in which es rambles about her relationship with merlin atm:

[la_esmeralda_]

So if you've been with me in fandom for any amount of time, you'll probably know I love Gwen and Morgana the hardest, solo and as a ship. That will always be true.

But with s3 I began to realise -- especially while doing a regular podcast with kepp0xy and crayford -- the show wasn't going to be the story I wanted. The things I was invested in were not what the

Comments

[gnimaerd]

eh - fact is I stopped expecting anything of this show two years ago when they did to Morgana exactly what I knew they would (because it's easier) but had hoped against hope they wouldn't, and turned her into a pantomime villain. After that, I wrote fanfic that made me happy and ceased to have any real emotional investment in the show's actual story arc and frankly it made the whole dealio a lot more enjoyable. Maybe I've got cynical in my old age but I don't think we can rely on ANY tv drama (especially in this genre) to provide us female characters who are as well-rounded and fleshed out as the men. It's pleasant surprise when they DO crop up but I just don't sit about expecting them any more and certainly not in Merlin (or Doctor Who anymore, tbh). The guys in charge of the Merlin just don't care about female characters beyond using them as props for the boys. It doesn't OCCUR to them to give them real shit to do.

That is the grim reality of the industry as it currently stands (and why I want to get into it and shake shit up). But yeah. Even in the days when I kind sorta HOPED Morgana's arc would be treated in a satisfying way, I never expected Gwen and Morgana's relationship to be looked after long-term or for either of them to be given equal importance to either of the boys. Sad but true story. (Honest curiosity: did you honestly, at any point, actually expect any better? =/ Cause what's surprising to me is the tone of surprise I'm getting from various f-listers who've been making similar statements to this lately...)

[la_esmeralda_]

gni i know i knowwwwwww

But I think you underestimate people's measure of optimism for the things they love. Post-s2, I was ready to forgive the Morgana-butchering on the assumption it would be better in s3. I was steadily proved wrong with every episode, which did mean I was prepared for s4 to be this and my resulting... general indifference. Three episodes in, and clearly I'm right. I'VE JUST BEEN RLY SLOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SIGNS HUSH.

And I knew I knewww Gwen/Morgana's relationship always stood the least chance of being explored. But I genuinely thought Morgana's story about wanting Uther dead would be looked at fully - and not just in a chance flicker of regret after it happened - but from conception of the plan to its execution to both their feelings.
(Similarly, Gwen looking after Uther. I knewww they probably wouldn't look at it. But god what was the point if they weren't going to explore a bright future queen looking after a prejudiced tired old king?)

(lol wow I irritate myself just thinking it. THIS IS WHY I ONLY FOCUS ON THE BOYS AND THEIR GAY AND THE EASY RESULTING ENJOYMENT.)

[gnimaerd]

mm I think partly it's cause, for all of it's faults, I genuinely still LOVE Merlin (it's become too entwined with such a significant period of my life genuinely getting better, for me not to develop an almighty soft spot for it, warts and all) and feel a lot of the fans now declaring their disillusionment may possibly be doing it a disservice by apparently expecting so much better. Merlin is what it is, and though it has flashes of brilliance, it's never shown much of an inclination towards treating the women the way we WISH they would. It's a fault that I lay at the producers' feet, and one that may just drive me, at the final BFI next year, to stand up and ask completely bluntly why they've decided it's appropriate to give the female characters so little development when their viewership is 56.7% female and their hardcore fanbase is 99% female, but it doesn't effect my perception of the show as a whole. It just makes me want to hurl books at Johnny Capps' head.

So when I see people throwing their hands up in despair and declaring their disgust, I feel like they're abandoning a slightly stupid child for not being able to do algebra when they've been told from the start that this poor sod of a kid hasn't even learned to count yet! :P

(IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. IDK.)

[la_esmeralda_]

like they're abandoning a slightly stupid child for not being able to do algebra when they've been told from the start that this poor sod of a kid hasn't even learned to count yet

it was a kid four years ago. it's taking its gcses now so maybe it should get some tuition or something cus those grades aren't going to get it into a good uni. oh, and maybe try and give in an essay or two on time cus at this point, it's just looking lazy.

lol i'm preparing lessons can you tell :P