Merlin 4.01
Couldn't let the day pass without at least one review. I loved Fringe 4.2. as well (orange Fringeverse: still the best so far!) and thought the DW finale was okay (more about the overall season when I get around to writing the review), which puts me in the middle position again between the squees and the eh, what dreck reactions, both of which I've seen on my flist. But perhaps it says something about me that the one show that just demanded an instant reaction post was Merlin.
First of all, love the new credits. It was just the right time to get them.
Secondly, love that the changes last season's finale introduced are staying and having consequences. The commoners Arthur knighted are still knights, and the show featured both the new team dynamic and fleshed out those we didn't really know yet like Percival, while giving the established ones like like Lancelot and Gwaine their character moments as well. Just as importantly, Arthur's growth was allowed to stick around as well. He's far from perfect (and we don't want him to be), but you can tell he's been governing for a year, and he does things he never would have when the show started, like taking the time to reassure and comfort the little girl instead of letting Gaius, Gwen or Merlin do it, admitting to Merlin he's scared after the obligatory teasing (and thanking Merlin, but then he already did that in s3). One thing that is constant, though, is that Arthur doesn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for the people. (Even s1 Arthur thought this self evident, and I think that was always the difference between him and Uther; Arthur really believes and practices that the definition of kingship is that you live and die for your people, not just the reverse. Not that Uther wasn't capable of sacrifice as well, but only for that small circle of people he loved, read: his children. Not for the strangers he was governing.)
Being Arthur, he's still screwed where his relations are concerned. I was amused at the appearance of Unexpected!Uncle Agrivaine (well, since Agrivaine couldn't be Morgause's son making him Ygraine's brother makes as much sense as anything, but also sad, because knowing both the show and the mythology, it was a given that he could not be up to any good. Still, his behaviour is convincing enough Arthur doesn't look stupid for trusting him. (Plus: presumably Agrivaine has the same attitude towards Pendragons as his late undead brother. I.e. they got his sister killed. And then he's into power, like most people.)
Morgana, thank you, Powers That Be, is rid of the smirk of camp evilness and instead gets to be a dignified villain. The opening scenes with her and Morgause were tragic and harrowing, emphasizing their bond one last time, and it worked for me, character wise, both that Morgause would think of this and that Morgana would actually do it. I also was struck by the return of Morgana's visions without this being used as a device to weaken her physically again. That dream very much looked like Camlann to me, and it showcased - as did the entire episode, but especially this scene - the gorgeous cinematography (if that word can be used in a tv context) of the show.
One minor note of disappointment: that we didn't actually get to see Arthur's reaction to the "Morgana has magic" revelation, unless we're supposed to take his general reaction to her betrayal in last season's finale as including this.
Gwen unfortunately had only a few scenes, but I loved them, and I very much appreciate that Arthur made her smile for a goodbye instead of going for a speech or a kiss. (This is why I like them as a couple. You can see each of them being good for the other, and bringing out good in each other.) I even felt for Lancelot, because her plea to keep Arthur safe could be read as a veiled request for Lancelot to sacrifice himself instead, though I'm not sure she meant it that way.
Also worthy of note: sometimes the show goes too far into the comic relief and sometimes into the angst direction, but this season opener offered the perfect balance between humor and drama. Go, season 4!
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/716344.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
First of all, love the new credits. It was just the right time to get them.
Secondly, love that the changes last season's finale introduced are staying and having consequences. The commoners Arthur knighted are still knights, and the show featured both the new team dynamic and fleshed out those we didn't really know yet like Percival, while giving the established ones like like Lancelot and Gwaine their character moments as well. Just as importantly, Arthur's growth was allowed to stick around as well. He's far from perfect (and we don't want him to be), but you can tell he's been governing for a year, and he does things he never would have when the show started, like taking the time to reassure and comfort the little girl instead of letting Gaius, Gwen or Merlin do it, admitting to Merlin he's scared after the obligatory teasing (and thanking Merlin, but then he already did that in s3). One thing that is constant, though, is that Arthur doesn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for the people. (Even s1 Arthur thought this self evident, and I think that was always the difference between him and Uther; Arthur really believes and practices that the definition of kingship is that you live and die for your people, not just the reverse. Not that Uther wasn't capable of sacrifice as well, but only for that small circle of people he loved, read: his children. Not for the strangers he was governing.)
Being Arthur, he's still screwed where his relations are concerned. I was amused at the appearance of Unexpected!Uncle Agrivaine (well, since Agrivaine couldn't be Morgause's son making him Ygraine's brother makes as much sense as anything, but also sad, because knowing both the show and the mythology, it was a given that he could not be up to any good. Still, his behaviour is convincing enough Arthur doesn't look stupid for trusting him. (Plus: presumably Agrivaine has the same attitude towards Pendragons as his late undead brother. I.e. they got his sister killed. And then he's into power, like most people.)
Morgana, thank you, Powers That Be, is rid of the smirk of camp evilness and instead gets to be a dignified villain. The opening scenes with her and Morgause were tragic and harrowing, emphasizing their bond one last time, and it worked for me, character wise, both that Morgause would think of this and that Morgana would actually do it. I also was struck by the return of Morgana's visions without this being used as a device to weaken her physically again. That dream very much looked like Camlann to me, and it showcased - as did the entire episode, but especially this scene - the gorgeous cinematography (if that word can be used in a tv context) of the show.
One minor note of disappointment: that we didn't actually get to see Arthur's reaction to the "Morgana has magic" revelation, unless we're supposed to take his general reaction to her betrayal in last season's finale as including this.
Gwen unfortunately had only a few scenes, but I loved them, and I very much appreciate that Arthur made her smile for a goodbye instead of going for a speech or a kiss. (This is why I like them as a couple. You can see each of them being good for the other, and bringing out good in each other.) I even felt for Lancelot, because her plea to keep Arthur safe could be read as a veiled request for Lancelot to sacrifice himself instead, though I'm not sure she meant it that way.
Also worthy of note: sometimes the show goes too far into the comic relief and sometimes into the angst direction, but this season opener offered the perfect balance between humor and drama. Go, season 4!
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/716344.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.