Merlin: 5:08 The Hollow Queen

[tanous]

Right. That was 5.08.  I wont get those 45 minutes back.

Much as I thought I could stick it out to the end, I’m seriously starting to wonder if I underestimated the ability of the producers of this show to annihilate every thing that was good about it before the finale. Are they actually trying to drive their audience to the point where Camlann

Comments

[tanoshi_ame]

I’ve decided by the way, that it's easier to think of Merlin as just a man, not a sorcerer.
That's exactly how I've been watching from S5: Colin playing Merlin as only a man, not a legend. I thought it was brilliant because the whole show, so much was seen from Merlin's POV. Colin made the character sympathetic enough that I could still root for. From today onwards, thanks to 5.08, Colin is now the only reason that I watch this show.

I really don't have much to say this time. Don't want to even think about it. 5.08 for me isn't the worst of this year, structurally and technically speaking. The position still belongs to 5.06. Hell, it certainly rivals 5.05 in the emotional sense. However, it is the first one to have honestly saddened me and put a damper on the rest of my day. The physical and emotional abuse of Merlin is just... too much to bear now (I love how brilliantly Colin does it, hate how the show could be that cruel to their main), and this late in the game, I honestly can't dredge up any hope that better things will come for Merlin. The character of Arthur is now humiliated to the extent that I think there's nothing left to argue anymore, there's no other way to interpret this joke of a king. Any optimism I sprouted before, all dead. That's even before next week's "If I lose her I lose everything" line. Terrific. I'm saddened that a favourite character has been reduced to this. As for Merlin, as much as I've always been okay with the direction his character goes, and I still very much love him, now I just don't know what exactly I am cheering him on for. Is it Legendary-Arthur-the-OAFK as a reward for sorcerer!Merlin or some official acknowledgement of affection as reward for human!Merlin? Either way both are ruined in this single episode and not possible anymore, not when Merlin himself does not identify his doings with anything other than "duty" (script-wise, fortunately the acting says otherwise... sometimes, but not this time). He has no hope left so why should I?

I'd thought from 5.07, differently from you, that Evil!Gwen wasn't any better acted than Evil!Morgana, so it's not surprising for me that Gwen was also irritating this week. Actually, I have to say that I resent her scenes now. This week's AG is another level of disgusting, and moreover, I think, also designed to rub it in our faces that Merlin will never get half the affection nor appreciation from Arthur. Whereas I had to look away from Pampered!Can't Dress Himself! Arthur because it was so humiliating, I was angry at Merlin having to serve Gwen. Why now? I can't imagine Mary Sue!Gwen would be comfortable with that but Evil!Gwen ordering Merlin around didn't raise any eyebrow from Arthur? So it wasn't a strange occurrence then? Being servant to your former workmate. Can't stand the unfairness of it. I'm angry at the things TPTB throws at Merlin, especially now when it's almost a sure thing there won't be any compensation later, or any 'later' at all, if the twits from Cultbox/DS are any indication. What is the strongest hate word I can use for AG? My brain hasn't recovered from the trauma yet so can't think of any, sadly.

Maybe this has always been TPTB's big twist on the downfall of Arthur. Maybe they really follow the legend after all, because now it really seems that every major damage to Camelot and its people in the last few years has all started with Gwen because look what Arthur becomes whenever a tiniest presence of her is there. More than a servant indeed. She's Arthur's Bane. I was wrong to think TPTB had no creativity. Look at the grand machination they've been building since S2!! Their only mistake was naming the show 'Merlin'.

Really must work on staying detached now. Apparently I wasn't strong enough against this episode. Watch for only Colin from now on watchforColinfromnowonfromnowonnowon.

[arien_elensar]

"Maybe this has always been TPTB's big twist on the downfall of Arthur. Maybe they really follow the legend after all, because now it really seems that every major damage to Camelot and its people in the last few years has all started with Gwen because look what Arthur becomes whenever a tiniest presence of her is there. More than a servant indeed. She's Arthur's Bane. I was wrong to think TPTB had no creativity. Look at the grand machination they've been building since S2!! Their only mistake was naming the show 'Merlin'."

Agreed. I've been marveling at this for a while too.
And I too need to detach myself even further as this episode still hurt, a lot. It is hard to put into words my saddness at how pathetic the writing has gotten.

[tanous]

It really does seem like deliberately provocative writing at times: The Gwen order to fill a bath, the 'you were always more than that' line to Gwen while he abuses Merlin to Gaius and mocks him in front of Gwen, the whole look Im worshipping someone who hates my guts while Im totally ungrateful and unaffectionate to the person who practically crawled to save me. Maybe it was to whip up ant- Evil Gwen feeling - it was heavy handed enough - before of course her inevitable Disney redemption for her Disney audience. But I wonder of they also meant to resurrect that old feeling of Merlin (who does everything for him and keeps him alive and on the throne) abused and unappreciated as Gwen (who doesn't actually do very much) is treated like the only person in the world who deserves Arthurs affection. Is that deliberate?

Its almost felt this season as if they're deliberately blowing u the Merlin/Arthur connection as they go. Maybe they resented the fact that most people watched for them rather than their genius story-lining and writing *cough*:P. After all, good as most of the rest of the cast are, we all know that without Colin and Bradley and their chemistry together, this show wouldn't have made it past S1. Im trying to imagine a show run on Arthur/Gwen. :P Which is why the way they're treating Merlin/Arthur now is so very bewildering if they want the show to be remembered with any affection at all

[gatepromise]

"Real" Gwen, the good, perfect queen we saw in all of this season up until her "enchanted/brainwashed" storyline took over, was all things to all people--she was a part of the council, she came up with approach tactics that were quite obvious but none of the soldiers came up with on their own, she sussed out traitors in Camelot in less than one episode (something the supposed Once and Future King has never been able to do), she wears those fancy new dresses well (lopsided boobs or not, she still manages to walk like a male trucker in them), she tends to those in need in town, and she's mummy, wife and queen to Arthur--hell she even dresses and grooms him. So it's not really true that she does nothing at all. She does everything, and she does it better than everyone else--she's Queen Mary Sue. Just--that scene where she has Merlin draw her bath for her...it's apparently something she does even when she's Perfect Gwen, because Arthur didn't bat an eyelash or seem surprised in the least by the request. (not that Arthur ever notices anything unusual, ever...) It strikes me that Gwen and Merlin are kind of like two colleagues at a major corporation that have been in the same position for a long time, helping each other out of binds several times, and then suddenly, one of them marries the president of the company as has her former peer bring her coffee and pick up her dry cleaning for her. Meanwhile the other employee still isn't promoted, is mocked in front of his old friend, and in addition to his own work, now has to do hers too.

As for how they expect things to be received by their character assassinations(by "they", I mean tptb, the J's)--well they've already gotten out of town and so won't be around to answer to the fallout when the proverbial shit hits the fan at the end of the season. Aren't they clever cowards. They're not even with Shine any longer--why should they care?
You've also pointed out that fans of our ilk--we passionate fans that care so much about the characters and want them to be treated well as we would real people--are not the bulk of the audience anyway. They heard the pleas for a change in Merlin and Arthur's relationship and for a magic reveal and absolutely refused to comply. How the show is remembered by the hard core fans won't make one whit of difference to them.

[tanous]

Youve depressed me even more now :P

Gwen may well be Queen Mary Sue but what I mean by 'doing something' as compared with Merlin is ... constantly saving Arthurs life, saving his throne, sacrificing everything he loves and cares for and even his identity for him. And the comparison is... Gwen who's predictably perfect at being a perfect queen of unprecedented perfection. Hardly in the same ballgame really in terns of 'doing something' for Arthur.

I really cant gauge what he intention was with the bath scene - clearly it was a device to get him to the kitchen but were they meaning to imply Merlin has to wait on and serve Gwen as well as Arthur or was it just not thought out that far?

The serving at dinner...well bearing in mind Arthur brought Merlin along to serve the picnic it suggests he either cant bear not to have him there with him in some capacity, or he refuses to let Gwen serve him. Though we have seen her serve him so... its a shambles really. Quelle surpass. It'll never be clarified either because they dont know themselves I suspect.

I agree about the two Js in a way - though the response will matter to them. Theyre trying to build as new business - they want great reviews, maybe an award if the finale is scenery chewing enough. Im sure some fans will congratulate them anyway - they seem hardwired to do so.

[englaroma]

"Gwen may well be Queen Mary Sue but what I mean by 'doing something' as compared with Merlin is ... constantly saving Arthurs life, saving his throne, sacrificing everything he loves and cares for and even his identity for him."

A bit off-topic, but what did you think about the whole "doing something good" tagline in the episode? There seem to be weird repeating situations in which Merlin brings out the best in people, but only in order to suffer more himself. Plot ploy or not, that was another near-stranger who risked his life for Merlin and decided to follow him. Knowing about his magic.

It's especially weird because this should be Arthur's role. He should be inspiring people to do the right thing (yeah, we can all see how that's coming along). Merlin, who is constantly throwing himself in danger for Arthur, can't take on that responsibility, but he still tries. It's just sad how the dynamic, which could work so well - by itself, really! - is spinning out of balance with one character completely pulling away from it. Two sides of the same coin? Yeah, right.