THIS SHOW, THIS SHOW

[sophieisgod]

ACH, I CANNOT EVEN.

THIS SHOOOOOW. It's supposed to be all cracky and slashy and delicious, and then every so often it just kind of winds you with the reminder that HEY, REMEMBER HOW NOBODY REALLY GETS A HAPPY ENDING AND EVERYTHING GETS REALLY GREAT AND THEN REALLY SHIT? I love it when that happens, but it hurts so much. AND THAT WAS BASICALLY THE WHOLE OF THIS EPISODE.

First off, freaky child is freaky. He had such amazing eyes, but man alive, he was just otherworldly. I like the way the show is bringing in other magical characters, like Edwin, for Merlin to interact with; I really like the idea that all these people know who he is and what he's destined for and have given him crazy mystical names because HE IS JUST THAT IMPORTANT.

Something else awesome? Merlin and Morgana being all BFF and kind of sussing out each other re: magic shiz and caring for the devil child. I'm kind of torn as to how powerful I want her to be; on one hand, I want her to be as fierce as possible, but on the other hand, I feel like having another series regular be magic kind of diminishes Merlin's status, or something stupid like that. But fierceness! Yes! COME ON, THOUGH, WHO ELSE WANTED THE 'ARTHUR SEARCHES MORGANA'S CHAMBERS' SCENE TO SOMEHOW END IN HIM FINDING MERLIN BEHIND HER CURTAINS AND GETTING JEALOUS?

Okay, so we were kind of expecting this week to be heavily plotty after last week's slashy slashy delightful madness, but still! Hardly any Arthur/Merlin scenes at all. BUT THEN:
"Would you let something terrible happen, if it meant you'd stop something even worse happening in the future?"
"I suppose it depends what the terrible and the even worse things were."
"One of them's bad - really bad. And the other, it's... unthinkable."

OH MY DAYS, THE LOVE, THE LOVE. And from the love, comes the plotty issues stuff, which is also legitimately excellent. I love the choices the characters on this show are forced to make. I love that they had Merlin weigh up letting a small (admittedly rather creepy) child die, right now, versus Arthur possibly dying at some vague, unspecified time in the future, and he initally came down on the side of child!death. Ach, that scene at the end, where he's lying on his bed and Mordred is being creepy inside his head and he's trying his hardest to block it out and fucking hell, Colin Morgan really is aces. And, for the first time, we really got into the destiny vs free will shebang ('SUP, ONE OF MY VERY FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT BSG) and, just. Wow. This is gnarly stuff for a family show! Again, I LOVE IT.

... Uther/Morgana. Am I wrong? It feels so very wrong, but also kind of disgustingly awesome. ASH is so hardcore, and Katie McGrath is so very beautiful. And cleaveage-y! Ahem. ALSO, when she went for her fakeout!apology dinner with him, did anyone else get serious 'Satine going to the tower to seduce the Duke so they can keep Christian's original ending' Moulin Rouge! vibes? Just me? Fabulous. Pshaw, I am such a shipping ho for this show.

SOMETHING SILLY: I have a theory. It is twofold.
1) Arthur is really, really bad at finding people. Remember in 1.06 when he ran off to find Edwin and... was never seen again? Yeah, like that.
2) Uther has a subtle punishment for Arthur's finding-based failure, and it is not letting him eat dinner with the grown-ups.

And a small piece of fail in an otherwise epic episode: FOR FUCK'S SAKE GIVE GWEN SOMETHING TO DO. ANYTHING. THANK YOU.

So, in conclusion, I am kind of a wreck. Merlin has made me a wreck. THIS WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, WTF. Having Arthur say "Good luck, Mordred" is just so twisted and ugh, I love it so much when the legend gets fucked with, but everything is still in place for the devastating conclusions, and this show just needs to run for, like, decades, so I never have to see Arthur die.

Who saw Bradley James and Angel Coulby doing the Lottery? I get such a kick of seeing him in normal clothes (like on Strictly Come Dancing, wearing a tie!), it is ridiculous. Also, he is kind of adorably endearingly lame and goofy. Like, when it was time for him to press the Lottery Plunger Of Wealth Creation he said, "May we have a deserving winner", and Angel was kind of smirking like "LOL you're an idiot" and I don't know, he is just sort of lovely. Also, this.

LOL Robin Hood. ♥ Kate Beaton!

You know what's adorable? Colin Morgan plus one non-creepy adorable small child.

Comments

[mo-shmoe.livejournal.com]

I totally thought Morgana was going to distract Arthur by kissing him. BASICALLY THERE NEEDS TO BE KISSING ON THIS SHOW, KIDDIES BE DAMNED

Arthur is really, really bad at finding people.
Arthur is just kind of dumb y/y? "Can't you hear that clinking sound?? >:|"

not letting him eat dinner with the grown-ups.
SERIOUSLY LOL

FOR FUCK'S SAKE GIVE GWEN SOMETHING TO DO.
I know. What the hell.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

THERE IS NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH KISSING. There should maybe some sort of finale!kiss sweepstakes fandango going on?

Pretty, but dumb. Pretty dumb.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE NEXT WEEK IS AN ARTHUR!EPISODE, AND THEY DON'T EVER INTERACT, EVER. This is getting kind of ridiculous.

[dollsome.livejournal.com]

... Uther/Morgana. Am I wrong? It feels so very wrong, but also kind of disgustingly awesome.

Oh, God, I feel it in EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR SCENES, and it always makes my soul feel gross and dirty, but I can't unsee it! This is probably just because she is like the most beautiful woman that has ever existed, and, well, he's a man, and I cannot fathom that he wouldn't sort of want to jump her bones. But oh, it makes my soul feel dirty!! And you are right, it was such a Satine situation.

I love the choices the characters on this show are forced to make. I love that they had Merlin weigh up letting a small (admittedly rather creepy) child die, right now, versus Arthur possibly dying at some vague, unspecified time in the future, and he initally came down on the side of child!death.

Agree! What really impresses me about this show is that it's just so HARDCORE, for lack of a better word. People actually die! And kill other people! Underneath all the zany family friendly shenanigans, it's kind of merciless. And I dig that, and will continue to until it somehow impales me in the soul by harming one of these characters whom I have come to love WAY TOO MUCH.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

I don't think they're ever, ever going to go there, but OH DEAR GOD NOW I AM ENVISIONING SOME SORT OF MR BELL/MARGARET SCENARIO EXCEPT SHE SAYS YES AND THAT'S WHEN ARTHUR/GWEN HAPPENS BECAUSE THEY BOTH FEEL ~SPURNED~. Ow ow ow ow my brain. But also, they are awesome because she's the only brave enough to ever really challenge him about anything. And he's, y'know, Anthony Head. His powers are strong (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igi9u6X4y-s&feature=related).

Ohh, I am nowhere near being ready for anybody to die on this show. I'm just not ready for any major dynamic change because everything works so well! Also, I will legitimately freak out if anything happens to Gaius, ever. But also, as you say, HARDCORE; as much as there are so many crazy anachronisms and language and whatever, the show's been pretty solid about establishing The Rules Of The Period, meaning lots of killin' and women not really being allowed to do shit, in away that RH completely disregarded, bless its televisual cotton socks.

I FEEL LIKE SUCH A BAD ROBIN HOOD FAN. I am just constantly comparing S1 Merlin to S1 RH, and the only thing it really loses on is The Armitage Factor.

[drjenny88.livejournal.com]

Lol you're going to be posting links to those videos FOREVER aren't you? :P

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

IF THEY KEEP MAKING THEM, I'LL KEEP POSTING :P

Ohh, boys.

[drjenny88.livejournal.com]

GOOD :P The world needs to know of their brilliance.

These boys, they are love.
*melts*

[lalumena.livejournal.com]

OH MY THAT VIDEO I NO LONGER HAVE PARTS OF MY HEART. Why are boys with little kids so utterly affecting?

I skimmed past your recap quick sharp because I haven't seen it yet, but shall certainly come back and read it when I have. :) But oh noes, heartbreak! Ah well, bring on the angst. I can take it!

And yes! When I saw she'd done a RH one, I was *GLEE*. Particularly his cocky face in the third panel. "Why yes, I am ridiculously marvellous, what made you doubt it?"

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

I KNOW, RIGHT? I think my favourite part is at 0:10 when Colin kind of punches the air. Maybe it's our ovaries going "BREED WITH THIS ONE HE IS CUTE AND NICE TO KIDS"?

[lalumena.livejournal.com]

Oh, I no longer have my ovaries. They all went 'KIDDIES!COLIN!YAY!' and...imploded. In a fit of ovarian excitement. Which is counter-productive, really. Thanks, guys.

[lovestories.livejournal.com]

THIS SHOOOOOW. It's supposed to be all cracky and slashy and delicious, and then every so often it just kind of winds you with the reminder that HEY, REMEMBER HOW NOBODY REALLY GETS A HAPPY ENDING AND EVERYTHING GETS REALLY GREAT AND THEN REALLY SHIT? I love it when that happens, but it hurts so much. AND THAT WAS BASICALLY THE WHOLE OF THIS EPISODE.

THANK YOU, THAT IS EXACTLY HOW I FELT EXCEPT EXPRESSED WITH LESS WORDS. I think I will now always have this tragic fear that all British children's shows will inevitably spring something horrible on you when you're least expecting it (like Doctor Who! Half a season of the Doctor and Rose being cuter than a pair of adorable puppies, and then HELLO THERE GENOCIDE).

... Uther/Morgana. Am I wrong? It feels so very wrong, but also kind of disgustingly awesome.

Uther/Morgana is the TRUTH. The are just so married. Morgana tries to keep Uther from making some of his more terrible parenting decisions! There is illicit eyesex across an extremely long dinner table!

Uther has a subtle punishment for Arthur's finding-based failure, and it is not letting him eat dinner with the grown-ups.

Uther probably sends Arthur off to search for pointless things when he wants some alone time with Morgana. I'M SORRY, MY BRAIN CANNOT BE STOPPED.

COME ON, THOUGH, WHO ELSE WANTED THE 'ARTHUR SEARCHES MORGANA'S CHAMBERS' SCENE TO SOMEHOW END IN HIM FINDING MERLIN BEHIND HER CURTAINS AND GETTING JEALOUS?

...THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF SO MUCH WIN. I felt mildly guilty about having the tiny bits of Arthur/Merlin be my favorite parts of the episode since it was so EPIC AND PLOTTY for once, but I cannot hide the rampant shipper that I really am, ALAS.

Edit: OH BRADLEY JAMES AND COLIN MORGAN. YOU ADORABLE THINGS. COME LIVE IN MY BACKYARD, PLZ?

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

I think, in a weirdly masochistic way, I would be okay with everything going utterly to shit and being heartbreakingly hardcore BUT ONLY IF IT HAPPENS AT, LIKE, THE VERY END OF THE ENTIRE SERIES. I have this weird quasi-detachment thing going on with character death where I get all "This is awesome! I feel so sad! This is so effective!"

THEY CANNOT BE DENIED. Uther isn't obviously hitting on her or anything, but he has, like, crazy powerful mansome pheromones or something, and in all their scenes I'm just like "Why is this so sexy?!"

I am the same way! I feel bad, especially when the episode is so hardcore in its own right, but a fairly significant chunk of my brain will always be going, "Come on! Just touch some more! Manly touching! At least punch him in the shoulder!"

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

It's supposed to be all cracky and slashy and delicious, and then every so often it just kind of winds you with the reminder that HEY, REMEMBER HOW NOBODY REALLY GETS A HAPPY ENDING AND EVERYTHING GETS REALLY GREAT AND THEN REALLY SHIT?

YES. EXACTLY. This one unexpectedly kicked me in the chest. I really, really loved that Merlin was prepared to let Mordred die to save Arthur, and I really, really loved how he couldn't bring himself to do it (THOUGH THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION IS MAKING ME SO, SO SAD RIGHT NOW).

Also, Morgana is the Queen of Awesome, and Kate was super gorgeous and just spot-on. Oh, show.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

Yes! I feel like it's really the only show of its kind which actually takes death seriously, in a weird way. Like, DW is so utterly anti-killing-anything-at-all, which is fair enough, and Robin Hood has Robin being a pacifist and only henchmen and evil folks doing killing, but with Merlin, I feel like the deaths are just part of how this universe works, and that these are just the choices they make. One of my favourite Uther moments is in 1x04 when Arthur's freaking about about impending Merlin!death, and being all "So his life's worthless?!" and he just goes "No, but it's worth less than yours." AND THAT IS WHY I CAN NEVER HATE UTHER, BECAUSE HE JUST MAKES TOO MUCH SENSE.

Of course, on the other hand, you have Arthur gallivanting about merrily shooting people with crossbows, but whatever!

INEVITABLE CONCLUSIONS OF DOOM, YOU HURT ME SO.

So very, very awesome.

[merelyn.livejournal.com]

*nods* With a show who's premise is founded so much on Destiny, there comes with it an embracing of death as a given- Uther must die for Arthur to become King; the one cannot happen without the other, etc. I do feel that you're right, the show takes it one darker, though- death is imore than inevitable, it's a zero sum game.

[mistressboy.livejournal.com]

KATE BEATON IS AMAZING. I love her comics so much! That Robin Hood one was a goodun.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

She is so fabulous. I think my favourite ones of hers are the ones with gangsta!Pope John Paul II, though.

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

COME ON, THOUGH, WHO ELSE WANTED THE 'ARTHUR SEARCHES MORGANA'S CHAMBERS' SCENE TO SOMEHOW END IN HIM FINDING MERLIN BEHIND HER CURTAINS AND GETTING JEALOUS?

I was thinking exactly the same thing. And I thought for a second they might just do it.

he initally came down on the side of child!death

Yes, this is the part that got to me, where he decided that yes, he could do that, he could let the boy die. I love the way this show is beautifully ruthless when you don't expect it.

Uther has a subtle punishment for Arthur's finding-based failure, and it is not letting him eat dinner with the grown-ups.

Considering how often we see Uther eating alone, or just with Morgana, I have no choice but to agree with you.

Also Uther/Morgana, so very wrong, but I can still see it.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

I know, right? I was running through all the different ways it could happen in my head as the scene went on, and I think I had just about settled on OMG MERLIN TURNS THE DEVIL CHILD INVISIBLE!!! when Arthur left. Dagnabbit!

[entangled-now.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for Merlin to turn something invisible for a while now. I have no idea why....

[eviljellybabie.livejournal.com]

COME ON, THOUGH, WHO ELSE WANTED THE 'ARTHUR SEARCHES MORGANA'S CHAMBERS' SCENE TO SOMEHOW END IN HIM FINDING MERLIN BEHIND HER CURTAINS AND GETTING JEALOUS?

I honestly though Uther or Arthur was going to find him and Moragana would pretend they were having some sort of secret love affair. Cue Merlin in the stocks again and jealous!Arthur.

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

That really would have been the best possible outcome :)

[eviljellybabie.livejournal.com]

Fo sho.

[rose-greenthumb.livejournal.com]

What?! Bradley from S Club on the lottery?! What is this madness!!!

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

IF ONLY. Lord knows he needs the work!

[agguss.livejournal.com]

OMG my ovaries just exploded: Colin Morgan is ridiculously adorable with that child. Eee! I feel like hugging him xD

I still have to watch the ep, so I might come back to read your comments after having done so.

[agguss.livejournal.com]

Also also also. Bradley + hair dryer = CUTE.
Have you seen this one? Arthur saying Lancelot is good looking? ^^

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

I KNOOOOOW. Aww, they're so cute in the car :)

I LOVE BRADLEY'S HAIR SO MUCH, IT'S REALLY WEIRD. Especially when he has his crown on!

Oooh! Icon! ♥

[clouded-logic.livejournal.com]

I ADORED THAT EPISODE :D Only thing is, I do not know who Mordred is. I really need to sharpen up on my Arthurian legends. I didn't even realise Morgana was a proper character in the legends until you mentioned it in one of your posts, I thought they just made her up! LOL I'm so uncultured.

Bradley James really is sort of lovely. Hairdryer lolz. "I'm cool." XD

Awwwwwwwww! Cutest thing ever! *high fives non-creepy adorable small child and Colin*

Did you see Bradley James and Colin Morgan on Something for the Weekend this morning? Colin looks about half the size of Bradley, bless him. I only caught the end where they're all too busy eating to talk about anything very interesting. :o( But I saw just enough to hear Colin's accent - I had no idea he was Irish! :o

I added a shiny new icon ESPECIALLY FOR THIS COMMENT. ♥

[sophieisgod.livejournal.com]

Basically, in the legend, Mordred is Arthur and Morgana's creepy incest baby, and he grows up to kill Arthur :/ THIS IS WHY THIS IS SO EPIC, BECAUSE MERLIN LETTING HIM GO WILL ACTUALLY PROBABLY CAUSE ARTHUR'S DEATH AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE. ACH.

I think my favourite bit of that video is "... and they wouldn't do it, 'cause they're cockatrices." I WANT TO SQUISH HIM.

I did, I did! The boys were lovely, but I got so pissed off by the lame interviewers. But yes! You missed Bradley whisking things and not being very good at cooking!

I HAVE TOOOOOO MANY MERLIN ICONS. 'TIS AN ADDICTION. IT'S BECAUSE THEY MAKE SO MANY AWESOME FACES!

[clouded-logic.livejournal.com]

WTF. CREEPY INCEST BABY. I'M SCARED. D: I can see why they changed that bit in the show... Meeeep, do not want!

He's such a dork, it's so cute. I liked the commentary about Man With Rake. XD

Tim Lovejoy is hilariously lame. I missed whisking? NOOOOOOO! I bet the forearms were magnificent.

[lunylucy.livejournal.com]

I AM BEING CREEPY AND GOING THROUGH YOUR MERLIN TAG. Anyway >_>

I wonder how much the show is going to change things? I don't really know the legend, but I was wondering that since they had Arthur specifically rescue Mordred and there was that whole exchange with the druids, maybe somehow Mordred is now in his debt or grateful in a way that will change the future? (OR MAYBE I FORCE HP LOGIC ON EVERYTHING)

[kippkate.livejournal.com]

Woo! All your crazy enthusing about this show has forced me to go and watch it. I'm all caught up now and loving it :D

It's also the first show (other than Little Britain I think) in which I've been able to watch Tony Head without going: 'Nooooo! Stop it! Stop being Not-Giles!' (And Uther/Morgana? Definitely)