Merlin 4x09 review
Nov. 27th, 2011 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ishtar79God, this episode. I don't even know how to talk about it, it's left me with so many conflicting feelings.
-First, to get this out: Angel was AMAZING through the whole episode, and the banishment/break-up scene in particular. So was Bradley, for that matter, but he gets a chance to do heavy dramatic stuff a lot more often. The whole sadness of the episode aside, I really do hope this sparks off a few A/G fics that explore all the conflict that resulted from its events.
-On a shallow note, I found both compelled!Gwen putting the moves on Lancelot and Arthur and Gwen's break-up scene (God, the emotional!porn) incredibly hot.
-I don't know how to feel about magic as a plot device to lead to the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot love triangle. It is a bit of a copout, though on the other hand, I don't want to imagine all the fannish vitriol Gwen actually considering Lancelot out of her own free will would generated. I'm avoiding certain Merlin coms right now, because I'm sure there is plenty of gloating about Gwen being gone happening, and I can't deal with that crap.
-However I might feel about their decision to use magic to move this particular plot alone, the fact remains that pre-enchantment, Gwen made her choice abundantly clear. She was civil but distant with Lancelot, and while she still clearly appreciated him, her feelings for him had plainly changed. So imagine my frustration that not only did Arthur and everybody else buy into the ruse Morganna created, Gwen bought into it too, and now doesn't even trust her own feelings. In terms of storytelling, it's certainly interesting and not the expected route, but it still makes me want to stab things.
-I...feel like I should be madder at Arthur than I currently am. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all on board with him banishing Gwen ( “under pain of death”), but it certainly fits with how much harder he's been getting since becoming King, and I did fill what was driving his action was a genuine feeling of betrayal and devastation rather than male/royal pride. The way both he and Gwen sold the hell out of that scene really helped me deal more with that particular development-and I did love elements like him kicking everybody out before getting into it with her, telling her not to kneel before him and his apology after his outburst.
-Oddly enough, I'm currently a lot more pissed off at Merlin, because I spent the whole episode with the mantra “all this could have been avoided if Gwen knew about magic” playing over and over in my head. It's not that Merlin did anything objectionable this time: he even offered to tell Arthur about Lancelot being a shade, which is kind of huge for him (telling Arthur the truth about anything voluntarily?), but a simple exchange of information about shades and bracelets could have spared everybody a lot of pain. And I know that “keeping the magic secret” is part of the show's premise, but over the last couple of seasons, Merlin's secret keeping is coming off as more and more selfish, and ultimately hurting all those around him.
-I thought that everything involving Lancelot's ressurection/his interaction with MorgannaI ship Morganna/zombie!Lancelot was really well-done. For a show with special effects that frequently fall into the “camp” category, they occasionally pull off big-time epic. And I like that Morganna is occasionally allowed layers this season. While she seems to have completely forgotten the bond she had with Arthur, Gwen and Merlin, it was nice to see her express ambivalence and even sympathy where Lancelot was concerned.
-There was something at the same time sad, creepy and disturbingly hot about shade!Lancelot. I did appreciate the fact we got a glimpse of real!Lancelot before his second (and probably final) death.
-Merlin dropping the plates when he heard Arthur's news, spying on the engagement and good-naturally teasing Arthur about his engagement present were rather cute. I probably would have enjoyed those moments a lot more in an episode that didn't emotionally kick me in the stomach (seriously, Merlin was supposed to be my feel-good show!)
-Seriously, where the hell was Elyan in this? All we got was that significant look he and Gwen exchanged, and he wasn't even there to say goodbye. Major sibling loyalty!fail. Next week had better address the effect this development had on him.
-Christ, they couldn't even give poor Gwen a HORSE? The sight of her dragging that heavy cart was both sad and kind of hilarious in a “WTF?” way. And Merlin just giving her the mournful looks instead of, I don't know, a helping hand? Or actually speaking to her? FAIL, MERLIN! Actually, FAIL, everybody who wasn't Gwen!
-I really hope Gwen headed off straight to Ealdor, and is now catching up Hunith on news on everybody, because you just know Merlin is not bothering keeping his mum up-to-date (beyond the occasional “Am good, eating enough, love you mum, bye!). Though this would lead to some long, awkward conversations (“So, how is that nice Morganna girl who was here last time?”)
-First, to get this out: Angel was AMAZING through the whole episode, and the banishment/break-up scene in particular. So was Bradley, for that matter, but he gets a chance to do heavy dramatic stuff a lot more often. The whole sadness of the episode aside, I really do hope this sparks off a few A/G fics that explore all the conflict that resulted from its events.
-On a shallow note, I found both compelled!Gwen putting the moves on Lancelot and Arthur and Gwen's break-up scene (God, the emotional!porn) incredibly hot.
-I don't know how to feel about magic as a plot device to lead to the Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot love triangle. It is a bit of a copout, though on the other hand, I don't want to imagine all the fannish vitriol Gwen actually considering Lancelot out of her own free will would generated. I'm avoiding certain Merlin coms right now, because I'm sure there is plenty of gloating about Gwen being gone happening, and I can't deal with that crap.
-However I might feel about their decision to use magic to move this particular plot alone, the fact remains that pre-enchantment, Gwen made her choice abundantly clear. She was civil but distant with Lancelot, and while she still clearly appreciated him, her feelings for him had plainly changed. So imagine my frustration that not only did Arthur and everybody else buy into the ruse Morganna created, Gwen bought into it too, and now doesn't even trust her own feelings. In terms of storytelling, it's certainly interesting and not the expected route, but it still makes me want to stab things.
-I...feel like I should be madder at Arthur than I currently am. Don't get me wrong, I am not at all on board with him banishing Gwen ( “under pain of death”), but it certainly fits with how much harder he's been getting since becoming King, and I did fill what was driving his action was a genuine feeling of betrayal and devastation rather than male/royal pride. The way both he and Gwen sold the hell out of that scene really helped me deal more with that particular development-and I did love elements like him kicking everybody out before getting into it with her, telling her not to kneel before him and his apology after his outburst.
-Oddly enough, I'm currently a lot more pissed off at Merlin, because I spent the whole episode with the mantra “all this could have been avoided if Gwen knew about magic” playing over and over in my head. It's not that Merlin did anything objectionable this time: he even offered to tell Arthur about Lancelot being a shade, which is kind of huge for him (telling Arthur the truth about anything voluntarily?), but a simple exchange of information about shades and bracelets could have spared everybody a lot of pain. And I know that “keeping the magic secret” is part of the show's premise, but over the last couple of seasons, Merlin's secret keeping is coming off as more and more selfish, and ultimately hurting all those around him.
-I thought that everything involving Lancelot's ressurection/his interaction with Morganna
-There was something at the same time sad, creepy and disturbingly hot about shade!Lancelot. I did appreciate the fact we got a glimpse of real!Lancelot before his second (and probably final) death.
-Merlin dropping the plates when he heard Arthur's news, spying on the engagement and good-naturally teasing Arthur about his engagement present were rather cute. I probably would have enjoyed those moments a lot more in an episode that didn't emotionally kick me in the stomach (seriously, Merlin was supposed to be my feel-good show!)
-Seriously, where the hell was Elyan in this? All we got was that significant look he and Gwen exchanged, and he wasn't even there to say goodbye. Major sibling loyalty!fail. Next week had better address the effect this development had on him.
-Christ, they couldn't even give poor Gwen a HORSE? The sight of her dragging that heavy cart was both sad and kind of hilarious in a “WTF?” way. And Merlin just giving her the mournful looks instead of, I don't know, a helping hand? Or actually speaking to her? FAIL, MERLIN! Actually, FAIL, everybody who wasn't Gwen!
-I really hope Gwen headed off straight to Ealdor, and is now catching up Hunith on news on everybody, because you just know Merlin is not bothering keeping his mum up-to-date (beyond the occasional “Am good, eating enough, love you mum, bye!). Though this would lead to some long, awkward conversations (“So, how is that nice Morganna girl who was here last time?”)
no subject
Date: 2011-11-29 09:55 pm (UTC)Seriously, that's just stupid! Kids are WAY smarter than that - and if they're not, then they make their own sense of it. Children always have. That's why fairy tales used to be for all ages - there are layers there for everyone. Same with this. So boo on that.
Yeah, poor Gwen who doesn't even know what happened or how she could suddenly feel for Lancelot again. :-( It's so sad!
I love that head!canon so much I think I'll adopt it :-)