Feel the Love Again - An Enormous Picspam of Doom.
To celebrate the fact that my Christmas present is going to consist of, among other things, the first two seasons of Merlin, I thought I’d work my way through the first episode with a very thorough picspam/recap/thing (and by very thorough, I mean, like, almost 115 caps. This thing has parts, for goodness' sakes. Be warned).
Feel free to explore it if you, like me, want to feel all of that flaily Merlin love again. :)
(And also, these caps may have been made using paint, so if they’re terrible, that would be why. Sorry.)
We first see Merlin tramping his way over a (rather sandy looking) hill, looking ridiculously skinny and adorable.
And here we are introduced to his fashion staple, the neckerchief. It hides far too much of his pretty neck.
Apparently, our hero is taking the road less travelled. Either that, or Camelot really needs a new gardener.
But he makes it out of the forest eventually, and is afforded his first glimpse of Camelot, while the audience is afforded their first glimpse of Colin Morgan’s profile. Both look rather lovely.
He’s all like oh yay, a big city. I haven’t seen this many people since... well, since ever. Ealdor isn’t too big on tourism.
Cue about five hundred shots of him being all wow. Woooow. This place is like everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I bet they even have houses made of gingerbread and sugar and marshmallows. And beautiful golden princes who like to wear pretty red clothes and fight people.
And then, just in case you hadn’t quite grasped it, we get some more shots of Merlin looking enthralled. Which is okay, really, because it’s a good look on him. I mean, just look at those cheekbones.
Then he sees what looks suspiciously like the start of an execution, and gets his worry face on.
Oh hai, Anthony Head. Bling + blank-faced henchmen + leather gloves means that this is a Bad Man.
Merlin realises that the wonderful, happy land of Camelot, like that old guy who always offers to dress up as Santa for your kids, is not as safe as it first appears.
Our first glimpse of the lovely Morgana.
Faaaccee.
Uther thinks that execution = party time. Not everybody shares this view, however.
Merlin doesn’t dwell on it, though. He’s all eh, totally not my problem. I’ve got a physician to find.
Gaius keeps some very interesting items on his table. Rabbit masks? Really?
Gaius proves that he’s rather unsteady on his feet, and Merlin has to do some quick sorcery to save him. I’m liking the gold. Harry Potter would have been even more immensely epic if it had had a gold-eyed magic thing going on as well.
Gaius lands safely. Well, sort of.
Merlin’s all Oooh yeah, I totally got away with that.
Gaius thinks otherwise.
If in doubt, deny everything.
He introduces himself, and Gaius is all oh, right, you’re the special kid I said I’d look after.
Merlin settles in and opens a few windows. Apparently he’s not too daunted by the whole magic ban in Camelot, because he’s got his wonder face back on again.
Merlin goes off to sleep. Meanwhile, Morgana gives Uther a piece of her mind regarding Uther’s habit of killing people right outside her window.
Uther is not amused. Then it gets all dark and there are tents and a forest, and Gwen from Torchwood makes an appearance. It’s all very dramatic.
The witch from earlier on comes back and does some casual voodoo slaughter. I sense revenge.
Then it’s morning and Gaius does some sneaky accidental-water-bucket-tipping so that Merlin will do his thing. Happily for Gaius, it works, though the audience probably did a hefty amount of facepalming at that. Really, Merlin, you aren’t the sharpest sword in the armoury.
It’s okay though, because he lets the bucket fall. Sure, it was after he’d locked eyes with Gaius for at least half a minute and there was no way that Gaius hadn’t noticed, but come on. Give the boy some credit for trying.
The way to a Merlin’s heart appears to be through his stomach, as Gaius discovers when he gives Merlin his sandwich. Aww.
He runs off to do some errands for Gaius. That is a big sandwich. Merlin won’t be half as skinny by the end of the season if he keeps getting fed like that.
And then he gets his first view of Arthur.
And his second.
And his third. Arthur is busy using his position as the Prince of Camelot for really worthwhile things, such as bullying helpless servants. Uther raised him well.
But we don't really mind, because he looks so pretty doing it.
Merlin, however, thinks that something isn't quite right when Arthur starts throwing knives at the servant.
Though Arthur's knights have no problem with it.
On a side note, what is Arthur wearing? I'm no expert on armour, but that thing doesn't look like it'd protect too many of his vital organs in a fight.
And he's carrying quite a few swords, isn't he? Perhaps he's compensating for something.
Then Merlin decides that it'd be a smart idea to interfere. What? Arthur's throwing knives at servants, not warlocks. Merlin probably thought he was perfectly safe.
Arthur doesn't approve.
Arthur really doesn't approve.
Shiny, shiny hair.
Courtesy is always the key. Our friend in the back is wishing he'd tried it.
They move closer. Seriously, as soon as they get within five metres of each other it's eyesex time.
The insults begin. Merlin looks as if he's struggling to think of any. Oh, his adorable face!
Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees? Arthur is totally holding his sword as he speaks (or one of them, anyway). Ah, such symbolism.
Merlin notices.
He likes it.
What are you going to do to me?
You have no idea. Oh, Merlin. Arthur's a man of the world, I'm sure he has a very good idea.
Arthur's willing to try anything.
Really. Anything.
Even that.
We see Gwen hanging around in the upstairs window as Merlin learns that the man he's been, uh, seducing conversing with is the Prince.
Then Arthur decks him. And then sends him off to the dungeons. He’s such a gentleman this series, isn’t he? I’m surprised he didn’t pull out the knives again.
Then there’s a greeting scene with Lady Helen the singer, who’s really the old witch whose son Uther killed, using magic to pretend to be Lady Helen, who’s actually dead, so that she can revenge her son’s death by killing Arthur and causing Uther pain. Confused? Me too. Her plan doesn’t seem to be the simplest one. If I’d been her, I would have gone straight for Merlin, because we all know how much time he’s going to be spending in Arthur’s chambers from now on.
In the morning, Merlin hears two voices calling his name. One of them is Gaius, who walks in to find Merlin in an unusual position. I’m sure there are less suggestive ways to listen to the floor.
His neck is bare, for once. It's a very nice change.
Gaius tells Merlin off, then says he is free to go. Merlin’s all oh my god! YAY!!!!11!one!! I don’t know what the guards did to him the previous night, but he seems awfully excited to be getting out of that dungeon.
Or not. I have to do what now?
He gets a nice, relaxing stint in the stocks. Gwen decides to stop watching people from windows and comes down to say hello.
She insults him almost as much as Arthur does. If it wasn’t for Merlin and Arthur’s epic love, I’d almost say that Gwen and Arthur were made for each other.
So, naturally, Merlin is charmed. He’s such a glutton for punishment.
He gets released, eventually. You’re still angry at me. I’m not sure why Merlin says this so cheerfully to Gaius. Perhaps he’s one of those optimistic, glass-half-full, nothing-will-ever-go-wrong type of guys.
Faaccee. <3
Gaius tells Merlin that what Merlin did looked instinctive. I’m not sure whether he means Merlin’s magic, or whether he’s just been hiding in Arthur’s cupboard when Merlin comes around to play.
Faaccee! And also, the dialogue in this show makes me laugh. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin. I’m pretty sure that even back in ye olde days or whenever this was set, walking around saying that to people would get you some pretty strange looks. Gaius uses the power of The Eyebrows and gets away with it, though.
Merlin gives Gaius an alarmingly dreamy look. Resist the eyebrows, Merlin!
He runs some more errands, and finds some creepy voodoo stuff in Lady Helen/Witch’s chambers. But being from Ealdor (and therefore probably uneducated in the perils of the voodoo), he’s all oooh a straw doll, cool, and goes on his merry way without investigating further.
He’s caught snooping, and quickly turns on his Nervous Smile.
It works admirably, Lady Helen gives him a slightly confused one in return, and he makes his escape.
He manages to walk all the way through Camelot without once making his amazed face, which is quite impressive given how excited he was about it all two days ago. And then he meets Arthur and His Boys (which makes them sound like a boy band, but don’t tell me you wouldn't want to see that), and he makes his No, Arthur, I Will Not Do That To You In Public face. Or his annoyed one. I get the two confused.
Arthur's all oh come on, Merlin, it'd be fun. He's wearing that odd armour piece again.
It’s really not all that surprising that Arthur won’t leave Merlin alone. Merlin’s just so adorable. I think it’s the ears that do it.
Face. And the guy on the right has some sort of a creepy sidekick vibe going on.
The obligatory, gratuitous Arthur-grasping-a-suggestively-shaped-object shot.
Then Merlin and Arthur exchange more insults/threats/innuendos. Arthur’s all like is this guy for real?
Yes, yes he is.
Merlin, cheerful fellow that he is, is all like we're going to be such good friends.
Such good friends.
Or not.
And then Merlin and Arthur are, ahem, at it again, and the townspeople stand idly about while their prince abuses yet another helpless commoner. They don’t seem that fazed about it at all.
Well, he does do it with such style.
Merlin makes the wisest decision he’s made all episode, and decides to run away.
But that’s no problem for Arthur, who does a dramatic slow-motion leap over the table to chase him.
They smash up a few shops and probably destroy several people’s means of making a living, but Merlin’s too ravished distracted to notice, and Arthur, being Arthur, simply doesn’t care.
Merlin then has an idea that the audience had probably thought of (and dismissed as too dangerous) a lot earlier, and he decides to use magic. They wrestle around a bit, and Merlin almost seems to have the upper hand for a whole entire second before he gets distracted by Gaius and Arthur takes him apart with a broom. And then surprises everyone by doing a spot of sweeping with it (because really, who would have guessed that the Prince of Camelot actually knew what to do with a broom?).
Then Arthur says there’s something about you Merlin, I can’t quite put my finger on it, and Merlin’s all like oh, but I can. *pouts suggestively*
When they get back to the castle, Gaius gets angry at Merlin, again, and Merlin gets adorably angsty and storms off to his room.
Eyebrows.
Then Gaius decides to make peace by doing some doctoring, and Merlin provides us with a very, very good reason why Colin Morgan should ditch the baggy jeans.
And he should probably ditch his shirt more often, too.
Gaius’ doctoring leaves something to be desired. He's all just pee into this, Merlin, and we’ll soon work out what’s wrong with you.
Uther and Lady Helen have dinner and chat, with Lady Helen making thinly veiled threats, and then Merlin wakes in the middle of the night to the sound of his own name being called. He heads out to find whoever’s doing the calling. Probably to tell them to shut up and wait until daytime.
I’m still confused as to why Gaius sleeps in the middle of his workroom while Merlin gets the bedroom, especially since Merlin isn’t even in it half the time. But perhaps Merlin needs to be shut away from everyone so it’s harder for him to do something stupid like chasing the voices in his head all over the castle at midnight.
Part 2 (Ahaha this thing actually has parts. This is ridiculous)