There are a lot of things I like about the new BBC show Merlin. There are also a lot of things I am embarrassed to admit I like (the special effects, for example. Or the blatant use of teenage sexual tension)… but whatever my feelings on the subject I thought I’d take my last blog post (*tear*) to talk about what they’re doing and why you should watch it.
Essentially, Merlin is a winking, self-aware revisal of the King Arthur legend. It knows very much so that it is a television show. It is not attempting to be the next great Arthurian legend, and so it has the freedom to take risks with character, rearrange the timelines, and show its own preferences. Ironically, however, I could have just described Le Morte D’Arthur or the Once and Future King… I think the difference is (aside from format, which as I am sure all of you know revises a story by itself) that Merlin isn’t being written in a time of crisis; there’s no fire burning beneath Merlin’s message other than “Isn’t this awesome?!”
Perhaps I am wrong, but there you are.
Remember, Merlin is not made to win the Oscar; it’s the ridiculousness that is a BBC dramedy. There have been two filler-ish episodes this season, but by in large each one is devoted to moving the recreated Arthurian legend forward into it’s glorious united kingdom of Logres conclusion. It uses the television show to address feminist critics & rewrites of Arthur (Morgana & Morgause can fight, Gwen is Arthur’s advisor, the “old religion” is magic known to priestesses or sorceresses), issues of class struggles and censorship which the BBC so loves to delve into, and everlasting question of what is it that makes Arthur so interesting. Why care? Why by in to the legend of this great destiny? By shifting the entire focus to the formation of Arthur and Merlin as leaders, and subsequently to the formation of the court around them (against all conservative, parental odds!) the show attempt to answer these questions and explore the world as its own. At the same time, it’s just a TV show. By being content with itself it provides good entertainment and a fascinating take on the story. I, personally, am excited to find out what they do next.
I wrote a lengthy spoiler on my own blog. I tired to convey the sense of the show and what it does above, but if you’re more curious to see exactly what the revisions and barrowings are, read the lengthy blog entry and enjoy! I didn’t want to take up too much space here. If you watch the show after reading it I do not think you will be disappointed. Half of the fun is seeing how they change things from Tennyson and Malory, but it’s also in the way they do it. I laugh out loud at the dialog and though the show has a somewhat rocky start, the actors and directors have very much so grown to understand the characters and present them delightfully. My summary of the plot/ characters is rather long, hence the need for 2 posts when it was originally meant to be 1! You’ve been warned.
Now that I know you can watch this series on Hulu, I may be able to give it a try. Thanks for making a case for perhaps the most current modern Arthuriana available (outside those written as final projects for this class, of course!).
ReplyDeleteOr the blatant use of teenage sexual tension
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about how Merlin is totally in frenemy love with Arthur?
Oh man, thank you Hulu. I'm going to have to check it out as well. I think the idea of this show is fascinating, especially due to its shift of focus to Merlin. It would be a very interesting discussion I think about why this would be! He is a great character and all, but what does that say about Arthur? Perhaps he is just a pawn used by...well...everyone?
ReplyDeleteMike- you can also watch it on Sidereel.com and catch the second season once you finish the first.
ReplyDeleteErin- I do. I totally do.
Oh, Ash, I think you were commenting the same time I was. Haha. Arthur does feel that way in his angst at times, but I think the show is starting to display his abilities at unifying people, bringing them together in times of crisis... ya know, the stuff that makes Arthur able to convince a bunch of knights to follow his ideals later in life.
ReplyDelete