Anyone else watching this show on NBC? It will most likely be canceled but it's entertaining. A bit campy, sort of like Legend of the seeker in that regard, but still enjoyable.

I kind of like what they're doing with Merlin's character and how he's kind of an idiot.

 

Yeah I figured it out by the camera work, didn't know a second season was in the works though. I figured it was a british show nbc paid to make, didn't know they just bought the rights to.
NBC will most likely not buy the rights to a second season, they're hemorrhaging money, and lately it's either instant hit or canceled.

 

I watched a couple episodes as part of a class I took last semester on Arthurian fiction and enjoyed it so much that I watched the rest online. It's especially funny if you know a lot about the Arthurian legend since they take so many of the cliches and expectations associated with it and turn them on their heads.

 

That's partially why I watched the rest of the episodes, despite the mild dose of camp. When I found out NBC had snatched it up for the summer, I was a little, well, unsurprised. Luckily, they have nothing to do with it's production, so more eps shall eventually eke their way online.

 

You mean like instead of having an old man with a beard it's a snot nosed annoying little shit as Merlin? I swear I just want to rip those ears off him...

That said I've only ever watched a few minutes here and there while channel surfing.

No one over hear talks about it/mentions it/watches it over here that I know of, so maybe it's a big British thing with their own legends.

 

I can't say I blame you. I keep getting distracted; they're aesthetically irritating.

 

I like the show. I think that it's a interesting take on the Arthurian legend but I don't see it coming back next year unfortunately. Actually, I'm pretty sure that most of their summer premiers aren't coming back.

 

:awesome

Victor Meldew > all other gay actors.

 

Haha, another BBC drama like Dr. Who and Robin Hood i.e. a drama where they attempt to make it so bad that it's good.

Unfortunately, with all three of these mentioned programs, they fail. They're just bad.

Compare Merlin to a program like Rome, or Dr. Who to BSG, and you realise how bad.

 

I do like that there's more fantasy/supernatural programming on major networks and everything, but I'd really like some good shows.

I've been watching this, and it's not horrible, but it's not very good either.

 

Doctor Who pisses all over this show. I tried to watch it a while ago, they play it on Sunday nights here on channel ten, and I don't think it is all that good.

I mean the costumes and all that are pretty good. But I just couldn't get into it.

Though it was interesting to see a couple of English actors away from there more famous shows. Giles from Buffy and Gwen from Torchwood, though I think she is Welsh.

 

Merlin is an utter piece of shit, an insult to the legacy of excellent Saturday evening family-friendly programming on the BBC left by Doctor Who. I watched the first four episodes, maintaining hope as the characters became progressively less believable/entertaining until eventually I gave up after the first appearance of the bionic woman.

In fact I got into an argument with a friend of mine about this. As Anya rightly pointed out, I stated that not only is it terrible storytelling but it the show comes off as more of a turd when you compare it to its forebear, Doctor Who. My friend responded with a comment on the lines of "So, its just a kid's show." That really pissed me off, as I asked why because its being targeted at younger viewers it should be any less compelling, well told and well acted than programming for any other age group? I'm inclined to think that if a show's being targeted at kids it should indeed strive to be better than programmes targeting a broader age-group. That's the genius of the new series of Doctor Who, whilst certainly keeping kids in mind as one of its primary age groups, its such a well written show that it resonates on multiple levels for various different age groups.

Merlin doesn't. If its shittiness is due to it being "light hearted fun for the kids" it doesn't change the fact that its a disgracefully shit piece of drama that can't convey emotion, action or humour. Unfortunately with the similarly awful Robin Hood reinmaginging the BBC seems to be on a quest to churn out programs for he younger generations whilst completely ignoring their quality. Hopefully Merlin won't be renewed for a second season, but enough of the more moronic members of the British populace will turn it on in the misguided belief that a giant CGI dragon doing a Jedi impersination will amuse their kids.

/rant

tl:dr Merlin is shit in all ways imaginable and intelectually offensive to kids.

 

Merlin is shit, but I'd still prefer to watch it than the pile of shit that is Dr. Who. I don't see how anyone can stand that show.

Dr Who is like a sci-fi pantomime that somehow made it onto TV.

At least Merlin attempts to be good, even though it fails. Dr Who is one big attempt to celebrate shittyiness in TV.

The only reason why people like Dr. Who isn't from any merit of the program itself, but because of its legacy. People for some reason like it because they think it's British to like Dr. Who. And then there's the fact that if you watch any TV show for long enough, you begin to like it.

Like if someone watched an early episode of Stargate they might think it gaudy sci-fi crap. But if you force them to watch maybe 10 episodes, they'll be gripped.

 

It annoys me because it's tongue in cheek. It doesn't take itself seriously. It doesn't even attempt to be internally coherent. The solution to every adventure is ad hoc and arbitrary. The special effects are bad. The universe illogical. The enemies boring. The dialogue over the top. It contains pop-culture references that destroy the viewer immersion. It's self-conscious. It's the slapstick of sci-fi.

As I say, it's like a pantomime. There wouldn't be any real change to the tone of the show if the characters were holding their scripts as they acted, or winked at the audience, or engaged in obvious cross dressing.