Plot Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Mary, who became Queen of Scotland at six days old following the death of her father, travels to France with her four best friends -- Greer, Lola, Aylee, and Kenna -- to meet her future husband, Prince Francis, who is nervous about inheriting his throne and even more worried about an arranged marriage. Even though Mary is the Queen, regents are ruling Scotland until she's of age, and she travels to France, the homeland of her mother, to marry Francis, Dauphin of France. Her relationship with Francis gets complicated quickly, because he has a history with a lady of the court and she is attracted to Bash, Francis' half-brother and their father's favorite son. Plus, Francis' mother, Queen Catherine, is willing to do anything to maintain her own standing and power at Court, while relying on Nostradamus, her wizard prophet. While at French Court, fierce foes and dark forces conspire to sabotage Mary's marriage to Francis -- and even threaten her life -- until a mysterious shrouded guide becomes her ally. While Francis and Mary were both torn by their duties to their nations, it paved the way for Mary to form a close bond with Bash, Francis's illegitimate brother, who could offer Mary a level of devotion the future king could not. King Henry descended into madness. And a bloodthirsty menace in the woods was annihilated, but not before taking dozens of lives and heralding the coming of a plague. By the end of the first season, the shocking death of King Henry made Francis and Mary the new King and Queen of France. But before their new crowns could be placed on their heads, Francis had placed himself on the wrong side of the quarantined castle's gates, rushing to help Lola give birth to his first and possibly only child. Season 2 premiered on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at 9pm ET/PT on The CW. The second season begins with Mary and Francis on the throne of a nation burning. France is rocked by the aftereffects of the plague -- a disease that creeps inside the castle walls, taking thousands upon thousands of lives across the land, and ravages the stability of a nation. From the ashes, powerful lords will rise, carrying out personal, religious and political vendettas, taking lives, and tearing at Mary and Francis's commitment to each other, and their people. Friendships will be tested, loved ones murdered and betrayed. Meanwhile, a mysterious and deadly threat snatches victims from village streets and castle corridors; leaving evidence of savagery that looks like the work of monsters; mythical creatures who are the subject of nightmares, but who walk among us, doing the Devil's bidding. Catherine de Medici, realizing her limited power now that her daughter-in-law wears her crown, made a bold move to align herself with Mary's ultimate enemy, Queen Elizabeth of England. Bash, wounded from his failed marriage with Kenna, sought refuge with an ethereal woman with mysterious powers, while Greer was ousted from favor and took up a surprising occupation, where she flourished. Season 3 of REIGN premiered on Friday, October 9, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT on The CW. The third season begins with Mary and Francis realizing that they are more powerful together than apart, believing there is hope for them to move forward, leaving behind the anger and hurt. It also introduces us to another royal court, that of Elizabeth, "Virgin" Queen of England. Still early in her reign, Elizabeth faces opposition on all sides, particularly from men who doubt a woman's ability to rule. Like Mary, and Catherine de Medici, she struggles to hold onto power and love; the women have much in common, and Mary and Elizabeth are reluctant foes, but foes nonetheless, each positioned by birth and fate to destroy all the other holds dear. The 16-episode fourth and final season of REIGN premiered on Friday, February 10, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT on The CW. In the season opener, "With Friends Like These," Queen Mary, unsure who to trust, tests her brother James to ensure his loyalty after hearing of his meeting with John Knox. Queen Elizabeth agrees to help Lord Darnley in an attempt to sabotage the powerful suitor's relationship with Mary.
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Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

On Tuesday, October 10, 2017 Warner Bros. Home Entertainment released REIGN: The Fourth and Final Season on DVD. Season 4 of REIGN finds Mary rising to the challenge, taking back her country and establishing her rule in Scotland, the land of her birth but a wild nation foreign to her, and now, once again, her home. Even as our canvas expands to welcome a new court in Scotland with new players, including Mary's half-brother James, and the men who vie for her hand, the French Court grows as well. Catherine gave France many heirs -- too many, as it turns out. We will meet more of her brood, who are amusingly and dangerously at each other's throats. Our queens will make wise choices and knowingly brutal sacrifices; their fates, especially Mary's and Elizabeth's, are not only intertwined but increasingly inescapable. It is a season of impossibly high stakes, unexpected betrayals, sexual exploits, a royal wedding, a royal birth and a rising body count as three queens in three nations fight for their people, their loves, and their lives. This 3-disc set contains all 16 one-hour majestic episodes. Own it NOW on DVD (Click the red "Buy DVDs" button on this page).