Merlin (TV Series)

[ssampier]

I am really digging this show on SyFy. Am I the only one watching this?

I realize this is not a new series, but a BBC series reran.

If you haven't seen it, Merlin takes a different angle to the whole Arthur series that has seen many permutations over the years.

The scripts are decent, as are actors and actresses. I even enjoy the CGI dragon.

 

[fba827]

i saw season 1 on hulu back in the day. i did enjoy it.

i am not by a tv regularly enough to watch on air broadcasts... so i have to wait for season 2 if/when it ever comes to hulu. but my point is, i would be watching it if i could.. not that it is wonderful tv and deviates far from the origin source, but it is enjoyable for the sake of enertainment none the less.

(i think season 3 is currently in the UK and the US gets them on scifi some months later; the US is still doing season 2).

 

[Orius]

I saw it when NBC was running it as filler last summer. Not bad. Uther certainly has a big stick up his ass most of the time though.

 

[nerfherder]

I enjoyed S1 and S2. S3 isn't out in the UK yet.

As you say, it's fun entertainment, as long as you don't worry about the huge liberties it takes with the legends (which aren't consistent with each other, anyway).

 

[Orius]

Some of the liberties are annoying (I have nothing against diversity in casting, but in a "historical" show it strains suspension of disbelief).

However, Morgana is hot enough for me to ignore those things.

 

[nerfherder]

Some of the liberties are annoying (I have nothing against diversity in casting, but in a "historical" show it strains suspension of disbelief).

You thought the dragon was badly cast?

However, Morgana is hot enough for me to ignore those things.

Oh yes. She reminds me of Keira Knightley, but more... filled out

 

[Fast Learner]

Unfortunately for me the show is just good enough to watch, much like Smallville. I'm very rarely satisfied after an episode, but still enjoy the occasional geeky moment. It's unfortunate because it means I haven't missed an episode but still lost 44 minutes.

 

[Felon]

I am really digging this show on SyFy. Am I the only one watching this?

I realize this is not a new series, but a BBC series reran.

If you haven't seen it, Merlin takes a different angle to the whole Arthur series that has seen many permutations over the years.

The scripts are decent, as are actors and actresses. I even enjoy the CGI dragon.

The show is, by the creators' admission, imitative of Smallville. They take a heavily youth-centric spin on a well-known legend. Then they constantly foreshadow to how it's destined to pan out. They capitalize on this setup in virtually every episode by trying to trick the audience into thinking this is the big one--the episode where everything changes forever! Merlin's secret identity is exposed! Morgana turns to the dark side! Uther dies to make way for Arthur's reign! Of course, they invariably hit the reset button.

The result is that episodes are interchangeable and disconnected from each other. Sounds bad when put that way, but it worked for Smallville for at least five seasons before I saw its fans in this forum lose interest.

I'll give the BBC this though: they seem to offer far better CGI effects than shows here in the U.S. Wonder how they pull that off?

 

[Felon]

Some of the liberties are annoying (I have nothing against diversity in casting, but in a "historical" show it strains suspension of disbelief).

It seems more like universal policy applied to all BBC shows as far as I can tell, rather than something specific to Merlin, though I'll grant that its historical nature makes it really obvious how shamelessly heavy-handed they are about its application. They don't even bother to try to hang a lantern on it, which leads to some predictable comments over here across the pond when the BBC-unitiated tune in to one of their shows.

 

[nerfherder]

It seems more like universal policy applied to all BBC shows as far as I can tell, rather than something specific to Merlin, though I'll grant that its historical nature makes it really obvious how shamelessly heavy-handed they are about its application. They don't even bother to try to hang a lantern on it, which leads to some predictable comments over here across the pond when the BBC-unitiated tune in to one of their shows.

Can't say I've noticed it in anything other than Merlin.