"That's the darkest thing we've watched in a while," my husband said. I agreed. This episode rivaled the darker episodes of Torchwood. ( Read more... )
I am continuously impressed by your ability to a) see things that I would never catch, and b) articulate them so clearly. I love reading these reviews, I can't wait for the next few. (I am, in particular, really, *really* looking forward to your interpretation of #10 and #13).
I like the parallel you draw between Camelot and Nazi Germany. I didn't see that the first time through. Well, to be honest, I didn't see a lot of this the first time through. I did think that the Druid was a bit stupid to go into Camelot in the first place, even for supplies, and I wondered at having such a weak opening premise. That sort of got buried under all of the layers of tension surrounding Morgana and Arthur's dealings with Uther, though.
Anyhow, I'm glad I read this. It's made me think a little more deeply about the show.
Thank you. It took me about five days before I realized how strongly fascist this episode was. Before that it was just a bunch of random notes: "Dark this!" "Dark that!" "Really scary bit!"
I agree with you on many points - particularly the weak beginning. Even if the druid really had to go into Camelot for something taking a child with him was unbelievable stupid. *shrug*
wrt Uther's treatment of Arthur vs Morgana. It might just be that Uther feels he can be softer with Morgana since she will never be king. It was about this time I started wondering if Uther has reason to believe Morgana might actually be his daughter. There's one other factor which comes out in ep 9.
2 minor points: I didn't think Merlin realised "Lady Helen" had a book of spells in ep 1 - he didn't open it, it could just as well been a diary or a (non magical) song book. Arthur is 20, almost 21 at the time of ep 8. I'm not good with judging kids ages, Mordred's thoughts seem to me more sophisticated than I would have expected for his size so I'm guessing he's about 7-8. It's not impossible that Arthur is his father but it is IMO unlikely.
Morgana is the daughter Uther always wanted, irregardless of if she is his biological daughter.
Both Merlin's and the witch's spellbooks have much fancier bindings than any other books we've seen so far, including gemstone covers.
If someone were to seduce Arthur with sex magick to beget a child, wouldn't 13-14 be the best time for it, when he's old enough to function that way and young enough to be mislead?
If someone were to seduce Arthur with sex magick to beget a child, wouldn't 13-14 be the best time for it, when he's old enough to function that way and young enough to be mislead?
This would be a possibility if it weren't a family show. I find it quite hard to imagine the BBC running a storyline about sex magick and teen parenthood in any family show or in prime time outside a soap opera.
Personally I hope Mordred doesn't turn up again in this show. The only thing that bugs my uncritical mind about this show is the overuse of the word 'destiny'. I know they have a destiny, I know the end of this story is all laid out but that whole lack of free will (from an external POV) annoys me intensely. Perhaps I need to reread The Once and Future King which I didn't finish when I was young because it seemed the ending was going to be intensely depressing. At the time I couldn't understand a book where the heroes 'lost'. Maybe I will appreciate it more now.
It's Camelot's Champion and Prince he doesn't want risking his neck, the person most able to defend himself and least likely to be executed by Uther.
I think it's more than just execution Merlin is protecting Arthur from. He probably knows that Uther wouldn't actually kill Arthur - however Arthur would suffer very much indeed from his father's wrath and disapointment. It might break Arthur's heart, and Merlin would do anything to protect Arthur from that as well
( ... )
One of the places where the show fails is at showing the chain binding the dragon in the earlier episodes. You hear it, but I at least didn't actually see it until Episode 6. It's a bit shortsighted of Merlin not to ask about things like that, but he is a teenager. Not only that, he's originally convinced that he can't do a lot with his magic. Although I'm not sure the whole "destiny" schtick isn't really the Dragon's "get out of jail" ploy. Only the Druids knowing about Merlin counters that.
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Anyhow, I'm glad I read this. It's made me think a little more deeply about the show.
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wrt Uther's treatment of Arthur vs Morgana. It might just be that Uther feels he can be softer with Morgana since she will never be king. It was about this time I started wondering if Uther has reason to believe Morgana might actually be his daughter. There's one other factor which comes out in ep 9.
2 minor points: I didn't think Merlin realised "Lady Helen" had a book of spells in ep 1 - he didn't open it, it could just as well been a diary or a (non magical) song book. Arthur is 20, almost 21 at the time of ep 8. I'm not good with judging kids ages, Mordred's thoughts seem to me more sophisticated than I would have expected for his size so I'm guessing he's about 7-8. It's not impossible that Arthur is his father but it is IMO unlikely.
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Both Merlin's and the witch's spellbooks have much fancier bindings than any other books we've seen so far, including gemstone covers.
If someone were to seduce Arthur with sex magick to beget a child, wouldn't 13-14 be the best time for it, when he's old enough to function that way and young enough to be mislead?
Reply
This would be a possibility if it weren't a family show. I find it quite hard to imagine the BBC running a storyline about sex magick and teen parenthood in any family show or in prime time outside a soap opera.
Personally I hope Mordred doesn't turn up again in this show. The only thing that bugs my uncritical mind about this show is the overuse of the word 'destiny'. I know they have a destiny, I know the end of this story is all laid out but that whole lack of free will (from an external POV) annoys me intensely. Perhaps I need to reread The Once and Future King which I didn't finish when I was young because it seemed the ending was going to be intensely depressing. At the time I couldn't understand a book where the heroes 'lost'. Maybe I will appreciate it more now.
Reply
I think it's more than just execution Merlin is protecting Arthur from. He probably knows that Uther wouldn't actually kill Arthur - however Arthur would suffer very much indeed from his father's wrath and disapointment. It might break Arthur's heart, and Merlin would do anything to protect Arthur from that as well ( ... )
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One of the places where the show fails is at showing the chain binding the dragon in the earlier episodes. You hear it, but I at least didn't actually see it until Episode 6. It's a bit shortsighted of Merlin not to ask about things like that, but he is a teenager. Not only that, he's originally convinced that he can't do a lot with his magic. Although I'm not sure the whole "destiny" schtick isn't really the Dragon's "get out of jail" ploy. Only the Druids knowing about Merlin counters that.
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