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fyrie is fond of reminding me, even though I mainlined Merlin last autumn (I believe it took me less than a week to catch up all 11 episodes then aired), I never mentioned it in my journal. So unless you're icon-stalking and caught my Lancelot icon, there's no notice of how much I adore the show.
The thing is, I know my Arthurian legends. Intimately so: I've read Morte d'Arthur cover to cover, attempted Chretien de Troyes in the original old French, browsed through large sections of the Vulgate cycle, and read far too many critical essays. In my childhood, I read both Arthurian stories and the Welsh legends that they referenced. When I was preparing for the exams for Interdisciplinary Human Sciences, my presentation was to be on the evoluton of the Grail.
And yes, Merlin takes all this and puts it through a meat grinder. But they get it, they get the spirit of the idealism of power and the grounding of strength in old myth.
Also, they have some damn good writers for the dialogue and characterisation. I'm a sucker for character-driven shows, and between the script and the wonderful (and crazy, natch) actors, this show presents a compelling cast. I think it's telling that AU is so present in the Merlin fanfiction: with the dynamics they have, these people can work in any setting and remain themselves.
I can't really name a favourite. Merlin has the snark and the goofiness and the ability to make you want to both hug him and box his ears. Arthur's prattiness and idealism mesh seamlessly, he is that much larger than life. Morgana is the type I adore - so very female and so very much not yielding (though nurturing when she wants to be). Gwen - I can't wait to see what they do with her. Uther is another box-his-ears type, but also falls in the category of people you'd love to have dinner with just to argue with him. And Gaius is Gaius, and awesome enough in himself.
But yeah. Icon. Okay, it's a little because it's Santiago Cabrera, and a little because I love Lancelot and his foibles in all incarnations, but the combination of Idealism and Determination and Tousled was irresistible. I was overjoyed to hear he's returning to the show :D
I think some of Arthur's recurring prattiness was a shorthand to give new viewers a quick catch-up course on Merlin characterisation. There was a lot of that, including the dragon interlude and Uther's ways, but it wasn't as clumsy as it could have been. I had a feeling that a lot of Arthur's over-the-top clodpole impression was teasing Merlin, and possibly also commitment issues after how close they've grown in series one.
(Oh, did I mention that I approve very much of the un-toning-down of any and all slashiness? Shirtless Arthur! Bedroom wrestling! Discussion of whether Merlin prefers Arthur on his knees or the other way around!)
It's shaping up to be a good season for lots of Uther and Gaius, which I approve of. I reserve judgement on where they take the Gwen/Arthur angle, though it's good that they're taking it slow.
What I'm worried about is the Morgana angle. I know it's probably going in the way of canon, but I'd rather not have it because of Gaius's one-sided decision to protect her from herself - I'd love to see her as an actor rather than someone who falls by reacting only. Still, with how strong the scriptwriters painted her, and how strong she remains in this episode, I hold hope that they'll find a way to do it in a way that won't make me throw things at a wall.
fyrie is fond of reminding me, even though I mainlined Merlin last autumn (I believe it took me less than a week to catch up all 11 episodes then aired), I never mentioned it in my journal. So unless you're icon-stalking and caught my Lancelot icon, there's no notice of how much I adore the show.The thing is, I know my Arthurian legends. Intimately so: I've read Morte d'Arthur cover to cover, attempted Chretien de Troyes in the original old French, browsed through large sections of the Vulgate cycle, and read far too many critical essays. In my childhood, I read both Arthurian stories and the Welsh legends that they referenced. When I was preparing for the exams for Interdisciplinary Human Sciences, my presentation was to be on the evoluton of the Grail.
And yes, Merlin takes all this and puts it through a meat grinder. But they get it, they get the spirit of the idealism of power and the grounding of strength in old myth.
Also, they have some damn good writers for the dialogue and characterisation. I'm a sucker for character-driven shows, and between the script and the wonderful (and crazy, natch) actors, this show presents a compelling cast. I think it's telling that AU is so present in the Merlin fanfiction: with the dynamics they have, these people can work in any setting and remain themselves.
I can't really name a favourite. Merlin has the snark and the goofiness and the ability to make you want to both hug him and box his ears. Arthur's prattiness and idealism mesh seamlessly, he is that much larger than life. Morgana is the type I adore - so very female and so very much not yielding (though nurturing when she wants to be). Gwen - I can't wait to see what they do with her. Uther is another box-his-ears type, but also falls in the category of people you'd love to have dinner with just to argue with him. And Gaius is Gaius, and awesome enough in himself.
But yeah. Icon. Okay, it's a little because it's Santiago Cabrera, and a little because I love Lancelot and his foibles in all incarnations, but the combination of Idealism and Determination and Tousled was irresistible. I was overjoyed to hear he's returning to the show :D
I think some of Arthur's recurring prattiness was a shorthand to give new viewers a quick catch-up course on Merlin characterisation. There was a lot of that, including the dragon interlude and Uther's ways, but it wasn't as clumsy as it could have been. I had a feeling that a lot of Arthur's over-the-top clodpole impression was teasing Merlin, and possibly also commitment issues after how close they've grown in series one.
(Oh, did I mention that I approve very much of the un-toning-down of any and all slashiness? Shirtless Arthur! Bedroom wrestling! Discussion of whether Merlin prefers Arthur on his knees or the other way around!)
It's shaping up to be a good season for lots of Uther and Gaius, which I approve of. I reserve judgement on where they take the Gwen/Arthur angle, though it's good that they're taking it slow.
What I'm worried about is the Morgana angle. I know it's probably going in the way of canon, but I'd rather not have it because of Gaius's one-sided decision to protect her from herself - I'd love to see her as an actor rather than someone who falls by reacting only. Still, with how strong the scriptwriters painted her, and how strong she remains in this episode, I hold hope that they'll find a way to do it in a way that won't make me throw things at a wall.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-20 05:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-20 05:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-09-20 06:06 pm (UTC)AwesomeMagic Powers.