The Drawing of the Dark
This may end up being more a rambling flow of thoughts than an actual review. Possible incoherency and definite cursing ahead.
What did I think of this episode? I'm not sure. It closed the door on a reveal IMO. Unless there's a 180 done by the most unimaginative storytellers ever, I believe The Crystal Cave story is the end of this show. A KIDS SHOW as we keep being told. A totally fucked up, sad, break your audience either with madness or tears on Christmas Eve KIDS SHOW. Way to totally shit on everything. I hope I'm absolutely wrong and the show will buck tradition and Merlin with be the Most Powerful Sorcerer Ever for real and kick some magical arse, defeat Morgana and Mordred, save Arthur and Albion will indeed begin, with Merlin being known and accepted by all for who he is. Now, this means our fucking awesome, epic, and angst-ridden reveal we SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN will not happen, but at least Arthur will know. Isn't it sad that I and many others are so desperate we will accept anything in order to see Merlin given his due. By all of Camelot. I have rage, RAGE over the J's. With all the comments being made by the cast about the ending, it does not bode well at all. You've all seen me comment on my sister and her positive attitude she's had throughout the shite fest that has been s5.....Well, even she is disgusted and disheartened after this ep. I feel bad for her actually. The idea the J's and their total craptastic way they've run s5 has broken my sister and her happy over Merlin is tragic. She felt the plot device for Mordred's turn was just lazy, predictable nonsense. She was disappointed we didn't get to see a major meltdown from Morgana over the true identity of Emrys. Seriously, I felt cheated as well. I wanted to see shock, rage, all the crazy Morgana is over this revelation. What'd we get? Shit. Dut Dut Dummm and Scene. WTF. As much as I have almost no positive feelings for Arwen, I was disappointed we didn't get to see a glimpse of the pageantry of their wedding. All they gave us was her coronation and that was about one minute long. TPTB start the impact and then fail Fail FAIL with follow through. Why am I surprised? I have no fucking idea. I've been watching since s1e1. I should know better.
I was amused and found it so Merthur when Arthur went out in search of clues, he brought Merlin. Not a Knight. Not at Knight and Merlin. Just Merlin. And then he starts giving Merlin a lesson in tracking. Hello Arthur? Merlin has been there for ten years. It's a bit late for this. The part where Merlin tells Arthur the twig was broken by a deer with big antlers and Arthur asks how he knows this and Merlin says because the deer is standing not too far away, the footage of the deer looked like a bad nature show from 1972. My sister and I had a good laugh over that. She half expected Leonard Nimoy to start a narrative on the mating habits of deer in the Alaskan tundra.
Back to the show....I thought Alex was very good in this ep. I really felt his heart being torn. The scene where she kills the guard for no reason and without remorse was well played. That was the moment he made his choice. The indecision on his face and horror of what she'd done and him knowing if he continued with her there was no going back was so well done.
Why does no one communicate to each other? Neither Merlin nor Arthur told Mordred how it all went down with the girl; her zealousness to her cause and that they both did their utmost to help her. That Merlin himself made two pleas to save the girl and Mordred, to which Arthur listened. Naw, they just left Mordred there, knowing he was unaware of what had been done to save the girl. That said, Mordred was in the hall when the girl vehemently stated her cause and only regretted she'd not succeeded in killing Arthur, so he should have had some idea how everything would go down. Now, about the little thing of Mordred's magic and the fact Merlin should have known Mordred would use it to escape. Once again, Merlin is made to look like an idiot. Merlin is not stupid. Why do they keep having him make mistakes? WHY? Remember when Merlin would make choices and, at first, they seemed rash, but in the end they were awesome? What happened? Oh, and the idea some people think it's Merlin's fault Mordred turned. Rubbish. I call "FOUL". He did the most he could and I don't believe otherwise. How nice we finally saw the King Arthur we're to believe is the OAFK. Strong, fair, compassionate, thoughtful, not the fool he's been written as the majority of this season/series. This chick tried to kill him. IMO, she didn't deserve a second chance, but because of Mordred and Merlin, he gave her one.
How I would have loved this season/series to have Mordred and Merlin magical allies within the castle. I've always believed Mordred to be a turncoat, but still, the acting would have been excellent. I think Alex is quite good, and he and Colin together are lovely to watch. Man, just think how fantastic this show could have been had someone at Shine had the balls/intelligence/etc., to move forward from the tired tropes. Such a waste of talented actors and amazing chemistry. RAGE RAGE RAGE RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And what about when Merlin tells Gaius his meddling caused what he was trying to prevent? Good Gaad. S3 all over again. Yet again, an s5 ep has moved backwards not one season/series, but two.
WTF was that when Arthur told Mordred he was his most trusted Knight???????????? What about Leon? Seriously! Leon has been ever faithful and has been there a hell of a lot longer than Mordred. Are we to suppose this is the writers nodding to the legend Mordred is the son of Arthur and Morgana (I almost wrote Merlin!! Talk about Freudian slips) so Arthur has a soft spot for Mordred. I call BULLSHIT this time.
The start of the ep when Arthur makes a snide comment about Merlin...So Friggin' Sick of the 'bash Merlin' dialog. If I'm remembering correctly, that is the only 'banter' *coughcrapcough* there is. If said banter was only to be snide, rude comments, then leave it out. Remember TPTB, the show is 'darker' and 'more mature'. That was just nonsense. WTF ever.
Although the acting is going to be outstanding, brilliant, heartwrenching, etc., I am so dreading the epic feels of sadness and wrath towards TPTB the next two eps will bring. I have to work on Christmas Eve. It's a Monday for Christ's Sake!!! Who's friggin dumb assery decided that...A Monday AND Christmas Eve? (I'm in California, so the show airs in the middle of the day). I'm taking an extended lunch to run home and watch Merlin. So, more than likely, I will return to work a sobbing, angry mess and will have to hide in my office the rest of the day. Thanks for that, Merlin writers.