Merlin 2x03 and general S2

[janne_d]

So it is just me, or is this series the one where everyone gets a bad case of the stupids?

Exhibit A: Arthur in 2x01 letting a complete stranger have access to the room where he keeps the key to a treasure trove.

Exhibit B: Gaius managing to be both stupid and cruel in his 'helping' of Morgana. Does his insight and compassion only apply to Merlin?

Exhibits C & D: Merlin and Morgana both exhibiting epic failure to consider the consequences of her leaving Camelot in secret in the middle of the night after an apparent assassination attempt.

Exhibit E: Morgana again for taking off into the woods in a ballgown and cloak - what happened to her breeches, armour and weapons from 'The Moment of Truth'? I thought she was a sight more practical than that.

Exhibit F: an honourable mention to druid-consorting-woman, because really, saving her from arrest to gain her sympathies would have been the perfect set up if Merlin had actually been a spy, and the result was exactly the same in the end anyway - lots of dead druids.

Gwen gets excused from the stupidity because so far she's been fairly awesome and Uther isn't stupid, just extremely obsessed with one worldview.

And I'll concede that Merlin failing to consider consequences of his good intentions is in character, but there's this little thing called character development where people are supposed to learn from making the same mistake over and over... (Ditto for Arthur - didn't we do the moment where Gwen told him off for lack of consideration and gratitude to peasants for sharing what they had last series? And he slept on the floor in Ealdor too.)

I'm slightly annoyed at the total waste of Colin Salmon as well.

Things I liked: Merlin hiding the flowers from Arthur and Arthur's little lean back round the corner to peek, Merlin taking flowers to Morgana, Arthur wanting to know why he didn't get flowers (!), and Morgana finally being allowed to realise that she's not insane.

Not a long list there and it is depressing me because I seem to be seeing lots of other reviews that are madly praising this episode and the writer. And yes, it was tense and angsty and everyone looked very pretty and Merlin and Arthur actually acted friendly again... I don't know. It's hard for me to feel the love for this episode because it made me annoyed at so many of the characters.

Comments

[wordsindreams.livejournal.com]

ALL OF THIS, YES.

The only thing that kept me disliking this episode as much as the others was that someone seemed to of hit Colin extra hard with The Pretty Stick before this episode starting filming.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Oh thank goodness. I've seen very little but squee in reaction to this one and I was feeling a bit lonely for not liking it more.

Though I don't know I'd say I actively disliked the previous episodes - they both had good points along with some things that ticked me off. And I think 2x03 was well put together and all that, it just had even more things that really ticked me off!

You're right about the extreme use of the Pretty Stick on Colin mind. And Morgana's cloak was gorgeous, just totally impractical for trying to find druids in a forest, and I am getting fond of Arthur's new blue jacket. But I would like to have more than the Pretty to get enthused about, you know?

[thisissirius.livejournal.com]

I just never took the time to look at what might be annoying about the episode. I was just pleased to finally get some interaction between Arthur and Merlin that was at least SEMI in character.

I don't know, I guess I'm easily pleased by everything but the glaring flaws are obvious, even to me. There were many instances that made me go WTF?!?!! but the joy far outweighed the sadness this time around.

Gaius was the one thing that did piss me off, though, because the way he treats Morgana is beyond reprehensible. Keeping her in the dark can only be bad for Camelot in the long wrong. He can't honestly believe that he can keep the fact that she has MAGIC a secret for long? It's NEVER worked that way.

This season sort of reminds me of the morally corrupt parts of SGA? I just get those vibes where we're supposed to respect what these characters are doing and get ENJOYMENT from these situations, but sometimes you have to sit back and wonder if they truly BELIEVE what they're doing is right.

Then there's the whole characterisation issue. It feels like so much of this season is rushed because the show is trying to get to point A as quickly as possible and just shove everything in that we MIGHT want to see.

MY SHOW CONFLICTS ME. Then again, I felt this way about SGA for a long time before it annoyed me to the point of not wanting to watch it anymore. I doubt I'll ever get to that point with Merlin because I'm still liking it too much right now, but the issues and the situations are there.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Gaius was the one thing that did piss me off, though, because the way he treats Morgana is beyond reprehensible

God, I knooooooow. But I don't think we are meant to respect what he is doing, unlike SGA (which I never saw the later seasons of anyway) - I got the clear impression we were meant to be agreeing with Merlin's assessment rather than Gaius' despite the stupid way Merlin went about trying to help. What is annoying is I really don't like the characterisation of Gaius as being that blind.

I don't know that I feel the show is rushing, I just think it is failing to show the things it wants to well enough to make me believe it. Which is just as bad really.

Sigh. I'm hoping that, like last series, it gets better as it goes through.

[anitac588.livejournal.com]

Oh, you left out the Slash Dragon who was around for 1000+ years and didn't learn in all this time power of saying it directly, like: Listen, you snotty little brat, if you go to the druids, as clumsily as you usually do, you'll cause their slaughter, get it?

I get that he had high hopes at the beginning of his meeting Merlin and didn't spell it out for him, i.e. If Mordred lives, he'll kill Arthur some day, but by now Slash Dragon should have known that Merlin obviously lost some IQ points when he got this magic.

Yeah, it's a short list, there at the end, but hey, mighty powerful.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

you left out the Slash Dragon who was around for 1000+ years and didn't learn in all this time power of saying it directly

Gah, I knew I'd forgotten someone! Though I think the Dragon has just given up by now - it's not like Merlin listens to him when he spells it out either. Mordred being a case in point.

it's a short list, there at the end, but hey, mighty powerful

Yes, the few good things were very, very good!

[torakowalski.livejournal.com]

an honourable mention to druid-consorting-woman, because really, saving her from arrest to gain her sympathies would have been the perfect set up if Merlin had actually been a spy

This! I said this! If I ever have a secret hideout, remind me not to confide its location in her.