(no subject)

[rane_ab]

OMG. I was fully expecting to dislike this ep, but... I kind of really liked it? :D

Edit: Also, wow, have seen several people expressing rage over the ep in a short amount of time, so I kind of feel the need to warn that I a) probably missed some of the faily things and b) was expecting so much fail based on the trailer that I was both braced for it and kind of went with it. So, if you're looking for a review pointing out the fail of this ep, this isn't it, sorry.

• First off, though, whaaat. I thought the ep was supposed to start at 8.15pm? I tuned in just in time to hear Merlin say "Don't you think it's a bit soon?" Can someone tell me what I missed, please? :)
  
  
• OK, I know that outfit is supposed to be skeevy, but wow, Gwen looks hot in it. Um. Also, that scene where Morgana and Gwen cross each other in the corridor? I don't know why that was so hot, but it was. I now totally want fic where Gwen ends up joining Team Evil and she and Morgana make out lots. :D Was sad to see Morgana felt no fondness for her at all during the confrontation, though I liked the angst of Gwen telling Morgana she'd never trust her again. Gwen/Morgana angsty hate!sex, please.
  
  
• Also, can I just say yay for Gwen finally, finally not just sitting around waiting for a guy to save her but actively doing something? Take that, 2x04. I also really liked the way she handled Helios. I didn't really like her being set up as a martyr and saying "I've got what I deserve" at the end, but I can live with it. (Although, where on earth is she supposed to go with everyone after her? I suppose they needed her to stay away for some plotline in the next eps, but that's pretty much the one thing in the ep that made me go wtf. It's hard to imagine anything else than her falling back into the hands of Helios.)
  
  
• I really liked Princess Mithian. Even if Arthur barely seemed to be able to remember her name. (... You don't normally address people as "Princess", do you?) I laughed at all their faces when she lifted her veil (even Merlin seemed to have a moment of "OK... hot" before going back to his frowny face), and oh my goodness, Arthur's awkward attempts at seduction. <333 So adorable and hilarious.
  
  And she actually valued Merlin's opinion! Could not be happier about that, and her realising in a ridiculously short amount of time just how much trust Arthur puts in Merlin's words. Boys, clearly you can't hide the way you feel about each other at all. <3
  
  
• The ep could have done with a little less of Arthur threatening to exile Merlin, but I get that he was upset and probably scrambling for the one thing that could get Merlin to shut up (so little does *g*), while not meaning it at all.
  
  And, oh, I loved that moment towards the end where Arthur finally opens up to Merlin about Gwen, when he's been cutting Merlin off about that all the time, and Merlin is actually pissed off enough to ignore the opening Arthur gives him, for once. (ALSO: that scene where Merlin defies Arthur. Fuck yeah. This does things to me, people. :D) And Arthur realises what he needs to do and downright asks Merlin for his opinion, and he looks so vulnerable there, and he lets Merlin see it, and asdkljfkl. And Merlin gives in and tells him and is supportive in an actual lovely way, and oh. I just... kind of want to draw hearts around this scene and the dynamic between them there. /will now stop recounting a scene everyone has seen, anyway.
  
  Also, I love that Arthur still found the time to tease Merlin even when he was nervous about being out having a picnic with Mithian, and Merlin totally knew what he was doing and glared the whole time. Oh, boys.
  
  
• I kind of feel everyone was cheekier than usual in this ep. I LIKE IT. More, please. I loved Gaius' "Isn't that a bit arrogant" and Merlin being all "Yes!" and then later that scene where Gaius isn't even listening to Merlin and Merlin tells him what he's supposed to say - it's a testament to how well they know each other, and how much they rely on that. It also kind of felt like the writer was taking a playful jab at the way certain scenes keep playing out in the same way and it make me laugh.
  
  
• I admit that I didn't really feel the Merlin/Gwen relationship in Lamia (I was kind of sad about that), but I loved it here. Oh, that moment Merlin and the deer just stare at each other. I love how that dragged on just long enough to clue the viewer in that something was going on and I bet most people went oh before we even saw Gwen, but I really thought that was beautifully done. I was half expecting Merlin to reveal his secret and transform Gwen back into human form himself, but aww, that hug. :D Also, hm, does this storyline come from a fairytale? I feel like I've read it before, but I loved it here.
  
  
• I'm not usually that fond of A/G (I think Angel and Bradley are making them look pretty cute together this season, but there are a lot of other aspects of their storyline that just aren't my thing), but I actually liked it here, and I really didn't expect to. Well played, writer. I like you. Also, I loved the music when Arthur found his ring in the forest.
  
  
• I just love eps where there's a lot going on at the same time and it all somehow fits together, and there's humour as well as angst - 4x06 did that beautifully, in my opinion, and this one did, too. The pacing was great, and everything just tied in together. I had to look it up, but apparently Richard McBrien wrote this ep. That's another new writer - I hope we'll see him again. I feel like he had enough distance from the rest of the eps to both reuse old storylines in fresh ways and give us a wink about certain tropes.

I'm seriously falling more and more in love with this ep as I'm typing this out, hee. And OMG, next week! I'm sure they cut that preview cleverly, but still, I'm really excited!