Top Ten: Family Shows!

Welcome to our new Top Tens series in celebration of I Think, Therefore I Review's Tenth Anniversary! These monthly lists will highlight special themes and topics from our extensive archive of reviews.

This time I Think, Therefore I Review presents in chronological order...

 

Our Top Ten Family Friendly Shows!

Sleeping Beauty

Cinderella (1965)

The Addams Family

The Bob Newhart Show

Jem and the Holograms

Quantum Leap

A Bear Named Winnie

Lord of the Rings

Dinotopia

Merlin

Please see our Kid Friendly and Fantasy tags for more or browse our Television page further analysis! 

 

I Think, Therefore I Review began as the blog home for previously published reviews and reprinted critiques by horror author Kristin Battestella. Naturally older articles linked here may be out of date and codes or formatting may be broken. Please excuse any errors and remember our Top Tens will generally only include films, shows, books, or music previously reviewed at I Think, Therefore I Review.

Top Ten: British Television!

Welcome to our new Top Tens series in celebration of I Think, Therefore I Review's Tenth Anniversary! These monthly lists will highlight special themes and topics from our extensive archive of reviews. 

 

This time I Think, Therefore I Review presents in chronological order...

Our Top Ten British Television!

I, Claudius

Mr. Bean

Sharpe

MI-5

The Tudors

Merlin

Wallander

Whitechapel

Downton Abbey

Silk

Please see our British tag for yet more Anglo analysis or visit our Television page for more reviews!

I Think, Therefore I Review began as the blog home for previously published reviews and reprinted critiques by horror author Kristin Battestella. Naturally older articles linked here may be out of date and codes or formatting may be broken. Please excuse any errors and remember our Top Tens will generally only include films, shows, books, or music previously reviewed at I Think, Therefore I Review.

More Arthurian Enchantments!

Once and Future Arthurian Enchantments!

By Kristin Battestella

Let's get our early medieval old speaketh education on with this chivalrous list of family friendly and Arthurian-centric documentaries.

The Arthurian Legends: The Legend of King Arthur – This 50 minute documentary from 2006 is the first in this series from Kultur and spends its time focusing on the historical and fanciful merging of the Arthur mythos. Interviews with scholarly experts and modern medievalists debate Arthur as a hero modeled to fit his time and place and how the legend has traveled across cultures and through the centuries. Balanced point/counterpoint theories break up the expected man versus myth monotony, and the time is divided into themed segments such as the Malory Arthurian era, Arthur’s genesis with the Sword in the Stone, Excalibur, and the Geoffrey of Monmouth writings. Everything from early Ecclesiastic evidence and Roman influence on the legend to Sarmatian possibilities, dragon motifs, and Christian iconography is discussed here. Granted, the standard Camelot summary and knightly re-enactments are here, too. However, Stonehenge scenery and lovely artwork contribute to the well edited pacing. This won't be anything new to the well read Arthur enthusiast, my rental disc skipped, and there are no subtitles which might hinder an otherwise fine classroom viewing. Some may also find the presentation too dated or British, but considering the subject, what did you expect? This one is just the right length and none too high brow for a youthful medieval fan. 

 

The Arthurian Legends: Camelot – This second documentary hour focuses on the would be seat of King Arthur. Was there really such a place as Camelot? How do you research a city that seemingly did not exist? Name corruptions from Chretien de Troyes, Roman ties, and several historical locales with similar monikers are discussed as numerous places on the UK map have their eponymous case made known. Mobile forces, original wooden hill forts developing into later medieval stone castles, and real world locations such as Tintagel debate how Arthur has gradually changed from a Welsh warlord who needed no hall to a king with a supposedly most chivalrous court. By chapters, scholars recount evidence for Camelot, writings after the fact from 15^th century Malory and later Tennyson in the Victorian era, and the symbolic haven of peace and justice Camelot brought for peoples living in a darker time. From the Round Table hanging at Winchester Castle and fair government ideology to underlying Christian themes on inherent goodness meeting innate corruption, the narration becomes a bit too lofty at times – whimsical but also bemoaning on the impossibility of a finite Camelot answer. The accented, fast talking experts also become redundant while tossing around confusing ye olde names and waxing on the allure of a lost city mixing magic and idyllic possibilities gone awry. Fortunately, great scenery and locations with Cadbury excavations, Viroconium ruins, and research on actual 5^th century construction make up any difference for today's knightly loving teens.

The Arthurian Legends: Merlin – The final leg in the Arthurian Legend series focuses on those separately inseparable aspects between the eponymous wizard and King Arthur. Did this wild man of the woods even meet Arthur or are their sources too far apart? From Merlin's natural, pagan origins and his mysterious conception to his legendary erection of Stonehenge and his blending into Christianity and other native religions, the segments here break down Geoffrey of Monmouth's information alongside other early or obscure sources. Factual or mythical basis for the possibility of more than one Merlin is debated alongside Welsh terminology versus Celtic lore and evidence for the existence of a real 6^th century man who has been described as a part demon magician and a warrior poet. Name changes – even jokes about the potential for a “shitty” Latin translation snafu – and prophecies attributed to Merlin’s name help paint the backdrop for Roman and Saxon strife, Druid teachings, and pagan versus Christian influences. At times the muddled supposition strays to far from the details we know and love, but some of the conjecture from fringe scholars is perhaps fittingly esoteric. Fortunately, there are enough new theories and quality historical scope here to conclude this fun and informative little trilogy. 

Documentary Bonus:

Mystery Files: King Arthur – This 2010 half hour from the Smithsonian Channel series wastes precious minutes and a little too much time on a recap of the well-known legend. It also makes sure it looks right cool with cinematic, digitally graded color, fast, angled photography, and badass re-enactments – young classroom audiences won’t have a tough time watching this! Again, Le Morte d Arthur and Malory are used to frame the presentation, and common topics like chivalrous codes and jousting feel like an unnecessary geek chic lure. However, expert opinions – mostly young, hip scholars, of course – break up the obvious narration on how the 15^th century writings have obscured the Dark Ages facts. Understandably, the Ambrosius Aurelianus and Riothamus amalgam conversation is presented as the new, shocking, crux, but it’s all overly generalized and brief by necessity due to the short runtime here. In this era of reality shows on The History Channel and Ancient Aliens on its sister station, however, it’s simply so nice to find quality, educational, and informative content – and the on location Tintagel scenery is lovely! The brevity may bother long time Arthurian aficionados, but this short and sweet is fitting for today’s fantasy tweens with a budding interest in Arthurian fanfare.

Merlin Season 5

Merlin Season 5 Just Too Iffy

By Kristin Battestella

It doesn’t seem like the British fantasy series Merlin has been on that long or gotten that old, yet here we are in the Fifth and final season with our youthful cast supposedly mature and unfortunately, disappointing.  

Servant and secret possessor of magic Merlin (Colin Morgan) has protected Camelot, King Arthur (Bradley James), and his queen Guinevere (Angel Colby) for three years against the dark magic plots of Arthur’s half sister Morgana (Katie McGrath). When the druid Mordred (Alexander Vlahos) – foretold to kill Arthur – becomes a knight of Camelot, however, Merlin and court physician Gaius (Richard Wilson) must stop him as more of Morgana’s evil allies threaten to destroy Arthur and Albion’s future.

The two part “Arthur’s Bane” is nice to start Year 5, but it also feels as though it’s made up of knockoffs or plot borrowing that interferes and detracts from Merlin’s own mythos. There’s snowy action and wolves ala Game of Thrones and underground mining ala Lord of the Rings – but the boys are shirtless! I guess that’s all that matters now. Thankfully, there are still fine Round Table motifs, Emrys iconographies, and touches of the Great Dragon. Merlin isn’t afraid of death and there’s some solid foreshadowing of Le Morte de Arthur, but again Camelot conclusions and depth are pushed aside for more copying as Samwise Merlin cooks rabbits and gets caught in a net just like Return of the Jedi. Some poor CGI Ancient Aliens heal Gwaine, too, and the ridiculous slow motion battles and leaps reek of Spartacus. Honestly, I’m amazed the nighttime photography, dark CGI, lightning, flying thru the air knockdowns, and supposedly epic final battles are so poor. Writer Howard Overman does provide good scares, suspense, and dark themes for episode 3, “The Death Song of Uther Pendragon,” and the humor works here because it alleviates tension instead of hamming it up. Sadly, this final season is bereft of direction otherwise, as the creators, producers, and writers have run themselves into the ground with the simplest storytelling, action iffys, and plot holes ad nauseum. I thought the truncated falling apart of Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps, and Julian Murphy’s previous series Hex was do to other factors, but now I’m not so sure. How do these guys just keep doing the same thing over and over?

Recurring Camelot friends and enemies return for this season, but this odd tying up of loose ends somehow leaves more players and Arthurian plots hanging. The first halves of Merlin’s seasons have always been kind of ho hum, and show 7 “A Lesson in Vengeance” predictably relies on clichés already used in Merlin despite some suspenseful possibilities from director Alice Troughton. Likewise, Troughton adds tension to “The Hollow Queen” and “With All My Heart,” but again, the Gwen storyline is unbelievable thanks to the same old rehashings. Who’s under a spell, someone is knocked unconscious, and how is magic going to save the day this time? Where’s anything that makes Merlin Arthurian? Show 10 “The Kindness of Strangers” is good thematically, but nothing happens to advance anything, and Merlin does not have time to waste on all these gosh darn sorcery retreads. We finally get an Arthurian plot for the “The Diamond of the Day” two part series finale, but the less said about it, the better. All these years, I’ve been waiting for Merlin to take it to the next level, but in retrospect, it’s amazing this show didn’t go to total pot even sooner. It’s a pity; I barely finished watching this season and won’t tune in for another series from these show runners again.

Merlin moves its internal timeline up several years, but Arthur is still a little too mean to Merlin. Their bemusing banter is still one of the highlights of the show, but shouldn’t the characters have, like, you know, grown up by now? Amid the heavy and wise, there is time for a wisecracking moment or two, but Merlin’s done nothing all this time but play the fool in front of the queen? When is he going to become Arthur’s respected, trusted advisor? The repeat gags near farce and threaten to overtake all the on form groundwork by Colin Morgan. He deals with the magical and prophetic heavies wonderfully – even if Merlin is made to Deathly Hallows wannabe in the end. The way he tries to tell Arthur how he has skills unseen and has saved him many times is heartbreaking, and getting to his core of the series should have happened far, far sooner. Bradley James as Arthur also has moments of boldness and power, but shows a sympathetic and honest side for some strong speeches and sincerity in the end. Arthur has some wise words and beliefs when allowed to show them, but the Merlin writers do him so, so, so wrong! I really don’t understand why this pair is always resorted to jokes when the series’ strength has always been the seriousness and ready to play of its ensemble. Merlin and Arthur’s final scenes are where Merlin should have always been. It’s very touching, but by the end, it’s just not enough. Thankfully, there is some stepped up ominous with the too little utilized Mordred storyline. Sinister music accents Alexander Vlahos (Doctors) onscreen, but he doesn’t have to do much. We know what to expect from Mordred but his suspicious idles in obvious plots – as in the weird romance tacked on with three episodes left. Us versus them magic persecution talks between Mordred and Merlin are too few and far between, further wasting the subterfuge possibilities. Likewise, Old Merlin comes into his own, but Merlin as a drag sorceress? Seriously?  

Angel Colby certainly looks queenly as Guinevere and husband and wife terms are tossed about, but there’s nothing marital about Arthur and Gwen. Gwen is respected at the round table or plays the worrywart as needed, but her rule is hit and miss thanks to spotty plot points. Despite her father’s execution, she sentences someone to death for magic conspiracy before going on a family quest in episode 6, “The Dark Tower.” Attempted evil twists in “The Hollow Queen” don’t help this all over the place character motivation. Turncoat maids also come and go this season before disappearing unresolved. Merlin never did have a proper focus on its female characters, but this season’s ill-paced changes and out of character complications are ridiculous. Katie McGrath fairs no better as Morgana. All these years have supposedly past and yet Morgana is still just a stupid evil sorcery plot of the week? So much more could have been done here. References to her being held prisoner for 2 years aren’t explained until it’s too late to care, and the Aithusa dragon element is never used to its full potential either. Morgana’s evil is all over the place – spread to thin only to be laid on thick in the end. Sigh. 

 Unfortunately, it seems Richard Wilson is also largely absent in this final season. His Gaius is a wonderful ear for Merlin and even does some magic when it’s needed, but no one really listens to his information or sees what he’s doing. Wilson adds great contrast and humor as required but he and John Hurt as the voice of the Great Dragon are not used consistently enough. How dare they just pfft and whim on Kilgharrah and his bittersweet final moments! The adult players on Merlin have always made for great support and raised the intensity onscreen, but guest stars such as Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) and King Uther star Anthony Head are sadly mishandled. Knights Eion Macken as Gwaine, Tom Hopper as Percival, Rupert Young as Leon, and Adetomiwa Edun as Elyan are equally used and abused. Gwaine has become a self-centered sarcastic ass, but apparently, he and Percival are only important as new homoerotic fodder. All the knights appear more than Morgana, but they are not elevated to main cast members – is that because they are each injured every week? All the explorations of the court at hand and possible off shoot Arthurian tales fall to the wayside this season for, well, nothing.  

I feel terrible in writing so harsh a review, but this show never really knew what to do with its potential. Even after making dark, complex strides in Years 3 and 4, Merlin continued to rely on flawed writing, underdeveloped support, tiresome creatures, and bad CGI for a safe, juvenile, and immature approach. Merlin capitalized on the young adult fantasy and family friendly niche and rode the recent ideology of making everything new and youthful fast, but I sincerely don’t understand why this show didn’t allow itself to grow up like Buffy. The perpetual YA made the series a hit in its first two seasons, but it also stunted the show in its tracks before this rushed, shoehorned in Arthurian pinnacle finale. While Game of Thrones is going heavy, nasty, sexy, in your face overboard, Merlin has not aged with its audience and now feels left behind. Yes, Merlin never promised it would be anything other than an Arthurian Smallville – but ultimately, it wasn’t even that. Though the likeability of its players, quality fantasy, and fun adventure save this show, as an adult long waiting for a definitive Arthurian telling, this Fifth season has been a tremendous disappointment. Instead of the ‘Camelot, Teen Years’ focus blossoming into total television glory for this dénouement, we received a limp, bitter ending with no repeat value.

Arthurian audiences looking for something slightly more serious may need to look elsewhere, but fanciful teens or magic, youthful viewers growing out of The Sword and the Stone can have a new Camelot nutshell with Merlin. Video and streaming options of all 5 series are available on both sides of the pond for family audiences to pick and choose their favorites, but longtime Merlin fans are better off skipping Season 5 and imagining their own end.

Merlin Season 4

Merlin Season 4 Steps It Up At Last!

By Kristin Battestella

It’s taken awhile for the BBC series Merlin to grow into its own mythology, but with this fourth season, it has finally stepped up to what it should be.

One year has passed since Morgana (Katie McGrath) fled Camelot and the broken King Uther (Anthony Head).  Though his Uncle Agravaine (Nathaniel Parker) would seem to help Prince Arthur (Bradley James) rule, he secretly supports the exiled Morgana’s intentions against Camelot. Servant Merlin (Colin Morgan) and Court Physician Gaius (Richard Wilson) have their suspicions about Agravaine, but little can be done without proof.  Maid Guinevere (Angel Colby) cares for the ailing Uther and becomes a strong supporter of Arthur at court- much to Agravaine and Morgana’s chagrin. The illegitimate sorceress is determined to never see her former maid upon her throne as Queen of Camelot.

The drama’s been kicked up this season, and we have new credits, too! It peeves me when everyone isn’t listed in the opening, but finally we also have a fine supporting court cast as there always should have been. With positive players like the Knights of the Round Table against the meddling forces of Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine, this year builds nicely towards the Arthurian myths we know, love, and have long expected to see. Old Merlin has a few appearances, the fully villainous Morgana and would be Queen Gwen face their destinies, and Arthur at last rises to the occasion. The fast paced, grown up strides of Series 4 makes an audience wonder why they wasted the first 2 seasons on humor and stupid creatures of the week!  Alice Troughton wonderfully directs the opening two-parter “The Darkest Hour,” a great suspenseful Samhain plot, as well as the third episode “The Wicked Day” and the “Sword in the Stone” two hour finale. Though the intercutting and deaths are a little heavy in the first episode, it’s bemusing to see all the badass knights cowering and afraid of wispy phantoms.  Several scenes throughout the season do erroneously demote the knights towards comedy and overused misuses or further stupidity. However, oft writer Howard Overman also builds on King Uther’s anti-magic stance and finally creates resolutions that take Merlin toward the getting good point of no return in episode 5 “His Father’s Son” and the subsequent “A Servant of Two Masters.”  Arthur’s budding kingship and Merlin versus Morgana turntables take the forefront while the quality humor, humility, and family friendly style remains well balanced amid the increasing perils.

Of course, those perils are depicted with way too much slow motion!  And yet, the heavies come too quickly at times as well- resolved haphazardly or afterwards easily forgotten.  “The Secret Sharer” and “Lamia” almost resort to slapstick and creature feature stylings while “Aithusia” provides another quest for quest’s sake with conveniently knocked out knights allowing magic to happen sight unseen. It’s also odd to again have so many one off episodes when the heavy ongoing storylines could continue.  Why must major material go on hold for the rehashed plot of the week? “A Herald of a New Age” has some great scares and gives Elyan something to do; but it also retreads earlier wet ghost plots, and the major arc change for his sister Gwen in the previous episode “Lancelot du Lac” is hardly mentioned.  Despite serious reflective time for Arthur and maturity for Morgana, “The Hunter’s Heart” also rehashes arranged marriages and new princesses. The improvements on Merlin are great, but it is too easy for the writers to fall into seemingly safer, juvenile trappings. The otherwise fine finale feels slightly rushed, too, with a wasted Tristan and Isolde opportunity.  We finally have all the legends we love happening all at once and they’re sped up for presumed audiences with short attention spans.  Fortunately, great suspense, action, and relationship turns force our players to, you know, act like adults. Excalibur makes its presence known and Merlin at last goes past the point of no return in approaching Series 5.

Although Merlin still uses magic in public too much and no one ever notices, Colin Morgan is perfect at saying all that can’t be said.  He also has some fun as the Old Merlin incarnation, mixing the snarky with a serious and wise reflection. It’s nice to see Merlin take on medical duties in “Lamia,” and there’s even an Evil Merlin in “The Servant of Two Masters.”  As these young men mature, Merlin’s relationship with Arthur also improves greatly. The humor and camaraderie are still there, but as Bradley James rises Arthur to new leadership and strengths, critical events and a lovely begrudging respect replace the crude and previously so often retconned jerky Arthur.  There are some nods to the slash subtext built in this season- a little more emotion and bromance per episode for fans. However, I could do without the weird near butt shots and ab-fest imagery unnecessarily toeing the line of excessiveness.  By contrast, Arthur seems to cry quite a bit this season, and that isn’t a bad thing.  His burdens increase wonderfully through Year 4, creating quality drama in Camelot and much need adult angst on Merlin.

Audiences are finally treated to Katie McGrath’s full on magical and notched up Morgana, too. Her style would seem a little too Potter Bellatrix-black lace, crazy hair, cheap Halloween costume spider web designs- but she does look great! Green eye shadow has replaced that so obviously evil black eyeliner, and Morgana’s little witchy hut is a spooky, elemental place- even if it seems way too close to Camelot to never be found!  McGrath tones down the smirky as well, but she still fronts more evil backtalk dialogue then she successfully does thanks to repeated evil exposition.  Episode 7 “The Secret Sharer” fortunately shows Morgana’s increasing magical connections building heavy towards the finale. Her hooded, dark menace ways grow throughout the season, and Morgana’s ongoing threats to Camelot amplify the tension and create divisions all around. I still hold hope we may have more of the even juicier Emilia Fox as Morgana’s disfigured sister Morgause, too.  

Angel Colby also looks much nicer this season, and Gwen is at last receiving some just Arthurian grace.  This is how she should have been styled all along. Why did they waste all that time on a bumbling servant girl? Where did those boobs come from?!  It is unusual that Gwen would nurse Uther after all he did to her and her late father- like causing him to be late. However, her intelligence, maturity, and compassion lead to a strong standing at Camelot’s court and define the Guinevere we’ve long expected. Her relationship with Arthur has finally gotten realistic, even it if is handled innocently for the family audiences.  Some of the retread with Santiago Cabrera as Lancelot is a waste of his appearances, but his guest episodes fortunately can’t revolve around some stupid puppy love anymore.  Serious consequences and meatier bits happen for all the knights on Merlin this series- and it’s so nice to have court players on Merlin all the time!  Yes, Eoin Macken as Gwaine is especially resorted to mostly comic relief instead of snappy guest spotlights.  Despite being a creature of the week enchantment and subterfuge, “Lamia” does give Gwaine, Leon (Rupert Young), Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun), and Percival (Tom Hopper) a chance to shine. The writers still don’t seem to fully utilize all their wonderful players, but the knights’ moments per episode increase the camaraderie and peril throughout the season. 

The great strides for Merlin this year do deserve praise, but Richard Wilson’s fatherly Gaius finds himself accused of sorcery yet again in “The Secret Sharer.”  Everything is much more serious and the individual tests work because Wilson is so good, but our darling and classy Court Physician is still needed onscreen- even as our younger cast grows up.  Anthony Head also raises the bar as the sickly and humbled Uther in “The Wicked Day.” Strange as it may sound, it’s great to see the anti-magic, mean King broken after such prior nasties!  New regular Nathaniel Parker (Inspector Lynley Mysteries) as Lord Agravaine is equally love to hate worthy as the embittered uncle slithering into Camelot. Again, his kind of subterfuge should have been part of Merlin all along.  Although I’m sorry but I must say it, for there are some potentially dirty vibes coming from Agravaine in scenes with the pretty young ladies! He’s always sneaking off for a secret or suspicious rendezvous with Morgana or trying to trap Gwen into uncomfortable one on one meetings. Youth enjoying Merlin probably won’t notice, but older audiences and adults will see his disturbingly fine brand of creepy!

Though I wish they had extended appearances, mature guest stars Gemma Jones and Miranda Raison (MI-5), Melanie Hill (Stardust), Lindsay Duncan (Rome), Ben Daniels (Law & Order: UK), and the too, too brief Michael Cronin as Geoffrey of Monmouth are perfection. I would rather have actors acting instead of mock battles with thin air and monsters of the week any day. But alas, such action has almost always been the definition of fantasy media, I suppose. Precious time on Merlin is still wasted on creature features, and the Massive CGI effects are somewhat low in quality if compared to big cinema today. Fortunately, the set dressings, forestry and castle locations, and fun costumes invoke superior medieval mood and fantasy atmosphere. Great candelabras, court finery, and spooky ruins do wonders indeed! Sure, it’s colorful and not high end 5^th century brooding, but the fanciful for young and old has always been a fine aspect on Merlin.  John Heard and his Great Dragon avatar are also smartly used as needed in poignant, touching moments- especially in the fourth episode spotlight, “Aithusa,” and hopefully the dragon hints and motifs will blossom to the forefront in the upcoming Series 5.

Merlin can still fall victim to weaker juvenile formulas, I grant you. Thankfully, Year 4 has stepped up the pace and maturity immensely, and casual reset buttons can no longer be pressed. Older audiences or Camelot connoisseurs who may have put off the series for its growing pains beginnings can now tune in anew.  After jumping in with this season on the SyFy (still hate that!) Channel’s recent airings, my teen nieces are now addicted!  All lovers of fantasy fun can enjoy Merlin’s strengthened storytelling and approaching Arthurian wonders. Bring on Year 5!

Merlin Season 3

Merlin Season 3 Finally Gets on the Magical Ball

By Kristin Battestella

After two entertaining but somewhat youthful and meandering seasons, Merlin Year 3 grows up, gets dark, and takes major strides towards the Camelot we’ve been expecting all along.

Prince Arthur (Bradley James) and his loyal but secretly magically inclined servant Merlin (Colin Morgan) have spent the last year searching for King Uther’s (Anthony Head) ward Morgana (Katie McGrath).  When Morgana suddenly returns, she is changed for the worse- thanks to the evil magic tutelage of her half sister Morgause (Emilia Fox).  Morgause and Uther’s enemy King Cenred (Tom Ellis) have united and with Morgana’s help, hope to overthrow Uther.  Court Physician Gaius (Richard Wilson), Morgana’s maid Guinevere (Angel Colby), and would be knight Gwaine (Eoin Macken) join Arthur and Merlin in saving Camelot against the brewing darkness.

The Arthurian angst picks up with the serious steps taken in the two-part season opener “The Tears of Uther Pendragon.” Episode 5 “The Crystal Cave” also leans Merlin towards establishing its own magical mythos instead of relying on creature features, special effects, or other seemingly fantastic knock-offs.  Episode 8 “The Eye of the Phoenix” has room for seriousness, nice guest stars, and a lovely quest, too. Wonderful coming of age events, emotional issues, and consequences that can’t be retconned add much needed maturity, depth, and growth.  Again, when Merlin gets heavy, it feels right, as if it should have been this way all along. This darker material harbingers intense, over arching, multi-part tales- we can have maturity and guilt without the super duper kids stuff.  Our regular players, more recurring stock, and fine guest stars all mix wonderfully, allowing the core cast to finally grow beyond their stereotypical magical conundrums.  Year 3 even has ‘Previouslies’ to update viewers on the ongoing plots, and the continuing storylines progress realistically towards the expected legends and Arthurian magic. Director Alice Troughton does some fine episodes including “Love in the Time of Dragons.”  “Queen of Hearts” writer Howard Overman often has solid episodes as well.  At last, we have some traditional Grail hints along with Merlin’s great humor, camaraderie, and banter all around; there’s even more fun thanks to the budding Round Table additions of Gwaine, Lancelot, Percival, and Elyan. Let me also assure the traditionalists looking for how Excalibur plays its part- it is worth the wait.  Yes, Merlin can seem a little too noble and preachy at times, but Arthurian tales should perhaps be so.  If we’re going to have some brooding court angst at Camelot, it is still nice to have the wholesome goodness balancing out the heavy.  

Thankfully, the use of the Dragon in “The Sorcerer’s Shadow” is also much better this season- he’s actually critical to the plot and has a reason for being there instead of just coming off as a neat effect.  Merlin is best when it’s about its own people and establishment, not creatures and borrowed magic mythos. So why then, does it always take half a season to get to the really good stuff? Shows like “Goblin’s Gold” and “The Changeling” always resort to evil magic, CGI monsters of the week, or a humorous romantic enchantment. Merlin always seems uneven thanks to the relapses toward fart jokes, unending marriage ploys, and constant hollow threats against Camelot. Do we need creatures and flatulence week after week when there’s such dark goodness to be had? How many tournaments can there be? Even magic rings too!  It’s as if the writers sometimes don’t know all they have to use and have spent the last two years with random Arthurian trial and error. Though it turned out to have serious flaws when critical players departed, I don’t wonder why creators Julian Jones and Jake Michie don’t do linear seasons and concurrent storylines as they did with Hex.  I’ve been asking for ongoing heavy for two years here! Instead, we end up waiting until the two-part finale “The Coming of Arthur” for Merlin to become truly great television. 

 

I must say, it is amusing when Arthur accuses Merlin of not being able to keep secrets!  We wouldn’t like this show if we didn’t enjoy Colin Morgan, and he is solid throughout the season, particularly in the finale.  Although he still uses some magical cop-outs when Arthur is conveniently unconscious and no one ever sees anything when he openly risks using magic in public; Merlin actually uses real spells this season, takes true magical dangers, and gets his wizardry to the level it should be.  Guest Harry Melling (Harry Potter) as Gilli makes a fine antithesis to Merlin in “The Sorcerer’s Shadow,” too. While it’s been nice seeing Merlin grow to this point-especially for younger and family audiences- again why not do all this to start? Sometimes it’s as if Merlin simply began too soon, showing us the juvenile prologue and now we are finally at Chapter One. Of course, teen lady fans will enjoy all the shirtless action, and there is still some innocent fun when Merlin gets to ride the Dragon.  That would indeed be cool. Not to be outdone, Arthur has some room to grow up against Uther this season as well, taking stands on critical issues and persons.  The power hungry versus those who cede power are realistically debated, and Bradley James really does seem like he might not be a bad King Arthur after all.

But of course, the unimaginative decisions made by the writers of Merlin hamper the ladies onscreen again. Morgana goes too obviously evil too soon.  Again, she should have been bad all along or the foundations for this naughty turn should have been built over the first two seasons far better.  McGrath, however, is good at being a potentially evil queen- but won’t someone notice all her evil smirks? The overabundance of Smirking Morgana early on in turn weakens the barely there Gwen.  Animosity between the girls and Morgana’s meddling in Arthur and Gwen’s forbidden romance again should have been ongoing since day one.  I know I’ve said ‘again’ and ‘all along’ a lot, but it bears repeating. We spend so much time with Morgana and then leapfrog over her storyline for guest humor, creating a most unrealistic and uneven internal villain. Fortunately, Gwen is strengthened a bit by some more back-story, including references to her late father and the introduction of Adetomiwa Edun as her brother Elyan. Just knowing that neither Guinevere nor Uther have forgotten what has come before adds a little more dimension as Gwen takes strides towards being the future queen.   

Speaking of Uther, Anthony Head still has plenty of arrogance and parental issues, and likewise Richard Wilson as Gaius stretches his hidden wizardry roots. Wilson is great fun in “Goblin’s Gold,” and it’s nice to see that some romances in Camelot aren’t forgotten and have long lasting rifts and conflicts. Despite some disliking Merlin for its family fantasy bend, there’s still plenty of room for the elder stars to shine without always resorting to humor.  Sometimes we don’t see as much of the adults as I might like thanks to all the kid shenanigans and special effects; but good, mature story, parental bonding, and family approvals will always trump graphics.  Michael Cronin as Geoffrey of Monmouth also supports wonderfully, and it’s great to see him and more players like Emilia Fox as Morgause.  Tom Ellis (Eastenders) also adds good villainy as Cenred.  Together he and Morgause make serious and credible threats against Camelot, and the recurring knights like Sir Leon (Rupert Young) are needed now more than ever.  Of course, Santiago Cabrera has yet to really have his moment as Lancelot, but Eoin Macken is quite cool as Gwaine.  His bar fights and ongoing appearances are wonderful and do so much more than those silly melees after tournaments after jousts.  At last, significant support players are winning out against the kiddie grasp at ratings.  Percival, people, Percival!

While we shouldn’t expect Oscar worthy cinematics on a small show like this, the battle and massive effects are a little less quality compared to the bigger, modern epics we are used to today. Fortunately, Merlin is stepping up to the plate and growing up nicely in all other areas at last.  Although it isn’t quite fair to properly compare three episodes worth of one to three seasons worth of the other, I’d be remiss if I didn’t counter Merlin and the new Starz adaptation Camelot.  As of now, I much prefer the fantastical lessons and youth of Merlin to the historical sex of Camelot. While I may end up watching all of Camelot eventually, Merlin has the better angle on how it wants to use magic in its telling, and the men here are much more likeable.  Jamie Campbell Bower and Joseph Fiennes are just too bland and completely insipid.  However, Camelot has much more epic music, realistically 5^th century locations and sets, and better handled ladies in Eva Green and Claire Forlani. I’ve been waiting for so long for the juvenile Merlin to get real and grow up, but Camelot is a little too far off the deep and dark nudity end.   It’s so strange now that there is a wealth of medieval material in film and television on both sides of the pond, and yet there still isn’t an Arthurian tale with which I am 100% happy. Merlin is a fantasy, Camelot is historical, but where is the ‘historical fantasy’ Lord of the Rings medium? Maybe somebody else will come along next year with something heavier than Merlin- but hey Camelot, lighten up.

Then again, HBO’s Game of Thrones looks to be firing on all cylinders straight out of the gate.  Somehow, this new fantasy series led by Sean Bean and Mark Addy can handle not your mama’s fantasy dark whilst still being traditionally gripping.  Thrones looks good, mixing designs that are realistically old with some exotic fantasy colors, and again the cast is both likeable and naughty all around.  Is it just because these A Song of Ice and Fire books have been adapted carefully with author George R.R. Martin that sets Thrones off and running on the right style, tone, and production?  It’s taken Merlin a long time to find where it needs to be, and Camelot is already sputtering. Kinky and nudity isn’t used to replace good storytelling in Game of Thrones, and fantasy oriented families may very well be able to handle both Merlin for the pups and Thrones once the babes are put to bed.

Unfortunately, American audiences may have to wait quite some time for Season 4 of Merlin, as there is some sort of potential scheduling hullabaloo in the UK between Merlin and Doctor Who.  After making such great efforts and character turns in Year 3 that can’t be taken back, schmikey it would be a shame for audiences to forget Merlin thanks to airing technicalities.  If you’ve already turned away from Merlin thanks to its prior youth and silliness, give Season 3 a fresh chance- it’s grown up look and charm this year may just surprise you. 

 

Merlin Season 2

Merlin Season 2 Still Full of Potential

By Kristin Battestella

I had to reread my commentary on Season 1 of the magical BBC hit Merlin so I wouldn’t repeat myself.  Like its predecessor, Season 2 has a few steps back at the start.  Thankfully, the lovely performances and potential in this series continues to impress.

Young warlock and manservant Merlin (Colin Morgan) continues to hide his magical talents from his would be friend but master Prince Arthur (Bradley James).  Camelot court physician Gaius (Richard Wilson) supports Merlin’s dual lifestyle while also trying to help the ruthless King Uther Pendragon’s (Anthony Head) ward Morgana (Katie McGrath). Thanks to the mysterious appearance of sorceress Morgause (Emilia Fox), Morgana is discovering her own dark and uncontrollable magic powers.  Her maid Guinevere (Angel Colby), however, has other things on her mind-namely the adventurous and dashing Lancelot (Santiago Cabrera) and the noble, but untouchable Arthur. 

I enjoy Merlin very much, but creators Julian Jones (The Bill), Julian Murphy (Sugar Rush), Jake Michie (Hex), and Johnny Capps (Demons) have yet to give the series its proper stride.  The writing is there, the performances are ready-each episode is on the cusp of something great.  At 13, 45-minute episodes, it seems there simply isn’t enough time for Merlin to get deep and dark where it’s at its best.  Every episode seems like it could be at least a two-piece tale, and some single episode plots would be fascinating if their drama ran all season long.  Merlin’s first two-part episode ‘Beauty and the Beast’ could have been a serious, dark storyline- imagine if guest star Sarah Parish (Peak Practice, Cutting It) and her evil troll Queen Catrina was battling magics with Merlin all season long while he was hiding his first love Freya (Laura Donnelly, Hex) from Episode 9 ‘The Lady of the Lake’.  Now then, let’s throw the long awaited action with the Great Dragon (voiced by John Hurt) into all that along with the wonderful concluding mystery of the ‘The Last Dragonlord’ John Lynch (Black Death).  Let the Arthur, Gwen, and Lancelot love triangle be around more than just once a season, and then show Morgana’s dark temptations in every outing.  Whew, that’s some heavy stuff brooding in Camelot!  Unfortunately, these gems were each touched upon for one measly episode!

Yes, Merlin is for a youthful audience, but it can have its lovely wit, relationships, and humor while still giving Camelot the fantastical court angst and drama it needs for these characters to grow and mature.  With concurrent issues running all season long, Merlin would grow past this ‘just like Smallville!’ American plug and finally get deep like Buffy. Instead, the producers felt the need to reboot some of the characters’ growth established in the fine end of Season 1.  Why do they think they need to force humor and relationships in a vain effort to grab audiences when they should just tell the tale they wish to tell?  This hurts the earlier episodes in Season 2 and actually detracts audiences from sticking around for the on form second half of the series. The concluding concurrent storylines and overarching plots make Merlin grow; we should have more people with more issues, both good and bad, all the time. 

 Though the fandom online isn’t super huge for Merlin yet, it is already divided between several distinct groups-namely the girlies drooling over Bradley James and Colin Morgan and those who adore the series for its gay subtext and homoerotic innuendo.  Yes, you can find some kitschy if you’re looking for it, but the brotherly relationship between the leads and the paternal devotions for both are at the heart of the series.  We don’t need a creature feature every week when we can have these lovely performances.  Colin Morgan (Doctor Who, Island) is wonderful as the loyal, yet conflicted Merlin.  He puts his life on the line by doing his forbidden magic to save Camelot countless times, but his reverie over saving the day is often short-lived.  As delightful as Morgan is with the fun and fantastic, his strength is in his subdued sadness and internal conflicts as a young man who must deny who he really is.  Similar but different and yet equally up to the task is Bradley James (Portobello 196) as Arthur.  His arrogance and often hysterical but ill treatment of Merlin is part of the show’s charm.  However, it’s even more delightful when James shows us the strong and compassionate side that will make Arthur the great king he is supposed to be. 

Once again, the onscreen adults also add a touch of class in support of the young stars.  Anthony Head (Buffy) is love to hate worthy as the unyielding King Uther.  He’s cruel, yes, but we also get some funny from him this season.  We learn a little more about Uther in Series 2, and he gets a bit of comeuppance, too. Yet through it all, we don’t doubt that he is trying to do what’s best for his son and ward.  Episode 8 ‘Sins of the Father’ sets up plenty of family angst that hopefully will be at the forefront of season three. Likewise, Richard Wilson (One Foot in the Grave) lends a wonderful father figure devotion to Gaius and his relationship with Merlin.  The two don’t always get along in how to best use or not use sorcery to save the day, but the consequences and lessons learned make for fine drama and character growth. 

Merlin’s strength is its well-developed characters and solid performances.  Katie McGrath’s (The Tudors) Morgana is a delight as the soon to be Arthurian bad girl of lore-but her reduction this season is a miss.  After wonderful, dark strides in the third episode ‘The Nightmare Begins’, we don’t return to the meat of Morgana’s storyline until the excellent third and second to last episodes, ‘The Witch’s Quickening’ and ‘The Fires of Idirsholas’. We don’t need less recurring characters- we need more.  Again, guest stars like Charles Dance (Bleak House, Trinity) as the corrupt Witchfinder and Asa Butterfield (The Wolfman) as the youthful but deadly Mordred should appear more for and against Morgana. Santiago Cabrera’s (Heroes) Lancelot should have been around much longer to strengthen Guinevere, and Rupert Young (Dirty Filthy Love) as levelheaded knight Sir Leon should remain in Camelot’s court as well.  Emilia Fox (Silent Witness, Henry VIII) has been utterly juicy as Morgause, and I sincerely hope we get to the most of her bads next season.

Some fans online were not pleased at the pushed promotion of Angel Colby (As If) as Guinevere, but Arthur’s future queen had to get the spotlight sometime.  Stereotypically, it seems as if the male writers don’t know how to write women and have mishandled the ladies on Merlin.  Did you have to reduce Morgana’s screen time and storyline to establish the Gwen romance?  It doesn’t look right when you’ve almost chosen one lady over the other for the audience.  There’s enough juiciness at Camelot for both girls to have their share.  Likewise, John Hurt’s (Harry Potter, The Elephant Man) delightful vocalization of The Great Dragon was used both too much and not enough-just like Season 1.  The wise and ambiguous nature of the Dragon was used far too many times for the novelty, and the exceptional final episode ‘The Last Dragonlord’ finally shows him in all his glory.  It only makes me want more.  More!  I wish Merlin could open or close each season with an additional two-part or at least ninety-minute movie episode.  It’s not as if I’m asking for an upgrade to 16 episode seasons-though that would be heavenly!

Now, I do have a few nitpicks about the SyFy Channel’s (I hate that name change) presentation of Merlin.  Not only is the series dubbed The Adventures of Merlin- something that’s really no big deal; but SyFy is also calling the British born show an ‘Original Series’.  Yeah right!  Merlin is a quick 45 minutes, but it seems like SyFy shaves time off the commercial entrance and exits.  Normally the show has a sword slice effect that definitively ends a scene, but SyFy merely fades out on a rather flat note.  The channel’s timing also seems to be off, so a DVR setting on the hour tends to cut off the first or last minute of the show.  The channel’s website in support of the show is also riddled with errors and misinformation-real professional, folks! While I am glad that Merlin has found an American home where it can reach its most likely audience-unlike Season 1’s summer NBC death slot- I’m still looking forward to the Season 2 Region 1 DVD sets chock full of the extras and no American tampering.  Netflix and other online options like Hulu are available as well.

Merlin: The Complete Second Season is a delightful family friendly program complete with magic, fun for the kiddies, and serious drama for older folks.  Though Season 2 has yet to reach the full potential that this series has to offer, fans of the cast and fantasy film can enjoy the intelligent writing, lovely guest stars, and fine performances all around.  Arthurian experts may not like some of the liberties Merlin takes in revitalizing the Camelot mythos, but it’s also great to see the promise Merlin’s premise has to offer.  Now kick it up a notch next season already!