Laurie McCarthy

Rather than shirking the long-term trauma of it all, “The Lamb and the Slaughter” confidently shows what a thing like the plague does to the characters in this series.

The pleasures of Reign don’t require a full comprehension of its history. The fun is all there to be had in the moment, and “The Plague” is anything but short on entertainment.

Of all the new offerings from The CW in the 2013-14 season, Reign outclasses its competition by delving totally and unashamedly into its melodrama.