New Merlin on BBC

[Starkers]

Hi apologies if there was already a thread for this but if there is I can't find it!

Anyone else see Merlin on Saturday? I liked it, although it did feel very similar to at least one episode from last series. Hopefully it will improve. At least they're building the Arthur Gwynevier (sp) romance up slowly, which I like. But Arthur continuing to think of Merlin as an idiot despite how many times he's been right is annoying. Also there was no explanation for why the gargoyles were defeated, one assumes Merlin didn't take the credit, so who did? And what happened to Makenzie Crook?

Best bit for me was Emilia Fox showing up in the trailer at the end!

 

[Bob The Skutter]

I enjoyed it too, but with the mistrust between Arthur and Merlin and the general tone of the episode it seemed like a return to the middle of last series rather than moving forward. I hope it's just a temporary misstep and not an indication of how the rest of the series will be.
It was good that they started to show some interest between Arthur and Gwen, there was an indication that Gwen fancied him last series, now there's some indication that it goes both ways.

 

[Starkers]

Yeah it did seem a bit of a backwards step. The Arthur Gwen stuff is an improvement at least, last season it was hard to spot any chemistry between them until right at the end of the series. They seem content to take their time with the romance (and with Morgana's turn to the dark side--although I don't think she'll see it as the dark side) but if they don't reveal Merlin's powers to Arthur this year I'll be dissapointed. If nothing else it makes Arthur look an idiot if he can't work it out.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Yeah it did seem a bit of a backwards step. The Arthur Gwen stuff is an improvement at least, last season it was hard to spot any chemistry between them until right at the end of the series. They seem content to take their time with the romance (and with Morgana's turn to the dark side--although I don't think she'll see it as the dark side) but if they don't reveal Merlin's powers to Arthur this year I'll be dissapointed. If nothing else it makes Arthur look an idiot if he can't work it out.

Or a clot-pole... Yeah, I hope they reveal it this series too. There's some interviews with them on digital spy you may be interested in watching.
Richard Wilson
Bradley James
Katie McGrath & Angel Coulby

Looks like it didn't do too bad in the ratings, but they were lower than last series.

Merlin (BBC One)
Also on Saturday, family drama Merlin returned for its second series, airing in a pre-Strictly slot at 6.40pm. It went on to average 5.08m (27%) over 45 minutes, the show's second lowest audience to date. It did beat ITV1's The Cube, however, and was comfortably in range of the series one average of 5.74m (25.4%).

 

[Starkers]

It would be a great dynamic is Arthur has to keep it secret from Uthur. Actually you have to wonder at what point Arthur will become King?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It would be a great dynamic is Arthur has to keep it secret from Uthur. Actually you have to wonder at what point Arthur will become King?

I hope this isn't as bad as it sounds, but right now it kinda reminds me of Smallville and Clark hiding his secret from Lex. Once a friendship builds there I'm certain he could reveal it and Arthur would do everything he could to protect Merlin from Uther.

 

[Deckerd]

Missed it. Dang.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

First episode's here iPlayer link there's also a repeat on BBC Three on Friday at 8pm.
There's also a behind the scenes show started on BBC Three Merlin Secrets and Magic

 

[Deckerd]

Who needs a TV planner when we have Bob?

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Who needs a TV planner when we have Bob?

My new slogan... Everyone should have a Bob...

 

[Starkers]

Who needs a TV planner when we have Bob?

My new slogan... Everyone should have a Bob...

I like it!

They definitely have to let Arthur in on it sooner or later, otherwise it risks ending up like the New Adventures of Superman.

As Simon Tempus (I think) said. "Lois, I have one question for you from the future...just how stupid are you!"

 

[Allyn Gibson]

It would be a great dynamic is Arthur has to keep it secret from Uthur. Actually you have to wonder at what point Arthur will become King?

sooner rather than later, I would think.

Arthur would only become king of Camelot. There are other kingdoms in Britain. Once Arthur has his throne, Arthur would need to unite the kingdoms, perhaps against Saxons or the Irish. Arthur uniting Britain could encompass an entire season on its own.

 

[KB24]

I liked this episode. I think it was better than the debut episode definitely. Some of the old cute tricks and idiot jokes were used a bit much, but the good material was left open for some darker development. Is there going to be a class issue in the romance of Arthur and Gwen? What happened to Cedric? Was do the writers tend to pack all the gimmicks and cliches in early episodes and wait till the latter half of a season to get heavy-regarding season 1 anyway.

I don't understand how some people think Arthur and Gwen is forced, and they are surprised Morgana might have magical bits. Do you not have any idea of the legends what so ever? I'd like Arthur and Morgana to have something scandalous before she's wrongfully cast out-then a conflicted Gwen can become Uther's ward. He killed her father-that's not going to be dicey!

 

[mswood]

I really didn't like it much at all. The dialogue between Archer and Merlin was very out of character (it was like watching Valiant again, 2nd episode). A complete regression in character growth between their relation.

The scenes that did work though were the Merlin Giaus scenes, I thought that was much more mature then what they have normally had.

I did feel like they just had to throw Gwen andArthur together, but I understand why, they never did really develop them as having any connection at all (except out of the blue in the last episode).

I like the show (as a very guilty pleasure), but while I accept the lame plots I do expect good characterization to make up for it. If they don't improve in the next two episodes I am done with it.

 

[mswood]

KB24

Why people feel Arthur & Gwen are forces is their has been no real development showing that they have really taken any sort of notice towards each other.

THey all know they are going to end up together, but they want it to feel like a natural progression of the story and not like the writers said, Oh yeah we better start having Gwen on top of Arthur.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

^There were hints right from the first episode that Gwen liked Arthur, the way she kinda babbled when talking about him to Merlin the first time was a sure sign she fancied him but knew it could never go anywhere... at least that's how I saw it.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Why people feel Arthur & Gwen are forced is their has been no real development showing that they have really taken any sort of notice towards each other.

I disagree. The speech Gwen has over the unconscious Arthur in "Le Morte d'Arthur" in which she says what she thinks of Arthur and what she admires of Arthur planted a fair few seeds, I think. Arthur wasn't unconscious, and he tried to draw her out when he heard what she said.

 

[Starkers]

I really didn't like it much at all. The dialogue between Archer and Merlin was very out of character (it was like watching Valiant again, 2nd episode). A complete regression in character growth between their relation.

The scenes that did work though were the Merlin Giaus scenes, I thought that was much more mature then what they have normally had.

I did feel like they just had to throw Gwen andArthur together, but I understand why, they never did really develop them as having any connection at all (except out of the blue in the last episode).

I like the show (as a very guilty pleasure), but while I accept the lame plots I do expect good characterization to make up for it. If they don't improve in the next two episodes I am done with it.

I wonder if the backwards step in the Arthur/Merlin relationship was intentional because it was the first episode of the new series? Guess we'll know if they carry on with it.

 

[cultcross]

Can't say I've been too impressed with the first bit of season 2. I really hoped they'd take the break and use it to grow the series into something a bit more mature, a bit more interesting. Instead, we get back and suddenly, they've uncovered another monster-of-the-week, and this time it's Voldemort.
A shame. It seems this show could have a lot of potential, but they don't seem very interested in exploiting it.

 

[KB24]

I agree there have been hints of Arthur Gwen on both sides during Season 1. OF course, there's also been bits of Gwen Merlin and Morgana mixed in there, too. Maybe in the future mature relationships and conflicts will come of it. We'll see. Now, I do find it hard to believe that among the teeny bopper message boards, they are totally confused by A/G because they've never read anything Arthurian. What planet are you from to not know how this legend goes?

I don't like a lot of the Arthur idiot Merlin retreads though. I like fun banter, but by the latter half of the first season, we had some real frank bonding and serious conversations. Maybe they put in the jokes as the big premiere gimmick? I'd like the show to get more mature and darker as it goes on. IMO it won't survive long unless it gets angsty. That's what Camelot is all about, issues! I hope they keep more conflicting recurring characters. Lancelot and Cedric are good competition!

http://ithinkthereforeireview.blogspot.com/2009/09/merlin-season-1.html