That Merlin show...

[lyore]

I was going to rave about the most recent episode of Merlin, but then I watched the trailers for next week - GAH! Can't believe I have to wait another week...

Yep, it's official. I'm addicted. PLEASE tell me other people on my flist are watching this show, I need people to geek out about it with.

Comments

[laligin.livejournal.com]

Watching it, loving it, thinking of writing fic for it. Well hi there. (:

[lyore.livejournal.com]

Hi! :) I think there will be fic for this show, yes.

[amethyste5.livejournal.com]

Hubby watches it. I sit back and scream about canon rape. (Seriously now, Morgana is his SISTER not his friend he grew up with, that's why having a kid with her turned out all sorts of bad and wrong and led to his downfall! And how in the hell is Guinevere a servant? That's never gonna work! Don't even get me started on all the issues with Merlin himself!)

[lyore.livejournal.com]

I just... ignore the canon and enjoy away. Arthurian myth has changed so much throughout the years, I find it easier to accept this version then I would with something less... fluid. Although I will admit that Guinevere as a servant caused a more-than-momentary pause.

[dandysora.livejournal.com]

I AM ADDICTED. MY MOTHER AND SISTER ARE, TOO, ADDICTED.

Many thanks.

I really wonder if these guys are sort of pulling a "Smallville", starting out in yonder territory and eventually working their way into the established lore of Arthurian legends. I loved the end of this week's episode in the graveyard -- I am really loving King Giles' character! He is so believable and real, I have to watch that admission in the graveyard again. King Giles' love for the two in his care is his real saving grace and so wonderful for me to watch.

[dandysora.livejournal.com]

Although the one thing they will never make work from the original legend is Arthur/Guinevere, they've closed that door to themselves unless Guinevere's mother had some super secret royal ties.

[lyore.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I think they will, or at least could, go there. I think they have put in enough basis of Arthur disagreeing with the notion of 'only nobles can do 'x'' that it wouldn't be totally out of character. Although considering the writers seem to have gone out of their way to give Arthur and Gwen the least chemistry and interaction in the series, I may be wrong.

And considering it is one of the more well-known parts of the legend, and that they've already paid homage to it a few times, I don't think we can discount it just yet.

[dandysora.livejournal.com]

That's exactly right, for a moment there I struggled to remember the original legends and realised they'd polarised Arthur from his Queen in their feudal ranks of society, so unless he changes the laws after becoming King and lost everything he's held dear that drives him to the arms of Gwen, his last friend and ally from them good old days... I can't see it happening anytime soon.

And that theory would be sad anyway, assuming the loss of Morgana to The Dark and King Giles. At the moment I can't be parted from either of them. Merlin would still be there. Because all would crumble without Merlin.

[lyore.livejournal.com]

If I have to be addicted, then you have to be addicted too :P

I think they will work their way closer, yeah - or at least move through the 'touchstone' events of the Arthurian story.

I think King Giles is my favourite character - as much as I love the younger generation, I really love how they have brought depth to a character when it would have been easy to make him a one-note villain.

[lyore.livejournal.com]

And Morgana. I LOVE Morgana.

[dandysora.livejournal.com]

I didn't have much of an opinion about Morgana until she had those episodes with Mordred and the latest where we heard about her father; it's within the relationships of the family unit of Uther, Arthur and Morgana that they really come alive. Wisely, they each have a key OTHER to bounce off (Uther has Gaius, Arthur has Merlin and Morgana has Gwen), so simple but clever ways of developing character without having to bring in complete new OCs.

I don't really have a favourite character because they each have such great appeal in different ways, but if I had to choose it would probably come down between King Giles and Arthur.

The things I really love about this show is that they don't completely ignore the politics or structure of feudalism, you still feel it in their everyday lives --Arthur and Merlin's relationship especially pushes the boundaries -- but at the same time you have words like "mate", "prat", and "brilliant!" being thrown around without drawing too much attention to the fact that it isn't feudal speak because so often the rest of the time (especially in the court) they speak properly! The transition is either so seamless, or I'm just not paying enough attention.