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

[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.