Fall TV Preview: Reign

Not familiar with Reign? Picture Gossip Girl set in 1557 France, and you have a good idea what you're in for when the CW launches the sexy period drama this October. 

Australian beauty Adelaide Kane stars as the series' 15-year-old lead, Mary Queen of Scots, who comes into adulthood amidst a backdrop of political unrest and sexual intrigue while betrothed to Prince Francis.

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While early reviews have come to admonish the show deviating from historical accuracy, Kane tells ET the liberties taken, in that respect, lend to a "fun" reimagining what teenage life was like some 500 years ago.

"I don't think anybody's made a period drama specifically for our demographic just yet," the 23-year-old actress said. "We're also very different in that we're not particularly historically accurate. We have taken quite a lot of creative license and I think that opens us up to a lot of fun experimentation stylistically and in terms of story and in terms of dramatic elements that we can add. I honestly think it'll just be good fun."

In the series, Mary and her three best friends (her ladies-in-waiting) come into their own, sexually, at a time when sex education for girls was nearly non-existent. When approached with the concept, Kane says she found this aspect of Reign particularly compelling.

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"They hear whispers from servants and from other girlfriends. They have no clue what they're in for. They have those hormonal urges that you have when you're young and there are cute boys wandering around in little hidden nooks and flirtations and the occasional kiss in the corridor."

Reign, also starring Toby Regbo (as Prince Francis) and Torrance Coombs, makes its big debut Thursday, October 17 on the CW after The Vampire Diaries.