Reign

Mary, Queen of Scots, faces political and sexual intrigue in the treacherous world of the French court.

Reign (2013-2017) is a US historical costume drama series created by Laurie McCarthy and Stephanie Sengupta for The CW. Adelaide Kane plays Mary Stuart, a young Scottish royal betrothed to the French Dauphin, played by Toby Regbo, and she must survive a court where every alliance is a trap. Megan Follows is the scheming Catherine de' Medici, the queen mother whose machinations drive much of the conflict, while Torrance Coombs appears as Sebastian and Celina Sinden as Greer among the principal supporting players. Loosely inspired by the early life of Mary, Queen of Scots, the show follows her romances, political schemes and palace rivalries across four seasons and seventy-eight episodes. Each episode is built from concrete court machinations: secret letters, forced marriages, poisonings and shifting loyalties among the nobility. The tone is glossy and melodramatic, with sensual romance and sumptuous period sets, and the series leans toward soap-opera plotting over strict history. Fans of The Tudors and Versailles will find resonance in its blend of royal scheming and romantic intrigue, as well as the sweep of a teen-friendly costume saga.

Viewers find the series a glossy, soapy costume drama whose sumptuous period styling and Megan Follows's Catherine de' Medici outweigh a loosely historical, sometimes sterile script.

• The Tudorsromance and court intrigue in a royal setting, costume drama tone
• Versaillesfemale protagonist navigating royal court politics and dynastic power
• Gossip Girlteen-friendly costume drama with romance and political scheming

Created by

Laurie McCarthy, Stephanie Sengupta

Release Date

2013-10-17

Episode runtime

42 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (893)

What is Reign about?

A young Mary, Queen of Scots navigates romance, betrayal and power plays at the treacherous French royal court.

What is Reign like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Reign as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Reign violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Reign as mild.

What did critics think of Reign?

Viewers find the series a glossy, soapy costume drama whose sumptuous period styling and Megan Follows's Catherine de' Medici outweigh a loosely historical, sometimes sterile script.

Which shows are like Reign?

Shows with a similar feel include The Tudors, Versailles, and Gossip Girl.

How long is Reign?

Reign: 4 seasons, 78 episodes.

Is Reign still running?

No, Reign has ended.

Where can I watch Reign?

In United States, Reign streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.