Merlin ~ To Kill The King...A Review
Well, that was really properly good TV. In my opinion Merlin has far outdone the BBC's new version of Robin Hood. Unlike that show, Merlin has managed to strike just the right cord between history and legend, comedy and drama. The writers have managed to deliver stories that develop each of the main characters in equally interesting ways while keeping us on the edge of our seat plot wise. Has every episode been stellar? No, of course not, it's television. But each one has been a piece of the puzzle that has made this first season a definite winner. Now if only we can have a second season confirmed soon so we can all start looking forward to it.
This episode served as a reminder for me that while Morgana may be a very likable character and a very interesting love interest for both Merlin and Arthur, she was a villain in Arthurian legend. She is still young and still developing, still learning about her gifts, still firmly a part of Uther's family...but only just. And she swung so far towards the dark side so quickly in this episode that she seemed more than a bit unstable. Perhaps her gift of sight and living with her secret has turned her just a bit mad. I found it hard to believe that she would so desperately want Uther dead for what he did to Gwen's father. Yes it was wrong and yes, throwing Morgana in the dungeon afterward really wasn't very nice, but he's the king and Morgana has lived with him long enough to know what kind of a man he is. But I think this was meant to foreshadow the enmity to come. This was meant to remind us that she's not exactly part of the team. And eventually I think, if this series continues into the coming years, we will see Morgana slip further away until she reaches that point where she becomes the character of legend.
All that said, I love Morgana as a character, she's one of my favorite parts of this series. I love that she and Merlin are both living a bit of a lie and while Gaius doesn't think Morgana is aware of her gift, I think she is. I think she is aware of much more than she lets on. The way she looks at Merlin sometimes makes you wonder what she's seen of him in her dreams.
Anthony Head was magnificent in this episode. I loved his performance in nearly every scene he was in. His anger at being defied and challenged, his heartbreak when Morgana accuses him of being responsible for her father's death, and his sincere apology at the end as he swears that he will try to do better, to listen more, to be a better king. He's making what would be a very cold, unlikable character very attractive and magnetic. But then, like Bradley, I'm a closet Buffy fan...well, really not so closet...and I always fancied Giles a bit. And wasn't that shot of Morgana and Uther embracing on the hillside with their cloaks swirling around them just one of the best things we've seen so far. Lovely and picturesque and really quite romantic in a strange way.
Merlin had a less prominent role in this story, though I loved the fact that he was attuned to the use of powerful magic in Camelot and was awakened by it on several occasions. The shots of him spying on Morgana were wonderful and I loved that it showed him acting in a smart and methodical way rather than bumbling and falling into the hero role. Also he thought things through quite thoroughly while keeping everything from Gaius. This predicament really troubled him, especially since he once again had to act against the dragon's advice. And I'm not so sure that the dragon was giving sound advice in this instance. Uther locked him up and he would see Uther dead so that he could be free. I just found myself questioning that if the dragon can see the future and Merlin and Arthur's destinies then why would he want Uther to be killed and for Arthur to take the throne before his time had come. As Gaius said, Arthur is still a bit green around the gills and he and Merlin are certainly not ready to take on the ruling of Camelot and the uniting of a nation. Not yet at least.
So yes, this was a brilliant episode...only one left and it looks rather good. But I am quite worried about Arthur. He can't be dead, so I can only assume that he will be brought back to life or healed or something. And Merlin goes to Avalon and faces Nimue while looking really bad ass. I can't wait.
This episode served as a reminder for me that while Morgana may be a very likable character and a very interesting love interest for both Merlin and Arthur, she was a villain in Arthurian legend. She is still young and still developing, still learning about her gifts, still firmly a part of Uther's family...but only just. And she swung so far towards the dark side so quickly in this episode that she seemed more than a bit unstable. Perhaps her gift of sight and living with her secret has turned her just a bit mad. I found it hard to believe that she would so desperately want Uther dead for what he did to Gwen's father. Yes it was wrong and yes, throwing Morgana in the dungeon afterward really wasn't very nice, but he's the king and Morgana has lived with him long enough to know what kind of a man he is. But I think this was meant to foreshadow the enmity to come. This was meant to remind us that she's not exactly part of the team. And eventually I think, if this series continues into the coming years, we will see Morgana slip further away until she reaches that point where she becomes the character of legend.
All that said, I love Morgana as a character, she's one of my favorite parts of this series. I love that she and Merlin are both living a bit of a lie and while Gaius doesn't think Morgana is aware of her gift, I think she is. I think she is aware of much more than she lets on. The way she looks at Merlin sometimes makes you wonder what she's seen of him in her dreams.
Anthony Head was magnificent in this episode. I loved his performance in nearly every scene he was in. His anger at being defied and challenged, his heartbreak when Morgana accuses him of being responsible for her father's death, and his sincere apology at the end as he swears that he will try to do better, to listen more, to be a better king. He's making what would be a very cold, unlikable character very attractive and magnetic. But then, like Bradley, I'm a closet Buffy fan...well, really not so closet...and I always fancied Giles a bit. And wasn't that shot of Morgana and Uther embracing on the hillside with their cloaks swirling around them just one of the best things we've seen so far. Lovely and picturesque and really quite romantic in a strange way.
Merlin had a less prominent role in this story, though I loved the fact that he was attuned to the use of powerful magic in Camelot and was awakened by it on several occasions. The shots of him spying on Morgana were wonderful and I loved that it showed him acting in a smart and methodical way rather than bumbling and falling into the hero role. Also he thought things through quite thoroughly while keeping everything from Gaius. This predicament really troubled him, especially since he once again had to act against the dragon's advice. And I'm not so sure that the dragon was giving sound advice in this instance. Uther locked him up and he would see Uther dead so that he could be free. I just found myself questioning that if the dragon can see the future and Merlin and Arthur's destinies then why would he want Uther to be killed and for Arthur to take the throne before his time had come. As Gaius said, Arthur is still a bit green around the gills and he and Merlin are certainly not ready to take on the ruling of Camelot and the uniting of a nation. Not yet at least.
So yes, this was a brilliant episode...only one left and it looks rather good. But I am quite worried about Arthur. He can't be dead, so I can only assume that he will be brought back to life or healed or something. And Merlin goes to Avalon and faces Nimue while looking really bad ass. I can't wait.