A #Supernatural Binge - How was I not watching this?

Admittedly, I don't watch all that much TV, because I often just don't have the time (or patience) to get into a new show.  Reading is my #1 favorite pastime, and then I have to find time to write, then there are the other part-time jobs and of course family members and pets who want attention.  But I do have some favorite shows that I always make time for (or at least time to DVR episodes for later), and they usually involve the things I like best: some romance, hot heroes, some paranormal elements or magic, and plenty of conflict and tension.  I've blogged about several that fit the bill:  Outlander, Vikings, Game of Thrones, The Vampire Diaries, Reign, etc.  In addition, I'm a big fan of spooky movies.

So when a friend recently found out I didn't watch Supernatural, she couldn't believe it.  She had just recently begun watching it, and she suggested I do the same, but I resisted at first.  Too busy to try another show, I decided.  But she convinced me (and made me laugh) by telling me that it was like a "show designed specifically for me".  She went on to say that if a group of writers got together and said, "Okay, how can make the perfect show for this woman who loves hot guys, ghosts, Nephilim, demons, and other paranormal mysteries?", the result would be something like this show.  How could I resist that pitch?

Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester

Well, she was right.  I love it.  I'm only on the first season, but Dean Winchester already has my heart.  (I also enjoyed the actor, Jensen Ackles, on Days of Our Lives, but Dean is a much better character than Eric, even if he was a Brady!)  Don't get me wrong, Sam's cute as well...but I'm definitely Team Dean.  Aside from just looks, I absolutely love the actor's facial expressions and the character's personality.

So far the early part of the show has been heavy on ghosts and spirits, which is absolutely my thing, and I'm enjoying the chemistry between the brothers as they begin to work together to find their father.  There's some strong motivation for what they're doing (which is important to me as a writer), since their mother and then Jessica were killed by an evil entity.  In addition, they want to find their father and battle any evil they encounter along the way (take up the family business of "hunting").

Two hot hunters!  Dean and Sam Winchester

I especially enjoyed the "Dead in the Water" episode, as the entire premise followed a theme I often use in my novels: a desperate spirit, unable to rest, seeking...something.  I won't say what here, to avoid spoilers.  But the ghost has motivation as well, as opposed to just haunting/killing for no reason beyond a creepy plot device.

In a few other funny coincidences, the hero of my current manuscript is named Dean.  And I also remembered another tie I have to the show when I began watching...when writing Divine Fall, my Young Adult paranormal romance, I had to come up with some rules about angels and Nephilim (half-angels, half-humans), and my "research" led me to a post about an episode of Supernatural. That post led me to seek more information on an ancient perfume used by Egyptians that supposedly could kill an angel, and eventually the substance, qeres, became part of my plot.  So I look forward to a future episode where Dean and Sam tackle some bad angels (I think it's S4), and to 11 more seasons of my new favorite show!

Historical Romance in #Reign - Kathryn Knight

After Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance is my favorite genre--to read and to watch (I've yet to try writing it--hopefully someday!).  So for me, Thursday night television has become even better this fall, with an old favorite The Vampire Diaries followed by the new show Reign on the CW. 

I love to find out some of the actual background of these characters based on historical figures, so I did a little research.  I'll share only the facts I learned that don't possibly spoil the plot of the show!  I've also included a few fun facts about the three main characters: Mary, Francis, and Sebastian (Bash), as well as the actors who portray them.

Francis, Mary, and Bash on the new hit show Reign on CW

Mary Stuart was born December 8, 1542, at Linlithgow Palace in Scotland to James V, King of Scots, and Mary of Guise, his French second wife.  She was the only legitimate child of James to survive him.  Six days after her birth, James died, and Mary acceded to the throne as the Queen of Scots.  As Mary was an infant, Scotland was ruled by regents until she became an adult. 

King Henry VIII of England attempted to take advantage of this situation by arranging a marriage between Mary and his son Edward when Mary was six months old.  The marriage treaty was later rejected, and the French King, Henry II, proposed to unite Scotland and France with a marriage between Mary and the Dauphin Francis. 

With this marriage contract in place, five-year-old Mary spent the next 13 years at French Court.  She was beautiful and charming, and became a favorite of many at court, with the exception of Catherine de' Medici, King Henry's wife.

A Portrait of Francis and Mary

Reign is set in the French Court in 1557.  In the show, 15-year-old Mary of Scots is played by Adelaide Kane, who is a 23-year-old actress originally from Australia.

Toby Regbo plays the Dauphin (Heir Apparent) of France, Francis II.  In 1557, Francis would have been 13 years old.  Toby is a 22-year-old actor born in London, England.    History states that the actual Francis II was abnormally short and suffered from a stutter--the show's Francis, portrayed by Toby, is a very different character.  Fun facts about actor Toby Regbo:  the surname Regbo was made up by an ancestor to replace the more common last name Hanson; Toby is related to all of the twenty or so Regbos in the world.  Toby also starred as a young Albus Dumbledore in one of the Harry Potter films.

Torrance Coombs, age 30, plays the other heartthrob on the show--the illegitimate son of King Henry, Sebastian (or "Bash").  As far as I can tell, Bash is a purely fictional character, although the relationship between Henry and his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who is Bash's mother in the show, was very real.  It is believed that Diane became Henry's mistress when she was 35 and he was 16, and despite Henry's marriage, Diane would remain his lifelong companion and as such, the most powerful woman in France.

In the show, there is also a ghostly woman named Clarissa who haunts the passageways (I can't wait to find out more about her--as you can tell from my books, I do love ghosts!) and helps Mary.  Nostradamus also has a prominent role, and this French apothecary and seer was in fact greatly admired by Catherine.  She read his almanacs in 1555, and summoned him to Paris to explain what sounded like dire predictions for the royal family.  She had him draw up horoscopes for her children and appointed him to prominent positions.

So...any other facts about life at French court might give away the future plot of Reign, and I can't wait to see where they go with the story.  I already love the characters.  I have a strong "love triangle" feeling for the future--so here's your chance for predictions!  Who would you chose for Mary?  Who will she end up with?  Chime in!