Merlin - Season 5 Review

UK Airdate: October 6th – December 24th 2012

The battle is finally done but who actually won in the end and more to the point, was it even worth it?

The Golden Age: I think in retrospect when I look back at this particular series of Merlin, it’s perhaps not that much of a shock to the system that it would end after five series. I know that Smallville (in which this show was deeply influenced by) managed to last twice as long but as enjoyable as this show was on a Saturday night, I’m not sure if another series when the golden age of magic wasn’t delivered upon would’ve been acceptable to most viewers.

And this is where my biggest issue with the final series of the show lies in – the golden age. Or more importantly, the utter lack of it. Surely for a final year, it would’ve been nice to have seen a Camelot where magic wasn’t outlawed and fanatics like Morgana and her followers would have to have found another excuse for their actions but sadly this wasn’t to be and I think that’s a greatly missed opportunity for the show and the audience themselves.

The biggest missed opportunity however was the poor decision on behalf of the show’s writers to have waited until the last episode for Arthur to finally have learned that Merlin was magically inclined. Yes, the acceptance bit was rather touching as was the Viking style funeral Arthur was ultimately given but at the same time, had the show revealed Merlin’s secret at the start of this final series and we had seen a genuine evolution in Merlin and Arthur’s friendship, I ultimately think the show would’ve benefitted from it.

Instead we get a fair few almost moments (such as the unwelcomed return of Uther in spirit form, clearly proving that the dead really don’t learn much in the great beyond) and the usual blokey banter between both Merlin and Arthur, which was amusing back in the first two series but has grated slightly in the last couple of series we’ve had.

The other missed opportunities in this series as well were both Arthur and Guinevere’s marriage and the Knights themselves to a certain extent. The marriage between our King and Queen is surprisingly explored very little, except during the ‘Hollow Queen’ arc and only then towards the end and the Knights themselves are either for pure totty factor or to make up the body count during the second half of the series.

I know this review is sounding horribly negative, which is strange because there’s actually a lot about Series 5 I did enjoy and I am going to focus on that as well. Morgana’s manipulation of Gwen was probably the most effective thing she’s done during her time of villainy and the fact that she managed to be responsible for bumping off two characters as well made it a little easier to take her seriously as a threat for a while. Even more interestingly was her own demise and her complicated/maternal of sorts relationship with a fully grown Mordred.

I have to say that Alexander Vlahos is an absolute revelation as Mordred. I had some reservations about the character being made older than the last time we had seen him but Mordred is without a doubt the best thing about the last series. He’s a genuine fly in the ointment to Merlin without meaning and his actual conflict when he did turn to the dark side was the very thing the show should’ve done better with Morgana. In fact out of all the people we lost during this series, I actually found myself missing him the most out of everyone and he was certainly better utilised throughout the series than the Knights, Guinevere or Gaius, the latter really being underutilised in the last series.

It’s been an interesting five years for the show, both in terms of the up and down quality, the always likeable cast and the fact that it’s cancellation stemmed more from it’s cast wanting to move on rather a rating slide. In fact, this show’s increase in the ratings for it’s last season has been a delight to watch and while the upcoming Atlantis will ensure that Saturday night fantasy drama won’t be dying anytime soon. I think we should all give this show a round of applause, especially for the audacity of the final scene if nothing else. The timing for the show to end was right but that doesn’t mean that it’s not saddening to see it gone though.

DVD Extras: A really good selection of commentary for most of the episodes but the one I think most people will be interested in is the one for the final episode with Katie McGrath and Julian Murphy. On top of that, there’s the usual array of storyboards, outtakes, deleted scenes, a Super Fans Video and a Making Of Merlin documentary.

Episode Ratings

5x01: Arthur’s Bane Part 1 = 7/10, 5x02: Arthur’s Bane Part 2 = 7/10,
5x03: The Death Song Of Uther Pendragon = 8/10, 5x04: Another’s Sorrow = 7/10,
5x05: The Disir = 9/10, 5x06: The Dark Tower = 9/10,
5x07: A Lesson In Vengeance = 8/10, 5x08: The Hollow Queen = 7/10,
5x09: With All My Heart = 9/10, 5x10: The Kindness Of Strangers = 7/10,
5x11: The Drawing Of The Dark = 7/10, 5x12: The Diamond In The Day Part 1 = 8/10,
5x13: The Diamond In The Day Part 2 = 9/10

Festive Treats

Christmas might be nearly over but here's a look at some of the other programmes I managed to watch over the last few weeks.

Downton Abbey: Okay - who didn't see Matthew's death coming? Seriously, even if you were unable about the hemming and hawing with Dan Stevens involvement with the show, then the fact that creator Julian Fellowes is incapable of subtlety surely didn't help matters? In the space of two hours during the only non Christmassy Christmas special going, Mary gave birth to a baby boy and lost a husband while the servants attended a fair, we've gained Rose for all of next season and well, not much else aside from Branson being made feel slightly embarrassed about his new position by Edna. The special wasn't quite as awful as some critics have made out but it was certainly lacking something.

Him And Her: I enjoyed pretty much all of the third series and this little one off special was also a lot of fun as well. A fun, simple solid way of enjoying Christmas with a nice emotional centre as Steve and his father had some catching up time together while Laura proved that she can even make karaoke ten times more painful than it usually is. On the down side, the lack of fall out from the previous episode bothered me a bit though.

Homeland: Um, the last two episodes weren't as good as I'd hope they would be to be honest. While I do think the second season has been enjoyable, I am beginning to wonder if logically this show can really sustain itself for a third season and beyond. Even the finale, while hugely enjoyable seemed like it could've ultimately been a series ender for the show as a whole (with some tweaking). That being said, at least we've seperated Carrie and Brody for a bit and next season with Saul could be very interesting as well.

Merlin: The final three episodes of this show really did seem to hurtle towards a rushed conclusion. Why did the writers wait until literally the last minute to reveal everything? I think my apathy towards the show has made some of the deaths we got in the last episode in particular less moving as well (I only cared about Gwaine and Mordred - Arthur and Morgana, not so much) and it really feels that after five series, the writers didn't really live up to the promise of Merlin actually making a difference at all. Maybe I need to watch these episodes again. I might not feel as disappointed as I did.

Mrs Brown's Boys: This will never go down as a politically correct show but with RTE1 due to air the third series tonight, I have to admit the two-part Christmas special was a lot of ridiculous fun. Only this show would make a holy shambles of the nativity, only for Maria to salvage it with a version of A Spaceman Came Travelling. Without a doubt, one of the funniest things to air all over the Christmas period. You might not want Agnes Brown as your mammy but she's certainly a riot to watch.

- Charlene McKenna will be guest starring in the final series of Skins. Her role hasn't been revealed yet.
- Ashley Fink will be reprising her role as Lauren Zizes for an upcoming episode of Glee.
- Mockingbird Lane has not been picked up by NBC.
- Happy Endings and Apartment 23 will be moving to Sundays now, following the cancellation of 666 Park Avenue.
- Leverage has been cancelled after five seasons.
- Game Of Thrones is the most pirated show of 2012.
- Julian Morris will be returning soon as Prince Philip in Once Upon A Time.
- Allen Leech will have a bigger role in the upcoming fourth series of Downton Abbey, following the departure of Dan Stevens.

Back To The Real World

It's been a while since I've done this but here's a rundown of some of the shows I've been watching recently.

Homeland: An intense selection of episodes here where just about every character seems to be at breaking point within recent weeks. Brody's constant shifting about the place between his myriad of alliances and desperate attempts of keeping his head above water has been fascinating to watch along with his increasingly complicated relationship with Carrie. Plus, the arrival of a certain someone into the mix has managed to make things ten times worse than they already were. I'm looking forward to seeing how the last two episodes end this excellent season.

Merlin: At this point, we all know the show has been cancelled and it's not that far away until the final episode airs during Christmas Eve, so it's nice that the writing is improving a bit with the last few episodes. Breaking Gwen out of her spell with Morgana took long enough and it does seem that Mordred is also slowly close to switching sides as well. Aside from that, it's been decidedly underwhelming and formulaic with the rest of the main character, though Morgana's recent punishment of a former ally was surprisingly nasty, even for her.

Once Upon A Time: Loved the last two episodes. For me, this show is so far managing to avoid the difficult second album curse and the stakes do seem to be upped with the connecting dreams between Henry and Aurora as well as Emma and Mary Margaret getting back to Storybrooke with both Cora and Hook not far behind them. Plus, it seems that despite her best efforts, Regina may very well slip again with Gold needling her as best he does. I can't wait to see where the second half of the season goes, especially given that Emma now has something else about her that raises a question mark.

Switch: The good news was that the last two episodes of this bewitching dramedy were pretty fun to watch. The bad news is that ITV2 have pulled the damn plug on the thing, in spite of it being one of their better offering. It's a shame but the last episode did have fun with the Solstice, a bout of sabotage, a family reunion for Hannah and didn't set up anything too major (aside from the continued vendetta with the Kensington lot) but it's a shame this show was taken out.

- Robert Patrick has become a regular for True Blood's sixth season. The first episode will be titled, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.
- Gina Torres will be guest starring in an upcoming episode of Castle.
- Gregory Itzin will be appearing in the 12th episode of Once Upon A Time's second season as the father of Dr Frankenstein.
- Treat Williams has joined Chicago Fire as the father of Taylor Kinney's character.
- The US version of Only Fools And Horses has not been picked up by ABC.
- Ruth Jones has insisted a US version of Gavin & Stacey is still unlikely to happen.
- James Cromwell will guest star in an upcoming episode of Do No Harm.
- Laurel's mother will appear in episode 16 of Arrow.

Merlin To End After Five Series

It was suspected for a while but on Sunday, it was finally confirmed that after five series, BBC1 fantasy drama, Merlin would finish it's run for good with it's fifth series being it's final one.According to both the BBC and the cast members themselves, it does seem that the show has been working towards it's natural conclusion as ratings for the series continue to be at all time high for the show. The series will end on a two part finale that will air during the Christmas period.

I have to admit I have mixed feelings on the show ending. On one hand, five series is a good run for the show and it's best to end it on a high but on the other hand, the show has yet to finally out Merlin's magic good and proper and it'll seem like it might be rushed during the final four episodes of the show. Either way, at least it will end on an interesting note.

Press Release: http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/merlin/23580/merlin-series-5-confirmed-to-be-its-last

Merlin's fifth series continues to air on BBC1 at 8pm until December 29th.

I Am Your Mother

Downton Abbey: I liked the finale. While the third series had it's ups and downs and fair share of disappointing moments, the ending was a nice way of concluding things. Thomas got to keep his job, Mary and Matthew can have kids, Edith is getting a love interest and Fellowes managed to find a way to keep Branson on the show without Sybil around, while Rose was a fairly annoying character. Not that long for the Christmas special.

Homeland: Another set of excellent episodes. This show certainly upped the game with both Brody being forced to play double agent, Dana and her numpty of a boyfriend involved in a car accident, Carrie trying to maintain control of Brody, Mike piecing things together about Tom Walker and new guy Quinn walking into a dangerous trap. Overall, I continue to enjoy this season of the show.

Merlin: I'm not really as gripped to this series as a lot of people seem to be but at least the last two episodes have generated some thought provoking stuff. Whether it's Merlin and Arthur dropping the ball big time with the Disir, therefore sealing the latter's fate or Morgana actually having a plan that worked in relation to her psychological torture of Gwen, along with a certain death. Either way, it's nice to see the show getting it's darker centre but the Merthur stuff is lacking something to be honest this year.

Once Upon A Time: I can't be the only one who utterly adores Ruby as a character, right? Which is why her latest episode was another favourite of mine. Especially given that it saw her many friendships being solidified during George's vindictive attempts to thwart David and also because any semblance of backstory for the character is muchly welcomed. Oh and the episode before that gave us more insight into Emma and introduced the giant was a lot of fun too. I'm also liking the shared dreams/link between Henry and Aurora as well. Overall, this season has been a blast to watch so far.

Switch: I've only seen the fourth episode (will be watching the fifth one tonight) but it was my favourite one of the bunch so far. Yes, the episode might have gone overboard with the friendship theme in a way that Being Human doesn't need to but isn't friendship the angle for this show anyways? It may have the misfortune of going up against Girls (which I'll blog about sometime next week) every Monday but it's the more entertaining show of the show and I hope that the rivalry with the ladies from Kensington does crop up in the finale as well.

- Rob Kazinsky will be playing Sookie's new love interest, fairy Ben in the sixth season of True Blood. Filming for the new season begins in January.
- Hunted has been cancelled of sorts. It seems the BBC won't be working on it for a future series, so Cinemax will be looking for another collaborator.
- The Killing's third series (currently airing on BBC4) will be it's last. The producers have insisted it's not coming back for a fourth series.
- The Big Bang Theory has become E4's most watched show this year. Excellent news, I've really gotten into that show.
- FX have renewed American Horror Story for a third season to air in 2013.
- Chad Michael Collins will be playing the brother of Dr Whale in the second half of Once Upon A Time.
- Kyle MacLachlan will be appearing in The Good Wife.
- Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge will be appearing in the S.H.I.E.L.D. series.

Hooked In

And here's a look at some of the shows I've been watching. Expect another one tomorrow.

Downton Abbey: A good set of episodes. This series definitely seems to have become more of an improvement to it's last one and the fallout from Sybil's death has been good to watch. It's nice for the show to find a way to keep Branson on board and the consequences of Thomas getting the wrong end of the stick with Jimmy should be interesting to see in the finale. I'm also liking that Edith is getting more to do, though some of the scenes with Matthew and Robert over running the estate have been less interesting to watch.

Homeland: This show is definitely not suffering from difficult second album syndrome. The last ten minutes of the episode, New Car Smell (I have to catch up with episode 5) were some of the tensest moments the show has produced and the resulting consequences of Carrie and Brody meeting up in the latter's hotel room once again, just a masterclass in excellent writing and acting from both Claire Danes and Damian Lewis. Oh and the subplots with Dana and her new love interest's father are also interesting to watch too.

Merlin: I'm finding myself a little less interested in this current series. Four episodes in and not much of real note has actually happened. Mordred has been a background character, the Knights - decent guy candy but not much else and there's a surprisingly amount of sparse interaction between Arthur and Gwen. The return of Uther seemed like a missed opportunity in some respects too while Morgana's continued scheming has gotten tedious to watch. I wish Merlin would just take her out though. I did like seeing Mithian again, though she wasn't as well served as her debut last series.

Once Upon A Time: Yes, I'm still enjoying this series. The last three episodes certainly haven't been boring, especially with the debuts of Lancelot and Hook, the reveal of Dr Whale (pretty obvious in retrospect) and Cora proving that she's a nastier piece of work than her daughter. That being said, much as I like that Regina is definitely making a concentrated effort to redeem herself and the bonding scenes with David/Henry and Emma/Mary Margaret, the show does need to dial down the need to connect virtually every backstory to Rumples at this rate because it's getting a little implausible. That being said, this season is shaping up nicely.

Switch: I know this show isn't a masterpiece in any way, shape or form but I find myself really enjoying it nonetheless. It might be a bit too fluffy at times but three episodes, I like the majority of the main characters (Jude, I'm a little mixed on) and the lack of big, complicated or existential storylines hasn't really deterred my enjoyment of it either. The last episode focusing on Stella getting over her antichrist of an ex-girlfriend was particularly funny and I'm not hating the triangle of sorts between Jude/Jerry/Grace but I think Hannah is still my favourite of these four particular witches.

- Felicia Day is returning to Supernatural for an upcoming episode. Here's hoping they don't kill her off.
- Arrow will introduce the comic character of Firefly in an upcoming story arc, played by Andrew Dunbar.
- CW drama, Cult will premiere on the station in January.
- Dallas will not be bringing back Pamela Ewing according to producers. The second season of the show premiere in January on TNT.
- Sarah Shahi will be appearing as a love interest for Taylor Kinney's character in Chicago Fire.
- NBC have not only decided to end The Office after nine seasons but they won't be picking up the proposed spin-off, The Farm either.
- Grant Gustin will be appearing as a privileged kid in an upcoming story arc for 90210.
- Burn Notice has been renewed for a seventh season.

A Return To Magic

It's been a while but here are some of the programmes I've been watching since the last jumble I did. Warning, some massive spoilers ahead for various programmes.

Downton Abbey: This series hasn't been brilliant but it certainly can deliver a shock or two when it needs to. The death of Sybil in childbirth in Sunday's episode was a great example of that, even if it could be seen a mile off. I've always enjoyed Sybil as a character, so her death definitely had the emotional impact it needed. That aside though, the rest of the series needs something of a kick up the backside. Robert's pompous attitude has gotten increasingly insufferable and the Bates storyline has dragged out a bit too much. On the plus side, the Thomas/Jimmy plotline has potential and Edith has definitely gotten more interesting this series as well.

Glee: Oh, the big break up episode was certainly an interesting one alright and easily the best episode the show has produced this season so far as well. I was sad to see Santana and Brittany end things for now but I am glad that Rachel and Finn really are no more as well. This episode managed to make me dislike the character all over again. Will and Emma seem to be a simple state of limbo and Kurt and Blaine, well I hated the cheating aspect of their storyline but musically, this episode was a belter with the likes of Mine, The Scientist and Don't Speak. As for the new kids, I don't mind them but I'm not as invested in them as the producers want me to be.

Homeland: An excellent return for this series. I was initially a little worried that the show wouldn't be able to sustain the quality of the first year but so far, so very good. Carrie's exploits in Beirut in order to get a contact were gripping to watch, though it's a shame that her relationship with Saul is so strained due to the events of last season. As for Brody's rise in power, it really does seem to be interesting to see what will undo him - Dana knowing more about him than she probably should or his double life crashing around him. I did like the last scene in the second episode when Saul came across an interesting confession as well. And it's also nice that both Irish and UK broadcasters are airing this close to US transmission too.

Merlin: The first two episodes of Series 5 and as good as the episodes were (I really did enjoy the real twist about Arthur's Bane), there's still a feeling that even now the show is treading water. A lot of the Merlin/Arthur scenes, good as they are felt no different to what we've had in the previous four years and Morgana continues to be a raging nutter as well. On the plus, a mostly shirtless Gwaine/Perceival for most of the two parter was nice, Gwen being a clever queen was also good and the arrival of a grown up and quickly knighted Mordred at least gives Merlin a more interesting adversary this year. Makes up for a naff alien looking creature and underused dragons.

Once Upon A Time: Last time I blogged about this show, I was four episodes off completing the first season. Well, I've seen all of them and they were brilliant. The fact that the producers decided to lift the curse so early in the show's lifetime is a ballsy move and if the first two episodes of the second season are anything to go by, it's definitely going to be a good decision. Regina might have regained her powers a little too quickly for my liking but I did like her little epiphany when it came to Henry (whose scenes with David have livened the character up a bit) and Emma/Mary Margaret's scenes in the Enchanted Forest are certainly interesting, the tiny bits we've seen. I'm still also intrigued to learn where August has gone, which fairytale character Dr Whale really is as well as whether or not Gold and Belle can make it as a couple too. This show continues to weave a good spell on me.

Switch: I was going to review this episodically, but I actually don't really have the time to, so I'll do a series overview thing after the first series airs. As first episodes go though, this was great. It set up the main points nicely - the girls dependency on each other to cast any spell, the rival coven at the end, the importance of friendship as well as little bits on each character - Hannah's flight of fancy, travelling wise, Stella's boss from hell, Grace's mother from a lesser hell and Jude's thing with gay men at times. It's a good show, definitely ITV2's equivalent of Being Human (though definitely lighter). So far, I'm definitely sold on this show and pairing it with The Vampire Diaries (I'll get around to see that) is a good move too.

- Being Human US's third season will air on SyFy US from January 14th for thirteeen weeks.
- Shameless will finally end after an 11th series of 14 episodes, due to air in 2013 on Channel 4.
- NetFlix have confirmed that UK viewers will be able to watch the fifth and final season of Breaking Bad.
- Jessica Sanchez has bagged a recurring role on Glee.
- NBC are finalising a deal for an Alice In Wonderland themed series, following the adventures of a woman named Clara (jeez, that name is popular nowadays) who enters Wonderland searching for the Queen known as Alice.
- Richard Harmon has joined the cast of Psycho prequel, Bates Motel, playing a rival to Norman Bates (Freddie Highmore). The series will premiere in 2013 on A&E.
- Clark Gregg will reprise his role as Agent Coulson in the S.H.I.E.L.D. series by Joss Whedon for ABC.
- Matt Bomer will be playing the ex-boyfriend of Andrew Randall's character in The New Normal.
- Neve Campbell will be appearing in Grey's Anatomy for two episodes as Derek's sister.
- Both ABC and the CW are producing Great Expectations pilots. Oh, whatever.

Merlin - Will Series 5 Be The End?

I only ask the question because over the last few days on certain sites, there seems to be something of a fuss about a tweet that mentioned about sets being closed but more than that there was also a tweet from an actor about the show being cancelled (before being promptly deleted). Plus, the BBC haven't confirmed anything beyond this upcoming series (due to air later in the month) and the rumours of a movie franchise, which may or may not be a continuation or a reboot of the franchise itself.

It could be just a case of whispers and paranoia amongst fans but it's certainly been generating a fair amount of interesting discussions online nonetheless. Personally, I'd rather wait and see what the fifth series actually brings before anything else. For all we know, Series 5 could give the show a good final send off or end in a manner to lead into movies or a sixth series. It's hard to deny that the show has been a massive success for the BBC and I doubt they'd axe with ease. Still, until we get some actual confirmation on Merlin's future, we really are going to have to wait and see.

What does everyone else think? Is the end approaching for the show or does it have another series or two worth of material in it?

Cultbox Article: http://cultfix.co.uk/merlins-future-in-doubt-18579.htm

Merlin's fifth series is due to air on October 6th on BBC1.

Merlin - Series 5 New Trailer/Promo Pictures

The BBC are fairly kitting out pictures and trailers for their upcoming dramas and Merlin is amongst those with some new images released for it ...

The first one released is of the new Queen Guinevere (Angel Coulby) and King Arthur himself (Bradley James). Gwen certainly seems to be gearing for a bigger role this series and Merlin (Colin Morgan) is also going to have to protect them from a new threat as well as the usual ones too. Also expect to see a brief return of Anthony Head's Uther in an upcoming episode.

The next picture is one of Morgana (Katie McGrath) and when she isn't be held in captivity, she's also planning her own schemes for getting back Camelot as well. I really hope this series Morgana is a better utilised foe but we'll have to wait and see. The trailer for the upcoming fifth year does suggest more of the same in some degrees as well.

Series 5 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBeXGcu6oQY&feature=relmfu

Merlin's fifth series airs on BBC1 from September 29th.

Merlin - Comic-Con 2012 Spoilers

And here's stuff from the Merlin panel at Comic-Con from Sunday last. Sorry, I will try and be speedier with these gems.

Attending the panel this year included Colin Morgan (Merlin), Katie McGrath (Morgana), Angel Coulby (Gwen) and producers Johnny Capps and Julian Jones and while I know some fans lamented the lack of Arthur and the Knights, this lot were as entertaining as always.

The newest promotional image for the fifth series was unveiled at the end with the interesting title of 'The Die Is Cast' but it wasn't the only little gem we got from the panel. Nope, we also found out that Anthony Head (Uther) is coming back for one episode and that the series itself after the fifth run will become a trilogy of movies. I do wonder if that means a sixth run is off the cards then.

Entertainment Weekly continue with their themed pictures and this one of Colin Morgan and Katie McGrath is especially nice. A trailer for the fifth series was also unveiled at the event but so far, the only version available is of extremely bad quality. Hopefully the BBC will have the sense to unveil one pretty sharpish because from what I could make out, it looks like we're going to have another brilliant series ahead of us.

Comic-Con Panel: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/07/merlin-comic-con-2012-panel-video.html  
Series 5 Trailer: http://www.spoilertv.com/2012/07/merlin-season-5-comic-con-trailer.html

Merlin's fifth series will air on BBC1 from September 29th.

Merlin - Series 5 First Look

And here are some bits for the upcoming fifth series of BBC series, Merlin ...

First promotional picture of the upcoming series and it seems that Merlin (Colin Morgan) has yet to get a proper costume change as such. Of course, one can hope in this series that Arthur (Bradley James) at least finds out that his best friend actually is magical. Things to expect include some magic wolves and the Great Sea of Meredor, the Knights to have a bigger role than last series and fewer guest stars.

Morgana (Katie McGrath) when she isn't getting a new costume will not be the only thorn in Arthur's side this series. Nope, Mordred is back and this time he's played by Alexander Vhalos and while he will be the main threat for the season, he will also become a member of the Knights table as well. You can also expect a plot with both our good and bad dragons as well at some point in the new series as well as Merlin having to make some difficult decisions within the show as well. It seems that this upcoming series is going to be somewhat darker.

Other spoilers that have emerged this series include Gwen taking to the role of Queen reasonably well but not being perfect, the returns of both Mithian (Janet Montgomery) and Annis (Lindsay Duncan) as well as guest stars such as Liam Cunningham in the opening two parter as well as John Bradley, playing a character named Tyr Seward, James Fox (uncle of Emilia), James Robinson and Alfie Stewart to name a few.

Meanwhile Merlin will also be featuring at this year's Comic-Con and here are the details for the panel in question ...

Sunday, July 15th - 10:30-11:30: Global Sensation Merlin Celebrates Season 5— International hit series Merlin returns to Comic-Con to celebrate its upcoming fifth season premiere with a presentation of advance footage, a peek behind-the-scenes, and access to its stars and creators. Leading the panel are Colin Morgan, the magical title character of Merlin, and Katie McGrath, the wickedly beautiful sorceress Morgana. The pair will be joined by co-creators and executive producers Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, as well as some fan favorite, gotta-be-there-to-see guests. Popular hostess and "writer of all things geek" Jenna Busch moderates the festivities, which will include an eye-opening offering of Merlin's expansive new entertainment scope, some unique prizes, and a few special-for-Comic-Con surprises from the series that airs in more than 180 countries. Room 6BCF

Filming Details: http://merlin-network.livejournal.com/332921.html#cutid1 
Series 5 Rumours/Spoilers: http://merlin.wikia.com/wiki/Series_5

Merlin's fifth series is due to air on BBC1 from September 29th. 

Merlin - Season 4 Review

UK Airdate: October 1st –December 24th 2011

As the show enters it’s fourth season, we lose one King and gain another as Arthur’s first year in power still sees him fighting against Morgana’s various antics, coming into his own as a ruler while Merlin also sees himself dealing with more enemies closer to the castle as per usual.

Long Live The King: Something happened to this show during this particular season because while Merlin has always been a popular series, for some reason it seemed to have blown up even bigger than before.

Perhaps pushing the show into direct competition with The X Factor was the right thing to do on BBC’s part, maybe it was the writing (which has become stronger with each passing year) or maybe it was the simple fact that this is the only fantasy programme that airs in the UK that is an actual direct threat to Doctor Who but either way, this show’s continued success is definitely something to be chuffed with nonetheless.

Almost gone are the days of modest little adventures (though there are a few here and there still in this series) and here are the days of powerful opening episodes. Losing two prominent characters in the two-part opening story was one thing but the overdue exit of Uther in the season’s third episode still managed to make an impact and give the show the boot up the backside it desperately needed.

As a ruler, Arthur is definitely not perfect, sometimes listening to bad counsel, courtesy of his uncle Agravaine as well as his inability to directly deal with the ongoing threat of Morgana but unlike his father, he’s definitely learning to be a more open minded leader and while his exiling Gwen in one of the season’s strongest episodes is definitely a shocker, at least he’s man enough to eventually reverse the horrible decision by marrying her in the season finale, another two-parter.

Arthur’s growth is definitely more gradual but at least it’s happening and while there can be a certain repetitiveness to some of his banter with Merlin, it’s still a joy to watch most of the time. As for Merlin himself, it’s definitely been an interesting year for him too but once again, with the new dynamics and stuff going on, it’s almost a shame that he didn’t finally get to out himself magically though. Hopefully the upcoming fifth season will definitely put that to order though.

Of course, while there are definitely stronger episodes and a slew of impressive guest stars (Phil Davis as an assassin, James Callis as a man trying to get to a dragon and Lindsay Duncan as a Queen), the stuff with the dragons are definitely some of the best things we had this season. I wasn’t surprised that our new dragon Aithusa defected to a particular character in the finale but it was a nice twist nonetheless.

However, even though this is easily the series strongest season yet, it’s not entirely perfect. The Knights for example are pretty nice to look but apart from one episode where they fight over a demon lady (the season’s weakest episode), they often seem to be relegated to eye candy, which is a shame considering that I wanted to learn a bit more about Leon, Gwaine, Elyan and Perceival individually but at least Lancelot got some memorable moments before he departed the show and maybe Tristan and Isolde should’ve been held off until next season, given that they were sorely underused in the finale.

As for the villains of the piece – Morgana needs to change the record already. I love her to bits as a character but apart from one or two sly moments, she’s not as well served this season as she was in the previous one and her antics in the finale pretty much repeat what she did in the previous year’s finale too.

Similarly, we lose the excellent Morgause and we’re stuck with Agravaine, a character so annoyingly transparent, it’s actually rather insulting that it takes practically forever for most of main players to deduce what his true motives really are (which seem to consist of being Morgana’s lackey and little else). It’s a shame because Nathaniel Parker is a solid actor but he’s rather wasted here so by the time Agravaine is killed, it’s hard to really care. Even Helios, who only appears in the last three episodes is a far more convincing threat than Agravaine.

That being said, these niggles aside, there’s no denying that the show has definitely shown a lot of improvement since it started back in September 2008. I can only hope that the show will continue to cast its charming spell over me, because four years on, I’m still rather enchanted with this wonderful show.

DVD Extras: It’s the usual scenario with this show, whether you’ve bought the complete series or the split season variety. There’s a smattering of commentaries from the cast and crew, behind the scenes filming, deleted scenes, outtakes and some storyboards too to keep you all entertained.

Episode Ratings:

4x01: The Darkest Hour Part 1 = 8/10, 4x02: The Darkest Hour Part 2 = 8/10,
4x03: The Wicked Day = 9/10, 4x04: Aithusa = 7/10,
4x05: His Father’s Son = 7/10, 4x06: A Servant Of Two Masters = 9/10,
4x07: The Secret Sharer = 8/10, 4x08: Lamia = 5/10,
4x09: Lancelot Du Lac = 9/10, 4x10: A Herald Of The New Age = 7/10,
4x11: The Hunter’s Heart = 7/10, 4x12: The Sword In The Stone Part 1 = 8/10,
4x13: The Sword In The Stone Part 2 = 9/10.

Top 40 TV Characters Part 6

And here is the sixth part of this list. I was going to leave it until next week but now seems like a good time to post it.

11: Simon Bellamy (Iwan Rheon) - Misfits

In the first series, he was a weird sociopathic kid who murdered a probation officer (kind of standard in relation to this show) while the second and third series, he became a futuristic hero and had a timey-wimey relationship with Alisha that could outshine the Doctor and River's too. Weirdness aside, Simon was definitely someone you wanted as an ally rather than an enemy.


12: Merlin (Colin Morgan) - Merlin

Merlin has always been an interesting show to watch because for the most part, I've never had a definitive favourite character but for the intent and purpose of this list, I weighed up all the main characters and ultimately found myself picking the title character. What can I say? Merlin the character has for the most part grown throughout the four series we've seen and continues to intrigue at every turn.

13: Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman) - Torchwood

Oh, Jack. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if having a spin-off has enhanced the character or sort of ruined him a bit. Jack works better as a more campy action hero than an intense, Doctor-like brooder at times and somewhere between the last two series of Torchwood, I think RTD lost sight of that. Still apart from a certain Time Lord, he's still one of the most unconventional leading male characters on a sci-fi/fantasy programme and that alone means he deserves to be on my list.

14: Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) - Angel

The most unbridled, meanest character on television or at least during her Sunnydale days anyways, though she still had her moments in LA. I'm going to be brutally honest - Cordelia was the best bloody thing about Angel and I hate the fact that we ended up losing her in favour of Spike in the show's last season and similarly uninteresting characters like Eve and Illyria as well. The comics tried a bit to redress the balance but Cordelia was the heart and soul of that show.

15: Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) - The Sarah Jane Adventures

No list would be complete without the most iconic companion featuring on it and let's face it - Sarah Jane Smith is a bloody icon. This woman has seen most of the Doctors incarnations, has fought many a monster whilst travelling with the Time Lord and with her own team in Bannerman Road. Elisabeth Sladen may sadly no longer be with us but her iconic character will long live in people's hearts.

Part 7 will be up early next week.