The Royals

Season 1 – 70% – Mark Schwahn, eleven years after creating his life's work, the immortal One Tree Hill, decided to treat himself and shoot a soap opera. He had already tried his hand at a honest relationship series and had managed to introduce shocking twists, great storylines, and unpredictable situations over nine years, so why not try to break free from credibility and give us exactly what we want, packaged in the most luxurious soap opera? The Royals sometimes resembles Gossip Girl, sometimes Dynasty, but surprisingly it works, perhaps due to its occasionally noticeable self-awareness. Even the serious storylines (the budding romance between Liam and Ophelie vaguely reminds us of Nathan and Haley's love story) don't hurt, and the cleverly curated soundtrack and deliberately overacting Jake Maskall as the thoroughly rotten villain Cyrus also contribute to the show's success. However, I am torn in my sympathy for the main trio of heroes. Princess Eleanor is consistently entertaining, Queen Helena at least interests me, but the conflicted prince Liam often sadly bores me, perhaps due to William Moseley's lackluster performance, because this is not how I imagine a prince. The E! network made some unusual casting choices for certain key roles, and (unintentionally this time) the overacting Oliver Milburn as Ted or the initially incredibly awkward Tom Austen as Jasper significantly disrupt any scene they appear in. However, there is an addiction there (as with any proper juicy telenovela), so I am slightly overrating it and eagerly awaiting where this noble family will be taken. Season 2 – 85% – My trust paid off, and Schwahn finally grabbed my heart with both hands after years. Prince Moseley also obviously made up for his acting deficiencies during the break, and thanks to that, I can suddenly root for him, regardless of his excellent bromance with the stony-faced (and yet finally likable) Jasper. This is a relationship drama that is worth watching, whether taken seriously or as Elizabeth Hurley brilliantly tears down not only the entire royal family but also the entire concept. This is one of those shows where I genuinely regret how few viewers (let alone fans) it has and will apparently ever have. Season 3 – 70% – The changes in quality and mood this time around happen almost at the speed of light. The initial quartet of episodes is the best I have seen from the escapades of the Henstridge family so far, but the events in the subsequent episodes (the boxing match, Liam's childish stubbornness, even in the most unnecessary moments) are the worst. Thanks to Cyrus' grimaces and lines, a perfectly teasing finale, and my rooting for the relationship between Jasper and Eleanor, which I resisted for a long time but have now succumbed to, my rating is still forgiving, but I would avoid some of the unnecessary twists next time. Season 4 – 80% – I didn't think the nobility could become even more unrestrained, but it did. And above all, it shines through in Schwahn's transparently pure style, where crucial twists can happen and be revealed within a single scene, while banal and even childish storylines can stretch out for most of the season (such as Robin Hood or the embassy). The final cliffhangers are, as usual, top-notch, and the realization that I probably won't get any answers breaks my heart. The scandal surrounding Mark Schwahn resulted in his expulsion from the series, and the episode With Mirth in Funeral and With Dirge in Marriage is the last thing we have seen (not only from him). I would like another network to rise above this situation, but at the same time, I know that such a nasty scar will be difficult to heal. (25.07.2016) (vähemmän) (lisää)