
The Cast of "Merlin"
I have enjoyed this series from the very first episode and am delighted that I can also share it with my family. It is rare these days that we can all sit down and watch the same show. This is one of those wonderful shows where we can. “Merlin” is loosely based on the Arthurian legends, and it follows none of them exactly. Rather, it takes inspiration from the source material, but interprets it in entirely new ways, recreating the myths yet again. Given that I pretty much have hated every take on the Arthurian saga I’ve ever read or seen, the revisonistic tendencies of this series do not bother me in the slightest and in fact actually allow me to enjoy it. Purists might take umbrage at what they may consider a grave travesty, but most will hopefully watch it and be willing to just enjoy the story.
This is a BBC series that NBC is currently airing over the summer. So, for a welcome change, the British accents are authentic and most of the actors are new, at least in America. When I watch someone act, I want to focus on the character, not the actor. In general, the UK does not idolize its entertainers in the same sychophantic manner as the US and I think it shows. The acting is first-rate. Again, another difference I noted immediately, even before realizing that the series was a BBC production, was the acting skills of the cast. I could tell that they were Bristish – I think it comes from so many of them having extensive theater training or something…
The first episode hit on that the relationship between Merlin, the young magician, and Arthur, the prince of Camelot is essential and pivotal to the plot. When they meet, they rather hate each other, but destiny brings them together. The first episode also reveals, very clearly, that magic is verboten in Uther’s kingdom, which adds another element of peril for Merlin.
It has a good, if highly inaccurate, setting at a castle in France and they shoot some scenes in Wales. It lends the perfect fantastical atmosphere to a series all about myth and magic. The costumes, esp. Lady Morgana’s dresses, are all out of sync with both each other and their time period, which is vague at best. The castle suggests 10th century or so, clothing ranges from 9-12th centuries, the dialogue is far too modern and informal, etc. and etc. But we are going to let that go because this is a fantasy, not a period drama.
Characters and the friendship plot. I am a sucker for any good friendship story, which you don’t see come along too often. (Psych and Road to Avonlea come to mind…) The friendship between Merlin and Arthur is complicated, but enduring. Secrets, mysteries, betrayals, tests of trust and loyalty, confusion and a host of problems plague the inhabitants of Camelot and it is never a good idea to assume who is friend and who is a foe. Every character has flaws, demons they have to deal with, and all of them react in very different ways. But most are also shown to have some measure of goodness in them, even the characters you initially write off as worthless second-rate villain material. No one is a perfect paragon of virtue, least of all Merlin, or a villain without any credible motivation other than that they are bad so they obviously have to do bad things and always choose the bad thing to do. I hope that they continue to keep their focus on the development of their characters in the second season.
I like that magic is shown to be neither inherently good nor bad, but that it depends on how it is used. However, the one inconsistency that I have noticed that really truly bothers me, apart from the inaccurate clothing and sets and dialogue which are all wrong for the time period, is the way that Merlin uses his magic. In the first episode Merlin is capable of making spells with no mouthed incantation, which seems to indicate an unusual and unheard of magical talent. But then, for the rest the season, he is seen using spells and incantations for everything, from opening a closed door to healing a sick person. Apart from the fact that you are much more likely to be caught using magic if you are muttering magical cantrips, it also makes no sense when it was obvious that Merlin could use magic without them. Or does he use the words because they give him control over his magic….?
And what about that dragon, hmm? As for the special effects, well, they are not tremendous, but then neither is Doctor Who.
Magic and morality. My favorite. Not only is it entertainment, but it is the sort where lessons about choosing what is right in life are interwoven into the story. Characters are repeatedly thrust into situations where they need to choose between what is right and what is easy, what they know is the correct course of action and what is expected of them, especially on a social level. Each decision made holds consequences for our protagonists and the people that they care about. Some of the morals expounded on are friendship, respect, patience, good will, and forgiveness.
Right now the show’s first season has ended with the 13th episode, and though we now have some answers, we have just as many new questions given the unsettling new information revealed about our characters in the finale.
As far as some complaints you may face about this show… I’ve heard people expressing lots of hateful and whiny messages, such as the show is cheap, historically inaccurate, bad actors (admittedly, some of the dialogue is lame, but that is hardly the actors’ fault), and it doesn’t follow the legends, etc. Hey, if you don’t like the show, fine. But no need to be a negative, beastly troll about it. Just say you don’t like it and move on. No one is forcing you to watch it. (Okay, yes you in the corner? Oh, they tied you up and made you watch it? They even propped your eyes open with tooth picks? Very well, you were forced. Very sorry. Yes, that was unconscionable of them indeed. But the rest of you? Just let it go.)