Following reports that the third season of The CW's "Reign" saw lower ratings than what was expected, there are recent rumors suggesting that the upcoming fourth season may be the show's last.

Due to the dip in ratings, it's not surprising that the network may soon decide to end the reign of Queen Mary (Adelaide Kane) after the last of the episodes from season four airs. The bigger problem is, "Reign" season four won't air until 2017 and speculations about the historical drama's alleged cancellation after the new installment won't really help in keeping the interest of viewers.

Another issue that critics are looking at is the drop in season episodes. The first two had 22 full episodes, the next installment only had 18, and finally, "Reign" season four will only have 16 episodes, further adding fuel to the fire about The CW deciding to wrap up the series after its 2017 run.

It is speculated that the producers may just be giving the show another shot but after this season, everything might get down to real business, considering that the ratings haven't really gone up and instead continued to dip for season three.

Most believe that The CW is planning for a "Reign" season four premiere that will shy away from the seventh run of "Game of Thrones." The reason behind this is clearer than blue: if "Reign" decides to go toe-to-toe with GoT, there will be less chances for the series to redeem itself from the dip in its previous runs. Though it can be considered a rather brave move if the network allows for "Reign" and GoT to be in competition, it will still not do well for the former's already declining fame with viewers.

Meanwhile, it is expected that the new episodes will largely focus on Queen Mary's second and third marriages, though not much is known about the plot just yet. Still, loyal fans are looking forward to the courtship and if Mary's succeeding relationships will help or destroy her.

"Reign" season four is expected to premiere sometime early 2017.