il Giardino Romantico

Source: Wikipedia

The name Merlin caught my attention while browsing through the list of available shows online on the BBC iPlayer.  After having seen Jerry Bruckheimer's 'King Arthur', the 1981 'Excalibur', caught glimpse of scenes from the 1998 TV film 'Merlin', and the fact that I've actually attempted at reading 'Morte D'Arthur, this puts me in a place where I could not pretend it did not exist.  I had to find out.

Despite the fact that the bond between Merlin and Arthur, and with Lancelot later on, was depicted quite accurately, there was nothing else in this series that even remotely resembles anything you may have heard about in the Arthurian legends.  Uther is still alive.  Arthur is not the lost prince who redeems his throne by pulling a sword out of a stone.  Excalibur is nonexistent.  Morgana seems to be Arthur's love interest.  Guenevere is Morgana's servant girl for crying out loud.  Oh, how the world has gone astray from its path!

However absurd the story may sound, it is actually very enchanting.  I would have to say that if the characters' names were more creative, i.e. if they had come up with a brand new line of story instead of 'loosely' basing it on the Arthurian legend, I would have definitely given it more credit.

I won't deny the fact that it is still quality entertainment.  In relation to a whole range of disqualifying entertainment these days, this one might actually serve a purpose.  I can see teenagers getting enraptured by it and thus being inspired to discover more about the Arthurian legend on their own.  Sure, there is violence.  No medieval story can pass as 'medieval' without knights dueling and fighting. I'm not even sure if you can call that violence.  I think the word they came up with back in the old days was 'chivalry'.  Well, the fighting was only a part of it, but that word basically sums up the whole deal.

The first episode aired on September 20, 2008, and the first five episodes are available to watch online. This is one of the various privileges I am going to cherish while I'm here. [I don't think you can watch it with connection outside the UK]  However, I do hope that they do show it in the future elsewhere in the world, for it is rather entertaining after all.

Episodes with titles up to now:
1. The Dragon's Call
2. Valiant
3. The Mask of Nimueh
4. The Poisoned Chalice
5. Lancelot
6. A Remedy to Cure All Ills*
7. The Gates of Avalon*

*Not yet aired


Source: Wikipedia

More Information:
BBC iPlayer
Merlin Official Website

Reviews:
[Film] Excailbur
[Films] King Arthur is not from Kingdom of Heaven