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Reign Season 2 Spoilers: Lord Narcisse Seeks Vengeance

Shilo Adams — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 03:13:05 +0000

Mary exercised her power as queen by throwing Lord Edward into the catacombs with the sick, which was effectively a death sentence after he killed the entire household of another noble. Though she’s not as bloodthirsty or power hungry as Catherine, Mary realized that she has to exude a certain amount of toughness if she wants to be taken seriously, especially since she’s effectively alone in the castle with Francis otherwise indisposed. There’s going to be no one there for her for quite a while and as such, Mary must get in touch with her power and learn to embrace what it means to be a ruler; if things were to go sour with Francis, she needs to have the inner strength to keep herself from crumbling and if she’s too busy leaning on him and not building herself up, that strength is never going to develop. But how is Mary going to deal with the fallout that comes from the decisions she makes? Will she be able to stand by her gut and live with the consequences of her iron fist?

Listed below are the dates, titles, and descriptions of the next three episodes of Reign‘s second season.

Thursday, October 9th – “Drawn and Quartered”
In the aftermath of the plague, a powerful lord discovers that Mary was responsible for the death of his son and demands vengeance, testing the loyalties of Mary, Francis, and Catherine. Francis returns to the castle with Lola and their newborn son, creating tension with Mary. Greer is torn by her loyalty to her fiancé, Lord Castleroy, who blames Leith for his daughter’s demise. Meanwhile, Kenna urges Bash to be formally recognized in his new role.

Thursday, October 16th – “Coronation”
With France in a state of famine, as well as religious and political unrest, Mary looks for a way to feed the people, risking the wrath of a vengeful Lord Narcisse. Francis is preoccupied by the harrowing suspicion that his dead father’s spirit can possess the living and is haunting Francis as revenge for his murder. As Catherine makes excessive and lavish preparations for a coronation ceremony to give the impression of stability to the realm, Bash confronts the reality of a country plagued by fear, bankruptcy, and murder.

Thursday, October 23rd – “The Lamb and the Slaughter”
When a shepherd is attacked by shadowy riders in the night, Bash and Lord Condé investigate what may be the unrest of angry spirits or the beginnings of a religious war. Mary examines her relationship with Lola in light of the upcoming christening, with Francis’ illegitimate child serving as both a bond and an obstacle between them. Greer takes control of her future when Leith returns to court. Meanwhile, Lola feels something is awry when Lord Narcisse introduces his familiar new bride.

Reign airs Thursdays at 9:00 on The CW.

How do you think Lord Narcisse will go about exacting revenge upon those he deems responsible for Edward’s death? Will Mary be able to get over the tension of Lola being back at the castle? Is there any way for Bash to protect the country from succumbing to the ills currently plaguing it?

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The Messengers: Sam Littlefield and Jessika Van to Recur

Shilo Adams — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 18:48:26 +0000

Deadline is reporting that Sam Littlefield (The After) and Awkward. alum Jessika Van have signed on to upcoming CW drama The Messengers. While Littlefield will recur as computer genius turned anarchist hacker Leland Schiller, Van is set to recur as Koa Lin, a grifter from Hong Kong who will do anything she has to in order to survive.

Created by Eoughan O’Donnell (Teen Wolf), The Messengers follows the aftermath of a mysterious object crashing to Earth. A group of unconnected strangers all die from the energy pulse that the object emits, only to all be re-awakened with the knowledge that they’ve been tasked with preventing a coming apocalypse. The series stars Shantel VanSanten (The Final Destination), Sofia Black-D’Elia (The Immigrant), Diogo Morgado (The Bible), Joel Courtney (Super 8), and JD Pardo (Revolution).

In addition to his role in the upcoming Amazon series, Littlefield has appeared in the likes of Criminal Minds, The Unit, and Cold Case, with Van’s television credits including Without a Trace, Uncle Grandpa, and It! People.

The Messengers is slated to premiere sometime this midseason on The CW. No trailer or promotional material has been released as of yet.

Will you be watching The Messengers? Do you think a show with this type of premise can make it on The CW? Who else would you like to see join the cast?

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The CW Orders Three Additional Scripts for The Flash and Jane the Virgin

Shilo Adams — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 21:10:12 +0000

Deadline is reporting that The CW has ordered three additional scripts of fall freshman dramas The Flash and Jane the Virgin. Normally, the network waits until a few weeks after their new dramas premiere in order to make decisions like this, but The CW is said to be very happy with the completed episodes they’ve seen of each series. While a script order doesn’t always translate to an episode order, this is a positive sign for both The Flash and Jane the Virgin, both of whom are generating especially strong reviews for The CW.

From Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns (Arrow), The Flash follows brilliant forensic scientist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) as he becomes obsessed with his tragic past and alienates himself from those around him. While trying to uncover the truth about his mother’s murder, he gets struck by lightning and emerges from a nine-month coma with the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Based on the DC Comics character of the same name, The Flash stars Candice Patton (The Guest), Danielle Panabaker (Friday the 13th), Carlos Valdes (Arrow), Tom Cavanagh (Ed), and Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order).

Adapted from Venezuelan telenovela Juana la virgin by Jennie Snyder Urman (Reign), Jane the Virgin tells the story of hard-working 20-something Jane Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez), whose plans for the future are seemingly decimated when a doctor inseminates her by mistake during what was to be a routine checkup. The biological father? A married cancer survivor who’s also Jane’s boss and former teenage crush. Jane the Virgin stars Justin Baldoni (The Forgotten Ones), Brett Dier (Ravenswood), Andrea Navedo (How to Make It in America), Yael Grobglas (Reign), and Ivonne Coll (Teen Wolf).

The Flash is set to premiere Tuesday, October 7th at 8:00 on The CW, with Jane the Virgin debuting Monday, October 13th at 9:00. You can check out trailers for each below.

Will you be watching either, neither, or both of The Flash and Jane the Virgin? Do you think The CW will order a full season of each new drama? Is Jane the Virgin going to be able to fit into a lineup that’s skewing very heavily toward genre dramas?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0l7iGKh8g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgDz0s7xw8A

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Reign 2.01 Photos and Trailer: The Black Plague Comes

Shilo Adams — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:44:30 +0000

Mary has never really had a chance to rule by herself. Her position in Scotland was nothing more than a figurehead and she’s always had Catherine lurking around the castle, clinging to the last of her power as Henry continued to spiral. Now that Henry is gone, Mary is allowed to feel the full force of her power, to assume the positions that she has been groomed for since before she was born. All the pain, all the strife, all the pressure that she’s had to deal with in France – it will all be worth it once she assumes the throne and gets the opportunity to help her country. But will Mary be able to handle herself now that she’s been separated from Francis?

On the season premiere of Reign, Mary is the sole leader in the castle now that Francis has ridden out to be with Lola. Not only do the two have the physical distance between them, which seems all the more vast due to the spreading plague, their emotional distance will only increase when he makes it back to the castle with Lola and his new son – the one thing that Mary hasn’t been able to give him. However, this chance might be the best thing that happened to Mary, as she has the opportunity to get in touch with her power and learn the true value of personal independence. Mary has never been able to live for herself or with the type of agency that she has now, not when her future was earmarked at an early age, and as long as Francis is away, she can grow strong as Queen of France and show herself that she can find fulfillment and success without being tied to another person.

Elsewhere on Reign, Kenna and Bash find themselves separated during the chaotic days of the plague, while Greer is forced to watch as Leith moves on with a new love and figures in the castle attempt to take advantage of Mary’s separation from Francis and seize the power that they deem theirs.

The second season of Reign premieres Thursday, October 2nd at 9:00 on The CW.

How long will it be before Mary and Francis are reunited? Will Greer ever be able to get over Leith, especially now that he’s seeing Lord Castleroy’s daughter? Is the castle going to be able to get a handle on the plague before it gets too much to deal with?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geVIFma98Pk

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Reign Season 2 Trailer: A King Rises

Shilo Adams — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 03:28:39 +0000

The CW has released the first trailer for the second season of Reign, which centers on the Black Plague that befell France at the end of season one. The final images of the season, with Mary shutting the gate on Francis and forcing him to stay out in the country while the plague rages on, will play a key role in the season, as Mary and Francis are separated by more than just distance and a wooden gate.

There’s the whole matter of the French king and queen having different countries to serve and different political interests weighing on them. While Francis will have to worry about preserving his father’s legacy and doing right by both Lola and the child they conceived, Mary is allowing the words of her uncle, those pertaining to her taking France herself and becoming more powerful than Francis, to roam free in her mind. It’s understandable, considering that Mary has very rarely, if ever, felt secure while in French court, as she knows that France doesn’t exactly hold the alliance with Scotland in high regard; however, it’s something that could destroy the foundation of her marriage, especially if she allows it to join forces with her jealousy over Lola’s pregnancy and manifest as hostility and anger toward Francis.

Mary cannot hold on to the negative thoughts she has about her position at court, the security of her marriage, and the baby that Francis conceived with another woman and hope to have a happy relationship. Though she might be right regarding how poorly France has treated her and how she and Francis are on two separate pages, she doesn’t have the option of leaving. If she does, her entire country would be weaker for it, so she has to find a way to make things work with her husband and if that means swallowing her pride, then so be it.

The second season of Reign is set to premiere Thursday, October 2nd at 9:00 on The CW.

Will you be watching the second season of Reign? Do you think Francis and Mary’s marriage will be able to survive the Black Plague? Which aspect of season two are you most looking forward to?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaIOabEmIBk

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Why The Carrie Diaries Should Have Been Renewed

Shilo Adams — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 22:42:34 +0000

At the 2014 Television Critics Association summer press tour, CW president Mark Pedowitz was asked about the cancellation of The Carrie Diaries, the Sex and the City prequel that had scored some of the best reviews in the network’s young life. He claimed that while the show had a strong digital presence, it simply wasn’t “economically feasible” to bring the period drama back for a third season, as the show’s on-air ratings never quite matched up with its online streaming numbers. However, despite what gaps there might have been between the show’s performance and the expectations the network had going into season two, The Carrie Diaries deserved a third 13-episode season, with its cancellation signaling something troubling for The CW going forward.

An important aspect of The CW’s rebuilding has been the abundance of pre-sold titles, projects that have a certain amount of audience before one scene can be shot. The network has done well in finding genre titles that find their new aesthetic and production values, including Arrow and upcoming The Flash, but they’ve yet to find their own Pretty Little Liars, a soap based on a best-selling novel series that captures the imaginations, eyes, and Twitter accounts of a large swath of young women. While The Carrie Diaries might not have been the commercial success that the network had been looking for, its low-key earnestness and lack of salacious plot twists keeping it from exploding on social media, it was the closest thing The CW had to a soap franchise and that’s not something to give up when they’ve shown no interest in cultivating non-genre programming. Keeping The Carrie Diaries would have allowed The CW to have a prime example of their continued commitment to this type of project and of their forward thinking when it comes to monetizing content; Carrie might not have had the on-air success that the network wanted, but for The CW to throw away a strong digital audience that isn’t getting served by other outlets shows that while they might talk a good game about how they’re ahead of their broadcast brethren in terms of valuing online numbers, they’re still tethered to the traditional ways of supporting and evaluating content.

Not only would keeping The Carrie Diaries have shown The CW’s loyalty to an impressive, recognizable brand, it would have allowed the network to have more non-genre content to play with. Currently, the network is left with a downsized Hart of Dixie, which will have to deal with star Rachel Bilson’s pregnancy and its own dwindling ratings, and telenovela-inspired Jane the Virgin, which will be facing the tough task of airing with an incompatible lead-in on a traditionally tough night for the network, if you’re looking for shows without a supernatural presence. Reign‘s flirtation with the supernatural in the form of Clarissa likely helped it foster an audience from a weakened Vampire Diaries, while a second season that doesn’t exactly sound like a costume drama should keep it from sticking out from the rest of the network’s offerings, something that Hart of Dixie and Jane the Virgin won’t be able to say come October. Had The CW ordered another season of The Carrie Diaries, Jane could have found a more hospitable home than its potentially rough Monday time slot, while Hart might have had a stronger chance at securing itself a fifth season if there were other shows of its ilk to pair it with, thereby keeping non-genre content as a vital piece of The CW schedule and allowing the network to not just pay lip service to the idea of having a balanced schedule. Without Carrie, though, Fridays have turned into a home for cheap unscripted programming (America’s Next Top Model, Whose Line is it Anyway), repeats, and low-rated dramas that won’t do as much damage to the schedule (Hart of Dixie, potentially Beauty and the Beast), while the rest of the week is filled to the brim with science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

In a lot of ways, the schedule The CW has put out is an inverse of the oft-derided Dawn Ostroff era, where genre content was confined to the Friday night ghetto while glamorous primetime soaps littered the friendlier weeknights, and they’re facing the possibility of overcompensating for that period of their existence and hurting themselves in the end. Granted, genre programming has effectively broadened out The CW’s audience and made them a network more critics are able to freely admit they watch, as well as the fact that other broadcast networks have specific niches they cater to (e.g. ABC and primetime soaps/family comedies, CBS and crime procedurals/multi-cam comedy), but The CW is effectively teaching fans of a certain type of programming that they’re not welcome anymore. Through their programming and development choices, they’re cutting off a certain segment of their potential audience and keeping their network from having as diverse a viewership as it could; the cancellation of something as self-assured and well-regarded as The Carrie Diaries, which came into existence with a fairly broad audience already, is a signal to those who create and consume non-genre content that The CW has turned a corner, that nothing lacking superheroes or supernatural entities will be given the support and time necessary to gain a following. With faith in how The CW handles their soapier content falling as a result of their treatment of The Carrie Diaries, Hart of Dixie, and so forth, fans of that type of content will be less likely to invest their time and energy into new CW soaps, which will lead to more cancellations and the eventual secession of non-genre content on the network. Effectively, The CW has killed a whole side of its identity and turned itself into a niche cable network, a Syfy-lite whose standard for success will have to shift if there is any meaningful dip in its number of female viewers.

The Carrie Diaries was an intelligent, earnest teen drama in a television landscape where programming aimed at young people has to be bigger, louder, and more explosive in order to gain a foothold. It told stories that aren’t seen on television today and approached sexuality as thoughtfully and naturally as can be, which makes the way it was mishandled by The CW all the more disappointing. By moving the show to Fridays, airing it through the month of December, and not giving it anything resembling a lead-out or promotion, The CW destroyed their best chance at having a soap franchise and allowed one of their best reviewed series to wither away to nothing, all due to network/studio politics and the idea that dramas that don’t take place in a heightened reality aren’t the best fit for them at this time. The network might be on a high right now, and surely will find success with The Flash next season considering that their entire fall schedule is built around launching the Grant Gustin-fronted drama, but eventually, the bottom will drop out of their genre-heavy schedule and it’ll make the loss of shows like The Carrie Diaries, full of potential that the network wasn’t able to see, all the more difficult to bear.

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Whose Line is it Anyway? Renewed by The CW

Shilo Adams — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 15:45:57 +0000

The CW has announced that improv comedy Whose Line is it Anyway? has been renewed for a new cycle of episodes. The series, which was revived last summer to record ratings, will add another 24 episodes to the 24 it produced this past season, though a premiere date and time for the new cycle will be announced at a later date.

The network has used Whose Line as a way to shore up sort spots in their schedule and hold up their comedic programming in wake of genre dramas taking over the rest of the schedule. This past season, the series was paired with Hart of Dixie, the lightest drama on the network and the most incongruous with the rest of their schedule, while this summer, it’s been tasked with helping Beauty and the Beast, Seed, and Backpackers. Rather than giving Whose Line a break, since the show has been airing a heavy mix of reruns and originals for much of the last year, The CW is hoping that Aisha Tyler and company can improve their Friday schedule, as Whose Line is paired with fellow unscripted series America’s Next Top Model.

It’s a risky strategy, leaning this heavily on something that’s not a ratings giant. Whose Line might be the most cost-effective series on The CW when its ratings are looked at against its budget, but it’s not a juggernaut and doesn’t have that far to fall before it’s less an asset and more a liability. Should the show be towering over the rest of The CW programming similar to how The Voice dominated NBC for seasons, playing it as much as they have would be understandable; what The CW is risking, though, is dulling the impact of a valuable piece of programming and not using it to its greatest potential, particularly when it comes to their lackadaisical fall schedule.

Whose Line is it Anyway? currently airs Mondays at 8:30 on The CW. You can check out a preview of the next episode, set to feature Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar, below.

Will you be watching Whose Line is it Anyway? next season? Do you think The CW is on the verge of overplaying the show and dulling its ratings effectiveness? Who else would you like to see guest star on Whose Line?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6ZbVcluoMA

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Reign Season 2: Spartacus Alum Craig Parker to Recur

Shilo Adams — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:31:33 +0000

TVLine is reporting that Spartacus alum Craig Parker is set to recur on the second season of period drama Reign. He’ll be recurring as devout Catholic Narcisse, a man whose death grip on French Court will be challenged when he goes toe-to-toe with Catherine. Being that Catherine is perhaps the most formidable figure at Court, he has quite the task in outmaneuvering someone with her political experience and expendable resources.

In addition to his time on the Starz drama, Parker has appeared on the likes of Sleepy Hollow, Legend of the Seeker, and NCIS: LA. He becomes the latest member of the Spartacus ensemble to find a home on The CW, as Katrina Law, Manu Bennett, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson have all appeared on Arrow, with Simon Merrells recurring on The Tomorrow People.

The second season of Reign is set to premiere Thursday, October 2nd at 9:00 on The CW. You can check out a full list of The CW’s fall premiere dates here, as well as the CW fall 2014 schedule here.

Will you be watching the second season of Reign? How do you think the battle between Narcisse and Catherine will go? Which other Spartacus alumni would you like to see pop up on a CW genre drama?

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The CW Announces Fall 2014 Premiere Dates

Shilo Adams — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:56:11 +0000

The CW has become the third broadcast network to release premiere dates for its fall schedule and as per usual, the network is opting to officially begin its season in October with the premieres of The Vampire Diaries and Reign on October 2nd. Of note on The CW’s fall schedule are a Supernatural retrospective, several ways to sample The Flash (possibly at the cost of The 100), and a Jane the Virgin premiere encore paired with America’s Next Top Model.

You can check out a full list of The CW’s fall premiere dates below, as well as The CW’s fall 2014 schedule here and trailers for its new fall shows here.

What will you be watching on The CW this fall? Do you think the network is putting too much behind The Flash? Which new show will be The CW’s biggest breakout of the season?

Thursday, October 2nd
8:00 The Vampire Diaries
9:00 Reign

Monday, October 6th
8:00 The Originals
9:00 Supernatural (Retrospective Special)

Tuesday, October 7th
8:00 The Flash
9:00 Supernatural

Wednesday, October 8th
8:00 Arrow
9:00 The Flash (Premiere Encore)

Monday, October 13th
8:00 The Originals
9:00 Jane the Virgin

Wednesday, October 15th
8:00 Arrow
9:00 The Flash (Episode 2 Encore)

Friday, October 17th
8:00 Jane the Virgin (Premiere Encore)
9:00 America’s Next Top Model

Wednesday, October 22nd
8:00 Arrow
9:00 The 100

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The CW: Trailers for New 2014-2015 Shows

Shilo Adams — Thu, 15 May 2014 16:57:13 +0000

The CW has released trailers for two of the four new series it’ll be premiering in 2014-2015 – The Flash, an Arrow spin-off starring Grant Gustin; and Jane the Virgin, a dramedy based on a popular telenovela about a driven young woman who accidentally gets artificially inseminated. Trailers for midseason offerings The Messengers, about a mysterious event that links a group of people, and iZombie, a supernatural procedural from Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars) have yet to be released.

You can check out The CW’s 2014-2015 schedule here.

Which CW trailer looks the most promising? Will you be watching both The Flash and Jane the Virgin this fall? Why do you think The CW has avoided releasing trailers for its midseason shows?

The Flash
Premise: Drama about a CSI investigator searching for the truth about his mother’s death
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Tom Cavanagh, Jesse L. Martin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj0l7iGKh8g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0IydEba1oY

iZombie
Premise: Drama about a zombie medical examiner who retains the memories of the brains she consumes
Cast: Rose McIver, Robert Buckley, Malcolm Goodwin, David Anders, Nora Dunn

TBA

Jane the Virgin
Premise: Drama about a driven young woman who accidentally becomes artificially inseminated
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Justin Baldoni, Brett Dier, Andrea Navedo, Yael Grobglas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJLsrWW0HPo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptI8evHNPSo

The Messengers
Premise: Drama about a mysterious object plummeting to Earth and the impact it has on a select group of people
Cast: Shantel VanSanten, Jon Fletcher, Joel Courtney, Anna Diop, Sofia Black-D’Elia

TBA

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