It’s here! After the most sustained reviewing campaign I’ve yet mounted on Dork Adore, we have the beginning of Merlin’s finale two-parter. Which means, after lurking for the entire year, Emilia Fox’s Morgause and Evil Morgana’s smirk have their try at taking over Camelot.
Of course, this isn’t the climax, that’s next week. So the job of this first part is to drive the stakes as high as possible, and start paying off all those subplots. Is the excitement exciting enough?
Lord Fear And The Loose Ends
Well, if we measure the success of a finale in terms of how many callbacks to previous episodes they fit in, this certainly tries its best. We’ve got yet another return of Gwaine, not to mention Gwen’s brother from “The Castle Of Fyrien”, and a quick cameo from the mysterious water that Merlin found in “The Eye Of The Phoenix”.
Inevitably, there’s a return to the big Morgana reveal from “The Crystal Caves”. But before these long-awaited moments, we have half an episode of Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine hanging around in forests, exchanging overly earnest Fantasy Dialogue with slave traders. When the self-aware humour is removed, this show can remind me worryingly of Knightmare.
Oh, and a recurring character is killed. I won’t spoil it, but it’s someone who never did much and won’t be missed.
Hopping Arthur And The Special Guest Army
Once we finally get going, it’s Merlin, a wounded Prince Arthur and a range of guest stars heading back to Camelot to find that the worst has happened. Well, the news slowly unfolds in a rather unsettling way. And the final scene, especially the reaction shots of Uther, Arthur and Merlin, conveys the drama well.
Despite a slow start, this episode did everything it needed to; we are now more than ready for a big showdown next week. In terms of predictions for the ending, the title “The Coming Of Arthur” suggests both dubious fan-fiction and the prospect of the Prince taking over as King, but I suspect that’s what they want us to think.
My actual prediction is that Morgana hesitates at the crucial moment, because she’s still a good person deep down (despite having tried to kill every major character at least twice this year), and Merlin somehow defeats her using his magic water sample. But I’m usually wrong about these things.
In the meantime, you can see the episode on iPlayer, and there’s also a behind-the-scenes blog by one of the co-producers on the BBC site. And then you can let us know your predictions for the glorious ending.
More Merlin on Dork Adore | Merlin: The Sorcerer’s Shadow – Dork Review
Nick Bryan
Nick learned to read and write at an early age. This has developed into an unhealthy need to either write stories or consume them for later dissection. He reviews film and TV on Dork Adore and The Digital Fix, lives in London and enjoys a nice white beer.
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“In terms of predictions for the ending, the title “The Coming Of Arthur” suggests both dubious fan-fiction and the prospect of the Prince taking over as King, but I suspect that’s what they want us to think.”
So what else can it refer to? Surely not simply the fact that Arthur comes to Camelot's aid? (though he undoubtedly will).
I liked this episode if for no other reason than Uther and Arthur finally saw Morgana for what she is. I was rejoicing for Merlin. Please don't let the storyline turn it around next week and have Uther and Arthur believing she was being used against her will by the evil Morgause.
The other option, of course, is that they reveal that Morgana genuinely has been brain-washed by Morgause for the last 16 episodes, thus bringing her back into the good team.
Urgh! I hate that idea even more!
Take a Bow Writers and Actor i just loved it.Best thing on Tv for a Saturday night Family show.And the clip what i saw for next week made me even more excited. We are going to miss a great show once its over(so sad).Brillant.
So why couldn't I download this episode when I couldn't watch it last Saturday! Having watched the previous episode on iplayer, I thought I was ready for tonight's, only to realise within minutes I had missed this one because it is not available as a download. I had to risk watching a disjointed version direct as my internet connection is suspect. Fortunately I have a hard drive recorder which is more reliable if the BBC messes me about with iplayer!
For what it's worth, the download is now available. For some reason, the download option doesn't always appear on evening shows until the following morning.
hey Nick! Where's your review of last night's ep? I look forward to reading what you think.
I had a real-life explosion, sorry. It is up now: http://www.dorkadore.com/film-…/
Why is part 2 not on iPlayer?
It is right here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/e…/
I hope “the coming of arthur part 1” has review to uther the kind of daugther he has and i just believe he's ready to face that fact and not believing she's being brain-washed by morgause. why would king uther keep this such secret from his son (arthur) that morgana is his sister. he's the father and should know how to put at peace his family. the suspence is just too much.
Well, at least they didn't pull a brainwashing.
Its going to be a giorious ending 4 merlin