Review #3898: Merlin 5.1: “Arthur’s Bane: Part I”
Contributor: Gregg Wright
Written by Julian Jones
Directed by Justin Molotnikov
Anymore, there are a few predictions one can make, with relative confidence, about any new season of “Merlin”. As usual, the season begins with promise: an epic two-parter that reminds us of what the show could be if the whole season followed suit. But we’ve been down this road before. The format constraints will continue to bog down the show and restrict the inherent potential for serialized storytelling in the story arcs. And there will be plenty of other frustrating and downright odd writing choices, as well as one or two horrendously bad comedy episodes.
All this makes me sound like I dislike “Merlin”. I don’t, really. In fact, I have a special fondness for the show and its characters. There is much about the show that continues to confound and annoy me, but “Merlin” has found itself a comfortable spot in my brain. It continues to be just good enough to keep me watching, but very often fails to live up to my high hopes for it. Season 4 really ought to have been the season where “Merlin” got its act together, and there was every indication that it would be the best season yet. Unfortunately, the season only made it about halfway to living up to its potential.
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Mirrored from Critical Myth.