Merlin: 5:08 The Hollow Queen

[tanous]

Right. That was 5.08.  I wont get those 45 minutes back.

Much as I thought I could stick it out to the end, I’m seriously starting to wonder if I underestimated the ability of the producers of this show to annihilate every thing that was good about it before the finale. Are they actually trying to drive their audience to the point where Camlann

Comments

[sforthewicked]

Great review. You've said it wonderfully once again

[tanoshi_ame]

Talking of fics, turned out I'd read the first few chapters of your story, liked it and decided to wait until completion to continue reading. I still had room for kinder interpretations of Arthur back then and thought you were a little bit harsh on him. Now? Now that I've kept up with the current story and watched 5.08, well, congratulations on your farsightedness, though I guess neither of us is any happy about it.

Merlin in this ep was emotionally abused, was physically abused, was hurt but not comforted... It was brutal.Yeah I feel the same and this is the hardest to watch episode for me because of it. Also heartbroken of what happened in the last 2 chapters of your fic though I understand why it's necessary and I appreciate it. Most fics on FFnet have Merlin snap for laughable reasons in contrast. You're doing Merlin justice

[sforthewicked]

Don't worry about it. It's funny 'cause in the fic it has also been three years after the end of s4 so it is more or less around 'the same time' with the series, though different events.
I always thought I wrote what would happen if things had gone 'not so great' for Merlin in these three years and then the events of the story took hold.
I know about Arthur. Some people had told me I was too harsh on him in the past, and I guess that based on some eps of s5 they could have been right, but after 5x08 I think that I was a bit spot on... Not that I like it, mind you. Maybe in the next episode they'll be back with the bromance/thank-you-for-telling-me-my-wife's-enchanted-Merlin,-maybe-you're-not-as-stupid-as-it-seems relationship? It's very likely... After all, characters are always sacrificed for the sake of the plot in "Merlin".

[tanous]

Merln/Arthur always suffers in the overcompensation arc. the point is to big up Arwen at the expense of the bromance and the way they do that since they're clumsy writers, is to not just to exaggerate Arhturs feelings for Gwen to frankly laughably fraught levels, its to have him cold and nasty to Merlin. They always do it and as Ive said it shows how insecure they are about the romance and its lack of chemistry. We ALL know which relationship will be remembered from this show by most people, for all this massive grovelling slice of fan service.

By 5.11 we can hope at least that Arthur will be back to normal with Merlin, once the Gwen worship arc is done, though of course he has to alienate Mordred so... I guess the Make Arthur's Stupidity His Own Bane thing is so relentless he may remain an arse. Of course if Merlin just told Arthur the vision the druid showed him was of Mordred stabbing him, it might save him but - poor Merlin is never going to be allowed to be that sensible on this show. :(

[arwyn_t]

-Gathers all of you in a tight group hug

[tanous]

Yeah - Julian Jones was my last hope since he wrote some of the best but in the end hes part of what they're doing to the show so - no more I tentatively love Julian posts from me :P

I can say with absolute confidence that the words Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy attached to any show will be like a skull and crossbones for me. Not going near.

[tanoshi_ame]

I’ve decided by the way, that it's easier to think of Merlin as just a man, not a sorcerer. That's exactly how I've been watching from S5: Colin playing Merlin as only a man, not a legend. I thought it was brilliant because the whole show, so much was seen from Merlin's POV. Colin made the character sympathetic enough that I could still root for. From today onwards, thanks to 5.08, Colin is now the only reason that I watch this show

[arien_elensar]

"Maybe this has always been TPTB's big twist on the downfall of Arthur. Maybe they really follow the legend after all, because now it really seems that every major damage to Camelot and its people in the last few years has all started with Gwen because look what Arthur becomes whenever a tiniest presence of her is there. More than a servant indeed. She's Arthur's Bane. I was wrong to think TPTB had no creativity. Look at the grand machination they've been building since S2!! Their only mistake was naming the show 'Merlin'."

Agreed. I've been marveling at this for a while too.
And I too need to detach myself even further as this episode still hurt, a lot. It is hard to put into words my saddness at how pathetic the writing has gotten.

[tanous]

It really does seem like deliberately provocative writing at times: The Gwen order to fill a bath, the 'you were always more than that' line to Gwen while he abuses Merlin to Gaius and mocks him in front of Gwen, the whole look Im worshipping someone who hates my guts while Im totally ungrateful and unaffectionate to the person who practically crawled to save me. Maybe it was to whip up ant- Evil Gwen feeling - it was heavy handed enough - before of course her inevitable Disney redemption for her Disney audience. But I wonder of they also meant to resurrect that old feeling of Merlin (who does everything for him and keeps him alive and on the throne) abused and unappreciated as Gwen (who doesn't actually do very much) is treated like the only person in the world who deserves Arthurs affection. Is that deliberate

[gatepromise]

"Real" Gwen, the good, perfect queen we saw in all of this season up until her "enchanted/brainwashed" storyline took over, was all things to all people--she was a part of the council, she came up with approach tactics that were quite obvious but none of the soldiers came up with on their own, she sussed out traitors in Camelot in less than one episode (something the supposed Once and Future King has never been able to do), she wears those fancy new dresses well (lopsided boobs or not, she still manages to walk like a male trucker in them), she tends to those in need in town, and she's mummy, wife and queen to Arthur--hell she even dresses and grooms him. So it's not really true that she does nothing at all. She does everything, and she does it better than everyone else--she's Queen Mary Sue. Just--that scene where she has Merlin draw her bath for her...it's apparently something she does even when she's Perfect Gwen, because Arthur didn't bat an eyelash or seem surprised in the least by the request. (not that Arthur ever notices

Sigh

[ext_1514028]

I'm glad you brought up Gwen's bath request. The writers probably didn't even notice what they did in that little moment. Why wasn't Arthur surprised? Because she has probably done that before. Why not? It is one of her rights as queen. She certainly didn't reject other perks of her new station (such as the pretty and very expensive dresses). At the end of the episode, we see Merlin serving Arthur and Gwen at dinner - and the tone of the scene suggests that this was not an unusual occurrence. I'm pretty sure Merlin has been serving Gwen to some extent for a while now.
I keep wondering where the fic portrayal of humble, Merlin's BFF Gwen comes from.
I just feel bad for poor poor Merlin. He's seen everyone else move on and up, while he's stuck as he was ten years ago. He's serving the maid who used to work with him, for God's sake! He must have the lowest self esteem the world has ever seen.

Re: Sigh

[tanous]

I think youlre right that the writers didnt notice what they did, not so much in the request (they might have known that would be a Grrrr moment for fans of Merlin and wanted to make people angry with Evil Gwen) but in Arthurs non reaction implying even Mary Sue Gwen did that as a matter of course. Its actually quite funny that she doenst have a maid dogging her footsteps like Merlin with Arthur. Sefa was of course a plot device and after that they thrpw realism out the window.

I guess Gwen was humble and BFF in S1 and to an extent in S2. Then they started building her up as Peasant Babe and made her perfect to show she was meant to be queen. And while she wasn't arrogant because that would be an imperfection, she didn't exactly radiate humility from that point either. Now of course, going by 5.01 on, she's not remotely humble.

I agree about Merlin. Its not exactly fun viewing is it if you like he character? I really wonder what the kids who like him are making of this season.

[adrienne5413]

Great review. You said all the things I couldn't be bothered to even address in mine. I almost didn't write one for this ep, but I've started writing them this season/series here on LJ, so I will continue to do so to the bitter end. And it seems it will be BITTER BITTER BITTER for those of us who look deeper into the motivations of the characters than just a 'kiddie/family show' and expect more. As I've said before, because TPTB announced this season/series as 'more mature' I'm not giving them any slack on the shite they present. I haven't seen the announcement about this being the last season/series. So, it's official then? While I will truly miss B/C-M/A every week, their chemistry and obvious delight they find in each other, I will most assuredly not miss the crap writing, characterization, etc., and I will avoid any shows produced by Shine. They have ruined such a wonderful concept. It's appalling what has happened to this show. The idea they've created a world where one wants to visit and see the daily lives of fun

[tanous]

Yeah I know. And agree with every word. :( It was depressing. I think all this is meant to be the mature thing though - not this Enchanted Gwen infantile crap, but the whole diminishment of Arthur, his hard line on magic and Merlins huge mistakes.

The fact that the characters no longer really make sense , we're not supposed to mention.
Im guessing its all part of the road to Camlann by which point Arthur and Merlin will be to blame for everything because of their appalling decisions. Lovely.