MovieChat Forums > Reign (2013) Discussion > Why did they choose Mary Queen of Scots?

Why did they choose Mary Queen of Scots?

posted 9 years ago by bonbon22188
19 replies | jump to latest

First off, this show is a guilty pleasure and even with the historical inaccuracies it is a fun show to watch. But I keep thinking why did they choose Mary and not another royal. I ask because they build up her romance with Francis to the extreme. But as anyone who knows their history knows what happens and that kinda puts an end to it. Yes I know she remarried twice but why did the not choose a royal whose spouse did not died within about a year of marriage.
I would have loved it if the had chosen Marie Antoinette! They still could have had her "squad" of girls. Also the drama of the marriage, but instead of whether or not they are going to get married? It would have been when would they consummate their marriage. There would still be the drama of an heir.
Also how much fun would it have been to see Marie going up aganist Madame Du Barry!
I just love the 18th century and would have loved to have seen a TV show about it! Hopefully I didn't go on too much. Please feel free to list other royals (and non royals) that you would like to have seen.

[–] KatharineFanatic 9 years ago

I think they chose Mary Stuart because of The Tudors / the Tudor family being popular (four seasons of "The Tudors" on Showtime; the popularity of the Philippa Gregory novels, and "Wolf Hall" topping the bestseller list). They probably also thought it would be fun to play with Catherine de Medici, one of history's biggest bad-asses.

They could have also gone with Isabella and Ferdinand of Spain, and their children -- each of them have interesting stories. Tons of drama there.

Marie Antoinette would indeed have been an excellent choice, though. Now I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about it.

[–] eyeguy72 9 years ago

I'd watch it. Pretty ladies in fancy dresses? Yes please!

Speaking of Philippa Gregory, I'm just starting The Queens Fool right now! Then, it's on to The Other Queen.

[–] bonbon22188 9 years ago

Yes I agree there is a "Tudor" craze going on. Plus the books by Phillipia Gregory add to it!

[–] one189teen50five 9 years ago

I hate the way the men dressed and wore their hair in Marie Antoinette days. Jeez, it's horrible. The Tudor era is much more acceptable and preferred--to me.

[–] bonbon22188 9 years ago

Yes the men could be somewhat of a "dandy" in their looks. But maybe they could have taken artistic license with the look a la Adam Ant or something funky like that?

[–] Dash99 9 years ago

Also Marie Antoinette and Elizabeth have already been done. Mary however hasn't really been done on screen or TV.

[–] mvpx7 8 years ago

Way back in 1972, Vanessa Redgrave received an Academy Award nomination for her performance as the title character in the 1971 historical drama "Mary, Queen of Scots." Glenda Jackson portrayed Queen Elizabeth II. There was even a meeting of the two monarchs, although it never happened in real life.

[–] TooMuchTrouble 9 years ago

I actually think the men looked awesome and would make a great show!

[–] sarizonana 9 years ago

Here other characters who would be interesting to see in a tv series.

Katherine the Great

Georgiana Spencer/ Cavendish ( we saw her story in the duchess) but i want this story with more development. As good as the film with keira Knightly was it felt a bitt rushed and tv series would give her a better treatment.

Isabela from Spain- there is already a very succesful spanish series about her but i think showtime would do a better job.

[–] rowanoak 9 years ago

Maybe someone will do a Marie Antoinette TV series someday.

I agree that Katherine the Great would be interesting too.

[–] KatharineFanatic 9 years ago

I feel iffy about ISABEL (the Spanish series).

On the one hand, there is no better casting in the world than Ferdinand. He is just... completely magnificently on point. And it's delightful to see Isabella given the spotlight for once.

But on the other hand, the show is just so darn SLOW moving, I have a hard time staying interested.

I do want to see the follow up series "Carlos Rey Emperador" whenever it's translated, though... their Katharine of Aragon looks terrific. For once she's not dark haired. :P

[–] sarizonana 9 years ago

I watched the first episodes and you are right its a little slow and the actress playing Isabella is very good and charming. You really root for her in the first season, im saying in the first because I know in the second we will see her agreeing with the Inquisition and giving all the jewish people to the trials.

Ive heard that on an entretainment show i watch so I don't know if i like the idea of turning a hero into a Villain. Maybe Showtime would just do a first Season with heroine Isabella and it would be better.

Now on the other hand you made me want to try that show again knowing Katherine of Aragon will appear.
And you have a funny contradiction with your username and picture.
Your name is Katherinefan but your picture is Anne Boleyn.

[–] rockinrooders 9 years ago

Rather surprised no one mentioned about Empress Sissi . Her life was extremely interesting and she was considered as the Lady Diana of her day. There are a lot of interesting historical figures which can be easily adapted on tv though not in the teenage mode like Reign. Here are some of the historical characters which I would love to see being adapted on tv :

The mistresses of Charles the second-Nell Gwyn, Frances Stuart,Lady Castlemain
Nefertiti
Cleopatra- I did hear there is a movie in the making but I think it deserves to be a tv series instead.
Hatshepsut- another interesting female Egyptian ruler.
Stories about the "forgotten Tudor Rulers"- Like Edward The Sixth, Lady Jane Grey and lastly Queen Mary aka Bloody Mary[ Wouldn't mind Sarah Bolger reprising her role, she was a phenomenal Mary.]
I really wanted a series based on Versailles and although I got my wish the nudity and sex is WAY tooooo much.
Caterina Sforza
A series based upon Lady Elizabeth - There are so many series based upon Elizabeth as Queen and I really do wish they make a series based upon her younger years .
And as Sarizonana mentioned a series based upon Catherine the Great.
Oh and I would also love to have a series about Elizabeth Bathory.

[–] sarizonana 9 years ago

I can see your point of execisve nudity and ive complained about this since The Tudors, yes its a great show with very interesting characters but someotimes those historical shows do look much more like historical porn.

I loved your ideas of Caterina Sforza and Mary Tudor( Bloody Mary) and it would be the fisrt time where supposed Villians make the leads.
Caterina Sforza was big time villainized in the last season of the Borgias mainly for supporting his Brother who was a horrible husband to Lucretzia. So seing something more with her point of view would be great.
Mary Tudor is another Queen history tell us she was a Villian but seing her point of view and show here in a more likable light would be nice.

I loved Elizabeth but she is always the heroine and all her adversaries Mary Queen of Scots and her sister are painted as villains. So watching shows with their point of view can be really interesting.

[–] Dash99 9 years ago

^ Well I think they make a point that both are quite villainess. Both have innocent blood on their hands anyway.

[–] Sumseth 8 years ago

The first season might be somewhat slow (I didn't get that impression though, as there was so much going on politically) but afterwards the show definitely wasn't slow. I mean during the second season, a year or so goes by in each episode. If anything, I think they rushed it a bit. There could've been easily one or more two seasons. But I'm not objective, as I enjoyed every part of it.

[–] CheruthCutestory 8 years ago

They should have had the protagonist be Catherine's youngest daughter, Margaret. The two of them were often at odds. But Margaret sort of "won" in her own way. She outlived her mother, became Queen of France and Navarre (even after an annulment to the king), and wrote her memoirs so her version of history has remained. Catherine never got to put her version of the story down. So, she isn't fated to die young like Mary.

They get to keep all the fun Catherine stuff. And Margaret was a force in her own right with a lot of fun lovers and intrigue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Valois

Guess who has two thumbs, speaks limited French and hasn't cried once today? This moi.

[–] rowanoak 8 years ago

They could still do some Catherine verses Margaret, depending on how far they go in the story and other things.

[–] rockinrooders 8 years ago

CheruthCutestory, you read my mind... A couple of weeks back I was reading this amazing novel called Rival Queens which centered around Catherine and Margot and while I was reading it I couldn't help but wonder that they should have done the story of Margot instead. Her character was strong, passionate , rebellious plus her affairs and her shaky relationship with Catherine really had the makings of an excellent drama and like you said , she survived to live a ripe old age, unlike Mary Queen Of Scots...I wished they should have done a tv series based upon Margot and Catherine instead.