E!'s The Royals

[London]

Liz is perfect and I'm loving her back on screen. Alexandra Park seriously looks like her and color me shocked to learn she's actually Australian and not actually British.

I love Len and her just everything ... she's the one int he family with balls and I can see her doing a lot more than Liam even though his muscle is Jasper. I hope we have seen the last of Beck. I simply cannot.

[DaytimeFan]

I've always thought a nice twist for the show would be that Eleanor is actually the rightful heir to the throne and that she was born before Liam. There was foreshadowing of that in season one when Queen Helena said "A couple of minutes earlier and she'd be the heir..."

 

I hope we get a third season of the show. I think there's a lot of places it can go. 10 episodes a season allows for it to be a really tight show. 

[London]

She'd be better than dullard Liam -- again I like him but he's as equally dull as Ophelia which makes them perfect in my basic fairy tale world.

Ugh, now you have me looking up Footballers Wives on YouTube and I need to get the DVDs on Amazon soon.

Oh! That line that Helena said ... argh I just forgot -- let me think on it again.

[DaytimeFan]

Tonight's episode was great!

 

For one, Dame Joan was wearing gloves that had brooches on them. A massive sparkling brooch on each glove. And she was wearing a hot pink cape for much of the episode. That was alpha diva. And then it appears that she may have killed King Simon's true love by poisoning her horse? And what did she and Helena do to Cyrus' maid? I was sort of hoping we'd see her fly off the palace balcony with a shove from the Grand Duchess's sparkling gloves. 

 

Loved the scenes with Eleanor and Helena as they discussed their relationship. And I loved all of the vintage 80s and 90s Elizabeth Hurley in Hollywood photographs. 

 

The Domino storyline was quite a revelation, not dodgy writing, made plenty of sense, but highly dramatic. If the Domino group didn't kill Prince Robert - who did? 

[DaytimeFan]

Renewed for Season 3!

 

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/the-royals-season-3-renewed-e-1201671995/

[slick jones]

Fantastic!!!

[Taoboi]

AWESOME!!!

 

And what is this I hear about Amber from FW? Hated her, but loved her rivalry with Tanya.

 

So need to find time to play catchup.

[DaytimeFan]

Laila Rouass, who played Amber on FW, plays the deputy prime minister and she has few really great scenes with Elizabeth Hurley's Queen Helena. 

 

Season 2 has blown me away compared to Season 1. Whoever decided to fire Merritt Patterson was brilliant. The Ophelia storyline did NOTHING for the show and was a bore and detracted from Hurley, Park and Maskell's great performances because she sucked up so much airtime. Season 2 has been so mysterious, dramatic and exciting - not one dull episode and, like season 1, it's built over the season. 10 episodes works for this show, there's no filler and the story arcs are tight.

 

And of course, the increased presence of Dame Joan in season 2 was perfect and, despite the major twist in last week's episode, I do hope we see more of her in season 3. Her role tied up so many loose ends from season 1, and paves the way for different character interactions in season 3, but I really hope season 2 isn't the last we've seen of The Grand Duchess. She really is too good to not bring back and in as many episodes as possible, quite frankly, she adds a lot to the episodes she's in and has fabulous chemistry with Hurley, Park and Maskell. 

[Taoboi]

If it helps any, unless she's dead (I don't wanna know. ), MS has a habit of bring back characters that work. So I hope there's a loophole in what happened last week for her to come back later.

 

Good to hear about Laila and also to see that Season 2 is building great on Season 1. That promises good things for Season 3.

[DaytimeFan]

"No, it is a home. It was my home and you were my family." - Lucious. That was a tragic line delivered perfectly. Despite his treachery, Lucious was clearly in love with Queen Helena and his devastation at losing his place in her life was beautifully conceived and delivered by Andrew Bicknell.

 

Finally, we have confirmation that:

 

The subplot with Eleanor and her friend was a bit of a false note, but I realize it's about showing Eleanor's growth. 

 

I despise that bitch maid Prudence. Queen Helena was being nice giving her a warning...but she's a money grubbing cow. I was hopeful Queen Helena would have triumphed over her, but we'll see what happens in episode 10. Dame Joan's Grand Duchess should resurface and make quick work of her. 

[DaytimeFan]

The finale was incredible. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and couldn't believe how much they packed into an hour. 

 

Eleanor and Jasper, in the soccer stadium, were truly great to watch, almost moving. I really like the actor they hired to play Eleanor's new security detail, he's really strong and adds to the show.

 

Ted's death by soccer riot was a grisly, original way to kill off a despicable character. I'm so glad that happened.

 

Queen Helena's triumph over Cyrus was beautifully executed and ice cold. Cyrus deserved it and Hurley delivered in those scenes. 

 

Now we are left with King Simon's body missing and the distinct possibility that Prince Robert survived the downing of his fighter jet. Throw in the Stuarts and Alistair Lacey and I'd say there is MUCH to be done in season 3.

 

As a whole, season 2 was far, far superior to season 1, the show got darker, more mysterious and Hurley got a bigger role and ran with it. As well, Ophelia's insipid ass was nowhere to be seen aside from the 'closure' episode. May she never return. Finally, Dame Joan's bigger role was excellent and I can only hope that MS understands how well received Dame Joan's Grand Duchess was and brings her back to cause more mayhem. 

[Taoboi]

I was at the library last week to pick up some things and saw the Season 1 boxset.

 

So guess who is about to watch Season 1? lol.

 

Can't wait to see Joan...

[London]

Even though I'm sure a ton of you saw this coming a mile away.

 

[DaytimeFan]

Absolutely perfect casting. I can't wait!

[Taoboi]

FINALLY DONE AND TOTALLY AGREE. So much better than Season 1. It built beautiful and the finale I could not not look while it played out. The tension was great.

 

And that scene with Hurley besting Simon was made of perfection. She learned well from Dame Joan and looked snatched from the Gods.  #TeamHelena

 

I love her Eleanor has grown and I am tempting to say that her arc of finding her way through her darkness has really resonated with me more this season than I would say in Season 1. She might be my favorite though I don't want her to lose her edge.

 

Love Liam showing some edge, too. But he really needs more in Season 3 to do and a good love interest. Maybe that Stuart girl.

 

And more Joan is also good.

 

And yes, I loved Ted (shame on him killing the King) getting his compuppance.