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It was always a bit dark and interesting the way they refused to provide a mustache twirling baddie. Half the time I watch this I get annoyed at the fact and the other half I appreciate it.
They're doing the metaphor for the modern world far better than Robin Hood's clunking attempts at alluding (alluding, fucking out right quoting) The War on Terror.
Merlin is a world where the issues and conflicts resolve around poorly understood decisions that were made years if not decades ago. Uther [strike]funding the mujahideen in Afghanistan[/strike] using magic to give him a son has come back to bite him on the arse.
LOL. It's like Arthur must be a complete moron to think he has accomplished all those things asleep. It is a pretty funny joke the first time you use it but it stops working really fast. Probably lazy/efficient writing. They need Merlin to accomplish something that Arthur is supposed to accomplish and that is the quickest easiest way to do it.
In any case, I'm sad it is over. For some weird reason the show grew on me and now I quite enjoy it.
It's an honest show that doesn't try to be more than it is. Fluffy action for the kids, some morally confused character interaction for the adults. Very personable lead actors and avoids too much cliché. Dialogue isn't teeth clenchingly terrible either.
It is a continuing drama series on at a good hour. Not reality TV, not a soap that will NEVER END, and not a limited run TV miniseries.... that is a rare thing on UK TV despite how many good to average US shows follow this format. I think more viewers want to watch a proper series than UK tv executives think.
Apart from the one eyeball gougingly bad episode with the Goblin (seriously just don't watch it, you'll miss nothing) it has been very good, I feel it has kicked up a notch. Sure it's still light throwaway fluff but it's kicking out a (bar the goblin) consistent level of quality fluff.
This weekends episode, where Arthur quested fro the golden trident, was excellently put together and contained everything good that Merlin does. The writers understand how to do magic (magically disguised person had true form revealed in mirror) they understand how to do quests (there must be companions, they must represent something, there must be mysterious and magical guides offering cryptic advice), and they understand how to advance the meta-plot with mysterious McGuffins and portentous phrases.
I'm interested, just don't want to watch two whole seasons of a so-so show.
He really wasn't that powerful, as wizards go. He was just one of the last of them. It was specifically mentioned that he could have been the greatest. But he wasn't because he didn't really like magic. So instead of being a great and awesome power in the world he was "a hand wizard."
"There is not a man of us who does not at times need a helping hand to be stretched out to him, and then shame upon him who will not stretch out the helping hand to his brother."
The ultra quick summary:
Morgana is a ward of Uther, of similar age to Merlin and Arthur and has prophetic visions and other falshes of magic that she keeps secret. Her maid servant is Guinevere. Finally there is Gius, the old court physician and long time friend and ally of Uther, he is the only other regular character who knows of Merlin's magic. Oh, and ther's a Dragon trapped under Camelot who doles out cryptic advice to Merlin.
In the first season we see development of Arthur from arrogant noble under his father's thumb to champion of the people and Merlin from neophyte to powerful mage. We establish rules of the Universe, promises have meaning and power and we understand that everything is not black and white in terms of morality. There is a thread of destiny running through the series with the Dragon informing Merlin of his purpose (to guard Arthur and allow the rebirth of Albion). There also looks like there's a budding romance between Merlin and Guinevere.
Second season, Merlin comes crawling back to the Dragon after having told him to fuck off in the first season and as a result the dragon extracts a terrible price (his freedom, he lays waste to Camelot). Morganna learns many things about herself and past which results in Merlin trying to poison her, however Morgana's witchy sister rescues her, to everyone else it looks like Morganna's sister has kidnapped her. There is also a very much so forbidden romance between Arthur and Guinevere. Merlin piles on the abilities but becomes more and more reluctant to use them due to seeing the price that is attached to them.
Also, Arthur falls unconscious any time Merlin needs to do some magic.
You can now start season 3, skip the episode with the Goblin in it.
At this point I just want the episode where Merlin reveals himself.
I think that morally the show has always been nuanced, characters do good things for bad reasons and bad things for good reasons as well as not particularly good or bad (depending on how you look at it) things for not particularly good or bad (depending on how you look at it) reasons.
It's just the overall writing/plotting that has on occasion been sub-par, or in the case of the goblin episode so bad that I wanted to travel round the country and break the knee caps of everyone involved in the episode.
edit:
Conclusion: net difference at the end - none.
Also, [strike]gay marriage has been legalised[/strike] non-noble birthed people have been made knights, completely shaking up the social order of Camelot, once again rendering fluidity to a situation that had been previously been strictly legalised and enforced by Uther.
If next season is not going to be a season of social upheaval pitting father against son, Uther's entrenched but fading power against Arthur's populist stance, then I will purchase and eat a hat.
It switches between that and being more serious then those ever were. Which is an advantage over Hercules & Xena IMO.
This neo-feudalism would be more tolerable if our betters had fancy titles.