Writing is really important.
As a writer, I’m aware this sounds like a terribly biased thing to say, but it’s true. It is especially true in television, in which writing is not just important, it is the most important part of any show, ever. Basically, a television show is like a cake. The actors and costumes and sets and lighting are the frosting and garnish, but the writing is the actual cake. This is not to say that that other stuff is unimportant, because cake with no frosting is usually pretty boring. And all the frosting and cake fixings without cake are delicious to eat on their own (and I say this as someone who sometimes just sits down and eats frosting), but just frosting is sickly-sweet and eventually makes your stomach hurt and your teeth get that gross, chalky feeling.
To continue our cake metaphor, if Merlin were a cake it would be something like angel food cake. On its own it’s pretty lame. It’s somehow simultaneously too sweet and not sweet enough, it’s squishy, it’s sticky, it’s plain, and it’s an exceedingly irritating recipe to get exactly right. But add a generous dollop of whipped cream and some sort of fruit, either fresh or in sauce form, or drizzle chocolate on top, or both, and suddenly you have something that is so delicious you cannot believe that it sprang from that crappy angel food cake in the first place.
The reason I bring this up, besides to make everyone hungry (and because I am a dessert addict who completely overdosed on Halloween and am now going through severe withdrawal), is because this week’s Merlin was a little different than usual, and by “different” I mean “somehow the same show we’ve been watching all along but a million times better.” (In case you were wondering why I chose that screengrab instead of a promotional picture, it’s because one, the promotional pictures for this episode kind of sucked, and two, that picture perfectly represents my feelings on this week’s episode. I am Arthur, the script writers are Merlin. They were lost and I thought they were dead, and then all of a sudden they came back. And even though they tried to kill me with amazingness, I still like them a whole lot.)
But if you can’t really place your finger on why this episode was so much better, let me help you. It wasn’t the whipped cream or seasonal fruit or drizzly chocolate, it was the cake. Our cake suddenly and magically became super-competent and narratively consistent and used all the frosting components beautifully.
The thing about good writing is that it makes everything else seem better. Merlin has never been lacking when it comes to talented actors, but they’re often hemmed in by one-note characterizations that don’t give them a chance to show off their true acting range. Did you know Angel Coulby is actually hysterically funny? Neither did I, until this week! Did you know Katie McGrath can make more than two facial expressions? Well, alright, that’s something we all knew, but it was nice to finally have a script that gave her a chance to verify it.
I think the actors that have been benefiting the most from improved scripts (which season 4 has seen a lot of, though I would vote this week’s script as easily the best of the bunch) are Bradley James and Colin Morgan. The two of them certainly don’t ever give shoddy performances, and 90% of the reason I kept with the show even through its lowest lows was residual, overwhelming fondness for them and admiration of their acting skills even when given terrible material. But I’ve noticed a definite change in their acting this season that I couldn’t really place a finger on until this episode when it hit me like a ton of bricks — they’re actually enjoying themselves this season.
That sounds like a terrible critique, to say that you can tell when an actor really is enjoying the material they’re given and when they’re not, but it isn’t. Actors are human, and while it’s true it’s easier to tell with a bad actor if they think the script they’re given to work with is crap or not, even the very best of actors can’t fake ineffable joy that they tend to carry around when you can tell they’re really reveling in their role. And I think what makes this season so enjoyable, for me, is the fact that the writing is now good enough that all the actors seem to be back to a place where they’re reveling again. I think it must be especially a relief for Bradley and Colin as far as the Merlin and Arthur relationship goes. Lord knows they’re probably bored to death of answering questions along the lines of “so when is Arthur going to stop being such a douchecanoe?” They must be tired of the same scenes over and over again — Arthur throws things at/degrades Merlin, Merlin gives opportune/sage advice, Arthur conveniently loses consciousness. I mean, as a viewer I was bored and I only had to watch it once instead of running through it and re-shooting it over and over.
That relief was almost palpable in all the scenes they had together this episode. Whether Arthur was discussing his feelings with Merlin (which in and of itself I could write a column on — Arthur discussing his feelings! — but the column would mostly be me incoherently flapping my arms a lot), or tearing the forest apart looking for him, or finally — finally — hugging him, or Merlin’s hysterical veering between what I can only describe as his best Sassy Gay Friend impersonation and normal Merlin, they just seemed to genuinely enjoy playing off each other. It had the same zing as when Morgana started to go evil, or when Colin got to first play Old Merlin, or when Arthur finally became king. It’s like someone on the writing staff finally sat down and realized that happy actors make for a better end result. And whoever that is, they deserve a raise. Or a promotion. Or at the very least a commemorative plaque. But they certainly deserve something for creating an episode that went right off the beaten Merlin path and straight back around to delightful.
Clacked by Julia Hass 
on Nov 07, 2011 @ 19:13 EST5EDT
OMG I was so happy when Merlin got that hug.. only to be saddened by the fact that he wouldn’t remember it… NO!!!
Dear Julia, thank you for another spot on review. The writing has been absolutely fantastic and brillantly consistent. If this goes on I can now proudly trumpet merlin as fantastic television instead of just watching for the actors, as you have rightly pointed out. There’s no end to how much I love this series right now, and Colin Morgan did mention that his liked 4.09 (which we now know to be the return of lancelot), so we have more to look forward to! and finale which has always been epic. And a wedding which promises to be a sweet affair regardless of one’s ship. In the words of Donna noble: “this is quality”
Another reason why I loved your review so much is because you refrained from flailing excessively in your review over what is surely every merthur shippers’ dream of an ep, with jealous evil merlin,head-canon innuendo with the naked Arthur scene and the heart-to-heart bits. As an added bonus, the 4 years in the making embrace. It must be have been extremely difficult :o (although you did put the embrace as the main photograph). But you have hit the nail on the head with the decision to focus on writing writing writing. And shown how rational merlin fans can be.
I think ONE thing is exactly right about this season is the producers recognize that the core of this show is the relationship between Arthur and Merlin and their destiny to unite Albion and creat a geat nation together. As long as they get Arthur and Merlin together right, this show can’t be bad, I suppose. Bradley and Colin really do enjoy this season, according to their interviews in Aug/Sep.
I really hope to see how this season is going to develop into the future. Let’s all cross fingers for good writings.
I agree with all you say here! The writing this season has been a fantastic improvement and after the nadir of Season 3 its a huge buzz to see the return of the Season 1 magic (to coin a phrase). And this ep was just a joy!
Arthur/Merlin is simply the beating heart of the show, and its great to see that acknowledged again at last; in fact the chemistry between Colin and Bradley is so perfect and powerful, it must hurt the writers not to have them onscreen together for the entire show! But as you say it was also a huge relief to finally see some of the other characters being given a chance to escape their cartoon characterisations.
Morgana in this was still a bit .. er….overplayed perhaps? :p But her scene with Merlin at the start was fabulously threatening. I love their mutual contempt and the dialogue was scrummy.
Gwen in previous episodes this season has sadly been a continuation of the sanitised cypher they made of her in S2 and 3, but in this episode at last she was given the chance to get back to the comedy of season 1. Working with Gaius she was as fabulous, and just as dorkily likeable as she used to be. Angel is a wonderful visual comedienne; her facial expressions are priceless and she can do cringeingly embarrassed better than anyone. Imo the A/G romance just sucks the life out of her character – it kind of turns her into Arthur’s surrogate mum (as witness the scene in which she tries to stop him going to find Merlin because it might be dangerous (unlike almost everything else he does)- that was a ‘don’t play near the road’ and ‘have you at least got your packed lunch?’ scene if ever there was one.) But the Arthur-caught-naked-scene was fabulously likeable and funny.
Huge kudos to Bradley too for this ep – the awkward emotion at the start, his worry and love for Merlin and then the brilliant naked shuffle behind the screen; all pitch perfect. Nice too to see Arthur being allowed to (almost) work something out for himself- Agravaine’s disloyalty. One eternal issue with the show is that it has to rest far too often on making Arthur look very naive and very, very, very dense so that was a nice departure.
Having been through the aforementioned S3 though, I admit Im still worried; waiting for the other shoe to drop. It cant stay this good I tell myself! It seems the producers find it hard to resist pouring more and more pain and guilt and heartbreak onto the character of Merlin…so I wonder if the whole Merlin/Arthur closeness is being built up for a reason… to make the magic reveal (and Arthurs sense of betrayal) all the more devastating, thus more heartbreaking for Merlin. As it is, we’re seeing Arthur is now closer to Merlin than anyone, trusts Merlin more than anyone, loves & needs Merlin undeniably. And Dragoon in his eyes killed his father.
I have a suspicion the reveal will be done in the most damaging way possible for Merlin to create a breach that will break his heart, simply because in my assessment at least, all the darkness/emotional pain they may wish to put into the show as a whole, they tend to focus instead onto that single character. Actually most 20 year olds would have jumped off the castle walls long since given the stuff they pile on him without cease. Of the ‘good/heroic’ characters, the darkness & lasting mental agony seems to be reserved purely for him. (Which Im sure Colin enjoys hugely as an actor!)
Interestingly, though, contrast that unflinching, uncompromising ‘bad things WILL happen’ for Merlin, with the fluffy, la la la, puppy dogs and unicorns of the producers take on Arthur and Guinevere, despite the well known path the romance takes in the iconic legends they seem to be basing their stories around (round table, sword in the stone, cup of life, Lancelot etc). I’m beginning to doubt if anything lastingly unpleasant or emotionally realistic, never mind devastating will ever be allowed near that storyline.
4.09 (? thanks for the info Random) for example – the return of Lancelot – isn’t one Im looking forward to, because I suspect this is where the producers stop merely twiddling inventively, and simply jump the shark with Arthurian legend, by trying to hurry past the Gwen/Lancelot/Arthur triangle, eyes averted, with a ‘magic made them do it’ episode, so they don’t have to sully their Mills & Boon tale on A/G. Will they give one of the most famous romances of the ages a quick embarrassed nod and then stick their fingers in their ears and pretend the G/L romance wasn’t pivotal to the best known and loved Arthurian legends? I hope the producers dont dare play that fast and loose but…hmmm…
They’ve worked so hard to push the idea of Gwen and Arthur as love’s young dream which if normal dramatic tropes were followed, would be a build up to disaster (much as the Merlin/Arthur stuff now may be). But the rules seem different for this storyline; this storyline is (as a friend put it) playing to the Disney Princess gallery. The producers have stuffed themselves up anyway, even if they wanted to make use of the G/L/A story properly, by making both Gwen & Lancelot characters without a single flaw – which is why they’ve had to make numerous excuses for them in the ‘finally get it out of the way’ ep to come (yes I fear I can already guess the plot all too well).
Working in writing and drama myself Im at a loss as to why they’re throwing away the one of the best human stories the legends produce but it does seem they’ve decided all the empathetic suffering the show can produce lands ONLY on Merlin, and there isnt even a hint that Arthur will be betrayed by his wife and friend because …well that wouldn’t be very NICE for him would it? :p So the A/G relationship must be totally rewritten to give it a slushy end. Am I giving them too little credit? Hmm I very much hope so.
Actually… I think I’ve realised that after Series 3 I have serious trust issues with this show, and as therapy I’ll watch 4:06 again. And again. And probably again.
About Lancelot and Gwen and their epic and ever lasting love, I do hope the writer can deal with it very carefully. Let’s wait and see.
Very well put. If ONLY the writers had the guts to deal with the Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot story on a human, rather than a supernatural, level I’d have a lot more respect for them. Mind you, I’ve always felt they would write themselves into a corner by giving Arthur and Gwen a Cinderella-type love story, Prince Charming and girl-next-door fall for each other and all that. Once they had decided to proceed down that route there was never going to be much room for Lancelot. It’s a shame.
Actually thats a very good way of putting it! It really is pure Disney Princess isn’t it sadly – in this case Cinderella? Though if they wanted a girl next door/happy ever after/true love with Prince Arthur Charming, I don’t know why they felt they had to call her Guinevere. She may as well have been um…Sally. :p
TBH I think its very probable (having now seen a synopsis) that they’re going to run away as far and fast as they can from the core legend while pretending to take it on – Gwen will be tempted *before* the marriage and of course choose Arthur (otherwise no wedding and no crown). Cue happy ever after with no clouds on the horizon (so far away from tragic legend it’d have been far less embarrassing just not touching on it at all.) If thats what they do its such a huge shame in my view, infantilising the legend, but I think they seem to determined to do it for this SL, while as I said, proving pretty relentless and uncompromising on poor Merlin.
I feel actually for the actors if this upcoming ep is the sum total of their take on the triangle. Angel and Santiago seem talented enough to pull off a real emotional story line (though its frankly hard to tell, they get so little to get their teeth into) and they do have good screen chemistry – there’s a real suggestion of hidden passion/UST there which is totally and painfully absent from Arthur/Gwen. I think they could have done something truly powerful with a slow burn story of a love thats so strong it overcomes even their inherent ‘goodness'; the emotional complexity of a story like that with no simple villains, and 3 characters everyone knows and loves. Bradley could have gone to town on it as well (bet he’s gutted if this is how its turning out, given how into the legends he seems to be).
I wish I could understand their reasoning given they seem to have pretensions toward being taken seriously as a recounting that basically brings it all home to the best-known traditions. G/L was vitally important in the dark legends they’re telling. It does seem to show a sad lack of courage by the producers.:( Maybe we’re wrong though and they’ll show such storytelling guts we’ll be cheering and apologising. Well – we can hope. :p
I’m all for giving Arthur/Gwen a storybook ending. Why not? The show has trampled all over Arthurian legend at every turn, I don’t see why they should suddenly reverse course. In fact, for the sake of narrative consistency, I demand a happy ending for Arthur and Gwen — they’ve spent two series preparing viewers for one after all.
Im not sure if you’re joking or not Metimber:p – but on the assumption you’re not, my reply would be that they are supposedly retelling the Arthurian legends with some imaginative twiddles. Merlin is young, Uther survived till Arthur was an adult, Lancelot and Guinevere are peasants, but none of that has changed the core furniture of the legend. They have introduced imaginatively Excalibur, the Cup of Life, the Round Table, the lady in the lake, Lancelot, the knights, Arthur is king of Camelot, Arthur marries Guinevere, his enemies are Morgana and Mordred. If you’re going to give A and G a happy ending by removing perhaps the most iconic part of the legend to please people who think Arthur and Gwen are sweet, you may as well reconcile Morgana, Mordred and Arthur and call off Camlann. Its infantilisation at its worst.
As for Sabrinas comment that same sex relationships arent romantic, I’m kind of gobsmacked. I truly could not disagree more. Thats not to say that I expect for a second that A and M would be shown in a romantic relationship, however strong their chemistry onscreen. In fact if the show suddenly called off A and Gs wedding and married Arthur instead to Merlin I’d be protesting the change to the core of the legend too (Arthur marries Guinevere and she becomes queen) – though to be honest in my opinion it would be no more ludicrous than the happy ending being demanded and apparently delivered gutlessly by the producers for Arthur and Guinevere.
BTW I should have said as well; they haven’t spent 2 seasons ‘preparing viewers for a happy ending’ – if viewers knew anything at all about Arthurian legend. They’ve spent 2 seasons preparing for Arthur to marry Gwen and make her queen. The unhappy bit is supposed to come AFTER they’re married, when Queen Guinevere begins an affair with Lancelot and the fall out destabilises Camelot. Its an iconic part of the classic legends they set out to tell in their own quirky way; not to mention the fact that the great ‘romantic’ love story of Arthurian legend has always been, not Arthur and Guinevere, but Guinevere and Lancelot whose great love for each other overcame their considerable love for, and loyalty to, their king. (As a matter of interest, if you have a second, try googling ‘Guinevere and’ and see what comes up. Its not ‘Arthur’ :)). I’m assuming they lack the courage to show this or suggest it onscreen next series (if they marry A and G this season) but I find I wouldn’t actually be surprised if they also attempt in 4.09 to kill off the idea it may ever happen in Camelot’s future (simply to please, I assume, a vocal part of the fanbase.) I’m a chronic pessimist though so I still hope I’m wrong, because that *would* be ridiculous.
it’s strange to find myself saying this, but i find it hard to believe that the show will not make the a/g relationship end game and fluffy and all that (TOTALLY don’t ship this ship urgh)- they really have no choice considering the type of show Merlin is- it doesn’t attempt to be dark (morally-speaking, not scariness-factor)at all.
It’s not only about the fact that it’s for kids, it’s just not a show about angst, betrayal and suspicion that permeates relations and poisons them (yes we got this in the merlin-morgana betrayal but besides that wonderful scene they didn’t take it further- merlin doesn’t seem sorry now and neither is morgana); it doesn’t concern itself with heavy intrigue (i mean, agravaine and morgana are the best you can get) in court. good and bad are largely delineated clearly but people who wear color or people who wear black :0 in this sense the show won’t go towards the morally ambiguous part of the legend, not because it has no courage to, but it just reinvents everything to make it more positive. i don’t really know how to express this, but merlin is basically as far from a show like the tudors as it can get where they are plotting and back-stabbing. i absolutely CANNOT wrap my head around the concept that a show like merlin will EVER have an entire season of secretive romance between l/g, arthur will remain oblivious and yes, everyone would just hate l/g even if they do portray l/g in ust and torn-apart-but-deeply-in-love fashion. it’s different from merlin keeping his magic secret because his secret is actually constructive for arthur, and the show is building arthur up to be the legendary king- i don’t believe they will stray to his fall.
i would probably love the a/g/l intensity in a more serious show, say like Camelot. but to have that developed in Merlin is a bit strange. it would be COMPLETE character reversal and change of the whole tone even from the pilot episode. and if the view is that the characters are too good, it’s true. i don’t think the show ever pretended that but that doesn’t make them shallow. we don’t ALWAYS need moral ambiguity and thought-provoking relationships to make a good show. And Merlin proves that without it, it’s still good (we’re all still watching right? Even with our own head-canons)
I’m all for following the generic pattern of the legend, but to be fair they already DID incorporate this l/a/g love triangle thing, as part of the show’s loose connection with the legend. perhaps the lance/gwen relationship is extremely iconic in the legend- but so is a lot of things. the irony in mallory where arthur lies with morgana and leading to mordred his eventual doom is iconic too, and would have made it wonderfully interesting and complex. to see merlin die under the hands of nimueh for legend’s sake would be nice too. but in BBC Merlin? it would just be strange. i just think it’s a bit selective to decide that l/g is something that SHOULD happen.
i just don’t think viewers are necessarily shallow in wanting happy endings. and i don’t believe it’s cause we can’t handle epic drama or infidelity. it’s just not a show that the majority of the fandom signed up for when they fell in love with merlin.
still. understand that they marry but don’t enjoy them too much. and w.r.t to Sabrina’s comment, “i have nothing against gay people” and “I find nothing romantic about a same sex relationship” is um. no.
Lancelot and Guinevere is ICONIC, like Exalibur. Arthurian legend has a lot of components, but these two elements, I suppose, are the ones everyone knows.
To be afraid to deal with the complex part of the legend makes the whole family show business sometimes cheap and fast food. They don’t have to make L/G bad look, they have got a single good chance to rectify their relationship and put more understanding to their ever lasting love to each other. I don’t think kids will need a bubble nowadays. They are smart and sophiscated nowadays, perhaps more than the audlts think. Tell them the truth, and let them know L/G are true lovers and they have made really hard hard choices. A divorce won’t be miserable if everyone is grown-up and mature enough to handle true feeling. Anyway, let’s wait and see. I hope they won’t make the whole case fast food and cheap.
As far as the Merlin creators’ reasoning for NOT dealing with the Lancelot/Guinevere love story is concerned, I keep reading that this is a family show and they don’t want to portray any suggestion of infidelity. I find this terribly ironic, if it is indeed the case, as many of the families that their viewers belong to will be step-families and even quite young children are, sadly, aware that grown-ups, including their parents and their friends’ parents, don’t always stay together for ever. I’m no expert on the Arthurian legends, but “Arthur, High King of Britain” by Michael Morpurgo (who wrote “War Horse”) caught my eye recently and I was interested to read his interpretation of the legends. He doesn’t flinch from dealing with Lancelot and Guinevere’s relationship head-on, leaving no doubt whatsoever that infidelity is involved. Interestingly, the book is shelved under fiction for 9-12 year olds in my local Waterstones.
I do agree with your comments regarding the actors being badly served in this instance. I, too, would love to see Angel’s and Santiago’s take on a more sophisticated version of the story, and Bradley has acknowledged that, in the legends, Arthur and Guinevere are not destined to live happily after. I realise that the writers have a difficult balance to maintain here(no-one wants relentless doom and gloom in a Saturday evening prime time show!), but I honestly believe that most viewers, including the younger ones, are quite capable of dealing with something more complex than a bland, sickly-sweet Arthur/Gwen love story.
I very much agree. Actually I suspect that in the beginning, they were intending to explore the Gwen/Lancelot/Arthur triangle – after all who would turn away from a story like that when you’re already dealing with executions, treachery, infidelity (Uther cheated with Gorlois’ wife), family estrangement, tyranny, patricide and on and on. The episode in which Gwen is kidnapped and meets Lancelot again has Gwen declaring that she will never feel as much for anyone else in her life as she does for Lancelot. That was a classic set up for the legend I thought. But I assume they lost their nerve for some reason; presumably the noise made by demanding fans? If they were going to run away from the legend all along though, you have to wonder why they introduced Lancelot at all, or linked him to Gwen, simply in the end to have him hanging around as a reminder of what SHOULD and could have been, if they’d hadnt lost their courage as producers.
I like Gwen and Arthur. I am sorry but as a viewer if this were to put Arthur romantically with Merlin. I couldn’t continue to watch. I have nothing against gay people but I really as a romantic at heart I find nothing romantic about a same sex relationship
Replying to Sarahs reply – for some reason your reply buttons gone! :p I do get the argument that Merlin is a family show but that can all too easily be used as an excuse. Im pretty sure that the pressure for a happy ending for Arthur and Gwen, removing Lancelot from the equation for good, isnt coming from children. I’m not suggesting a storyline with G and L going at it. :p But the way the show WAS conducting the SL – suggesting an ongoing attraction between L and G which is growing despite both of their best efforts – is a perfectly respectable way to show that part of the legend honestly. Even if they decide to la la la through it and leave it hanging in suggestion till after the end of Season 5 – that at least is still honest in its way. Attempting to wipe Lancelot from the Arthur/Gwen-equation completely & permanently would be IMO pretty dishonest storytelling. Im really hoping they dont try to do that.
Id suggest as well that a generation of kids brought up on Eastenders isnt likely to be traumatised by a suggestion that love isn’t as simple as Mills and Boon, especially given the uncompromising moments they do throw in to the Merlin show. The very first episode strongly suggested a beheading. Morgana essentially murdered her own father and we saw him die onscreen. There was also a strong suggestion of Camlann this season – so they’re presumably prepared to hint at Arthur’s early death and the carnage to come unless they intend to change that too. We can expect that the magic reveal will be awful for Merlin, who’s already had his father, his best friend and his girlfriend die in his arms. But the idea that Gwen and Arthur is going to be complicated and less than perfect is too traumatic?
I understand what you’re saying about other versions of the legend, and devotees know most of them including the incest stories and Uthers deception etc. But I think Gwen/Lancelot love story IS crucial and iconic as much as Excalibur and The Knight of the Round table given the story they’re telling seems pretty much based on Chretien. I certainly agree that there were all kinds of other versions but I would argue there are certain parts of Arthurian legend that ARE iconic- that everyone knows. L/G/A is one of those ( theres a Hollywood movie casting right now in fact based on Arthurian legend and focussing on the triangle). Mordred’s parenthood, the Morgana/Arthur incest aren’t (though they seemed to flirt with that in Season 2 too). These are some of the things they could play fast and loose with – like Merlins age or Gwen’s humble origins. I doubt they’ll let Arthur have Excalibur until he pulls it from the stone. Some things ARE iconic, arent they?
Given the Beeb have put Lancelot in this version (as they’re edging in every well known part of the popular legend), given they accept he has to be tangled up with Guinevere, if they cut that off now to please A/G ‘romantics’, my argument is that they’re not just ignoring that bit of the legend and choosing another which is just as valid- they’re actively, radically changing the course of a big part of legend themselves to pacify a part of the audience. Its not as if there are legends where G and L are just good friends. I just find that pretty disappointing. If theyre going to actively change legend to make it fluffy, why not kill off Morgana and Mordred and make it clear Arthur and Gwen are going to live in bliss to a peaceful old age with a huge and happy family to continue Arthur’s legacy? Happily Ever After in fact. :p
Actually – I hope Julia doesnt mind us debating on her review page….
hi! sorry this will be short (i hope). i realised we ultimately do want LARGELY the same thing, but we are coming from different directions. i think we should have a happy ending in the show where gwen triumphs her temptation or whatever NOW, and l/g will not happen NOW and her marriage to arthur is happy NOW without indications of outrageous infidelity. but if the show does end all chances of l/g ever getting back together EVER (like if lancelot is actually still dead or if gwen comes to a conclusion that she’ll choose Arthur with too must ease and with absolute firm resolve and without some degree of hesitancy AT ALL) i’ll be quite :0 at it. she still SHOULD come to the conclusion though. but so long as before the wedding vows or after or whatever gwen turns to look at lancelot then turns back and says a firm yes to Arthur, that’s good enough for me. essentially, in the long run, we both do want the same thing. i was arguing for the short-term when i said they shouldn’t be together. and yes i actually do agree that if they cut it totally off, then they are taking too much liberties. CHEERS! i probably over-read your dislike anyhow.
Yep! :) Thats essentially what I was saying – just you said it more concisely! :p The affair is post-marriage in the legend so theres no way she could or should choose Lancelot in 4.09 (which begs the question of why they’re visiting the subject now?). The most they could suggest in S5 too would be I imagine … unease, unwilling attraction, stresses between A and G etc.- just to keep the idea alive.
I was just (as you say) despairing at the idea of cutting off the possibility altogether to reassure those who prefer Arthur and Gwen together or whatever. I’d mean, I’d prefer Arthur to give Merlin a fair hearing when his magic is revealed and accept him for who and what he is – but I don’t expect the producers to oblige.
I was just thinking that actually from a M/A ‘shippers’ POV, disposing of Lancelot (or having Gwen making it clear that Arthur is always going to be The One for her or whatever) could be seen as an excellent thing, because it would make it clear that in the BBC’s Arthurian ‘universe’, the story is just what you want it to be, and not tied by events of the old texts.
My position I suppose, from a writers POV, is bemoaning the possible direction of a show that still has so much potential both in the story to come using the richness of the legend, and the strength and charm of its cast. You have to wonder if these producers had decided to rework Romeo and Juliet as a 20th century story in a musical – would West Side Story have ended with Tony and Maria walking off into the sunset because they were so sweet together? This is all a pessimists eye view though – maybe they’re actually going to hold the pass in 4.09 and it’ll be splendid. I hope so. :)
Re. your question of why they are visiting the Gwen/Lancelot storyline at this time, I suppose they had no guarantee when they plotted Season 4 that they would get a Season 5 in which to deal with it, so perhaps they felt they really couldn’t put it off any longer. But it definitely lowers, rather than raises, the stakes to have Gwen leave Arthur for Lancelot (whatever the reasons) BEFORE they are married. Another thing that bothers me is that the writers obviously made a point of planting the idea in the viewers’ minds that, having put Lancelot in a position where he vowed to sacrifice his own life to save Arthur’s, Gwen was totally distraught when she learnt that he had done just that. They’ve now gone four episodes during which Gwen, along with everyone else in Camelot, appears to have totally forgotten that Lancelot ever existed. There’s a fair chance he won’t get a mention in episodes 7 or 8, so when he comes back (in real or fake form) in 4.09 are we supposed to believe that Gwen is still feeling guilt, loss or any other emotion that might lead her to abandon Arthur for Lancelot? And if it turns out to be GWEN who is under an enchantment, will her earlier feelings have any bearing on the situation anyway?
I havent been following the politics of the show closely but I thought I heard they knew about season 5 not long after they knew abut Season 4? And they were still doing scripts for this season quite late on? I truly don’t know though… What I’ve been concerned about is that this isn’t so much a preemptive look at the story head on, foreshadowing whats (supposed) to come, but a statement to reassure those who like Gwen/Arthur to the exclusion of all else that Lancelot/Gwen will never ever happen (even after S5) – that it really will be rainbows and kittens to the end. That this is the G/L/A part of the legend addressed and put to bed (so to speak) in cosy pyjamas and little Disney bedsocks.:p
Possibly as you say they sledgehammered home Gwen’s guilt over the death of Lancelot as a preemptive excuse – she’s not herself- guilt has haunted her secretly and she’s so relieved that she didn’t send him to his death and so touched at what he did ‘for her’ it’s clouded even her judgement (which is usually inhumanly impeccable) so her head is turned momentarily. Its not real LOVE or anything – just guilt and relief and nostalgia over a first crush. Lancelot is under the control of a sorceror so he’s not to blame either. Of course in their right minds betraying Arthur would never even occur to them – and once its sorted this time, it of course will never occur to them again, because they’ve seen what could happen and it was not at all fluffy. Plus Arthur is The One for Guinevere, not Lancelot. Of course. And possibly Lancelot is really dead, though I suspect they will want him around as an iconic knight, just (I fear) not the well known Lancelot of legend who makes things complicated.
I sort of doubt the fact that Lancelot hasn’t been mentioned at all, and Gwen has been quite perky in the last eps, would be viewed as relevant by the storyliners. As viewers of Merlin I think we’re supposed to just go with the flow on certain continuity issues and leaps of plot (like Merlin taking a terrible wound last week, left bleeding & unable to walk unaided, surrounded by bandits, and then walking out of the woods cured and no one asking how… *cough*)
I’d say again though that the show’s surprised me before in a good way, so heres hoping they don’t take this route. I saw Bradley claiming the new series is darker because their core audience has grown up with the show. This ep could be a pretty good gauge I think of how seriously they really want to be taken now. :)
@MaxHeadroom
“I thought I heard they knew about season 5 not long after they knew about Season 4?”
The commissioning of Season 5 was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con event, towards the end of July, which was about a month AFTER they had filmed the Pierrefonds scenes for Episode 4.09. I wouldn’t have thought the producers/writers knew of the decision much before the announcement was made, but I could be wrong.
“That this is the G/L/A part of the legend addressed and put to bed (so to speak) in cosy pyjamas and little Disney bedsocks.:p”
lol!
“I sort of doubt the fact that Lancelot hasn’t been mentioned at all, and Gwen has been quite perky in the last eps, would be viewed as relevant by the storyliners. As viewers of Merlin I think we’re supposed to just go with the flow on certain continuity issues…”
How very true! And I was right in my guess that they wouldn’t mention Lancelot in tonight’s episode. Ah well, only one more episode for them to totally ignore him before he’s thrown back into the mix!
I enjoyed tonight’s episode, BTW.
This show still has a lot of problems. I found it cool at the beginning, but it became very tiresome. Characters like Gaius, Uther and the Dragon should have been written out a couple seasons ago. They are unnecessary now. Merlin’s magic secret should have been revealed a long time ago as well, and not dragged out so long. I also think they should have hired a better actor to play the role of Arthur. Bradley James is obviously not a good actor. What’s also ridiculous is the way they keep insulting our intelligence by adding gratuitous shirtless scenes of Bradley James into the story. One shirtless scene of Bradley James (Arthur) was enough. We didn’t need to see him get almost naked every episode? This was meant to be a family magic show for kids and the family.