# Are you watching Merlin? - and what do you think of it?



## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Ok, I don't normally think about starting threads related to TV.
But I think that the Arthurian Legend is something that is well written about.
Most of us have read some version of the Legend or another.

This is a British import.  First two episodes yesterday.
Two more next Sunday and then 1 per week.

Did you watch it?
What did you think about it?

How about the concept that Merlin and Arthur are the same age?
And how many of you recognized Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father?

What do you think?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I Tivo'ed it. . .liked it. . .except I missed the first 10 minutes of the first episode because of the golf, and then the last 10 minutes of the second.  Fortunately I was able to find it on line so I could watch it.

It's an interesting twist on the legend. . . .I'll be interested in seeing where it goes. . . . .


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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

It is taking a lot of liberty with the tried and true legend, but once I realized that and got past it I enjoyed the show. I'll keep recording it.

And yes, as a huge Buffy/Angel fan I recognized Giles, actually the actor was what got me to record the show in the first place.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

As a dissenting voice: no, I did not watch it. I simply did not feel any urge to see yet another adaptation/interpretation of the legend. For my tastes that's been done enough, and I'd prefer to spend my time watching something new. I'd even be interested in watching something about the actual history that was the seed of the Arthurian legends.

All that being said, if I'd happened to flip to that channel while it was on and it turned out it was really well done, who knows? I might well have been captivated and have gotten hooked into watching it. It's happened more than once with something I thought I'd have no interest in (including books).


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## cheerio (May 16, 2009)

I dont get this channel


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It's on NBC. . . . .


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I wanted to, but I totally forgot about it. I'm going to see if I can watch it online to catch up.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

I have the first two episodes on the TiVo, but have only watched half the first one. Nothing so far would influence me to keep watching.

Mike


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## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

I TiVo'd it,and haven't watched it yet


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

my DVR threw a hissy fit and didn't work that night  - I mean it literally wouldn't save ANYTHING - then the next day it was fine -- good thing my hair is white already or it would have turned out of frustration - will look online to see if I can find it ...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Here's a link to the full episodes on line:

http://www.nbc.com/merlin/video/categories/season-1/1127742/

(only 2 so far)


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

I missed it too .

Thanks Ann for the link, I'll check it out. Usually those are my type of shows.

TheresaM


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

Shoot I really wanted to watch this and I completely forgot to set it on the DVR.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

Ann in Arlington said:


> Here's a link to the full episodes on line:
> 
> http://www.nbc.com/merlin/video/categories/season-1/1127742/
> 
> (only 2 so far)


Thank you Ann for the link! I thought I had missed it, I will have to pre-set my DVR tomorrow to make sure I don't forget again.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Hey I think far more people "missed" it than actually saw it.
I guess we will have to wait a while to get into any spoiler-type discussion of the actual shows.
Assuming anyone actually wants to.
I don't dissect things very good.

Just sayin....


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Harm and I watched it. (And also had the golf interruptions...)

First thought - does NBC own the right to the legend? They seem to be the only network to re-create the story. (I'm thinking of the mini-series from the 90s.) LOL

My next thought was that they had already screwed with the story. Uther was dead before Camelot was built!

Overall, I didn't think it was a bad show even if I was reading my Kindle while watching it. We'll probably keep recording it.

One quick question/thought - It seems to be done by the same production house that makes Doctor Who/Torchwood. We thought that before we saw the witch in the first episode. The witch looks like the same actress from Torchwood, we missed the opening credits and I didn't see her credited on IMDB...anyone know?


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## KimmyA (Dec 11, 2008)

We watched it. We'll have to catch the parts we missed due to golf online though. It was ok for me. It was interesting enough but I thought there were some cheesy parts.


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## louiseb (Mar 2, 2009)

mom133d said:


> One quick question/thought - It seems to be done by the same production house that makes Doctor Who/Torchwood. We thought that before we saw the witch in the first episode. The witch looks like the same actress from Torchwood, we missed the opening credits and I didn't see her credited on IMDB...anyone know?


It's a BBC show so highly likely


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## rho (Feb 12, 2009)

thanks for the link ann


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

Its a decent show, but I can't say that I have it circled on my calendar.  It might be a better DVD few seasons at a time show for m e.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I -really- liked it. They put out so much in the UK that just doesn't fly here, but I hope their Harry Potter campaign (as silly as it is) gets enough viewers to keep this going. If it doesn't then we know we can at least get the DVDs. They do seem to like to twist the story around, which I kind of think makes it that much more fun. It's all "Wow, what -would- happen if it had gone like that?" I did notice the actress from Torchwood was in it, another good series but a lot more SciFi (which I usually hate).

If you like Merlin then you _*have to*_ check out the BBC Robin Hood series. It's seriously one of my favorite shows of all time and Merlin is reminding me of it a lot. Like with Merlin they played with the story a bit... especially Marion, but I won't ruin it for you. If you have Netflix queue it up! I've watched everything they have on DVD so far and will be turning around and buying the seasons pretty soon here to own for myself. It's just one of those rare shows where the casting is spot on and it rivals any version of Robin Hood I've ever seen.


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## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, I don't normally think about starting threads related to TV.
> But I think that the Arthurian Legend is something that is well written about.
> Most of us have read some version of the Legend or another.
> 
> ...


I'll definitely check this one out. The last Merlin I saw on tv was played by Sam Neill, who wasn't bad (although he kept procrastinating with his magic), and the supporting cast was amazing (Martin Short, Helena Bonham-Carter, Rutger Hauer, etc. etc.). The production values were quite high.

In my favorite Arthurian text, Malory's _Morte d'Arthur_, Merlin and the king are close to the same age, I recall; but thanks to his Art, Merlin can look any age he wants...lucky guy. 

CK


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I went online and watched the episodes at the link Ann gave and I really liked the show. 

I guess I don't know very much of the original story so if they messed with the storyline it didn't bother me. I hope this series keeps going.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Carolyn Kephart said:


> I'll definitely check this one out. The last Merlin I saw on tv was played by Sam Neill, who wasn't bad (although he kept procrastinating with his magic), and the supporting cast was amazing (Martin Short, Helena Bonham-Carter, Rutger Hauer, etc. etc.). The production values were quite high.
> 
> In my favorite Arthurian text, Malory's _Morte d'Arthur_, Merlin and the king are close to the same age, I recall; but thanks to his Art, Merlin can look any age he wants...lucky guy.
> 
> CK


Now why did I expect you to enjoy something about Merlin?

Oh, yeah....he is a wizard, sorcerer,,,,,something.

Just sayin......


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

I sort of like sorcerers and magick and stuff like that and I liked the old mini-series about Merlin with the Morgana character that had the terrible lisp, so naturally I dvr'd and tried to watch... sincerely... but they were so far off the tradition, I couldn't finish.  I guess it will be good to non-traditionalist types.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

When you make an actual series instead of a miniseries or a movie about actual legendary/mythical stories, etc. then you kind of have to change them up a little.  The legends are great, but there's only so many stories there.  They need a problem to solve and a story to tell every week of a season for what I am sure they hope is at least three seasons.  That's about 36 hours of show to fill and the stories we already know just aren't going to be enough.  Like I mentioned before they did the same thing with Robin Hood and it's in its third season and has gone quite a bit off the actual story now, but it had to.

We all know the Arthurian legends and the story of Robin Hood, but they're retelling them in a different way which I find even more compelling.  And since they take those liberties they will actually have the staying power as a series instead of being another adaptation in movie form to throw on the pile.  Even as a History major I don't mind it... it's when there's a movie like 300 that totally screws up the story for no good reason that I get irked.  You just have to go into these things realizing it's going to be different and enjoy it for what it is, not what preconceptions say it should be.  As long as they keep in the spirit of the original then they get two thumbs up from me.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Scheherazade said:


> Even as a History major I don't mind it... it's when there's a movie like 300 that totally screws up the story for no good reason that I get irked. You just have to go into these things realizing it's going to be different and enjoy it for what it is, not what preconceptions say it should be. As long as they keep in the spirit of the original then they get two thumbs up from me.


I guess it's diversity that makes the world an interesting place. I'm not a history major, but I love major history and I'd have to say that I truly enjoyed _300_. The movie used the actual historical event and made into a real action adventure epic, what have you, and used a fascinating new style of cinematography(?). Is that the right word? It kind of looked like a cartoon in some places. Interesting. I liked the movie and it made millions whether the history was correctly portrayed or not. It's just like the _Da Vinci Code_. OMG! It was just a fictional story based on some theories and the next thing you know, the Vatican is speaking out against it. What a thrill that must have been. I can only hope that my own works would ever draw such a crowd, such ridicule and such a public outcry that I would come away a millionaire. I may be wrong and I'm sure someone here will correct me if I am, but I don't remember Dan Brown ever claiming to be a writer of historical non-fiction or did I miss something? But back to the OT, like I said, I never grow old of the old legends and myths and that is just the way of it. I like a little poetic license here and there and a romantic twist, if you can get it in there like they did with Tolkien's stuff... you know the little romance between Aragorn (msp?) and the elven princess. Great stuff. I'm sure Tolkien wouldn't mind. But I'm rambling and this ain't the place for it. Got to go... there's another repeat of 'Beyond the Da Vinci Code' on the History Channel.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

I actually enjoyed the DaVinci code despite all the religious and historical inaccuracies too, and I will admit 300 was amazing visually.  It just really irked me for some reason ><  And of course you don't have to be a history major to love history!  It feels like one of those few subjects that people actually enjoy to learn even when not forced to do so by a curriculum.  Then again my Grandfather is reader a Physics book for fun, so like you said to each their own.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Scheherazade said:


> I actually enjoyed the DaVinci code despite all the religious and historical inaccuracies too, and I will admit 300 was amazing visually. It just really irked me for some reason >< And of course you don't have to be a history major to love history! It feels like one of those few subjects that people actually enjoy to learn even when not forced to do so by a curriculum. Then again my Grandfather is reader a Physics book for fun, so like you said to each their own.


Thumbs up to your Grandfather. I have read quite a few physics books for fun because I sure couldn't pass the course in college!  I love astronomy and physics and psychicks... I mean psychics.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

How many episodes have there been so far?


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Anne said:


> How many episodes have there been so far?


Just two I think.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

Brendan Carroll said:


> Just two I think.


Thanks I am going to watch the two episodes that Ann gave us the link for tomorrow.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

I have Time Warner Cable. I just found out I have a channel Prime Time on Demand. I can watch the first two episodes if Merlin on this channel.I am watching the first espisode now.


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## Brenda Carroll (May 21, 2009)

Anne said:


> I have Time Warner Cable. I just found out I have a channel Prime Time on Demand. I can watch the first two episodes if Merlin on this channel.I am watching the first espisode now.


So what did you think? Yea or nay? Are you a traditionalist or a modern interpretationaliistiilsgoic?


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

Brendan Carroll said:


> So what did you think? Yea or nay? Are you a traditionalist or a modern interpretationaliistiilsgoic?


I like it. I is differnet having Merlin and Arthur the same age. It does not bother me that they have change the story of Merlin and Arthur.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> Ok, I don't normally think about starting threads related to TV.
> But I think that the Arthurian Legend is something that is well written about.
> Most of us have read some version of the Legend or another.
> 
> ...


I like it. It is differnet than the original story of Arthur and Merlin. Having them the same age is interesting. I did recognized Giles for Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Uther Pendragon.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

So if you are not now watching Merlin part 3 - you are missing it again.

Part 4 at 9.

Just sayin.....


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## qotdr (Nov 22, 2008)

I totally stumbled across this channel surfing because I was bored (Kindle was charging-LOL). I've set up a series recording and will watch  the first shows  on the link provided earlier. Looks much better than some of these types of series, at least the acting wasn't too terrible.  I also did notice Giles from buffy.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

I am watching it now.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> So if you are not now watching Merlin part 3 - you are missing it again.
> 
> Part 4 at 9.
> 
> Just sayin.....


Luckily this week I remembered to set my DVR to record this. I will catch up on it later. I really like this show.


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## Scheherazade (Apr 11, 2009)

Glad to see Arthur is becoming more likeable, but I wonder if they're going to go the entire first season with Merlin unable to freely practice his magic.  I am betting this is the case since BBC shows like this don't rush things which is kind of a nice change from most of the shows we get in the States.


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

I kinda like the fact that Merlin is somewhat restricted for now. I hope this show sticks around for a while.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

It's on TiVo. . . .I'll be heading down there later this morning to watch it. . . . .


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

OK - I caught up with the back episodes and am enjoying the show.  But it now has me interested in the actual legend.  Not wanting to suffer through reading Thomas Malory's Le Morte Darthur, any recommendations for a novice in the Arthurian Legend?  (Perhaps even kid friendly, and not necessarily a Kindle version.  That way I can share it with my son, whom I won't share my kindle with!)


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

I know that T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" gets rave reviews but I had a hard time with it.

I really enjoyed Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon" for the legend from the female point of view.

Otherwise most of my reading has been children's or YA books on Arthur ("The Sword in the Stone", "A Connecticut yankee in king Arthur's Court", etc). And any movies set in the period.


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## angelad (Jun 19, 2009)

There is a show about Merlin?


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks mom, I'm getting a little spoiled by that sample option.  "The Once and Future King" isn't available for kindle,  (I know I said it didn't have to be!) but now I want to try a sample!


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I remember Stephen Lawhead had a good Pendragon series in the '80s


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks Chad,
Got a sample of the first book!


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Mom of 4 said:


> Thanks Chad,
> Got a sample of the first book!


LOL!! I just assumed they weren't Kindled... This is the first one....I may have to buy these again!!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Mary Stewart has 4 books on the legend. . . .

First one is Crystal Cave. . .not kindlized. . .


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

Ann, have you read them?  Anyone favor one over the other?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I've read all the Mary Stewart ones . . .but it's been a few years. . . .I don't re-read much, but these are ones I'd re-buy for Kindle if available.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I remember those!! They were good too.. I clicked "I want on Kindle" button


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

I may have to break down and buy my 2nd DTB in 14 months!  

And Geoff, it will all be your fault!  If you hadn't mentioned Merlin here, I wouldn't have watched it, 
then I wouldn't have had this sudden urge to know about all things Arthurian!


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## CegAbq (Mar 17, 2009)

mom133d said:


> I really enjoyed Marion Zimmer Bradley's "The Mists of Avalon" for the legend from the female point of view.


This is one of my FAVORITE books of all time!


The DTV cover is nicer:


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

One more sample to try!  Thanks everyone!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Mom of 4 said:


> I may have to break down and buy my 2nd DTB in 14 months!
> 
> And Geoff, it will all be your fault! If you hadn't mentioned Merlin here, I wouldn't have watched it,
> then I wouldn't have had this sudden urge to know about all things Arthurian!


Oh, good!

I enabled.

Just sayin....


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

Don't forget Merlin is on tonight. It is on now for me in New York.


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## Mom of 4 (Oct 27, 2008)

Got it programmed into the DVR, but thanks for the reminder.
However, I am so wrapped up in Mists of Avalon, that I probably won't watch it for awhile!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

So are you still watching it?
did  you catch the last show?

How about that Merlin - saved everyone he did.
And did you notice that the production people did not seem to need to show the bad guy getting the axe buried in his body that Merlin turned around on him in mid air?

Not much of Gwen in this one, hey?

so are you still enjoying it or have you become bored with it?

Just askin......


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Again. . . .it's on TiVo. . .guess this is another thread I need to avoid until I get home and get to watch it!


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## koolmnbv (Mar 25, 2009)

i need to catch up on a few past episodes on my dvr.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

I DVR'd episodes 3 and on, but need to wait for 1 and 2 to be shown again.....


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

There's a link early in this thread to the online showings via NBC. . . .pretty sure all episodes are there, but I don't think you can download them.  Have to watch them as streaming video. . . .


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