Merlin 4x01

[srin]

Aww, show, you better keep this up and not go wrong again, or I will be Very Disappointed in you.

Relatively minor negatives first:
-Dear Evil Uncle Agravaine, you have good eyebrows, but otherwise I just don't care about you, sorry.
-Dear Arthur, I know you're a bit dumb when it comes to your dad, but he killed Gwen's dad and tried to have her killed twice, I AM PRETTY SURE THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE IN CAMELOT YOU COULD ASK TO LOOK AFTER HIM.
-Dear Gwen, I like you, I do, but holy shit asking your ex who is still clearly in love with you to look after your boyfriend? NOT COOL. NOT COOL AT ALL. At this point we don't really expect Arthur to, you know, have any social skills at all, but you're usually better than that! Is there, like, a plague of highly inappropriate requests going around or something?
-Dear Percival, (not that this was a surprise since I'd seen filming pictures, but,) you are a knight of Camelot now, surely you can afford some sleeves.
-Dear Gwaine, why are you not hanging out with your buddy Merlin?
-Dear "Morgana", you're clearly still doppelganger-Morgana, let's say no more about it.

But happily that's about it in terms of my complaints! On to the good stuff!
-D'awww, Percy and Gwaine stealing chicken from the kitchens, too cute.
-Aww, Lancelot teasing Merlin. Also adorable! Dear Lancelot, please don't die or run away again, I really like Merlin having a buddy who knows the truth.
-♥ ♥ ♥ Merlin and Arthur talking about Arthur's speech. Teasing that actually feels affectionate again! Arthur acknowledging that Merlin's speech was better than his attempt! Merlin not taking Arthur's shit and Arthur rolling with it! Boys. ♥
-Arthur failing to come fret over Merlin when he passed out almost went into the negatives list, but I've decided that he went and fretted off-screen, so it is okay. Obviously he was all cranky in the morning because they sat around boozing it up after Merlin woke up, and Merlin was magically hangover-free while Arthur was, you know, not.
-That scene with Arthur talking to the girl from the village. Damn. I think this is the first time we've seen Arthur do gentle without being really awkward about it, and hot damn, I want more please.
-This show is really, really pretty. Possibly even prettier than last year!
-Arthur & Merlin, again. Guys, I really like it when Arthur is, you know, not a dick. Merlin saying it wasn't a joke and Arthur agreeing - it was a little thing, but given how much of their "banter" last year felt more nasty than friendly, I really appreciated that. Also, Arthur admitting to being scared at the end of that scene. ♥
-Aforementioned annoyance over Arthur asking Gwen to look after Uther aside, him trying to make her smile and the hug before he went off were cute. Also, Arthur's cry-face does things to me.
-...And again, Arthur & Merlin. Please be like this all the time, with the heart-eyes and the trying to save each other. Also, Merlin, don't be an idiot, Arthur telling you he was cold was obviously an opening to huddle for warmth, keep up.

Basically I don't care much about the plot, but multiple parts of this episode actually made me smile like series 1 used to, and if they manage to keep that up, I will be very pleased indeed.