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Merlin: The Midpoint
So, here we are: seven episodes into the BBC’s latest family-oriented drama, Merlin. And what are we thinking so far?
Personally I’m rather enjoying it. Obviously Bradley James as Arthur isn’t getting his shirt off enough (and he looked worryingly swoon-some with red eyes in yesterday’s episode), the plots are playing wildly fast and loose with the legend, and the anachronisms are clunking around the place like mad (I mean… potatoes?) but I must say I’m rather enjoying it.
Above all I’m finding it a damned sight more watchable than Robin Hood ever was. True it’s plots are similarly repetitive (you’d have thought Uther might have learned to be more suspicious of strangers, in the same way Nottingham’s guards need a quick lesson in security) but there’s a lot more humour and charm in it, I’m finding – helped in part by a lack of over-emphasised parallels to modern day terrorism which so dogged the Hooded one’s adventures.
It’s also nicely played by all concerned. Anthony Head and Richard Wilson instil a vital sense of gravitas to the proceedings; and the stories, whilst simple, do appear to be layering things in slowly. Knowing the legend of Morgana it’s interesting to see her slowly becoming aware of her powers whilst still being the good guy (or rather… gal), and you do get a feel that a lot of stuff happened at the start of Uther’s reign that he and Gaius would rather forget.
It’s not quite the “must-see” television of Doctor Who (well, let’s face it so little is) but I’m impressed enough and enjoying it enough to keep watching.
Hmm. Thinking about it, surely the Arthur/Merlin slash fiction must be seeping through the interweb by now…
Posted on November 2, 2008 | Filed Under Film, TV, Theatre
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Response left by Emma on November 2nd, 2008
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Merlin is indeed quite watchable, for all factors you mentioned, thought the ‘cut to stocks’ sequences were fairly chucklesome as was ‘no, there must be another Arthur because this one’s an idiot’ of episode 1.
And there’s none of the namby pamby ‘it’s better to talk away our differences’ of Robin Hood either….nope Arthur has himself a lengthy sword and isn’t afraid to use it.