Tudor Historian reacts to REIGN

This 'History Police' video reviews the TV SHOW on The CW: REIGN which is based on the life of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
Mary Stuart was born on 8th December 1542 and was executed for high treason on 8th February 1587.
She was the daughter of king James V of Scotland and Marie de Guise (who was part of a very powerful French noble family). At 6 days old, at the death of her father, Mary Stuart became queen of Scotland and her mother ruled on her behalf as regent. At 5 years old she was sent to France, promised to the dauphin of France, Francis, son of Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici.
In 1559, the couple became queen and king of France. They used the English coat of arms and titles resulting in tensions between Elizabeth I and her cousin, Mary Stuart.
On 6th December 1560, Francis II died. Mary was forced to go back to Scotland in 1561 where she ruled Scotland.
In 1565, she married her cousin (and Elizabeth's) Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He was the son of Margaret Douglas, herself daughter of Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII's sister. The marriage was never approved by Elizabeth and Henry being an English subject this further undermined the relationship between Elizabeth and Mary.
In 1566, Mary gave birth to a son: future James VI of Scotland and I of England.
in 1567, her husband was murdered and she was suspected of being responsible for his death and discontent occurred when Mary married James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell, who was allegedly the murderer. Violent and controlling, Bothwell might have forced Mary into this union.
Shortly after she was forced to abdicate and flee. In 1568, she fled to England and was kept a prisoner there for eighteen years, until her execution in 1587.
📚 BOOKS RECOMMENDATION 📚
(all links are affiliate links)
Antonia Fraser, Mary Queen of Scots
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Linda Porter, Crown of Thistles
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Kate Williams, Rival Queens
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John Guy, My Heart is my Own
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Jenny Wormald, Mary Queen of Scots a Study in Failure
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Estelle Paranque, Blood Fire & Gold
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WHERE TO FIND ME?
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Thank you so much for watching. Please don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment. I will reply to you :)

[@naotmaa6103]

The crazy thing is Mary's life was so high on drama that they didn't need to make anything up. Her life could have easily fit 10 seasons and not run out of material. Like I can forgive movies having her meet Elizabeth when she really didn't or Rizzo and Darnley having a gay affair even if it was just rumor, but man some of the changes they made good grief

[@Qicksilver0075]

I always wonder if the people who write these shows and movies that are completely utterly historically wrong, have they even looked at a history book?

[@jimipirtle8754]

It's difficult to watch a series like this when you crave history and not the fluffy silly things thrown in. The historical facts are intriguing enough. I'm just glad that Merlin didn't suddenly appear. :)

[@ElleHistory]

haha yes!!

[@ChristopherMarshburn]

That resurrection scene is straight out of Game of Thrones lol. Even the acting.

[@ElleHistory]

Haha it really is!!

[@acousticellejay]

I'm glad you found bits you like in it (Mary's Scotland speech is one the best bits!) Notably this is from the later seasons, in Scotland. Although Seasons 1 and 2 take much crazy creative licence to keep the Mary and Francis story going as long as possible, seasons 3 and 4 have a different tone. As you say, her life was dramatic enough and they do actually keep quite close (ish) to this history in terms of Rizzio and Darnley and their deaths. Mary's execution was rushed and time-jumped because the show was cancelled before they finished the season - hence the James VI and Elizabeth scene to tie it together quickly and Mary's mention of James is because there was no time to cover her imprisonment or plots etc but to viewers her previous scene was with the baby. Ultimately, I love this show because it presents Mary as brilliant and beautiful - especially in Scotland. The supernatural elements and straight up wrong history (Conde) I forgive for the overall intention, costume and performances in the show. Megan Follows is simply incredible. (P s I am a fan of your book also and love that the three queens can't be separated!).

[@ElleHistory]

I am so glad you watched it all because obviously I was a bit cheeky starting with "this is so bad" but I also agree with everything you're saying here. And there are definitely some interesting bits that I enjoyed watching myself. Thank you again! I'm very pleased you watched it all!

[@Rome274]

The inauthentic costumes ruined it for me. They were ridiculous for women in the period of history imo.

[@SlothPotato]

AGREED

[@reginelinser5690]

Mary was SIX days old when her father died and she inherited the throne.

[@julirowen3988]

Mary to Francis: “I don’t believe it.” Elle: “Me neither.” 😂

[@ElleHistory]

🤣

[@naotmaa6103]

She had me laughing out loud throughout the whole thing! 😂

[@CaliWeHo]

😂😂😂

[@autumnpeacock4156]

Mary’s death was so brutal. It took several attempts to cut her head off. After the first hit only cut her head, she said “sweet Jesus”. She groaned in pain and he lifted the ax again and this time, only getting half through her neck. Still alive, he mercilessly sawed through her neck with the axe, rather than attempt another blow.

[@andreadavis1250]

I don’t know that this can be proven- sounds like conjecture and could be an exaggerated account.

[@jessjess23brooks89]

​@@andreadavis1250 It was the report given to Elizabeth directly. Elizabeth already did not want to execute her. The person who had to report that would not do so and risk her ire unless it was the bold truth. England could not acquire a French sword, because France refused to loan one since Catherine D'Midici did not want her former daughter in-law to be executed and wrote Elizabeth for clemency.

[@Rome274]

Executioner used a knife to saw through her neck as the axe was blunt, from what I read once. But who knows ? 🤷‍♀️

[@HylianWitch]

I watched it years ago when I was in high school and even then I knew how inaccurate it was and some of the wardrobe drove me insaneeee but it was my biggest guilty pleasure 😂😂

[@ElleHistory]

It is totally a guilty pleasure show (however ridiculous it can get haha!)

[@Rome274]

The wardrobe was way out of what was the reality of that era especially for the women. Bad idea doing that in my opinion.

[@SplatterInker]

Why have period dramas got the Lady Jane Grey imagery so fixed in their head that they won't even give Mary Stuart period-accurate clothing to die in? The silhouette is completely wrong. Also, where's her boss-ass red under-dress? Where's the overtly Catholic prayers and objects? Come on guys!

[@ElleHistory]

I know right!!! So much potential!!

[@laikacons]

Knowing British history is a gift! I tend to tell people the ending to Reign will be Mary, Queen of Scot’s’ beheading

[@elizabethca33]

I enjoyed this review so much! Please review The Serpent Queen from Starz next

[@ElleHistory]

The next one is on Elizabeth The Golden Age but the one after that will be on The Serpent Queen! 😊😊😊 thanks so much for watching! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@CeceScissorhands]

This was one of my biggest guilty pleasures as a teenager 😂😂 I absolutely HATED 90% of the costumes … at one point her lady in waiting Kenna was wearing a MINI DRESS .. HELLOOOOO ???? Mini dress ??? But I couldn’t stop watching every week the next episode came out on cw 😂😂

[@ElleHistory]

Oh yes!! Haha!!

[@Rome274]

Was Kenna even a legit name back in those days ??

[@ninaxwings]

It really bothered me that she wasn’t in the red dress for her beheading. I would’ve also liked to see the dog even though the actual event was beyond sad.

[@ElleHistory]

Yes it wasn’t well done..

[@ninaxwings]

@@ElleHistory omg you noticed me fangirling so hard 💖🥰 while I have your attention what do you think of my headcanon ending where Bash and Pirate Baby Daddy fake Mary’s death but really rescue Mary and Greer from Scotland? If they were going to do inaccurate history I would’ve love to see them go balls to the walls with it

[@roseg1333]

Yes red is the color of martyrdom in the Catholic Church and she was a martyr for her faith and kingdom.

[@rebeccam.j.8028]

This offered some great context and I love seeing your humor and personality come through --you make it all come alive!

[@ElleHistory]

Thank you so much! I’m so grateful for your support!

[@Ccamero123]

When you love your history straight up, these shows are painful.

[@reginelinser5690]

20:50 Mary herself already made her last appearance as dramatic as can be - no need to change anything here … What a pity the show-runners missed out on the opportunity to show her having removed her outer garments, revealing a velvet petticoat and a pair of sleeves in crimson brown, the liturgical colour of martyrdom in the Catholic Church … Some movies do show that … Also her REAL last words are known. They were: „In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum“ („Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit“). They also would have been more dramatic, although they didn’t do that completely wrong at least …

[@ElleHistory]

True

[@roseg1333]

Yes this! But red is the color of martyrdom in the Catholic Church ⛪️❤️🙏🏼 not really red brown but you wear what you have 😅🥰

[@Ccamero123]

Elizabeth never wanted to kill Mary. That was Cecil’s doing.

[@ninaxwings]

I really wish they had just committed to the historical fanfic vibe and given up on accuracy all together. I really wanted an ending where bash and Greer’s pirate baby daddy helped Mary fake her death and they all lived happily ever after 😂

[@ElleHistory]

Totally.. I think I could write a better script myself haha!

[@ninaxwings]

@@ElleHistory please do and start a podcast reading it. This show does not get enough coverage

[@ShiningFriendship87]

Mary, Queen of Scots was actually half French, a quarter Scottish and a quarter English

[@ElleHistory]

True

[@Ccamero123]

We are not sure if Elizabeth did name James as her successor. The day’s leading up to her death are murky at best.

[@gogreen7794]

I read a theory that Elizabeth didn't name James Stuart as her heir just before her death, but that Robert Cecil said she did. He had been corresponding with James frequently in the months before Elizabeth died, without her knowledge, at least beyond any official communication. Robert Cecil wanted to help ensure he would be well-positioned after Elizabeth's death for the start of a new reign.

[@rosemarykelty8142]

I still need to finish the last two seasons of the show. I’ve enjoyed this show, which I think has great acting and overall introduces viewers to certain historical characters who are rarely represented on such a widely watched network. I really disliked all of the witchcraft elements, though. Was any of that even true? In any case, I would still recommend this as a good show to watch, despite the glaring historical inaccuracies. This show did make me investigate the life of Catherine de Medici more. Love the costumes in this show, I have to admit. 😁 Thanks for your review, Dr. Paranque! I enjoy your film/tv reviews like this one! Thank you for your great work!

[@ElleHistory]

Your thoughtful comments really mean a lot. I’m very grateful!

[@Pablo668]

If I tried to watch that series, I think it would give me an aneurysm, well inside the first episode.

[@heatherwaetzig2633]

Hi good review on Reign. I thought of someone else we could compare Mary Queen of Scots to Putting aside her dramatic end for a second: Margaret of Austria the Regent of the Netherlands. The reason I thought of this comparison is because Margaret like Mary lost a parent when she was young, left her homeland and went to live with the Dauphin's family in France. Later the Catholic monarchs when she married their son Prince Juan. She learned how to be a politician from her powerful mother-in-law Queen Isabel of Castile whom she had a great deal of respect for. When Prince Juan died she went back to the Netherlands and was later made Regent for her nephew Charles. Future Holy Roman Emperor. I love her story it's an interesting contrast to MQOS who definitely did not have a good relationship w/her mother-in-law. Mary was such a brat she should have learned from Catherine instead of resenting her.

[@ElleHistory]

Good comparison!!! I’ll make a video on her at some point! 😊🙏🏻

[@heatherwaetzig2633]

@@ElleHistory I'd love to see it. I became a big fan of Margaret of Austria's after seeing the Spanish TV series Isabel a few years ago. She also appears in La Corona Partida about Juana la Loca and Caros Rey Emperador about Charles V. Of course she also had some influence on young Anne Boleyn as well. Which is pretty cool.

[@boohankins2993]

I watched thos for Meghan Follows as Queen Catherine

[@melissamcconnell6618]

I adore that you reviewed this and that you had some positive things to say about MQS! She was not the silly ninny she is portrayed as in many books (looking at Jenny Wormald's book specifically) but had a tragic series of events occur around her. I HATE how they portrayed the relationship with Bothwell in this show - I understand why they did it but I still hate it. Reign definitely fell under the "trashy period drama" category but it was still fun to watch just for the historical trainwreck! 🤣

[@ElleHistory]

I do wish she had made better decisions at times but I do acknowledge that she was in difficult and tricky situations. Thank you so much for commenting and for watching. It means a lot. :)

[@naotmaa6103]

It's like you said, real life events are already dramatic and shocking enough so why make shit up? Nine times out of ten it ends up being less dramatic then what actually happened! All it does is end up looking silly and ridiculous.

[@DaughterofLir]

Ok, this is hilarious! I was laughing my head off watching this! MacRae could tell I was enjoying it from the other end of the house. 😂 Seriously, there is so much wonderful drama in the stories of these women, why would you need to change it so much? And WTF is with the added magic?! Girl, I can't even. Well done for watching it on my behalf because I'm still glad I didn't. 😘 Nuala x

[@ElleHistory]

I'm so grateful for all your support!! You're the best and I'm sending you lots of hugs!! xx

[@mariemahler3881]

Thomas Culpeper from the Tudors😂

[@ElleHistory]

haha yes!🤣

[@made-line7627]

Finished the series last night, and even though I know how historically inaccurate and far-fetched it was, I got sucked in completely. I'm so devastated it's over. I need more Tudor-error shows. Halfway through the first season of Mary and George now. What has my life become? 😅

[@MelissaReiss]

This is a great review (mostly because of the correct information that you include). My husband would say, "You're either yelling or laughing at this show the whole time-WHY do you watch this cheesy crap?" My answer: Because it's a fun TRAIN WRECK and I like the costumes-even though they're ALL WRONG! I could go on and on, but this isn't MY review. 😁

[@ElleHistory]

Thank you so much!! I’d love to have YOUR review! And I’m so grateful you’re watching my videos! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@roseg1333]

It’s like they took her life facts, rumors, and her writings/poems and took all those things and shook it up in a jar and laid them out on the table to write them into a script and alot of extra added liberties lol 😅😂 but I still like this cheesy romantic drama as long as you can separate the two and you know the actual facts of her life. Sad thing is most people don’t know her life and the history of it, but for me and people like me it’s fine and entertaining 😅🥰❤️

[@LariLesque]

Totally agree that history is fascinating enough without making up a load of nonsense and unlikely characters. Also I hate all the fancy dress and bare arms when beautiful portraits are available. That said, I lapped it all up and loved Megan's evil Catherine. Did you watch The Serpent Queen?

[@ElleHistory]

It is a guilty pleasure type of show haha! We know we shouldn't like it but we do find things we do like about!!

[@ursulaa1889]

I think Reign made it pretty obvious that there was no point in trying to watch for any sort of historical accuracy in episode 1 haha, which I think is fair. And I embraced that myself but the show got pretty boring in later seasons imo. I also embraced the fanfic meeting of Elizabeth I and Catherine. And Reign is worth watching (at least the first season) for MF's performance.

[@kaygames7136]

This is my favorite TV show regardless

[@robertandkristinhall5006]

I had a hard time watching The Serpent Queen because they portrayed Mary as this awful religious zealot and the whole time I was thinking.. But she was so nice in Reign! Lol

[@jennyquade8498]

When the show came out the producers told everyone this show was not historically accurate that it would be very very very loosely based on what historically factual ... that said fans found out that Adelaide Kane who played Mary was a descendant of Mary. Queen of Scots

[@Powwftcj]

Thankyou for the lesson!!

[@widowrumstrypze9705]

I would brave that dreaded shitshow again, JUST to enjoy the *PHENOMENAL* performance of Megan Followes!! She was PERFECT!!

[@TheBexi]

I actually adore this show, it's my comfort show, but also, it is what got me interested in history. I knew because this was from the CW, obviously they took liberties, so I found myself googling things constantly when I was watching it, learning new things everytime I rewatched it, and got into literature on the actual facts of the Tudor period. So yeah, with all its faults, and zippers, and made up characters, the core of it hooked me. And now I'm obsessed with history, which would baffle my younger self!

[@mangiagatti85]

Why didn't they cast you, Elle as the young Mary Queen of Scots? You are very stylish & your accent is almost perfect as a Franco-Scot speaking English! Keep your head & carry on with your inimitable je ne sais quoi...mais oui...c'est vrai!

[@ElleHistory]

Thank you so much. This is so very kind!! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@EVELYN-qk4wq]

Me...watching...seeing Thomas Culpepper...😂😂 I haven't watched REIGN, yet. But the guy who plays the king's brother, plays Thomas Culpepper in the Tudors.

[@ElleHistory]

Haha yes!!

[@EVELYN-qk4wq]

❤️

[@Ccamero123]

Since when did they have tea in the sixteenth century?

[@karrokorall]

Delphine (not sure about the spelling) does not die when she brings Francis back!

[@ElleHistory]

Yes I just used this cut off scene to make it funny.. but you’re right

[@Ccamero123]

Francis looks like a biker and Mary Queen Of Scots costume is just outrageous!

[@doriangel97]

I honestly love this show because I love fanfiction, and this is like watching a fanfic on tv lol mindless but fun to watch 🤣

[@ElleHistory]

Haha fair enough!

[@daedalusdreamjournal5925]

there is a sound problem with that video. When you speak, I can only hear you through one side of my headphones. THe rest of the video works properly though.

[@imonherenow3673]

This show is my guilty pleasure 😂 It’s so historically inaccurate but it’s entertaining. I watch it and yell out “that’s not what happened” I love each and every season of the show but I do have moments where I cringe due to the outlandish things that happen.

[@iamawesome4026]

Hey do I have to watch all the seasons of reign to watch this video

[@ElleHistory]

No you don’t!

[@michaelturnage3395]

Whatever you do... don't watch this alone in a bathroom in front of the mirror with the lights off. 💀

[@zippy4star]

I think it's important to remember that James was quite successful in using his mother's death for his political ends. No matter how much he benefitted politically, it served him to seem outraged and upset to push England into helping him. *IF* they had met, which obviously they never would, I'm sure James VI would have been equally canny at pretending he didn't want Mary's execution, if only to benefit from the English crown buying his support.

[@ElleHistory]

That's a good point to make but I'm still unsure he would have been that bold with Elizabeth in person given his letters etc. But you do have a point! Thank you for watching!

[@zippy4star]

@@ElleHistory Oh you're certainly right there. Dramatic license very much taken in those scenes. Great video. Loved your point about how often history is dramatic enough and doesn't need so many embellishments, too true!

[@alestev24]

Never heard of this series before. After seeing the scenes in this video, I have to conclude that I did not miss much. Not only because of the historical mistakes, but the acting is horrendous as well.

[@ElleHistory]

You’re not wrong!

[@amysrandomrants]

Im curious what your take on Catherine de Medici in this show was. Obviously there was a lot of nonsense mixed in but I thought the complexity of her character and love for her children was one of the better parts of the early seasons.

[@ElleHistory]

I actually like the actress and there was some strengths but I wish they didn’t play into her dark legend so much…

[@Irenicus91]

I'll be honest, I've been wanting to hear your opinions on this show for *so long*! Wrapping up this shift at work then I'm diving in! 😍

[@ElleHistory]

Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy it!

[@camilapepper]

Hi! I remember starting to watch this show back in the day with an historical eye, but at the middle of the first episode I was shocked by the costume design being so inaccurate hahaha so I decided to watch it as a drama series and not to pay any attention on the historical accuracy. And I quite like it actually hahah

[@Ccamero123]

What the hell? Sorceress?

[@rocknroll20024]

My mom likes this show. This show drives me in sane.

[@johnlweitzel]

And yes, I just bought your book. It will be a great addition to my other Scots books. :)

[@ElleHistory]

Thank you so much!

[@anastasiakirbey1034]

Love the Show❤❤❤

[@ElleHistory]

It has its moments 😊

[@bertrandklermannb2k768]

Notons que dans Reign, l'exécution de Mary Queen of Scots prend place 20 ans après l'Invincible Armada.

[@ElleHistory]

Oui aussi... 🤣

[@popeye5989]

To be honest the"Scotland" speech should have been much more convincing if it wasn't spoken with what sounded like a posh London accent🤣

[@tangiechapman6219]

Isn’t she a quarter English a quarter Scottish and half French

[@ElleHistory]

She was yes…

[@cariann2220]

I watched this and did enjoy it, found myself googling the truth of her life and other people. I could tell it wasnt acurrate because of the magic and everything but i did love some of the characters, I hated how quickly they wrapped it up in the last season that was probably my least favorite part.

[@ElleHistory]

yes!

[@lisanicopoulos8966]

The lady didn’t die

[@areiaaphrodite]

Honestly, I was done with Reign after 3 episodes. Only years later did I read more about the show and how it ended and... wow. I know it was never meant to be historically accurate and yet knowing how the series went on and the amount of unnecessary liberties it took... It makes me grind my teeth. 🤦‍♀️

[@ninalily]

REIGN IS LIKE A GUILTY PLEASURE, BUT NOT ACCURATE AT ALL. I JUST WAS THERE FOR THE LOVE STORY😂❤❤❤

[@crystalscolza1663]

First of all I would like to agree with your first statement at the beginning of this video that the directors of people in charge of this movie said it was for entertainment only. Yet here you are. Second of all I would like to point out that history is written by those in charge and who came out on top. Here in Florida we are currently rewriting history so our kids don't have guilt over what their ancestors did. You have media on both sides spreading half truths and propaganda. How accurate do you think the history of this time will be in 500 years? My point is I really don't like these historian channels that go and pick apart what is absolute entertainment like they were there. Like it's a personal affront to you because you lived it. You are exhausting. But I'm glad you're getting some use out of your expensive history degree. Lol

[@widowrumstrypze9705]

Trash show, BUT....I absolutely *LOVED* Megan Followes' "Catherine DeMedici" SOOO much!!

[@jazzi11xa]

Love the show

[@alecbona4549]

I reallu enjoyed this show BUT i was not going into it expecting any type of historical accuracy. Lol i was already VERY familiar with the actual history, and I knew from a friend that the stuff on the show was mostly made up, but it made for solid entertainment. For me, anyway

[@iosonoxkrxmovxi]

Soap drama who takes it serious tho

[@liberalhyena9760]

I’m in danger of serious confusion after bingeing on your reviews of historical TV shows I’ve never seen, starring, for the most part, people I’d never heard of, which includes the entire cast of Reign. I’ve just done some research and learned that Adelaide Kane is part-Scottish and a descendant of Mary. Being Australian, she naturally began her career on Neighbours. Reign could hardly be more different. On second thoughts, it could scarcely be less different, other than for the accents and the elements lifted from Game of Thrones. I honestly think the producers would have done better to drop the pretence of making a historical drama and do what George R R Martin did, i.e. make a fantasy series inspired by historical events and characters but with no claims of being faithful to those inspirations. The resulting show might then be criticised purely on the quality of the drama, characterisation, pacing, etc, but not on making pseudo-historical nonsense. As a footnote, I see from IMDB that Adelaide Kane based her portrayal of Mary on Wonder Woman. I truly think she might excel in that role, were it not already taken.

[@nazlsenay7312]

...😊😊

[@theonellakats2443]

I found the series very entertaining. However, there were quite a few cringeworthy aspects. 1) The clothing. Most of the wardrobe, though creative, was nowhere near what ANYBODY of that era would have worn. It was a cross between fashion runway, Bollywood, drag shows, and episodes of Star Trek. There were, especially in the first 3 seasons, no attempts made to copy period design or fabric. And white wedding dresses? Who came up with that idea? 2) Why does everybody spend so much time in bed, usually just minutes after they've met? The scenes were all the same, no matter which combination of people were being filmed. Too much, too often. Practically identical scenes blurring into a boring monotony that did little to move the story lines along. 3)Plundering history for bits and pieces of reality strung together to, with a lot of wild imagination, make up a really flawed account. I hope this is not a series that one would watch thinking that this is what really happened. For that, I would recommend "Elizabeth R". Though flawed, it was much more historically accurate. And, is it just me, or did they choose an actress who looks a lot like today's Princess Catherine to play the part of queen Elizabeth?

[@genna2586]

Thank you for validating the obvious. Unwatchable.

[@mt_v96]

I wanted to like it so bad but it’s just terrible with the music, the acting, the anacuracy just KILLS ME. COULDNT DO IT

[@SmellyMellyization]

I can't stand this show! The acting his horrible, the writing is horrible, everything is horrible.