Merlin on BBC1 (SPOILERS)

[Bob The Skutter]

Ethros wrote:

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*cough* Torchwood *cough*

The first series of Torchwood was one of the main ones I was thinking of, and most of the time Smallville, and half the CW line up, some of the ITV(2) stuff. A lot of HBO stuff seems to have sex in there because it's "Adult" too.

[denmaroca]

ITL wrote:

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...but I'm not really the target demographic.

Everyone is in the target demographic - it's a family show (in the UK sense).

An interesting novel take on the Arthurian myth. Be interesting to see what they make of it.

Uther's a good, but hard man, who probably makes bad decisions in good faith. Arthur's a jock, but has a basic respect for bravery and probably honesty that will serve him well. Morgana will probably be a victim of her inheritance and a tendency to believe the ends justify the means. Merlin's flaw will probably be a tendency to enjoy the limelight and prestige a bit too much.

Meanwhile there'll be witty banter, action, lots of pretty on display, and thrills and spills. Good way to while away the odd 40 minutes or so.

[Temis the Vorta]

It's written for a family audience, in the same vein as Doctor Who and Robin Hood.

Thanks for the heads-up. That sort of thing holds no appeal to me, so I'll be giving this one a miss.

Everyone is in the target demographic - it's a family show (in the UK sense).

Only if you assume that every person on Earth has identical tastes. Somehow I doubt that's the case.

There's an audience for that sort of thing, but I can tell ya for 100% certain, I'm not it. And it wouldn't surprise me if many others feel the same.

Still I'll check out the first episode, or as much of it as I can stomach, just to be absolutely sure.

[Angel4576]

My expectations were low, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not the greatest show in the world, but a million miles better than the godawful Robin Hood.

[captcalhoun]

RevdKathy wrote:

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Wasn't too happy with the complete crapping on the older versions of the legend, not very surprised by it.

it's a reinterpertation of the myth.

it can't be any worse than First Knight which removed Merlin and focused on Lancelot or the recent Clive Owen/Keira Knightley flick which cast Guinevere as a pagan Boudicea-type and Arthur as a Roman centurion...

and let's not even get into the reinterperations Robin Hood's had in just the last 30 years or what both Disney and Renaissance did to Hercules...

[wamdue]

um, I think its to early for me to say about this show, the first episode ok it didnt wow me, but the relationship between Merlin & Author (which I think will be a big part of this show) is not fully formed yet, that will come in time.

as long as Clark doesnt run from the destiny that Jor'el mentions oh on hang on I mean as long as Merlin doesnt run from the destiny that the big dragon mentions like the before mentioned Clark Kent has, I think we should be ok.

Also I feel the show is better than Robin Hood, and wont suffer from the whole Merlin having to break into the castle every episode, like early ep no not early, every episodes of Robin Hood did.

[cultcross]

wamdue wrote:

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um, I think its to early for me to say about this show, the first episode ok it didnt wow me, but the relationship between Merlin & Author (which I think will be a big part of this show) is not fully formed yet, that will come in time.

Ditto, and I think the Merlin/Arthur relationship was one of the strongest things about this episode, the banter before their duel was great.

I wasn't wowed, but I mostly enjoyed it. Certainly enough to tune in again and give it a chance.

Wasn't too impressed with Tony Head, but couldn't tell if he was acting his character as sort of underplayed and bored or whether Head himself was underplaying the part and bored.

[wamdue]

cultcross wrote:

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Ditto, and I think the Merlin/Arthur relationship was one of the strongest things about this episode, the banter before their duel was great.

I wasn't wowed, but I mostly enjoyed it. Certainly enough to tune in again and give it a chance.

Wasn't too impressed with Tony Head, but couldn't tell if he was acting his character as sort of underplayed and bored or whether Head himself was underplaying the part and bored.

I really liked the Merlin/Arthur stuff as well, and I think that will improve next week, and as the series goes on.

As for Tony Head, well his character is quite happy to kill people pretty much exactly like the Shrieff on Robin Hood, its not until his dinner with Gwen you see more of him.

[Starkers]

I was wary about this given the Beb's ridiculous plan to reinvent every major character as a 16 year old and given how poor Robin Hood was and the fact that it was such a radical reinvention.

I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't brilliant, and to be honest I don't think it'll become brilliant- but it was entertaining, and the chemistry/banter between Merlin and Athur was nicely done, if that remains the focus then I think it might succeed. Hopefully every episode won't revolve around Merlin having to save Arthur from 'plot of the week'

[Starkers]

captcalhoun wrote:

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it's a reinterpertation of the myth.

it can't be any worse than First Knight which removed Merlin and focused on Lancelot or the recent Clive Owen/Keira Knightley flick which cast Guinevere as a pagan Boudicea-type and Arthur as a Roman centurion...

and let's not even get into the reinterperations Robin Hood's had in just the last 30 years or what both Disney and Renaissance did to Hercules...

Yes but Arthur and The Last Legion were basically trying to imply the truth behind the Arthur myth rather than reinvent it. And both of them at least stuck with Merlin as an old man.

Of course Arthur is about the only Owen/Knightly film I don't like and The Last Legion wasn't much better

[Bob The Skutter]

Starkers wrote:

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I was wary about this given the Beb's ridiculous plan to reinvent every major character as a 16 year old and given how poor Robin Hood was and the fact that it was such a radical reinvention.

I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't brilliant, and to be honest I don't think it'll become brilliant- but it was entertaining, and the chemistry/banter between Merlin and Athur was nicely done, if that remains the focus then I think it might succeed. Hopefully every episode won't revolve around Merlin having to save Arthur from 'plot of the week'

I don't get all the hate for Robin Hood, I know it's not great or anything, and the plots generally end up with the same sequence of events, but it's not a bad way to kill 45 minutes on a saturday night, especially when the alternative is so Ant and Dec filled pap, or X-Factor. But maybe I just think that because my nieces enjoy it, and I watch it with them.

As I said in the thread a while back, I don't care that they're "reinventing" the legend. The legend will endure longer than the show will even last in peoples ADD memories, as long as it's entertaining I'll keep watching. And I thought the first episode was good set up, and enjoyable enough to keep me tuning in.

[WillsBabe]

Just caught it on dvd-r. I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn't even make it through the adverts for Robin Hood so this held no appeal for me. Since my husband wanted to watch it I gave it a whirl and really quite enjoyed it. Okay, some stuff jarred, but it didn't make me want to turn off. Usually I really don't enjoy British drama, particulalry BBC stuff, but this was okay. To be fair, I think my enjoyment was enhanced by the fact that I'm into researching medieval clothing at the moment and I love castles.

[captcalhoun]

Bob The Skutter wrote:

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I don't get all the hate for Robin Hood, I know it's not great or anything, and the plots generally end up with the same sequence of events, but it's not a bad way to kill 45 minutes on a saturday night, especially when the alternative is so Ant and Dec filled pap, or X-Factor.

QFT

[FreezeC77]

Isn't this supposed to air on NBC later this year? It does seem more in the vein of Robin Hood which is to say it doesn't really feel like something a major US network would air as a series TBH.

Not to say I don't think it has potential, but it seems more like something that would go to a cable network like Sci-Fi or BBC America or air in syndication.

[cultcross]

I don't see a major US network having much success with it, I have to say.