|
|
MERLIN |
|
Merlin - Colin Morgan Arthur - Bradley James Gwen - Angel Coulby Uther - Anthony Head Gaius - Richard Wilson Morgana - Katie McGrath 
OTHER MERLIN SERIES Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 Series 4 OTHER MYTHICAL SHOWS Mists of Avalon The Dresden Files Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire Jason and the Argonauts The Sword of Xanten 
|
Arthur's Bane Part 1 - first transmitted 6th October 2012In the three years since Arthur married Guinevere there has been peace in Camelot, but now Arthur's men have been attacked by Morgana's forces and he must go to rescue them, but a traitor feeds Morgana information about their route and Merlin has a vision of Arthur's death. As is traditional now, MERLIN opens with a two-part story, which means that this episode is all set up and no pay off. The story finds a way to get Arthur and Merlin alone and on the run again for some familiar (and, to be fair, fun banter), but there is an awful sense of deja vu about it. More interesting is the vision of the battle that ends Arthur's life. The staging of this impressive (though no EXCALIBUR) and casts a pall over proceedings. Is this the BBC's way of saying that the show has run its course and it's time to bring things to an end? The cast are all fully conversant with their roles, though only Colin Morgan and Bradley James are given anything of any importance to do. There's a seriously dodgy CGI snake, the Great Dragon is noticeably static throughout its brief appearance and the main burden of CGI falls upon a very peculiar blue glowing thing that looks like it wandered off the set of THE ABYSS. Not the best episode then, but it has to be judged with its concluding part. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Justin Molotnikov Top Arthur's BanePart 2 - first transmitted 13th October 2012Guinevere plays a dangerous game with a girl's life whilst Arthur and Merlin attempt to free their friends from Morgana's lair. Now that we have the second part of the opening story, we can better evaluate it and the prognosis isn't that great. This is one of the least exciting stories that the show has come up with for some time. The whole Guinevere tricking evil sorceror storyline is redundant (though that girl will come back to haunt her) and a distraction. What it's distracting from is hardly more exciting. There are daring escapes and attacks, which aren't that daring and get a bit obvious after a while. There's the odd blue thing that really doesn't work, the face never mobile enough under the cut price CGI. It also doesn't really seem to serve any purpose. The only exciting part was the showdown between Merlin, Arthur, Morgana and Mordred. It doesn't turn out the way expected, but then undermines its own shock value at the outcome. MERLIN, though, has always been an up and down show and this could just be the start of the upswing. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Justin Molotnikov Top The Death Song Of Uther Pendragon- first transmitted 20th October 2012Arthur is given the chance to see his father once more, but Uther is less than complimentary about his reign. Back in Camelot strange things start to occur. MERLIN does a haunted house, horror story. Since it's a family show in the early evening it's not as scary as it could be, but there are plenty of creepy build ups to the mildly threatening action. What really works, though, is having Anthony Head back as Uther Pendragon. Cast in blue light and giving an utterly cold performance that makes it unclear as to whether it really is the shade of Uther or not for much of the time. His sudden appearances are nicely judged. It's hardly original, but there is a lot to be entertained by. Written by Howard OvermanDirected by Justin Molotnikov Top Another's Sorrow- first transmitted 27th October 2012Morgana ages herself to act as servant to a princess trusted by Arthur. Holding her father prisoner, Morgana forces her to lead Arthur into a deadly trap. After ghostly goings on and CGI wierd blue men in caves, MERLIN cuts back on the magical mystery and uses the old ageing up one of the cast routine to come up with a plot. The twist is that it's Morgana who's old, not Merlin. Katie Morgan looks the part, but she doesn't do anything with her voice at all and that's a giveaway to the audience so it ought to be to the man who lived as her brother for years. Arthur's supposed to be a tactical genius, but he walks into this trap almost blindfolded. It's plotting by numbers and never very convincing at all. Neither is the fact that Morgana fails to kill Merlin when she has the chance. This episode just about scrapes by, but the season isn't shaping up as one of the best. Written by Jake MichieDirected by Ashley Way Top The Disir- first transmitted 3rd November 2012Arthur is judged as wanting by three sorceresses representing the goddess of the old ways. Aided by the duplicitous Mordred, Arthur sets out to challenge their judgement and brings Camelot into danger. Arthur is shown to be human and less than the perfect king in this episode, making errors that have consequences and being subject to his own arrogance and righteousness. This is an interesting break from all the constant reassurance that he is a good and fair king, making him more interesting. The manner in which Mordred has infiltrated the court and the knights without ever revealing his agenda is fascinating and gives the choice that Merlin has to make a little harder to judge. The choice made doesn't quite ring true itself and does go against everything that Arthur stands for and also everything he is supposed to have learned in this episode. Even so, it's a solid episode. Written by Richard McBrienDirected by Ashley Way Top The Dark Tower- first transmitted 10th November 2012Gwen is kidnapped by Morgana and taken to a semi-mystical tower where she locks her in a room of tortures. Arthur, Merlin and the knights set out to get her back, but Merlin is warned that one will not return. MERLIN turns very seriously dark in this episode with prolonged mental torture at its very heart. Morgana sets out to break Guinevere's mind, which gives Angel Coulby some acting challenges for a change as she is assailed by visions from all sides and must slowly unravel. Meanwhile, the knights face their own, more physical, tests in a tried and tested quest formula, but with enough originality in the twists to keep things moving nicely. The landscape is bleak and only the CGI snakes let it down. MERLIN has always been at its best when turning to the Dark Side and this proves it again. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Ashley Way Top A Lesson In Vengeance- first transmitted 17th November 2012Now in thrall to Morgana, Gwen attempts to bring about Arthur's death and Merlin is accused. Considering that the queen has total access to Arthur and could kill him and be out of the castle before anyone found that he was dead the lengths that she goes to in this storyline are just nonsensical. Yes, the knights turn to her to rule the kingdom, but even with that as an ultimate aim, she could bring the death around in any number of ways and put the blame on somebody else. Colin Morgan gets to do his old man routine again, but only for a short time and certainly not for long enough to save this stupid episode. Written by Jake MichieDirected by Alice Troughton Top The Hollow Queen- first transmitted 24th November 2012Merlin follows a druid boy out into the woods in a desperate mission to save his sister. Guinevere, meanwhile, conspires with a visiting noble to assassinate Arthur. It takes Merlin a very long time to figure out that he is being set up when everyone has twigged it long since, leaving the character looking even more gullible than ever. Angel Coulby gets to play the bad girl for a change and thoroughly enjoys herself, though the plot is hardly anything to get excited by. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Alice Troughton Top With All My Heart- first transmitted 1st December 2012Arthur learns of a way to break Morgana's hold over the queen, but it seems almost impossible and might well rely upon the presence of Mordred. Arthur and Merlin go on a road trip together, which allows for plenty of banter between them. This is just as well because there is practically nothing else going on. This is a 'comedy' episode and having Colin Morgan appear as a female version of his older self is considered a highlight. Lighter than much of the rest of the season and less as well. For a ceremony that is supposed to be nearly impossible, the breaking of the curse turns out to be all too easy. Written by Richard McBrienDirected by Alice Troughton Top The Kindness Of Strangers- first transmitted 8th December 2012Merlin's true identity as Emrys is under threat and Merlin must choose between safety and duty, something that might cost him his life. There is a real sense of things coming to an end about this episode. Merlin's destiny is becoming manifest, the Great Dragon is speaking of dying and just about everyone else in the minor cast list gets there first. It's filler material really since nobody is any the worse or better off at the end than they were at the beginning (other than the dead minor characters) and you could miss it altogether without affecting the ongoing plot, but that sense of oncoming doom and loss is what it's all about. Written by Richard McBrienDirected by Declan O'Dwyer Top The Drawing Of The Dark- first transmitted 15th December 2012An old girlfriend of Mordred is convicted of trying to kill Arthur and sentenced to death. This turns Mordred against the king and he flees to Morgana with word of the true identity of Emrys. Mordred has been a problem character, playing nice with a hint of potential evil, dangling the legendary enemy tag in front of the audience as an all-too-obvious writer's game. Now, he is finally turned into that enemy, but it's all a bit contrived and sudden. That said, it does give Merlin a nice ethical problem since he is on Mordred's side, but cannot go against the king and now Morgana has the information that she needs to go after Merlin. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Declan O'Dwyer Top Diamond of The DayPart One- first transmitted 22nd December 2012Arthur and Morgana's armies are set to clash once more, but without Merlin. His magic has been removed by Morgana and without him the day is lost. Can he find a way to regain his powers in time to turn the tide? It's set up time, but that said, it's a pretty good setup. Having Merlin's powers taken away just before the big final battle is a nice move, though it does set up another basic quest plot which has resolution that is disappointing just up to the final twist. Written by Jake MichieDirected by Justin Molotnikov Top Diamond of The DayPart Two- first transmitted 24th December 2012Merlin turns the tide of battle, but Arthur is injured. Merlin thinks he can be saved at the Lake of Avalon, but Morgana is in pursuit and Merlin must finally reveal his powers to his king. After the big set piece of the battle, the plot turns to just Arthur and Merlin travelling through the forest and dealing with their emotions now that the truth is out. It's both a disappointing and audacious move. No big final action sequence to end the show on, but rather a heartfelt dip back into the brotherly relationship that has been the lynchpin of the show. Much of the time is spent wondering how they are going to turn things around to a happy ending in the time that they have left and then realisation hits that they are not going to. This really is an ending, despite the ridiculous, tacked on postscript. The farewell is very nicely played by the two actors who have been the heart of the show and it is a measure of the success that fans would have few dry eyes after that. MERLIN hasn't always been perfect, but it has often been surprising and it is nice that it should go out in that same fashion. Written by Julian JonesDirected by Justin Molotnikov Top |
|
|
If this page was useful to you please sign our 
