(Note: In this review I basically give a scene-by-scene breakdown, which means it includes spoilers. However, this is probably the only review in which I will do that, because it really took too much time to do)
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| BBC has an obsession with the main characters of their shows holding their hands out |
So, ever since I became a Doctor Who junkie I've been running an experiment. Every couple of months I will try a new show from BBC for the first couple of episodes, whether I'm captivated by the first episode or not, I have to watch at least a couple episodes. Technically the first one I tried was "Doctor Who". Then earlier this Summer I decided to try out the show Primeval. After watching the first couple episodes I found it interesting... but not necessarily interesting enough at this time to really have me become a full-time watcher. I'm sure I will probably try it again sometime in the future, but right now it's not really something I'm interested. Well a few months went by and I felt it was time to continue the "experiment"; this time with the on-going Merlin series that premiered in 2008 (not to be confused with Hallmark's superb Merlin miniseries with Sam Neill).
About two years ago I was just surfing the TV when I came across an episode of Merlin airing. I don't remember very much about it other than that I wasn't really too impressed by it. So I wasn't expecting much more when I decided just last week to give the show another go, this time starting at the very beginning.
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| "No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny." ... So does that mean that old men can know their destiny? |
And as soon as the episode opened up, and strings fade in softly with a harp and clarinet, and Merlin comes walking over a hill and then narration begins.... and who should that narration be done by other than Mr. John "Awesome" Hurt.... I knew this suddenly had a lot more potential than I thought it did. I think this may be the first time during the opening of a show that I just stopped and was practically glued to the screen. I don't know. There was just something about it. Maybe I'm just a sucker for John Hurt. But then, if I didn't know it already, as the camera pans over a beautiful shot of a dimly lit Camelot at sunrise and the music builds up to suddenly "exploding" into a sweeping theme of strings and brass through the opening credits... I knew that I was going to love this show.
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| It may possibly have one of the coolest openings ever. |
Now, lest because of my hyper enthusiasm you get the idea that the show is positively flawless, let me just state that it certainly is not flawless. The show unfortunately suffers from many cliches and some... "humor" (in quotemarks because... it's not really funny). When they pull off the humor, it works pretty well, but when they fail (usually when they try to go too "cutesy"-humor), they fail pretty badly. As for the cliches, yes unfortunately many things happen that you can pretty much call beforehand. But, even so, at least as far as the first two episodes are concerned, I truly thoroughly am enjoying the show.
The show begins with us following Merlin, who has been sent by his mother, to live in Camelot where he can perhaps unlock the secrets of his mysterious power. However, upon entering the kingdom, Merlin comes upon an execution scene ordered and overseen by King Uther Pendragon. It is the execution of a sorcerer named Thomas Collins. Merlin learns that King Uther absolutely despises magic use and has set a kingdom-wide ban against it. And, as seen with Collins, any one found to be using magic would be put to death.
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| "Magician peoples must be KILLED TO DEATH!!!" |
Thomas Collins is beheaded... and then King Uther throws a feast to celebrate the death of another sorcerer. But before everyone leaves the courtyard, the old lady from The Princess Bride shows up crying because Collins was her son. She then curses the king, saying "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a son for a son," pretty much, in broad daylight in front of everyone in the entire world, issuing a threat against King Uther and his son (Arthur... just in case you were dumb and didn't remember that). So, of course, the king issues a warrant for her arrest, but as the guards approach her, she begins speaking an incantation and, after a few moments, begins to dematerialize. Oh, interesting to note, the woman that is playing this old hag (Mary Collins. I mean.... that's the character's name, not the actor's) is played by Eve Myles who I remembered being the maid Gwynyth who sacrifices herself in the Doctor Who Series 1 episode "The Unquiet Dead", and also apparently, as I've learned just today after watching "The Stolen Earth", plays a character in Torchwood.
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| "Booo! Boooo! Rubbish! Filth! Slime! Muck! Boooo!" P.S.... She looks HOOOOT! |
So... After that horrible scene of execution, and an upset, threat-spewing mother who disappears into thin-air... THEN they have a celebratory feast. Yeah. So, then we find that Merlin's mother has sent him here to Gaius, the court-physician (and secret apparent dabbler in sorcery), played by Richard Wilson who was also in a Doctor Who Series 1 episode, "The Empty Child", in which he plays Dr. Constantine. Oh, and actually Merlin himself, who is played by Colin Morgan is also in Doctor Who (Series 4, Episode "Midnight"). Okay, I will stop talking about Doctor Who.... for now. So, Merlin arrives at Gaius' home, and as he enters he startles the old man who is up on a ladder. Gaius falls, most assuredly about to injure something, when we zoom up to Merlin's eyes as his irises flash gold. Gaius stops in mid-air suddenly and Merlin quickly calls over a nearby bed that slides into place just under the falling physician. The physician then continues to fall and plops safely on his bed. Almost immediately he jumps out of the bed saying "What did you do!?". Merlin denies that he has magic, though Gaius, quick obviously, does not believe him, but he tells Merlin that he will not squeal on him. Merlin hands him a note that his mother wrote and it informs Gaius that she sent the boy to the court-physician for protection. So, he takes Merlin under his wing.
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| AWEsome! I just love anything that has to do with special effects and eyes. |
We are soon introduced to Morgana—P.S. I should mention that they really have kinda messed around with a number of elements of this story, at least as far as the stories of Merlin I've heard are concerned... also... Morgana? ♥♥♥ :-D —who, rightfully so, talks to King Uther about her disgust for a celebration over an execution. The king spews venom about her not knowing what it was like twenty years ago and she asks him how long he's going to punish magic-users for what happened back then. To which he replies that he will continue to do so until they learn that there is no place for them in Camelot, he then gets snooty and says that, regardless of whether or not she wants to join the celebration, she will be present when the singer, Lady Helen of Mora, holds her performance. So, now we know about a Lady Mora of Helen... er... Helen Lady of Mo... Lady Helen of Mora, whom we suddenly switch to as she is camping a few leagues from civilization on her way to Camelot.
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| "Dost I heareth someone sneaking up to death me?" |
I should say... Lady Helen, who just happens to look like Eve Myles without the old hag makeup on. Basically, we hear a female voice humming outside Helen's tent. Then after a few moments, Mary Collins jumps into the doorway and... and decides to kill Helen by stabbing a voodoo doll repeatedly.... I mean... seriously! What the kriff did Helen ever do to Mary? I mean, at least she could have sneaked up behind her and bashed her brains in, quick and efficiently. But to stand their wailing on a voodoo doll with a knife, putting Helen in complete torment? Holy cows, woman. So... anyhow, Mary Collins than sits before a mirror and, after speaking an incantation, assumes the form of Lady Helen. However, the spell only works on the nude human eye. Her reflection still shows as Mary Collins. An interesting concept. So it's quite obvious that she intends to infiltrate the celebration in Camelot as Lady Helen so that she can get close to Arthur and... and probably stab him repeatedly in the eyes with a stone. To death.
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| "AAHHHHHHHHH???" |
Returning to Merlin and Gaius, the former is eating when clever old Gaius purposefully knocks a bucket of water off of the table. Merlin's instincts jump into motion and, once again, with eyes flashing gold, the bucket and its contents freeze in mid-air. Gaius looks from the bucket to Merlin in shock. Merlin, seeing the ruse for what it was, releases the bucket and it crashes to the floor. Clever old man, that Gaius. Merlin got dumbed, and he knows it. We learn that Merlin can use these powers without any incantations, which dumbfounds.... dumbfinds?... finds Gaius dumb because he has either never heard of such an ability or at least hasn't heard of one in a long time. Gaius then tells Merlin that he can help him until he finds a job, so he sends the boy off on an errand to give someone medicine. Before leaving, the physician warns Merlin that he must remember never to use magic in public. Because there will be heck.
We are then introduced to Arthur, the rich-boy stereo-type who is playing target practice by throwing knifes at a shield. When his page picks the shield up to move it, Arthur decides to play a cruel "joke" on the kid by throwing the knifes at the shield while the page is holding it. Merlin sees this happening and jumps to the page's rescue, telling Arthur (though he doesn't know it is Arthur) to back-off. They get in each other's faces and Merlin claims he could take on the other. Merlin takes a swing and Arthur effortlessly catches his arm and twists it behind him, telling Merlin he could have him put in jail for that, to which Merlin sarcastically asks who he thinks he is, the king? Arthur then, of course, reveals who he is and Merlin is thrown in the dungeons. All the while that this is taking place we keep seeing a young woman looking worriedly out of a window of the castle at Merlin and Arthur.
Meanwhile, "Lady Helen", quote-unquote, wink-wink, ha-ha, nose-nose, arrives at Camelot to greet King Uther. She keeps the facade going, except, of course, throwing in a couple lines here and there that are clearly threats, like when the king says "It's always worth the wait", and she smiles and says quietly "It will be."
We come to the dungeons where we find Merlin asleep on the ground. Suddenly we hear... *gasp*... there's that awesome voice again. Yes, we hear John Hurt again, speaking slowly and softly, "Merlin..... Merlin..." Merlin wakes up, looking around curiously and warily when suddenly Gaius comes to his rescue and releases him from the dungeon. Gaius gives him a lecture about being an "idiot". Then says that he had to pull a few strings... and there is a small price to pay.
We cut to Merlin who is locked in stocks and is suffering passers-by throwing vegetables and fruit at his head. Gaius looks on and laughs. Suddenly, the woman whom we see peeping out the castle window comes prancing gayly along the street and runs up... and stabs Merlin repeatedly. With a gun. Seriously.... Mary Collins... lighten up. Ahem... Anyhoo! She comes along... and stabs... okay, for serious now... She comes along and greets Merlin. She is Guinevere, the Lady Morgana's maidservant. She tells him that he was brave for standing up for that whimp page-boy from Scene 24. She then dares make a snooty comment about how Merlin would not have beated Arthur. As if. I mean, how dare she? Pfff, pssh, hah, spss, huff. Get a job, you cretin (or... 'Cretan', as I often spell it. No offense, people of Crete!). Anyhow, we find that Guinevere, or "Gwen", as she likes to be called, has a quirky personality. She tends to be honest about things, but then apologizes, fearing what she said was offensive or taken the wrong way... even though she usually does mean it the way she said it, I've come to find.
So, flash forward a couple scenes (because these next couple scenes just play on what we already know), Merlin is tasked with taking a preparation drug of some kind to... "Lady Helen" WINK-WINK. Because she needs it for her voice or something. So Merlin prances off to her bedroom, but she is absent, so he goes and snoops around her things and finds some very odd and questionable items... Things that, honestly, should send up, like, thousands of red flags. Merlin just about gets caught by... "her"wink... but he's able to quickly make it look like he wasn't doing anything and hands her the drug stuff and leaves, never having noticed the mirror behind him that was uncovered enough to she "her" true form... if he had only looked behind him. Merlin walks away down the hall, feeling unsure about this woman.
On Merlin's return trip back home (I mean, his home with Gaius, not his home-home home), he passes Arthur and his gang again. They exchange words again, Merlin, again, is an idiot-jerk and challenges Arthur. The two then fight using... flails... I mean... isn't that kinda, I don't know... lethal!? And yet everyone's all laughing and giggling and stuff. I mean, I guess neither of them actually want to kill each other. But what if it heck happened by accident?? You don't know what could happen! What if, like, the spiked ball—which I actually just recently learned that historically there actually is little or no support to the spiked-ball-and-chain flail that is so popularly used in books and movies... the flail was actually a spiked-rod dangling on a chain—came loose and then slammed into their heads? So, they fight, Merlin gets his rumpadump handed to him again. However, Arthur lets Merlin go because of something he sees in the young man.
Merlin gets home where he is lectured by Gaius about his self-control. Merlin gets upset because he wants to use magic and feels like, if he can't use it, than he's a nobody. Gaius tells him that he's right and that he should go commit suicide to ease his pain. Not really. So, skipping ahead, past more discussion between Gaius and Merlin, dinner between Uther and.... "Lady Helen"..., who, once again, gives a number of stealthy threats, we find Merlin sleeping, where he, once again, here's that awesome voice calling to him. So he gets up quietly, sneaks passed sleeping Gaius, sneaks into the dungeons (I guess) of Camelot and finds himself in a vast underground cave.
(Alright, unfortunately either Blogger.com is yelling at me because I have put too many pictures in this blog, or my computer is just being an idiot jerk.... I'd sooner suspect the latter... So, no more pictures from here on, unfortunately).
We are now introduced to The Great Dragon, voiced by—you guessed it—John "The Awesome" Hurt. Visiting the dragon from here on becomes an episode-regular event when Merlin needs advice on things. The Great Dragon appears to be wise and prescient, as he tends to tell Merlin about things that will come to pass in the future. He also appears to be somewhat omniscient as he always seems to know what's going on even though he's chained in this underground cave. In this scene, the dragon confirms Merlin's suspicions that he was given his powers for a reason. And that it is Merlin's destiny to protect Arthur and see that he becomes king. Because only when that happens will Camelot (and frightened magic-users) be free. The Great Dragon itself is pretty well done. I think I'm not quite a fan of his face, particularly his nose/mouth, but even so, pretty well done. One other things I'm not quite sure how I feel about is that, when the dragon talks, his mouth moves basically as it would for a human. I think I was expecting him to speak by telepathic waves or something. But either way, I mean... it's John Hurt. So it's all Win.
The next morning Gaius tells Merlin that Lady Morgana is having trouble with nightmares and wants Merlin to take medicine to her. Merlin enters her chamber, but Morgana does not make direct eye contact with him, so doesn't know who he is. She mistakenly thinks he is Guinevere, and begins talking about how she feels about Arthur. And, of course, because things become awkward as she begins undressing behind a screen (of course... you knew it was coming) and asks him/"her" (no... not that "her") to bring her her dress, Merlin doesn't reveal who he is, but tries to imitate a female voice when answering "uh-huh" to something Morgana asks. He then tries to make a break for the door, but she turns to look at him/"her" just as he raises a cloak up in front of him, like he's looking it over, so she doesn't see that it is him, and the charade continues. Once again he gets to the door... when Morgana asks for help fastening her dress.... Merlin looks absolutely befuddled... but luckily just that moment Gwen walks in confused at his appearance and saves him. Basically all the while Morgana is talking about her disgust over Arthur. Her attitude, like Arthur's, also comes off as a very rich-girl stereo-type.
We cut to a servant girl who brings..... "_______".... some fruit, but, of course she sees her true reflection in the mirror and "she" grabs the servant girl's wrist and hums that weird tune again. The servant girl turns grey and drops to the floor. See, now I'm sure that was painful... but not as painful as being stabbed sixty billion times in the chest! Why couldn't she do that to Lady Helen? For serious.
Next scene we are at the feast where remarks are exchanged between Gaius and Merlin, Merlin and Gwen have an awkward conversation about 'liking' people, then finally... "Lady Helen", giggle-giggle, begins to sing (a very pretty opera-ish-type song) that puts everyone under an enchantment of sleep with webs growing all over them. However, Merlin covers his ears in time and watches in horror as she approaches Arthur's limp form with a knife. Suddenly, his irises flash gold and the chandilier above "her" falls loose and totally pwns her!!! ... ahem... I mean... it crashes on her head and crushes her to the floor. Dead. Everyone begins to wake up, finding themselves covered in webs.... and Mary Collins in her true form lying under the chandilier.... But! Suddenly, she jumps up and throws the knife! Merlin is about to use magic to stop it, but stops himself in time and instead runs and grabs Arthur out of the way (I actually don't think he would've had time to do that, but okay) and the knife stabs through his now vacant chair. Or wait.... maybe he slows time down? See, when I saw that I just assumed he was going to use magic to stop it but then stops himself, because his irises flash but then the flash goes away quickly. But maybe he slowed everything down. Hmmmm... I shall have to consult the Merlin Wiki. NOW Mary Collins dies. For real. Merlin is congratulated and given the award.... of becoming Arthur's manservant.
Back home, Merlin and Gaius speak about magic and how perhaps it's Merlin's purpose to use his magic to save people. Gaius then hands him an ancient spell book, there's a knock at the door where someone says Arthur needs Merlin... and so it begins.
So I realize now that most of my inline comments were either negative or jesting... which makes it seem like this must not have been a very good episode. But, see, in this case I claim the "I'm making fun of it because I love it" defense for my actions. It really is a great episode! Certainly not my favorite, but it was a nice, tense opener to the series.
So what did you think of it? Or have you not watched it yet and I just spoiled everything for you? Oops.... Well, like I said above, future reviews probably won't have the scene-by-scene breakdown, because it actually took me about a month and a half to write this because of all the detail that needed to go into it. But I'm sure there will be some scene breakdowns. But if I want to do these reviews at a steady pace, I'm going to have to make them a bit easier to write.
As of finishing this post I have just begun Season 2 of the series. And I will say now that I am by far a huge fan of the show!
So go watch it! Get with it! And love it! That's an order.
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| "What do you think this is? Anyhow?" |
Meanwhile, "Lady Helen", quote-unquote, wink-wink, ha-ha, nose-nose, arrives at Camelot to greet King Uther. She keeps the facade going, except, of course, throwing in a couple lines here and there that are clearly threats, like when the king says "It's always worth the wait", and she smiles and says quietly "It will be."
We come to the dungeons where we find Merlin asleep on the ground. Suddenly we hear... *gasp*... there's that awesome voice again. Yes, we hear John Hurt again, speaking slowly and softly, "Merlin..... Merlin..." Merlin wakes up, looking around curiously and warily when suddenly Gaius comes to his rescue and releases him from the dungeon. Gaius gives him a lecture about being an "idiot". Then says that he had to pull a few strings... and there is a small price to pay.
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| "Stop chucking rubbish on my head!" |
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| "I have come to stab you to death. With a gun." |
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| "Don't be a dumb. Come and play with us, boy-man!" |
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| Tear.... |
(Alright, unfortunately either Blogger.com is yelling at me because I have put too many pictures in this blog, or my computer is just being an idiot jerk.... I'd sooner suspect the latter... So, no more pictures from here on, unfortunately).
We are now introduced to The Great Dragon, voiced by—you guessed it—John "The Awesome" Hurt. Visiting the dragon from here on becomes an episode-regular event when Merlin needs advice on things. The Great Dragon appears to be wise and prescient, as he tends to tell Merlin about things that will come to pass in the future. He also appears to be somewhat omniscient as he always seems to know what's going on even though he's chained in this underground cave. In this scene, the dragon confirms Merlin's suspicions that he was given his powers for a reason. And that it is Merlin's destiny to protect Arthur and see that he becomes king. Because only when that happens will Camelot (and frightened magic-users) be free. The Great Dragon itself is pretty well done. I think I'm not quite a fan of his face, particularly his nose/mouth, but even so, pretty well done. One other things I'm not quite sure how I feel about is that, when the dragon talks, his mouth moves basically as it would for a human. I think I was expecting him to speak by telepathic waves or something. But either way, I mean... it's John Hurt. So it's all Win.
The next morning Gaius tells Merlin that Lady Morgana is having trouble with nightmares and wants Merlin to take medicine to her. Merlin enters her chamber, but Morgana does not make direct eye contact with him, so doesn't know who he is. She mistakenly thinks he is Guinevere, and begins talking about how she feels about Arthur. And, of course, because things become awkward as she begins undressing behind a screen (of course... you knew it was coming) and asks him/"her" (no... not that "her") to bring her her dress, Merlin doesn't reveal who he is, but tries to imitate a female voice when answering "uh-huh" to something Morgana asks. He then tries to make a break for the door, but she turns to look at him/"her" just as he raises a cloak up in front of him, like he's looking it over, so she doesn't see that it is him, and the charade continues. Once again he gets to the door... when Morgana asks for help fastening her dress.... Merlin looks absolutely befuddled... but luckily just that moment Gwen walks in confused at his appearance and saves him. Basically all the while Morgana is talking about her disgust over Arthur. Her attitude, like Arthur's, also comes off as a very rich-girl stereo-type.
We cut to a servant girl who brings..... "_______".... some fruit, but, of course she sees her true reflection in the mirror and "she" grabs the servant girl's wrist and hums that weird tune again. The servant girl turns grey and drops to the floor. See, now I'm sure that was painful... but not as painful as being stabbed sixty billion times in the chest! Why couldn't she do that to Lady Helen? For serious.
Next scene we are at the feast where remarks are exchanged between Gaius and Merlin, Merlin and Gwen have an awkward conversation about 'liking' people, then finally... "Lady Helen", giggle-giggle, begins to sing (a very pretty opera-ish-type song) that puts everyone under an enchantment of sleep with webs growing all over them. However, Merlin covers his ears in time and watches in horror as she approaches Arthur's limp form with a knife. Suddenly, his irises flash gold and the chandilier above "her" falls loose and totally pwns her!!! ... ahem... I mean... it crashes on her head and crushes her to the floor. Dead. Everyone begins to wake up, finding themselves covered in webs.... and Mary Collins in her true form lying under the chandilier.... But! Suddenly, she jumps up and throws the knife! Merlin is about to use magic to stop it, but stops himself in time and instead runs and grabs Arthur out of the way (I actually don't think he would've had time to do that, but okay) and the knife stabs through his now vacant chair. Or wait.... maybe he slows time down? See, when I saw that I just assumed he was going to use magic to stop it but then stops himself, because his irises flash but then the flash goes away quickly. But maybe he slowed everything down. Hmmmm... I shall have to consult the Merlin Wiki. NOW Mary Collins dies. For real. Merlin is congratulated and given the award.... of becoming Arthur's manservant.
Back home, Merlin and Gaius speak about magic and how perhaps it's Merlin's purpose to use his magic to save people. Gaius then hands him an ancient spell book, there's a knock at the door where someone says Arthur needs Merlin... and so it begins.
So I realize now that most of my inline comments were either negative or jesting... which makes it seem like this must not have been a very good episode. But, see, in this case I claim the "I'm making fun of it because I love it" defense for my actions. It really is a great episode! Certainly not my favorite, but it was a nice, tense opener to the series.
So what did you think of it? Or have you not watched it yet and I just spoiled everything for you? Oops.... Well, like I said above, future reviews probably won't have the scene-by-scene breakdown, because it actually took me about a month and a half to write this because of all the detail that needed to go into it. But I'm sure there will be some scene breakdowns. But if I want to do these reviews at a steady pace, I'm going to have to make them a bit easier to write.
As of finishing this post I have just begun Season 2 of the series. And I will say now that I am by far a huge fan of the show!
So go watch it! Get with it! And love it! That's an order.
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