I love Mary and Catherine's relationship too. So layered and complex! I love the female relationships on this show. How good Catherine was to Mary after the rape, and how Mary and Lola's friendship has weathered Lola's pregnancy, etc.
And YES. Preach! ITA with all your points about the rape storyline. I think while Downton Abbey did it incredibly wrong, Reign is getting it right. I totally thought she would try to keep it a secret, and that she'd push Francis away and he'd be hurt and confused, and I'd be yelling at the TV, JUST TELL HIM!! But she told him right away! And while his rage and guilt and pain is very valid, the focus is still on MARY. And I love that she told her ladies and that they're using the word "rape" and not being vague. I'm sorry to hear there's backlash, because I don't think it's deserved. I understand the fatigue some viewers feel re: sexual violence, but I do think it's an important issue that needs to be addressed. I'm not sure if the CW did, but at the end of the episode CTV put up the number for a rape crisis line. I thought it was all very well done. The attack wasn't eroticized at all. It was stark and violent.
they'd introduce storylines where the main character is almost raped, but very rarely follow through because apparently once you're raped, you're either a) damaged goods, b) incapable of living a full life after that, and/or c) somehow less relatable as a character.
YES. I think it was gutsy for this show to have their star character raped, and to really deal with the ramifications realistically. It's much easier to have it happen to a minor character, and then still be able to have fun sexytimes with the main characters. But Mary is the heart of this show, and as such it's much more affecting.
And YES. Preach! ITA with all your points about the rape storyline. I think while Downton Abbey did it incredibly wrong, Reign is getting it right. I totally thought she would try to keep it a secret, and that she'd push Francis away and he'd be hurt and confused, and I'd be yelling at the TV, JUST TELL HIM!! But she told him right away! And while his rage and guilt and pain is very valid, the focus is still on MARY. And I love that she told her ladies and that they're using the word "rape" and not being vague. I'm sorry to hear there's backlash, because I don't think it's deserved. I understand the fatigue some viewers feel re: sexual violence, but I do think it's an important issue that needs to be addressed. I'm not sure if the CW did, but at the end of the episode CTV put up the number for a rape crisis line. I thought it was all very well done. The attack wasn't eroticized at all. It was stark and violent.
they'd introduce storylines where the main character is almost raped, but very rarely follow through because apparently once you're raped, you're either a) damaged goods, b) incapable of living a full life after that, and/or c) somehow less relatable as a character.
YES. I think it was gutsy for this show to have their star character raped, and to really deal with the ramifications realistically. It's much easier to have it happen to a minor character, and then still be able to have fun sexytimes with the main characters. But Mary is the heart of this show, and as such it's much more affecting.
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