Camelot Cancelled by Starz

I'm really not surprised by this news. I love the Arthurian Legend and couldn't get into it, so I knew it was in trouble. I review Merlin on this blog, and was seriously considering reviewing Camelot, but truth be told, I just didn't like the show enough to review it, and I thought it would be silly to post one snarky blog post after another, when anyone who was into the show could find better, more passionate reviews elsewhere.

I know there are those who probably believe that the show had potential and deserved a second season and they wouldn't be wrong. Some shows need that first season to work out all its kinks. Camelot was clearly one of those shows because it had no direction. Season Two could have changed that. Plus the rating were decent, the season finale was tantalizing, and there was rumblings of introducing Lancelot, always a plus, but considering that Guinevere was already knee deep in adultery stew, probably not the wisest move for her characterization...But when you are being compared to Game of Thrones and Spartacus, potential just isn't good enough.

Now, in the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit that part of me wasn't thrilled when I heard the news about Camelot because I feared that its bigger budget, and American distributor, would mean that it would overshadow Merlin, a show that has become one of my favorite adaptations of the Arthurian Legend, ever, but I was willing to give it a chance and I really hoped I'd fall in love with it. Unfortunately, the show was a nonsensical jumbo for me. I thought it was going be a fascinating and complex tale of sibling rivalry where both Arthur and Morgana had legitimate claims to the throne, but used different methods to get/keep it. Instead it was just a dud. I think my expectations were too high. For years I wondered, "what would Merlin be like if it was more adult, darker and had a bigger budget?" I thought Camelot would be my answer, but alas...

The major problem that I had with Camelot was Arthur.  He was too whiny and too hard to like. And yes, I understand this was a prequel and he was growing into the Arthur of Legend, but Merlin is a prequel too, and Arthur was far from the king of legend when he was introduced, but from the very moment Bradley James popped on my screen, I believed  I was looking at The Once and Future King. I'm sure that Jamie Campbell Bower is a fine actor, he just wasn't Arthur. In my opinion, he was miscast and it was a fatal error for the show.

Still, it wasn't all bad. Eva Green WAS Morgana. She made that show worth watching and I think watching her use Mordred in Season Two as a weapon against Arthur would have been delicious. If there is ever another movie based on Arthur and his knights they need to snap up Ms. Green in a heart beat.

Read more about the cancellation here.

The Coming of Arthur

Merlin ends its fantastic third season with a two-part finale in which Morgana finally comes out of the proverbial closet and let’s everyone know that she is EVIL.

The episode begins with the death of Sir Leon the Brave during a battle against Cendred’s army. A shell-shocked Arthur has to deliver the news to his father, who despite sending so many of his knights to slaughter over the years for personal vendettas and ill advised crusades, seems upset. Sadness quickly turns to joy, however, when Leon appears alive and well and informs them that a tribe of Druids found him and restored him to life.

Uther deduces that they must have used the mythical Cup of Life to do the deed, and instead of leaving it with the Druids, who you know, have managed to keep The Cup safe for hundreds of years, Uther in his great wisdom, decides to send Arthur too retrieve The Cup so that he can throw it in his Vault of Magical Trinkets. Arthur is all too happy to follow his father’s orders and he sets off with Merlin. The two are immediately kidnapped by a slave trader who has also somehow managed to capture Gwaine of The Luscious Hair. After much fighting and magical intervention, the trio escape, and Gwaine joins Arthur and Merlin for the latest adventure.

It doesn’t take long for the trio to find the Druids who are protecting The Cup. Arthur demands that they hand it over, but the Druids warn him that he is messing with powers he doesn’t understand. The Once and Future Princeling isn’t trying to hear that, though, and threatens to kill a druid BOY, unless they hand The Cup over. The Druids quickly comply and a satisfied Arthur leaves the cave, walking right into an ambush.

Cendred now has The Cup and creates an immortal army that marches straight into Camelot and seems to capture the kingdom with little resistance. Morgana is thrilled that at last one of her EVIL plans have worked and she crowns herself queen as a distraught Uther looks on. Uther doesn’t understand what is going on with his loving ward, so Morgana breaks it down to him that (a) she knows he is her father and she doesn’t appreciate him never acknowledging her, (b) she has been plotting against him and Camelot for nearly a year and he was too blind to see it (c) she has magic and (d) she hates his guts for everything, especially making her hate herself.

Morgana is thrilled that her coup has seemingly pushed Uther to the brink of madness, and now that she no longer has to hide her EVILNESS, she begins her glorious reign as Camelot’s Sovereign. But instead of legalizing magic, freeing the people from Uther’s oppressive practices, and showing the people why she is a better ruler than Uther could ever be, she decides that it would be much more fun to play dress up and be an even bigger tyrant then Uther was! She makes killing innocents the new national pastime and gleefully plots the murderers of former friends Leon and Gwen for their “betrayals.”  

Meanwhile, outside of Camelot, a depressed Arthur finds hope when Lancelot, and his friend Percival, show up to help after being summoned by Merlin. Now, Arthur has the makings of a knighthood that he can take into battle against Morgana and her EVIL friends, but will it be enough to beat back an immortal army and restore Camelot to the light?  

Merlin really found itself this season and I hope that the writers continue to build on the mythology that they have built. This season was really helped by the darker shift in tone and I look forward to seeing the show get even darker and more adult next season.

Being able to watch the beginnings of The Knights of the Roundtable is real treat from anyone who is a fan of the legend and watching Arthur knight men based on merit and not birth lays the cornerstone for what his kingdom is to become.

I have a few quibbles with Arthur’s characterization. I know this show is called Merlin, but Arthur is the King of Legend. We don’t need to see Merlin saving the day all the time. We need to see why Arthur will be the greatest king of all time. Also, enough with this blind loyalty to Uther. I know he is his father, but Arthur is a big boy now, he can see all the wrong that Uther has done and he needs to acknowledge it.

My only major complaint about this season was Morgana. While I liked that she went from spoiled princess to villain, I did not like that she was turned into such a one note character. I can understand that she hates Uther, I hate Uther, but to feel nothing but hatred for Gwen and Arthur, the two people she has been closets too her entire life was baffling. She could have still done bad things without being totally EVIL. This would have been a much better story if we saw her conflict about what she was doing and saw that she was motivated by something besides personal power. What happened to the Morgana of Season One and Two whose hatred of Uther was rooted in his tyranny? That’s the Morgana we should have seen this season, teetering on the brink of EVIL not totally lost to it.

All in all an excellent season and I can’t wait to see what Season 4 brings.

 Questions/Comments

So…um… Arthur is into killing kids in order to get what he wants?  I’m all for seeing Arthur’s dark side explored, but this seemed really out of character for him. Still, it would be interesting if the show plays with this a little. Arthur has no qualms about killing and let’s face it, you don’t become High King of all Albion by being a nice guy. Some of Uther had to rub off on him and it would be interesting to see how Gwen and Merlin would react to him doing some less than noble things to secure his kingdom.

How great was it seeing Uther on his knees being forced to watch Morgana crowned as Queen? Anthony Head played Uther’s anguish to perfection and I loved every minute of it.

Loved that the first thing Arthur did when he returned to Camelot was look for Gwen, but why is Elyan hiding in Gwen’s house? Had he already left his sister for dead?

Why did Morgana keep Gwen as her personal servant? Was she just too lazy to train another one? Did she get off on the idea “knowing” that she thwarted her own rise to the throne, or does she really still care for her?

Speaking of Gwen not only did she mention her dead father again (something I don’t want the writers to ever stop doing) but she also mentions that her mother was a Lady’s maid who worked for Leon’s family and that she and Leon grew up together. This was interesting and I hope it ties into something next season.

It was great watching Gwen use her detective skills to break Leon out of jail. Too bad that Morgana was on to her in a hot second, but hey, at least she tried.

Speaking of Gwen/Morgana, how much more interesting would this dynamic have been to watch if you had two friends who did not want to betray each other , but because of their views of what is right and wrong ultimately do. Was Morgana really hurt that Gwen chose Arthur over her, or just mad that Gwen lied to her? One of the strengths of this new interpretation is that Morgana/Arthur/Gwen/Merlin really loved each other. Why not play on that to add conflict.

Arthur and Gwen are clearly committed to each other at the end of this arc, and Lancelot, while accepting of this new dynamic, is still very much in love with Gwen. It will be interesting to see where this goes.

Seeing the roundtable and seeing and hearing Arthur act like King Arthur gave me chills.  

Cendred, I barely knew yea, all that potential wasted.  Too bad.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Santiago as Lancelot and I think his friendship with Merlin is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this show. If I had one wish is would be that he could be a series regular.

It was nice to see Morgana show some emotion when her sister fell, it’s nice to know that she is still capable of feeling something for someone, but may I suggest that she take a page out of Morgan Pendragon’s book. Showtime’s Camelot may not get much love from me, but Eva Green’s Morgan is FANTASTIC and makes Merlin’s Morgana Pendragan look like she is just playing at being EVIL.

Gaius magic? Was I the only one surprised by that revelation or did I miss something in the earlier seasons? And am I to understand that he watched thousands of fellow witches and warlocks burn at the stack and continued to be Uther’s loyal friend and physician? What a guy!

Merlin --- The Queen of Hearts

In this week's episode of Merlin, Guinevere is revealed to be the Once and Future "Queen of Hearts" and Morgana doesn't like this one bit. After a prophetic dream in which she sees Gwen crowned as Queen of Camelot, Morgana manipulates a chain of events to rid herself of her rival at all costs. But Detective Merlin is on the case and he may have come up with the grandaddy of all schemes to save Gwen and to make sure that love wins.

After a week of taking a break from her EVIL scheming, Morgana is in a tizzy when she realizes that Arthur is destined to marry Gwen and place her on the throne, that as Uther's secret female spawn, is rightfully hers! She easily manipulates Arthur and Gwen into throwing caution  to the wind and taking a romantic picnic in the forest. She then coos and bats her eyelashes at Daddy Uther until he agrees to go riding with her where they conveniently catch an unsuspecting Gwen and Arthur making out among the grass and flowers.

Uther is amused to see his son getting it on with the help, since he has been known to "court" a servant or two in his day, but he quickly becomes angry when he orders Arthur to end whatever is going on between them and Gwen and Arthur balks. Uther realizes that Arthur actually has feelings for this servant girl and banishes her.

Morgana is thrilled until she realizes that Arthur is planning on running away with Gwen and returning with her after Uther croaks, making her his wife and queen. Realizing that she has in fact made her the prophesy come true by causing the banishment, she decides to kill Gwen. She convinces Uther that Arthur is bewitched, something that Uther is all too willing to believe because a) he seems to believe that everything is the work of magic and b) it's the only explanation that he can stomach for his son being in love with a servant.

Gwen is tried, slapped and sentenced to death by Uther in about two minutes as a horrified Arthur looks on. Morgana is pleased that one of her EVIL plans has finally worked, but she tosses out one EVIL smirk too many and Gwen sees it. Gwen being on to her is the least of Morgana's problems, however. Detective Merlin morphs into Merlin the Magician and the warlock comes up with a magical solution that Morgana doesn't see coming.   

My shipper heart LOVED this episode. It had everything --- romantic picnics, epic declarations of love, slow mo kissage, life and death drama and Gwen being kick ass. Also, kudos to seeing Merlin actually use his magic in such a focused and calculating way instead of just off the cuff like he usually does.

Once again, these are the episodes when Merlin could benefit from a darker tone and a longer season.
If this arc didn't have to be tied up in a bow by episodes end we could have had the lovers discovered and Uther either banishing Gwen, and we could see how that played out and how it affected his relationship with Arthur, or choosing to accept Gwen, something that he would be loathed to do. We could have really seen the fallout of their outing, how everyone would react, how they would cope. Also, imagine Morgana having to pretend to accept Gwen as an equal, something that would have been hard for her to do even if she weren't EVIL. It would have been much more interesting then this magical quick fix.

Also, those scenes where Uther is talking about his randy past and confronting Gwen and Arthur hinted at  terrifying consequences for the duo that are never really actualized. Now, nobody expected Gwen to be executed, but there would have been more suffering. She takes her banishment like she takes everything else --- stoically, and her trial and imprisonment lasts about a nanosecond. What if Uther had her flogged or worse tortured? What if he had Arthur flogged or thrown into the dungeons until he saw reason? What if Gwen was actually saved at the eleventh hour by Elyan and Lancelot? That to me would have made a much better set-up for the The Coming of Arthur. She, Gawain and Lance could form the Banish by Uther Brigaide and come across Arthur in the forest after Morgana's coup.

I just wish that such an important revelation actually lead somewhere. I'm tired of these resets. Yes, by episode's end Gwen now suspects that Morgana is EVIL, and yes Gwen FINALLY agreed to wait for Arthur, sorry Lancelot, but the Arthur/Uther dynamic, something that really fascinates me about this show, doesn't seem to change, despite him wanting to barbecue Gwen. Arthur doesn't seem to hold any of what his father did to them against him, at least not outwardly, and that is a problem for me.    

Questions/Comments

Angel Coulby looked absolutely beautiful as Queen Guinevere.

Why was Merlin still dressed as a servant during Gwen's coronation? Surely he would have risen up in rank. At least he got front row seats to the event. And Gauis outlives Uther? Figures.

One thing I can say for Morgana is that she is getting better at this EVIL thing. After one convoluted, DISASTROUS plan after another she finally decides to keep it simple and it almost works.

This is actually one time when I don't mind Morgana trying to kill Gwen because I feel as if it's in character. Nonevil Morgana would never have accepted her servant girl as her Queen, it would be unrealistic to expect her too no matter how much she may have liked Gwen. She would have agreed with the banishment "for both their sakes" or something "noble" like that. EVIL Morgana just took things further.

All the Arthur and Gwen scenes were something out of a romance novel and I thought it was great. The picnic date was lush and beautiful. Also loved the hallway scene at the end where they basically became betrothed. It was good to actually hear Gwen tell Arthur that she was in it for the long haul. It was also
good to hear Gwen say that Camelot comes first because it shows that she understands what she will be getting herself into as Queen. It's not all dresses and jewelry and parties --- being Queen means work and sacrifice. And that scene where Arthur and Gwen kiss and Arthur declares his undying love before they are pulled apart by the guards in slow motion? An instant favorite of mine.

I'm going to give Arthur a pass for not seemingly doing more to rescue Gwen and fanwank that he was feverishly planning to save her up until the very end. Once again since this show is all about Merlin always coming to the rescuse we really don't know what Arthur was up too.

As much as I was not a fan of the magical fix I have to say that Colin was amazing as old Merlin. Simply funny. He has great comedic timing, so does Bradley James by the way who has the thankless role as the straight man for the most part. Also, I appreciate any nod to Arthurian lore.

Kudos to Anthony Head and Angel Coulby who were just amazing in that trial scene. Uther was scary and Gwen managed to keep her dignity in the face of certain death, she even brought up that Uther killed her father. Imagine that.

I'm sorry but I laughed when Gauis tried to plead Gwen's case and Uther basically told him to shut up. You can really tell that when push comes to shove Uther values him and he really made the right decision turning and blind eye to his murderous ways and standing by him all these years. Not! But his own near burning in season one should have taught him that.

Uther really is mad. Seriously, he is crazy. That scene when he takes Arthur's face in his hands and promises him that he will thank him after Gwen is dead  is Uther at his scariest and delusional best.

Where is Elyan when his sister is banished and imprisoned? Working overtime at the forge?

Merlin - Eye of the Phoenix

In this week's episode of Merlin, “The Eye of the Phoenix,” Arthur is off on another dangerous quest, that his enemies have decided would be the perfect cover to assassinate him, and once again it's Merlin to the rescue.

Despite slaying dragons, beating back the undead, and generally acting like Uther's kick ass hammer all his life,  Arthur must prove that he is worthy of being King by going on a dangerous quest that could very well get him killed.  That this would leave Camelot without an heir doesn't seem to matter.  What matters is that the princes of Camelot have been doing this for eons and Uther, ever the traditionalist, will not break the rules for the son he killed his wife to have!

Arthur, after much meditation with the The Force, realizes that he has to travel to Dagobah, I mean the Perilous Lands, to retrieve the trident of the famed Fisher King. Merlin wants to go with Arthur, but Arthur says this is a solo project and he must stay behind. While Merlin is dismayed by the idea of the journey, Morgana couldn't be more thrilled. After her failed attempt at killing Arthur last week, Morgana decides to keep it simple this week and give Arthur an EVIL life sucking bracelet that she got from Morgause, who hobbles into Camelot looking like Snow White's Stepmother when she's got her Crone on. Merlin is suspicious when Arthur shows him Morgana's "good luck" trinket and Detective Merlin figures out that it's a tool of the Dark side and he has to find Arthur before it destroys him.

Realizing that he has to get to Arthur without Morgana or Uther knowing, Merlin tracks down Gawain, who is bored and down for an adventure. Merlin and Gawain arrive to The Perilous Lands and runs in to Yoda, Willow, Grettir, the keeper of the bridge, who tells them that he has been waiting for them and that they, along with Arthur, have a great destiny ahead of them.

Back in Camelot, Morgana is getting impatient with Arthur's unwillingness to just die already and gets all snappy when Gwen interrupts her Death to Arthur Voodoo Chant. She later apologizes, but Gwen is on to her and you can tell that things between them will never be the same.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Gawain track down Arthur, but will rescuing him really be that easy? And what will happen once they find The Fisher King?

“The Eye of the Phoenix”  is a good old fashion adventure and I loved it. It was great seeing Warwick Davis, WILLOW!,  being all snarky with Arthur and Co. and of course anytime Merlin and Gawain get together we are instantly in a buddy movie. It was also great that the girls got their own subplot as Morgana's EVIL became apparently to Gwen, no doubt setting up a showdown between the two former friends.


Questions/Comments

I know that that this show is about Merlin, it's called Merlin after all, but would it be too much trouble to let us see an adventure with Arthur where he saves himself ,giving that he is The Once and Future King of legend and all?  Arthur gets props for making it as far as he does alive with Morgana's Magic Bracelet of Evil on his wrists, but once Merlin arrives he is made to look like a clueless ingrate. His total obliviousness to Morgana's EVIL is also painful to watch. I know he loves and trusts her, but if Gwen can see that something is up, Arthur should have at least a small inkling that Morgana is acting different.

The Fisher King mentions that his kingdoms will be restored to greatness, it's implied by Arthur, yet His Cobwebbed Majesty is going on and on about Merlin's destiny, again, and how this was really Merlin's quest, and how it is up to Merlin to unite Albion. Huh? If the world of magic played a bigger part in the politics of the land I could buy this, by right now it's hard to swallow. It's more believable that Arthur's will and vision is why Albion will be united one day, not because of a Warlock, who may be the greatest bodyguard ever, but whose larger role, even now, seems small compared to Arthur's destiny.

Anybody else disappointed that that beautiful scene of Arthur on his knees crying  that we saw in the season teaser trailer was about a vision of tracking down the Fisher King? But it was funny watching Gwen and Merlin make fun of him.

So let me get this straight, in order to prove that you are worthy to assume the throne you have to take on a dangerous mission of the Fate's choosing in which death is very much likely? And if you die, then? Sounds like a great custom.

I like Gawain, really I do, but I can't help but thinking that it should be Lancelot in this episode not him.

Why is Morgan so cold towards Gwen? I understand that she was in the middle of some supernatural scheming and all and Gwen was getting in the way, but up until this point Gwen has been nothing but loyal to her.

Loved the quick kiss between Arthur and Gwen, it shows how comfortable they are now with each other.

It's great to see Gwen doing her own detective work and getting the goods on a scheming Morgana.
She's not the Once and Future Queen of Legend for Nothing.

Merlin --- The Castle of Fryrien

This week on Merlin Gwen takes center stage which is never a good thing for her --- it means she is either going to be arrested, have to watch the man she loves slip away from her, get kidnapped, get threatened with death, or have to watch a family member die. It's two out of three this week for our girl, as she and her long lost brother Elyan are kidnapped by Sisters Morgana and Morgause and their smoldering puppet Cendred as part of a plan to kill Arthur.

Last week, Morgana's EVIL powers of perception honed in on the fact that Arthur loves Gwen and like any good villain worth their salt she quickly deduces that she can use this bit of info to her advantage. Instead of letting it slip to Uther and instigating a showdown, that if she played her cards right could rid her of  both Uther and Arthur (That is Plan B apparently, see Queen of Hearts), Morgana comes with an extremely convoluted plan to have Cendred and Morgause kidnap Gwen and Elyan and force Gwen to lure Arthur to where her Partners in Evil are so that they can kill him.

Gwen doesn't take the bait however, and even though Cendred has threatened to kill her brother if she doesn't bring Arthur back after they release her, Gwen keeps mum. Luckily for Elyan, Detective Merlin is on the case and takes one look at a distraught Gwen, and her newly acquired bruises, and not only gets the whole story about the kidnapping, but convinces her to tell Arthur.

Arthur decided that he is going to ride to Elyan's rescue, much to the pleasure of the eavesdropping Morgana. The next morning Merlin is happy to be accompanying Arthur and Gwen, but worried and upset when Morgana announces that she is tagging along too. Now Merlin must find a way to help Gwen and Arthur rescue Elyan and keep Arthur alive without Morgana sabotaging their every move.

I really liked this episode, not only was it action packed, but it was great seeing Gwen get to interact with someone who she could really feel close too. Gwen's brother came out the blue, but Angel Coulby and Adetomiwa Edun have a nice chemistry and you believe that they are siblings who love each other.Guinevere has always been the damsel in distress in most of Arthurian Lore and I don't expect that to change. I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing because Gwen is not a silly girl. She has a quiet strength that makes Arthur a better man and gives Merlin someone to rely on and she goes out on a limb for the people that she cares about. She was willing to live with her brother's death on her conscience without ever telling Arthur. That takes a lot of inner fortitude.

Questions/Comments

So, you are an EVIL princess who needs to kill her beloved brother to upsurp his rights to the throne. You have access to said brother all the time but instead of poisoning him, assassinating him, or just running your sword threw both him and your much hated Daddy, you come up with this elaborate plan to kidnap your servant's long lost brother so that your Partners in EVIL can use him as bait when they kidnap your said servant and demand that she bring your brother to them or they'll kill hers knowing that your servant will run back to your brother and he will ride to the rescue of your servant's brother and be killed by your Partners in EVIL so that you now become the sole heir of the kingdom? Okay. 

Morgana's faux concern for Gwen only makes her plan seem more convoluted. If the plan was always to let Gwen go so that she could lure Arthur to them, why alert Arthur to the fact that she is missing in the first place?  Did she want to get Arthur so riled up that when Gwen did return he would demand to know what happened, forcing her hand?

LOVED The scene when Merlin tried to pour Morgana a drink and she put her hand over the glass like one poisoning is enough in one life time thank you very much!

Gwen seems to walk home at an ungodly hour ALONE and walks into an open house. Surely, the object of the prince's affections, the servant of the king's ward, and the daughter of a blacksmith can get a lock. 

Uther's continuous sloberfest over Morgana is really just icky at this point.

Does the fact that Uther agreed to send a mini search party after Gwen mean he like her in some itty bitty tiny weenie way, or does he have some sense of fairness somewhere in that cold, black soul?

I really enjoyed the Gwen/Arthur scenes. These two really have great chemistry and the almost kiss was perfect.

Morgana and Merlin have a fascinating dynamic. I actually understand why she hates Merlin and vice versa, go figure lol. They both have dirt on each other and can't tell on each other without telling on themselves. It was great watching Merlin try to foil Morgana's plans while Arthur and Gwen remained oblivious to her true intentions.  

I had a hard time at first believing that Arthur would agree to bring Morgana along on such a dangerous mission but later I rationalized it as him feeling that this had to be top secret and Morgana and Merlin were the only two people he could trust.

I love Cendred and Morgause but I think their characters are pretty much wasted. All they do is smirk and flirt and execute one ill-fated plan after another. Frankly, they hardly seem like a threat to our heroes. What kind of a king is Cendred really? This is an opportunity to show how other kingdoms are run and why Arthur will be such a great High King. Also, Morgause gives the show a chance to really delve into the world of magic in the Merlinverse and the politics of that world so why not go there.

I thought that Gwen trying to handle all this alone was so Gwen, but does the fact that she said nothing to Arthur mean that she was going to let Elyan die? I think so and not because she loves Art more, but because she would feel as prince his life was "more important." A horrible choice for anybody.

I really liked Elyan, but I didn't get a good read on him. He's typically a knight in Arthurian Lore so it's nice to see that all of Gwen's family will be moving on up, but why did he leave Camelot in the first place? Gwen tells us he is a bad boy and a nomad, but he seems like a great guy and at the end of the episode he has settled back down in Camelot with a home and a job, hardly the actions of a rascal.

Speaking of kin, I am glad to see that Gwen has family and glad that this family wasn't a long lost king, making her a instaprincess. Also kudos for mentioning Tom. Am I the only one though who thinks its unnatural that Gwen and Arthur never talk about Tom's death? Arthur was the one who arrested him after all. Does she only blame Uther? Was Arthur's "I'm sorry" after her father's death "proof" to her that if he had his way her father would still be alive? Are we even supposed to wonder about this because Gwen seems okay with it? Moving along...

Why has Morgana suddenly lost all feelings for Gwen and Arthur? I know that she is EVIL but come on, she has always cared a lot about them, especially Arthur who she clearly adored in Season One. I can buy that she sees killing him as a necessary evil, but I can't by that she is more thirsty for his blood then Cendred. Even Darth Vader had a soft spot for his family!

Merlin -- The Changeling

Arthur and Gwen's worst fears come true when Uther informs Arthur that he is to marry one of his oldest friend's daughter Princess Elena. Arthur balks at this, especially when he meets her and finds to his horror that she is a clumsy, oafish girl with an aversion to brushes and really bad table manners. Arthur isn't in the mood to sacrifice his own happiness for the good of the kingdom and is so distraught that he can't hide his preference for Gwen, something that's lost on a clueless Uther, but becomes glaringly obvious to Morgana.

Elena for her part is less than thrilled with marrying a prince she doesn't love, but that's the least of her problems. It seems that when Elena was a baby a fairy decided that her body was a great place to nest in and now that she is of age, the fairy wants control and poor Elena has no idea what's happening. Complicating matters is the fact that her nanny, Not Mary Poppins, is actually an agent for the dark side and is sticking close to Elena so that she can guide Fairy Elena when she marries Arthur and pops out their Fairy King.

While Arthur and Gwen try to be all noble about his upcoming nuptials, Merlin decides that he is going to put his detective hat on and see if he can dig up some dirt on Elena and Co. to stop  the impending nuptials. He hits pay dirt when he finds Not Mary Poppins, scheming with her fey brethren. He runs to Gauis for advice, but soon realizes that Gauis can be of use to him in another way when Not Mary Poppins makes a play for the Old Doc. Now Merlin and Gauis must find a way to work together to stop Arthur from making the biggest mistake of his life,while Arthur must decide if her really is the master of his own destiny.

I actually liked this episode.No, it isn't as heart wrenching as it could be, considering that Gwen and Arthur are being threatened with the prospect on losing each other forever, but I felt for everybody involved. I especially liked the scene when Gwen and Arthur are talking about the marriage and they are both fighting back tears. If this was a more adult show I have to wonder if Arthur would have married Elena. It would have pushed both Arthur and Gwen to their limits and it would have been interesting to see what being a part would have done to them, but Merlin is a kid show so we get this maritial threat over and done with and in a neat little bow at the end. This is one of the down sides to having so few episodes. Arcs that could really thrive from additional time, such as this one, and the whole Morgana is EVIL arc, have to be fast tracked.

Questions/Comments

Elena was very lovable and spunky and she would have made a great match for Arthur if he wasn't in love with someone else. Kudos to the writers for not turning her into a Mary Sue or a Betty Bitch and just allowing her to be a girl we can root for to find her own happiness? She'd make a great match for Lance...

Uther's desire for Arthur to marry a princess with an army makes sense, but it also shows the costs of all his ill advised campaigns and banishments. Camelot needs men and money. The reason Arthur can marry a servant girl is because he  makes himself an Uber King who doesn't need allies.

Don't you just love how being EVIL makes once oblivious people perceptive? Morgana actually managed to see past her own anger and her own agenda to notice that something was up with Arthur. Go figure.

I like that Gwen did not open up to Morgana about Arthur when she questioned her. It shows that Gwen understands their stations all too well. It also shows that Gwen is very perceptive, she may not know exactly what is going on with Morgana ,but her instincts tell her that something is up and she should stay quiet.

Why are the feys so hot for Arthur's DNA and does this have anything to do with Ygraine who in some legends have connections to the fey?

It was so great seeing Arthur FINALLY stand up to Uther and push back. Let's see how long this lasts.

I love Gwen in every incarnation, let me admit that now, but I want to see her get angry. I know that she is going to need all this stoicism when she is queen and I am glad that she cares enough about Arthur to put his destiny before her feelings, but geesh all this nobility is a bit thick at times. YOUR MAN IN MARRYING ANOTHER WOMAN! Cry, get angry, do something not so stiff upper lippy! I'm just saying.

While it was cute seeing Gwen and Arthur be all flirty at the end, their "I'm still single" convo did very little to change the status quo. Yes, it's obvious they want to be together and are thrilled to still have the chance, but all Arthur did was give them a chance to love another day, not make it their day to love.

The Tears of Uther Pendragon

 I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone who has ever visited this fledgling blog that I love the BBC's Merlin. With the SyfY Channel currently showing Season Three I thought I’d take a stab at reviewing the season.

The Tears of Uther Pendragon is a two part episode that takes place one year after last year’s dragon attack and the disappearance of the King’s Ward, Morgana.  Uther, who  doesn’t know that Morgana is a witch who has grown to hate him because she has had to hide her powers or risk being executed under his laws, is desperate to find her and is relieved when she is finally discovered by Arthur in a field outside of Camelot. Morgana claims that she was kidnapped by bandits, but in Season Two she was last seen with her vengeful sister Morgause and it turns out she spent the year with her learning Evil 101, which involves lots of smirking and wearing red lipstick. Morgana gets all Harry Potter on Uther, using a mandrake to drive him insane. Meanwhile, Morgause has seduced a neighboring King Cendred and convinced him they can defeat Camelot. Merlin, who poisoned Morgana last season (it’s a long story), is the only one not happy to see her because you know, he is scared she is going to squeal on him. When she says she forgives him he is relieved, but he quickly comes to realize that she is lying and is back for revenge. With an enemy army approaching and a father who has gone mad, it is up to Arthur to decide if he will take over as Reagent and lead the Knights of Camelot into battle, while Merlin must figure out a way to stop Morgana from destroying Camelot from within.

In Season One and Season Two Merlin seemed like a show on the verge of being something special, in Season Three, it gets there. In a lot of ways this two-parter feels a lot like a really good pilot episode.  Much of that goes to the fact that it is inching towards the legend we all know and love, something that made Smallville finally became the show I thought it could be.

My only complaint about this two-parter is its pilot like nature means the characters fall prey to the reset button.  Why is Arthur treating Merlin, a man he battled a dragon with last season, like a buffoon? I can understand that Arthur does not see Merlin as a warrior and isn’t ready to give him the respect he is due – yet, but this episode walks a fine line between “banter” and “abuse.” I mean throwing a bucket of water on Merlin’s head because he isn’t paying attention? Frankly I found that upsetting and borderline cruel. Sometimes it’s hard to tell that Arthur cares about Merlin at all and I know that’s not what these scenes are trying to convey because their friendship is the heart of this show.

Arthur’s relationship with Gwen also seems to have taken two steps back. In Season Two’s Sweet Dreams Gwen essentially tells Arthur that they can never be, a few episodes later, in the season finale, she gives him a very PUBLIC hug after Arthur (Merlin) returns from vanquishing the dragon. Our two young lovers however are awkward with each other now and seem to have spent very little time together during the missing year. This isn’t the worse thing though because it gives them a strong place to start with the duo. One of my favorite scenes is when Gwen comes to talk to Arthur after he has assumed control of Camelot. Look what Bradley James does with his eyes. He makes you feel Arthur’s longing.  We also see in this scene why Gwen is a good match for Arthur. She is a wise counselor and giving him confidence when he needs it the most.  She is also his link to the people. In traditional Arthurian Lore, Arthur is raised as a commoner and this is why he believes in equality based on personal mert not class. Gwen is given Arthur’s upbringing in this version and it is falling in love with her that starts him down this way of thinking. This scene is also an indication that Gwen will be doing more than arranging flowers this season.

Morgana is not a victim of the reset button, she is a totally different character all together, and while I personally think that Morgana would have been much more sympathetic and interesting if her actions were a bit more nuanced and less cartoon evil, Morgana was kind of annoying to me in Season One and barely relevant in Season Two so I’m glad that her character is getting a chance to shine.

Questions/Comments

Why is Uther willing to risk the life of his only heir, one he suffered greatly to bring into this world, for Morgana? I have seen the entire season so I know the answer to that, but I couldn’t stop wondering that when I first saw it.

Uther was a real monster, drowning babies? Why isn’t there some type of rebellion brewing against him?

Kidnapped by bandits, really? Why is nobody questioning this story? Didn't Arthur see Morgause take Morgana with his own eyes?

Uther sees Ygraine in the well when he is “haunted” by his victims. Is this guilt about Arthur’s birth through magic or did Ygraine die another way? Interesting to contemplate isn’t it?

We are told that madness runs in the Pendragon family, which explains a lot, BUT what if this little tidbit isn’t about setting up Uther’s ultimate fate? I’m pretty sure that they are not doing the Gwen/Lancelot adultery route so what leads to Camelot’s downfall? Do you really need an actual affair when Arthur may be as susceptible to his mind being manipulated the way Uther is? Will this ultimately be his, and Camelot’s  downfall?

Did Merlin and Morgana always have this much chemistry?

Overall, this is an excellent start and I am really excited about where this season will take us.

Four Snaps Up!