Merlin: The Darkest Hour

[awanderingbard]

Space started showing Merlin Series Four last night. It felt a little choppy, but I don't know if that was actually the episode or the fact that there were commercials in a show that doesn't usually have them.



- I really like seeing all the knights running around and interacting with each other. I like how the show has been slowly building up to the Camelot we know from legend. Although I did feel that having all these new characters made it seem like we were jamming them in. Gwaine especially did very little this episode and seemed to only be there for comic relief.

- Was is just me or was Colin extra mumbly this episode? I could barely understand him. It's like he's somehow managed to combine his natural Irish mumbling with his British Merlin accent. It could just be a personal choice on his part, since Merlin was out of sorts for a lot of the episode.

- Nice to see Merlin and Arthur's relationship growing to something a little more than servant/master. Merlin seems to have asserted himself a bit.

- It's also good to have someone other than Gaius knowing about Merlin's magic. Having Lancelot around makes Merlin seem less alone in the world and I like that Lancelot just sort of accepts it and rolls with it.

- I like Lancelot being around in general, too.

- Kudos to the writers for having creatures that don't need a lot of CGI, but manage to be pretty damn creepy none the less. Also kudos to the actors who managed to make running around swinging torches not quite as ridiculous looking as it might have been.

Comments

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

I didn't notice him being extra mumbly, but then I need subtitles to follow all the speech anyway due to poor hearing. I heard that Colin was ill during some of the filming so that may account for any extra mumbliness.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I have trouble with Colin's actual accent, which is very Northern Irish and he's shy, so he mumbles a lot when he speaks. But I don't usually have that problem with his Merlin accent. But if he was sick, he was probably tired and accents tend to slip when you're tired, I think.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I 'acquired' it and watched it back when it aired in the UK and then watched in Friday night here on Syfy channel with commericals, and I have to say the difference is very noticeable- Friday's was SO choppy. The tension that should have been built up just wasn't there.

I didn't notice Merlin/Colin mumbling.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Lancelot and that Merlin can be comfortable with magic around him. The two are SO cute together in their friendship (Well, Lancelot is just cute in general, but you know what I mean) and the bit with the shirt getting the wine stain in the beginning was wonderful.

And I love the knights. All of them. From Percival and Gwaine trying to steal a chicken to them going on adventures together... it is a wonderful camaraderie and lets us see another side of Arthur- the leader among "equals" (as opposed to how he bosses Merlin around, I mean). There's also that the knights are all ridiculously handsome. A friend and I have nicknames for them all. Ccan you guess who Sir Sexy Arms is?

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

At least the runtime doesn't make it so they have to cut out scenes when they add commercials. They used to slaughter Doctor Who, but now Space shows it as 70 minute episodes. Which, when they have a marathon, can make some pretty weird starting times.

The knights are lovely to look at, agreed.

Yeah, it's nice to see Arthur as something other than a spoiled brat. He's grown a lot over the series', but it's good to see him as a leader of men. And a good one.

I'm guessing Sir Sexy Arms is the one who doesn't wear sleeves? Even though it's apparently freezing? ;D

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yep, Percival.

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvuu6nJzJA1r0zecno1_500.jpg

Poor Tom (the actor who plays Percival), in some of the bts shots from filming some of the others are there in HUGE POOFY COATS and he's there in his sleeveless chain mail.

[awanderingbard.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I could make it as an actor in terms of having to brave the elements. Cold isn't too bad, but I'm rubbish in heat. I remember during one of the Sherlock commentaries Benedict talked about one of the wardrobe ladies passing out into his arms from the cold. That's hardcore.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd think it'd be hard to do a slow paced scene if you were freezing to death or to constantly be running/fighting when it's really really hot out.