Yaaaaaay

[pizzazzical]

nani1986 was kind enough to inform me that another Arthurian-legend-based TV show is going to be filmed, The Tudors-style. While I had issues with how most of The Tudors was either made up, sped up, or anachronistic, I had NO problems with the overwhelming amount of pretty costumes and good acting (and fine men). Besides, historical accuracy is hardly

Comments

[indefiance]

One of the things that bother me so much about BBC's Merlin is its total lack of regard for the tragedy that is Arthur/Gwen. It is to the point where it grates on my nerves to see Arthur/Gwen shippers who don't know the legend very well because I just don't see how you can ship Gwen and Arthur together when she is destined to sleep with another man and bring about the ruin of Camelot.

And another thing. They fall into the whole "we can't have two strong heroines in our story, so we'll shove aside the one typically seen as a villain." Morgana's development just plummeted after the first season, and it was frustrating to see such a strong character so misused.

It's also pretty hard to root for the show's heroes when they're complete douchebags, lolol.

YES A REMAKE OF MISTS OF AVALON WOULD BE AWESOME. That was my most favorite version. I've always loved Morgana, but Mists of Avalon totally cemented it.

[pizzazzical]

Gwen/Arthur could (and is played) from many angles: where Arthur genuinely loves Gwen and she breaks his heart, where Gwen loves Arthur and he breaks hers (leading her to sleep with Lance), where they're both devoted to each other and both love Lance -- either and any way is better than the TRUE LOVE portrayed in Merlin. It just dumbs down Arthurian Legend to the level of a 3-year-old.

They shoved Morgana aside... but gave Gwen NOTHING to do. It infuriates me to NO END that a character who's been treated so appallingly by misogynists throughout history draws the short straw YET AGAIN. Let's face it: even the writers said that they had to push Gwarthur because Gwen would have nothing else to do in s2. She just sits around and waits for her prince. How effing sexist is that?????????

It's also pretty hard to root for the show's heroes when they're complete douchebagsWord, so much. Arthur is nice to no one (especially not Merlin in the earlier eps) and has crazy motives ("I love her more than my dad, my sister and you, Merlin! lol!")

[a_boleyn1230]

Pardon me for butting in but I just had to say - WORD. And Zooey D. icon love.

I just don't see how you can ship Gwen and Arthur together when she is destined to sleep with another man and bring about the ruin of Camelot.

I don't understand that, either. And I don't mean that in a "ZOMG THEY SUCK!" kind of way, but quite seriously - how? It's like boarding a boat with a hole in the bottom. It doesn't matter how pretty you make it, we know it's going to end bad. Fans of the pairing are saying, "Oh, no, this Gwen is too nice to do that!". Then we have Johnny Capps comparing them to Romeo & Juliet, which made a little piece of my Shakespeare-loving soul shrivel up and die.

it was frustrating to see such a strong character so misused

Oh, amen to that. This is my number one complaint - the potential that was ignored and the roller coaster ride that was Morgana's character "development". *headdesk*

[indefiance]

Like pizzazzical mentioned, they could have done it in a variety of ways that would make it believable and ways that make sense. But they sort of sugar coated and said, "Well Gwen has morals and we need to have legend line up in a way that puts everyone in a happy place at the end."

Which... Anyone who has even heard of Arthurian legends know that his wife cheats on him and then he dies. :/ They may have changed a few things, but legend's still legend. However, on this show, Gwen jumps around being moral and upstanding to being fickle, which is even more annoying than having her outright fall in love with Lancelot but be bounded to her sense of duty.

[luckytohaveher]

Have I told you lately how much I love you?

I believe we should print this and email it to Johnny "Lightswich romance/villains/plot" Capps.

[pizzazzical]

I love you too, though, so we're even! :D

But if we print this, we'll burst their bubble about how awesome Merlin is! Though to be fair, it could have been 1000000x better if they hadn't cut that whoke Morgana backstory (and AMOR). They just got their priorities back-to-front this season.

[indefiance]

OH also! Another show with CONSISTENT characterization and story-telling would be good. Merlin really lacks that too. I swear to god, everyone on that show has multiple personality disorder or something. ):

[pizzazzical]

Yeah, I mean Morgana's 180 degree turns during s2 of eps gave me vertigo. Ep3 she was frightened and didn't care about Uther killing a bunch of people. Ep4 she cut through some rapists after stripteasing for them. Witchfinder comes and she's catatonic again. Ep11 she was wildly infatuated, rode around on a horse and broke a guy out of jail. Ep12 she REALLY HATED UTHER but then was really, really scared and useless and barely said anything. YOU JUST TOLD UTHER TO GO TO HELL, and NOW you're scared?!?!?! *headdesk*

Sorry about the rant, but I'm very annoyed xD

[a_boleyn1230]

Hurray for Merlin analysis/kvetching... Misery loves company, and good discussion! Unfortunately I am half asleep and this comment will probably make 0 sense