Merlin... Hmm, interesting...
Nov. 28th, 2011 12:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lonelybritI finally caught up with this week's Merlin, and after the snore-fest of last week my main reaction is: 'Now that's more like it.' I do have a feeling that the writers weren't intending me to find as many sections of this as hilarious as I did but whatevs.
OK, so the things I liked:
x. "As romantic gestures go you could have given her flowers, you could have had a song written. Instead you've given her two days of sweaty men knocking the sense out of each other." *raises hand* I would like it to be noted that should the need ever arise, if folks want to get me an engagement gift, I will take the sweaty, loyal knights of Camelot over flowers and a song any day *nods*.
x. Lancelot coming slow-mo, nekkid, out of a lake. I know I was being played like a trout by the producers and I laughed at the gratuitous, slow-mo shots at the same time as I melted. No wonder Morgana said she'd be sad to see the shade go.
x. Gwen's cleavage. I am sorry but it was its own entity this ep, it was fearsomely impressive.
x. "You only had to wait one more day." As someone who's never particularly cared about Gwen/Arthur, I still found that whole scene heartbreaking and I give full credit for this to Angel and Bradley (since the script at times did make me cringe). I liked that Arthur recognised and apologised for stepping over the line when he shook Gwenivere, and the way he handled her banishment. Also just the way he chose to do the whole thing in private, not humiliate her in front of an entire court.
x. The final Merlin/Arthur scene, Merlin trying to defend Gwen as a friend and Arthur not biting his head off for it. You could tell he was trying so hard to be reasonable, trying to explain to Merlin that actually in this instance he was just your regular heartbroken fiancé watching his wedding decorations being taken down, who just couldn't bear to be around her any more. (At least for the time being; it was too soon to be talking forgiveness but I believe Arthur will surprise himself by how quickly he will agree to let Gwen back into Camelot. After all the finale's only a few eps away.)
x. The (I assume temporary) resolution to the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot triangle. In general this triangle has always bored me on the show, mainly because I know in legends where it's heading, i.e. heartbreak all round and the fall of Albion. It then gained more of a sting when the show introduced me to its version of Lance, Gwen and Arthur, 3 people who genuinely loved each other. As each ep went by I found it harder and harder to reconcile the oh-so-pure Gwen and Lance of Merlin with the legendary figures who would knowingly, repeatedly betray one of their closest friends in that way. So this was an interesting twist to the tale. I like it. For now. (I am hoping we will still see Lance again, now he's presumably free and himself once more.)
Teh heartbreak:
x. GWEN, YOUR FRIENDS SUCK. Dude, seriously. Merlin just stood there and watched her struggle with that heavy cart. Her own brother just gave her the evil eye and stalked off. Ironically the one person who actually talked to her, asked her "What happened?" was the jilted fiancé. Because this show is my Happy Place for now I'm going to handwave it and assume there were lots of deleted scenes where her family and friends actually visited her in the cells/her home before she left the city.
x. GWEN. And that neither she nor anyone else in Camelot realised it was down to the bracelet. Again with the friends sucking bit. As I mentioned earlier, the Gwen of Merlin is painfully earnest and sweet. I just couldn't buy her as the sneaky adulterer. Yet not one of her friends (MERLIN WHERE WERE YOU) stopped to think that 'This just really isn't like Gwen... Oh wait, didn't you say Morgana was involved. Isn't she, you know, ABLE TO DO POWERFUL MAGIC LIKE SAY RAISE THE DEAD OR LOVE POTIONS.' Poor Gwen, that she can't even explain to herself why she did what she did. Ouch.
x. We'll never know what Lancelot's punishment would have been. I would have been curious to know what Arthur's final judgement would have been (given how he ignored Agravaine's advice about Gwen, and also ordered Lance to have a full, honourable burial).
x. LANCE. *sniffle* I know that Santiago now has a series to film in the US, but even so I really hope we see more of Lance again. I'm glad his shade was (I assume) released from Morgana's control by Merlin, and I hope the 'de lac' bit of the title means that, like Freya, there's more of that lake to see in the future.
And finally:
x. "You are destined to bring back the old ways." Ooooh... first I heard of it. Will the old ways come before or after the uniting of Albion, or are we heading for a Star Trek-esque reboot of the whole legend. Given how much the writters have shredded the accepted legends thus far, I'd say any option is possible right now.
In conclusion: ROLL ON NEXT WEEK. I honestly have no idea where this is all heading, but I'm looking forward to finding out :)
OK, so the things I liked:
x. "As romantic gestures go you could have given her flowers, you could have had a song written. Instead you've given her two days of sweaty men knocking the sense out of each other." *raises hand* I would like it to be noted that should the need ever arise, if folks want to get me an engagement gift, I will take the sweaty, loyal knights of Camelot over flowers and a song any day *nods*.
x. Lancelot coming slow-mo, nekkid, out of a lake. I know I was being played like a trout by the producers and I laughed at the gratuitous, slow-mo shots at the same time as I melted. No wonder Morgana said she'd be sad to see the shade go.
x. Gwen's cleavage. I am sorry but it was its own entity this ep, it was fearsomely impressive.
x. "You only had to wait one more day." As someone who's never particularly cared about Gwen/Arthur, I still found that whole scene heartbreaking and I give full credit for this to Angel and Bradley (since the script at times did make me cringe). I liked that Arthur recognised and apologised for stepping over the line when he shook Gwenivere, and the way he handled her banishment. Also just the way he chose to do the whole thing in private, not humiliate her in front of an entire court.
x. The final Merlin/Arthur scene, Merlin trying to defend Gwen as a friend and Arthur not biting his head off for it. You could tell he was trying so hard to be reasonable, trying to explain to Merlin that actually in this instance he was just your regular heartbroken fiancé watching his wedding decorations being taken down, who just couldn't bear to be around her any more. (At least for the time being; it was too soon to be talking forgiveness but I believe Arthur will surprise himself by how quickly he will agree to let Gwen back into Camelot. After all the finale's only a few eps away.)
x. The (I assume temporary) resolution to the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot triangle. In general this triangle has always bored me on the show, mainly because I know in legends where it's heading, i.e. heartbreak all round and the fall of Albion. It then gained more of a sting when the show introduced me to its version of Lance, Gwen and Arthur, 3 people who genuinely loved each other. As each ep went by I found it harder and harder to reconcile the oh-so-pure Gwen and Lance of Merlin with the legendary figures who would knowingly, repeatedly betray one of their closest friends in that way. So this was an interesting twist to the tale. I like it. For now. (I am hoping we will still see Lance again, now he's presumably free and himself once more.)
Teh heartbreak:
x. GWEN, YOUR FRIENDS SUCK. Dude, seriously. Merlin just stood there and watched her struggle with that heavy cart. Her own brother just gave her the evil eye and stalked off. Ironically the one person who actually talked to her, asked her "What happened?" was the jilted fiancé. Because this show is my Happy Place for now I'm going to handwave it and assume there were lots of deleted scenes where her family and friends actually visited her in the cells/her home before she left the city.
x. GWEN. And that neither she nor anyone else in Camelot realised it was down to the bracelet. Again with the friends sucking bit. As I mentioned earlier, the Gwen of Merlin is painfully earnest and sweet. I just couldn't buy her as the sneaky adulterer. Yet not one of her friends (MERLIN WHERE WERE YOU) stopped to think that 'This just really isn't like Gwen... Oh wait, didn't you say Morgana was involved. Isn't she, you know, ABLE TO DO POWERFUL MAGIC LIKE SAY RAISE THE DEAD OR LOVE POTIONS.' Poor Gwen, that she can't even explain to herself why she did what she did. Ouch.
x. We'll never know what Lancelot's punishment would have been. I would have been curious to know what Arthur's final judgement would have been (given how he ignored Agravaine's advice about Gwen, and also ordered Lance to have a full, honourable burial).
x. LANCE. *sniffle* I know that Santiago now has a series to film in the US, but even so I really hope we see more of Lance again. I'm glad his shade was (I assume) released from Morgana's control by Merlin, and I hope the 'de lac' bit of the title means that, like Freya, there's more of that lake to see in the future.
And finally:
x. "You are destined to bring back the old ways." Ooooh... first I heard of it. Will the old ways come before or after the uniting of Albion, or are we heading for a Star Trek-esque reboot of the whole legend. Given how much the writters have shredded the accepted legends thus far, I'd say any option is possible right now.
In conclusion: ROLL ON NEXT WEEK. I honestly have no idea where this is all heading, but I'm looking forward to finding out :)
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no subject
Date: 2011-11-28 07:28 am (UTC)And I too would take the sweaty men over flowers any day - I couldn't see Merlin's problem, it seemed like the best engagement gift ever!!
no subject
Date: 2011-11-28 09:40 pm (UTC)Arthur definitely gets to be my wedding events planner should the need ever arrive, if he can get Gawaine getting hot and sweaty with Percy for two whole days in my honour I will consider it money extremely well spent!