order to prop up another character and that's what they've done.  Max Brown was the best thing ever to happen to this show but I don't know if I can watch him being this mustache twirling caricature that's only there to prop up Liam.

What bothers me more about this is that Ted Price as the murderer was a complete retcon too.  I think originally this was going to be connected to the whole Domino thing and then the show decided to get rid of Ophelia, so then they needed to off Ted too, and making him the bad guy was what they came up with.  And now bringing back Robert to just make him a villain to bring down is just so boring.  Worse if they plan on bringing back Kate with his baby - or Liam's?  I don't know... don't care.

I hoped for more this season - not making Robert a murderer on top of the machinations - as soon as they dropped that tidbit I shut it off.

These writers are hacks.  What a waste of Max Brown.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, phoenics said:

Max Brown was the best thing ever to happen to this show

I have to disagree, the first season cousins were the best thing, "Just a vaggie virgin, not a blowie or a handie" LOL, one of my favorite lines from any show, ever.

[phoenics]

On 4/1/2018 at 5:32 PM, GaT said:

I have to disagree, the first season cousins were the best thing, "Just a vaggie virgin, not a blowie or a handie" LOL, one of my favorite lines from any show, ever.

I found them a bit tiresome.  I didn't like how they were such ugly caricatures of Eugenie and Beatrice.  I've now met and spent time with a couple of royals and that direct kind of flagellation of them was off-putting to me then and now it's much worse.

I do miss the levity that the cousins brought - I just wish they'd been completely fictional and not satires of real people.  Liam/Eleanor are definitely not connected to any actual royals - even if Eleanor looks a lot like Kate - since Kate didn't grow up a royal.  And honestly it wasn't until after they stopped putting so much makeup on Eleanor that I realized she looked like Kate at all.

On 3/11/2018 at 10:02 PM, EarlGreyTea said:

Also, the age difference between them looks more noticeable than it did last season. 

 

I've been watching some scenes from last season and she looks definitely younger this season because her hair is shorter.  I wish they'd give her extensions - it made her look more mature.

It's not horribly bad though - but I do wish her hair was longer.  I still love her chemistry with Robert though - either way.  I'm really glad the show went there.  The show has been struggling to find another couple to root for since Ophelia and Liam and honestly Robert and Willow is SO it.

I will be so angry if we don't get a hot love scene with Robert and Willow.