Hey, Merlin! Look at this motherf**king griffin!

[kali921]

Wow, people. I know that NBC has been on a serious anglophilic kick in its programming over the last three years, and that Merlin is the first British series to air (in prime time!) on mainstream American network television in a couple of decades, and I hope that you all don't pillory me for saying this (because I've got Merlin fans on ye esteemed

Comments

[angelophile]

"it's...just not that good, is it? Or does the series get better?"

No. No it really doesn't. But even more slashy.

[kali921]

Eh. I don't really care about the slashy aspects (particularly since I find the two leads about as appealing as lead poisoning). I will, however, probably watch a bit more of it just to see how train wrecky it gets and because I like Anthony Head.

[angelophile]

Oh, I wouldn't say it gets worse. More blatant with the slashy aspects and that's about it. It started badly, continued badly and ended badly. It always bemused me how the BBC could go from producing Doctor Who, using many of the same writers and even actors and produce stuff like Robin Hood and Merlin for the same slot at about a tenth the quality.

[kali921]

Thank god for Dexter. It keeps me sane after I dip my foot into sugar-coated family television.

[tbosky]

I'm confused. I thought you didn't like anime. Am I mis-remembering?

[kali921]

Most anime leaves me cold. GitS does not - I run through the movies and the TV episodes at least once a year.

[tbosky]

Gotcha!

[kali921]

I also love Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, but who doesn't?

To be honest, I'm warming up to more anime - I'm slowly watching more things that people recommend.

[htbthomas]

I sort of like Merlin because it's antiseptically clean. And I can watch it with my hubby (who's seeing it for the first time, unlike me) -- who definitely prefers that in his entertainment.

As far as the lack of spectacular magic, I think partly it's because A) he's young and just learning and B) because he's hiding who he is right now.

But hey, I like Smallville, too, so what do I know. ;D

[kali921]

I like portions of Smallville! Mostly due to the fact that I love canadabear and she loves SV, so I tend to like it by osmosis - and the SV version of J'onn Jonzz rocks. I don't always like their reinterpretations of characters, particularly the Big Bads (Brainiac as Black Oil? Really, Smallville? REALLY?), and Black Canary isn't given nearly enough time on the screen, and the Legion should come back and show Clark how curb stomping from the future is really done.

Thus far, based on viewing four episodes of Merlin, I think SV is a whole lot better. On the other hand, Richard Wilson and Anthony Head - I'll watch Merlin for a few more episodes to see if it improves. There just doesn't seem to be any vitality to the show - no guts, no glory, no passion, no fire.

[inboots]

On the other hand, Richard Wilson

Wilson's character is the most vile. If you think the leads are bad (I agree on Merlin, am quite fond or Arthur myself), wait until you see how Gaius handles Morgana's magic.

[box_in_the_box]

Innocence is interesting, but I actually prefer Stand Alone Complex, just because it's basically Law & Order: Ghost in the Shell. Fleshing out the rest of the team actually makes the Major's character stand out more, and I love the cyber-procedural aspects of it.

[kali921]

Innocence was profoundly depressing. Poor Batou. I am firmly in the faction that thinks of Innocence as a sweetly sad love story, of course, made conspicuous by the Major's absence. (But then, I ship Major/Batou like burning - they're my favorite Ship of Subtle. The ship that was never consummated, but it was there all the same.)

I love SAC. I pretty much love all of GitS - I find it intensely cerebral, and I adore media that makes me work really hard to keep up on what's going on.

[lyssie]

Innocence also has some fantastic philosophy and things that always make me want to punch Ron Moore for NOT GETTING IT about souls and bodies and what makes us human.

[kali921]

Yes, totally agreed (as if this is news, that I agree with TEH LYSS), but wasn't ALL of GitS like that? <3 <3

[civilbloodshed]

1.) In a lot of ways, no, it doesn't get better. SFX-wise, it's really all crap. Historical accuracy is a pipe dream at best. No, the only thing that really gets better is the development of Merlin and Arthur's ~*EPIC DESTINY*~

2.) Everyone is a dick on this show except for Gwen, but that's just because they haven't given her time to grow. The fact that Arthur's a giant douchenozzle is actually a key point in the series' premise.

3.) It could be worse. It could be Robin Hood.

[kali921]

Your icon is SO PERFECT. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I'm a sucker for period pieces (although my favorites, of course, are decadent tales set in the 18th century with everyone in powdered wig drag) and Arthurian mythology, so I'm not giving up on it quite yet. This may sound shallow and petty, but I could get into the series more if the wardrobe budget was a bit bigger and if everyone looked more vaguely...Arthurian.

I do like that Merlin is obviously young and hasn't gained his full confidence, but honestly, GIVE HIM MORE SFX - even aborted attempts at magic should have something to light up, you know?

[akoya]

Major LULZ at 3. Is Robin Hood that... not good? I forced myself to watch the first four episodes and got bored. I find Merlin much more captivating.

And having Eve Myles in the first episode totally sucked me in, not gonna lie.

[civilbloodshed]

Robin Hood is SO not good. I mean if you're going for a slash factor, it's a kind of a goldmine, but otherwise it's too ridiculous to stand. I really only saw the last two episodes of the first season, and then the entire second season which is basically the Guy Gisbourne: Warrior-Poet Deputy of Emo-Town show.