Merlin: 5:09 With All My Heart

[tanous]

Merlin... the show that teaches its fans what Stockholm Syndrome is all about. This week my expectations were so low that I expected literally nothing, other than more slaps in the face to the fans who give a shit about Arthur and/or Merlin. I expected another ordeal of grandiose tries at fairytale moments, flowery gestures and gruesomely soppy

Comments

[mingaumatador]

This episode had a feel of the earlier seasons, both in aesthetics and storytelling. Which was just weird, it's been a while since they used that soundtrack for funny scenes so often, it felt misplaced. I guess it's because I hate where the show is going, and then they slap me across the face with a lighthearted episode, like 508 never happened at all

[mingaumatador]

Uh another quick thing I forgot to add. I'm not sure how I'm feeling about this twist where all the magical beings are basically telling Emrys he can shove it.

I mean, sure, it's bound to happen. But Merlin really can't have anything, oh my god.

[tanous]

I know. I suppose this is the lead up to an ending with complete failure all round. Unless the story is that as Arthur dies he restores magic. Id put nothing past them.

[darlulu]

Overall, I don't give two craps about Morgana and Mordred's storyline. It was a really, really, well played scene, but the problem is, they only wanted us to care right there. Did they give us any reason to care before? No, not really. That's the whole thing with the writing on this show, they want the pay off but don't actually try and write the way to it, so they just tell us what they want us to feel occasionally.

You hit the nail on the head. This is why nothing feels earned this season.

[darlulu]

What can I say, I'm glad the good-for-nothing arc is over. Ironically, the thing I was most worried about in advance of the arc was not the thing that ultimately ended up disappointing me

[tanous]

Hey there. I agree as ever with all youve said. Youre so right that a reveal would have been disastrous in this episode/arc.I wondered at once time if theyd have Merlin save Gwen ahead have her know before Arthur buit it seems their fanatical devotion to the reveal teaser that never comes through saved us this time

[darlulu]

Did you see Bradley saying BTW that he thought the only 2 people Arthur would give a chance to/forgive if they revealed they had magic were Gwen and Merlin.

Ooh, no, I didn't. Can you link me to the source?

[tanous]

Here you go:
http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2012/12/04/its-good-to-be-king-bradley-james-talks-arthur-and-return-of-merlin/

[darlulu]

So yeah, in the end the arc was a waste of time and a third of the final season I have no wish to ever revisit. So I'm disappointed and bitter that we didn't get an arc that would've mattered and had consequences in its place like, say, oh a magic reveal arc or something. But I'm also morbidly intrigued that the show that has trumpeted the A/G romance since S2 decided to sink it in the final season. I know some Arwen fans would disagree with that assessment and are somehow okay with how their pairing's been written, taking comfort in Arthur's repeated declarations of love for Gwen, and are just waiting for a proper kiss by the end of the season, but wow, I don't get that at all. I honestly can't think of another fictional couple that is the one true hetero pairing for their show that got such dismal treatment

[tanous]

I know. The audience are going to get one hell of a sucker punch on Christmas Eve, because the answer to that - or the usual similar question - has always been yes and he sofa audience relies on that for feel good entertainment. I think the producers and it seems from interviews the actors though have been making this ending for themselves, and their pretensions to be a grown up show with an audience thats grown up with them( and what a ludicrous concept thats always been - what about the kids who've come in and aren't grown up and they're still playing to? So somehow int he last 4 eps the show has to alert its sofa audience to the fact its about to totally change what the producers have never changed it from - feelgood dragons and sword fights for the family - to kill 'em all tragedy. Whoop.

[darlulu]

That whole 'kids growing up with the show' slant tptb have harped on about over the years always reminds me of the Harry Potter generation. The HP books/movies got progressively 'darker' as the fictional kids grew up alongside their target readership. But as I said recently on my lj, JK Rowling didn't have Harry sacrifice everything and stay dead, allowing Voldemort to triumph in the end. She didn't close on the survivors at Hogwarts bowing to their new Dark Lord. Which is as near an equivalent I can imagine to Arthur dying, Albion never having been united, magic never having been accepted in Camelot, there being no Golden Age whatsoever, and Merlin's destiny having been shattered by his own inaction. (And if JK Rowling was writing Merlin, no way would there be a chance in hell that the plot point the entire shebang hinges on would go unaddressed in the end. There'd be a fucking magic reveal, no question

[mingaumatador]

ohhh if Jo was in charge of this show I think things would go so very different, first and foremost Gwen and Morgana would be fully constructed characters to inspire girls to stand up for themselves, and Merlin and Arthur would have solid reasons for their actions and a fully realized/well constructed relationship. But I do think Uther and Gaius would've been sent away sooner, so that the boys would learn to stand up for themselves and build Albion on their own merits. Maybe Hunnith would have a more prominent role

Colin likes the ending - do we trust him?

[tanous]

“When I read the final episodes I was extremely pleased with them. I was also shocked - they were very unexpected," he said.

"I obviously had in my head an idea of where they were going to go, and from having read Arthurian legend, I knew how it ended in legend.

"I was very, very pleased with it and I think the fans will be too."

(Full thing - as ever - at Merlin Reuters (aka Gealach Ross LJ)

Re: Colin likes the ending - do we trust him?

[arwyn_t]

Er...............................

Not sure really. Colin is the sweetest, but....

Re: Colin likes the ending - do we trust him?

[tanoshi_ame]

Uh... want to, really. Anything to give me hope. Don't think I will though.

Re: Colin likes the ending - do we trust him?

[undead_begonia]

No, I have to say I don't. I think Colin is one of the best young actors to come out of the UK this decade, but he's proved over and over again that he'll toe the company line and say the diplomatic thing. I'd be more inclined to trust Bradley's opinion, had I seen one, as he has from time to time made more unguarded comments.

So does Bradley & look what he says about Gwen

[tanous]

Do you not have a solid feeling how the fans will react to the final episodes then

Re: So does Bradley & look what he says about Gwen

[arwyn_t]

Colin is pleased, Bradley is mysterious. I tend to agree with Bradley, so I'm ready for any surprise, aka disappointment.

Re: So does Bradley & look what he says about Gwen

[mingaumatador]

I don't trust Colin at all, bless his heart. I love him to pieces, but you've got to admit that when it comes to what he has to say about the show, Merlin is a sinking ship on fire and we're both standing on the beach completely soaked and half burnt, and Colin turns to you and is like 'well, we totally did it, it was an awesome experience, wasn't it? Plus the ship really resisted quite some time before the fire took over, it was really well built

Re: So does Bradley & look what he says about Gwen

[tanoshi_ame]

Wow. Feels A LOT better now. Though once again, very sorry for Bradley that his character has gone down to this. At least there's still something to enjoy about playing as Merlin; Arthur, not at all. I'm grateful Bradley is still kind enough to be honest with us.