‘Merlin’ Recap – The Law & Order Edition

Just when everything seems like it’s going well in Camelot – well, except for that pesky Morgana and her issues – a trio of three witches decide to pass judgment on the King and his rule, and the sentence is… Well, why ruin the surprise?

This week’s episode kicks off like MacBeth, three witches stirring up some trouble. They are the Disir, high priestesses of the Old Religion who speak for the Triple Goddess. They dole out justice by her hand and now the less than blind eyes of justice are tuned towards Arthur. But first, combat practice! And young Sir Mordred is coming along nicely with his training. Even Arthur thinks so. Merlin is still dubious about Mordred, and although Gaius tries to convince him that all this worrying is much ado about nothing (another Shakespeare reference – did you catch it!), Merlin remains steadfast in his doubt even though he, himself, has to admit that Mordred doesn’t seem like a bad guy.

Wait, here comes Sir Leon with news. The sorcerer and raconteur Osgar escaped some Camelot knights at a nearby outpost, and in the process Sir Ranulf was killed. The late knight was an old buddy of Arthur’s, so naturally some measure of retaliation is called for. So the Knights of the Round Table saddle up. Mordred comes along on his first official mission, one that includes some gentle hazing from the other knights. The company catches up to Osgar eventually, and though he’s mortally wounded, he manages to live long enough to give Arthur the verdict of the Disir, inscribed on a gold coin.

Merlin, of course, is concerned about the condemnation, but Arthur is merely vexed. Sure, he could understand the Disir condemning his father, but hasn’t he, Arthur, tried to be a just and moral king. Merlin points out that only those worthy can be judged, since it’s pointless to judge a man who won’t listen or examine his own beliefs to consider he might be wrong. Gwen points out that maybe Osgar was just a whack job, but Arthur saw the sincerity and knowing that Osgar was a sorcerer, and a cunning one at that, he could have easily taken out both the king and his knights. But he didn’t. Could the message of judgment have more weight than Arthur would like to admit?

Naturally it does and the Camelot knights ride out to the sacred place where the Disir dwell. When they get there, the knights are rather – um- single-minded. They enter the cave, in force, with weapons drawn, despite Merlin’s warnings that this is a sacred place that they should show some reverence to. Oh that Merlin, such a nimby. But yeah, the Disir aren’t impressed either. Arthur mouths off and disrespect is paid, which results in the Disir throwing some spears with their magic, one of which impales Mordred. The knights retreat, and return to Camelot where Gaius pronounces that it’s only a matter of time before Mordred dies.

Unless… No Merlin refuses to help. Following the advise of the Great Dragon, Merlin decides the risk to the future is too great with Mordred alive and declines to use his magic to heal Mordred. Arthur, however, is not as intractable. He takes Merlin and returns to the Disir to ask for forgiveness and to spare Mordred’s life. The Disir tell Arthur again that he has to convert to the Old Religion or else, and that he has until sun-up to decide. Arthur actually carefully considers it, after all: magic doesn’t kill people, people kill people. Not so fast, says Merlin swallowing hard every dream he has to live open and free as a wizard, magic causes a lot of bad stuff, and isn’t it possible that there’s a toxic effect to magic run unchecked? Wasn’t that the whole root of the purge, and Uther’s madness, and other anti-magic motions across the Five Kingdoms? Arthur sees the wisdom and his mind’s made up. He tells the Disir thanks but no thanks to the Old Religion and heads home.

The Disir’s punishment: Mordred lives. Arthur and Merlin return to Camelot to find Mordred alive and well. Arthur is pleased, but to Merlin, it just solidifies one thing: Mordred is the fateful end to Arthur he’s been looking for. To be continued…

EPISODE NOTES

-Can anyone say “filler episode?” This was easily the weakest entry of the season so far, and basically just reinforced the outlining story arc of the season: Arthur brings Mordred into the fold, Mordred is destined to betray Arthur, et cetera, and so forth. I suppose though it must be done. Scenes of Mordred and Arthur paling around, and other knights giving Mordred a gentle good ribbing help to effectively set-up the drama coming down the pipe.

-Bravo to Colin Morgan, the stand out performer from last night’s episode! No longer the country lad caught up in the palace theatrics, Merlin remained steadfast in his doubt of Mordred, and was even more cynical than Gaius about whether or not the Druid boy could turn out all right in the end. Merlin, once defiant when confronted with Mordred’s destiny, is now all too willing to proceed as the Great Dragon advises: let the kid die. On the flip side, Merlin had to swallow any hope for a bright day of magical openness in order to convince Arthur that embracing the Old Religion is wrong in order to save Mordred. Powerful stuff and ripe with inner-turmoil, which was rather underplayed nicely by Morgan who couldn’t really act out all that frustration and doubt, but had to look like he was burying it deep down. Hope this episode makes the Emmy clip reel.

-Was the MacBeth comparison with The Disir apt, or was it just me? It would have been funny if the connection was made a little more explicit, like in the old Disney Gargoyle cartoons, which included characters from both MacBeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream… You know if Hollywood wants to remake something, a live-action Gargoyles is something I could really get behind. Just saying. And what’s the deal with those Blair Witch stick figure ornaments outside The Disir’s cave? Is that a witch thing now?

-Was there a political implication in Merlin’s advice about the Disir’s judgment? Judgment will only be given to those who will listen. I read it as kind of statement about the absolutism of extremism in all forms. So many people never test their beliefs and live in their own little echo chamber that reinforces the things they already know, so how does one learn and grow without accept the judgment of others that you might be wrong? Some wise words to think about indeed. This Merlin has come along way.

-Osgar’s line: “For even as Camelot flowers, the seeds of her destruction are being sown,” some damn fine alliteration, or subliminal Hellboy reference? Dealer’s choice.

Next week: Morgana’s back with a new plot involving Queen Gwen. An evil plot? I guess you’ll just have to tune in and see.

‘Merlin’ Recap – The Beginning of the End

It’s somewhat bittersweet that we kick off this new season of Merlin, because we know it will be the series’ last. But as they say, the show must go on, as will these re-caps. For this season, I will forgo the usual blow-by-blow account, not because I didn’t enjoy doing them, but because they’re rather time consuming, and I just don’t have that kind of time anymore. So let’s get right down to the season premiere of Merlin, the once and future series about medieval times’ greatest bromance.

As previously reported, this season picks up three years after the end of series four. It’s been a time of peace and prosperity for Camelot, and one that’s seen a few changes, for instance, did you notice that circular piece of furniture that Arthur’s holding meetings around now? The order of the day is Ismere, a fortress in the northern plains. Sirs Gwaine and Percival were scouting the area when they went missing with 60 of Camelot’s finest, so can somebody say rescue mission?

You don’t exactly have to be a Druid seer to know that it’s Morgana who’s up to no good in Ismere. Now controlling the Saxons, she’s got a small slave labor force digging underneath the castle in search of a priceless artifact. It seemed to me that Morgana was an after-thought in series four even though she was the Big Bad at the center of it all, sometimes being squeezed into an episode just to remind us that Arthur’s uncle Agravaine is her man in Camelot. But if last season, Morgana was playing things cool and taking advantage when a situation came up, this season, she’s all proactive. So what is she looking for under Ismere? Arthur’s Bane.

Not that Bane.

According to Morgana’s new henchman, Ruadan, they will learn what Arthur’s Bane is through the Diamair, the key to all knowledge. They just need a few more guys to help dig it up.

Arthur’s rescue of his men takes a detour through a decimated village where Merlin detects a disturbance in the Force. He finds the Druid seer Lochru dying in a nearby cave, a moment that Lochru has long dreaded. He tells Merlin of Arthur’s Bane, who nobody cared about till he put on the mask– Sorry. Again, wrong Bane! What Lochru does show Merlin is a vision of the future: the Battle of Camlann, and the ultimate showdown between Arthur and Mordred. (Obviously, we don’t want to spoil how it turns out.) We don’t get to see much of the re-cast Mordred this week, but I will say that actor Alexander Vlahos makes a believable grown-up Asa Butterfield.

The Great Dragon later confirms Lochru’s gifts and advises Merlin to be weary, not that the kid needs the advice, or, for that matter, not that he needs any new concerns to get himself distracted. As Arthur and the others push on for Ismere, it seems that Camelot’s got mole issues again. Queen Guinevere’s new maid Sefa, as it turns out, is the daughter of Ruadan, who tells her father that Arthur and the Camelot knights are taking the sneaky, less direct route to Ismere from the west. The news allows Morgana and the Saxons to get the drop on Arthur, who’s injured in the ensuing battle, but saved by Merlin. They get separated from the others, but push on for Ismere on their own.

Sirs Elyan and Leon manage to return to Camelot knowing their plan has been compromised. Gwen clues in immediately that it’s Sefa who spilled the beans, and brings her before the court to find out what she told to whom. Meanwhile, Gwaine notices a funky light in a cave under Ismere as he’s breaking rocks and follows it, and after getting knocked out in a fight with the Saxons, he encounters what looks like a mix of the aliens from Signs and that thing Geordi Laforge turned into in the “Identity Crisis” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

As they continue to Ismere themselves, Merlin and Arthur get caught in an Endor Wookie trap and are later freed by some mercenaries who decide to kill them on sight. And just when it looks like our heroes have met their end a young man appears and says that it should be left to the Lady Morgana to decide their fate. “Hello Arthur,” says the grown-up Mordred. Uh oh…

Next time, we’ll learn what Arthur’s Bane really is. Hint: he’s not Camelot’s reckoning.

EPISODE NOTES

• The winter shots look awesome. Full marks to the cinematographer as the series really stepped up its game shooting those scenes.
• Nice shout to the White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia with Morgana’s wolf-drawn sleigh. Actually, the whole episode was very good for both Morgana, and her portrayer Katie McGrath, and I love how the writers picked up on that weird torture flirting thing that Morgana did with Gwaine in The Sword and the Stone, Part 2.
• This was also a very strong episode for Gwen, who seems to have really taken to the role of Queen by adding key strategic insight and shrewd judgement. Angel Coulby was very commanding in the scene where Gwen sentences Sefa to death, even Elyan had a look on his face that said, “Damn, that’s cold.”
• Speaking of Sefa, did anyone hope that there might be a less sinister outcome for her? Especially since she was making cute with Merlin in some of those early scenes.
• Lindsay Duncan reappears as Queen Annis in the first of what’s supposed to be many familiar faces returning this season on Merlin.
• Did anyone else wonder if Colin Morgan‘s juggling ability was natural talent of CG-enhanced?It look pretty real if it was the latter.
• Although the humor was still there, one definitely sensed a maturation of Arthur and Merlin’s friendship. Merlin as well seems more bound by doubt than ever before after the encounter with Lochru, and tries to talk Arthur out of going on by sharing (some of) what Lochru told him. But a knight of Camelot never leaves a man behind, and the secret wizard who works undercover as the King’s servant doesn’t leave his sovereign behind.
• One more thing: although it looks awesome, I kind of wish they’d stop doing the Zack Snyder 300 stuff during Arthur’s fight scenes. We get it, Arthur can kick a lot of ass. Maybe we can see some fights in normal film speed once in a while.

See you next week.

REVEW: ‘Arrow’ – Episode 8 – “Vendetta”

In the second to last episode of Arrow before the series goes on its midseason break (Is it just me or are more shows taking longer breaks halfway through their seasons?) we get to see Helena (Jessica de Gouw) go full blown Huntress while Ollie (Stephen Amell) tries to reign her in, Diggle (David Ramsey) gets jealous, and Walter (Colin Salmon) and Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) become a detective duo. I’m thinking spinoff for these two, but more on that later.

We left the vigilante, sorta couple last week making out in Helena’s apartment and unsurprisingly we begin this episode with them asleep in bed. Man, CW, why you gotta leave the good bits off screen? Then Helena wakes up, sneaks away, and attempts to kill some head honcho for the Triad. Her goal is to spark a gang war between the Triad and her father in order to punish him for murdering her fiance. Sounds like a sound plan to me, but of course Oliver shows up in time to stop her.

Kids, today’s episode is brought to you by the letters “V” for vengeance, “J” for justice, and we’re gonna learn all about how they differ. Or not, because the show itself seems to be a little confused.

I will point out Ollie is probably not be the best person to train Starling City’s new vigilante and teach her how to not cross the line, because, really? Ollie, you’ve been doing a great job at skewing the line between revenge and justice since day one. Thank goodness you’ve let Diggle in on everything, because without your personal Jiminy Cricket this town would be screwed. He doesn’t trust Helena and I almost wonder if he’s a little jealous of her. A few episodes back you would have thought he and Ollie were about to team up and take on the world, but now he’s been regulated to occasionally popping in to smack sense into the trust fund baby turned crime fighter.

Diggle sums up the problem with Oliver trying to train Helena perfectly when he says, “You’re like a dope fiend who thinks he can deal with his own addiction by making another addict go straight.” Ding, ding, ding! This comes right after a scene that can only be described as super hero foreplay where Helena and Ollie cuddle while shooting arrows followed with Ollie showing off by shooting anything Helena can toss in the air. So Oliver’s in no place to actually take in any of the advice Diggle gives and continues to work with Helena. He gives her a crossbow – FANGIRL SQUEE! – and shops online for her new crime fighting duds, which come in purple – FANGIRL SQUEE NUMERO DOS!

They head out on the town, bust up some drug dealing thugs, and neither one kills anyone. All in all a very successful evening I can only assume was consummated as they made love on the rooftops with the costumes still on. Again, I’m assuming, but this relationship has some serious Batman/Catwoman overtones and I know that’s how they like it.

Meanwhile, with Walter back in town he and Moira (Susanna Thompson) are trying to save their marriage by being honest with each other. This obviously translates into Walter continuing to investigate his wife with the help of hot techie genius, Felicity Smoak. This girl is hands down my favorite character because she’s the only one who isn’t so serious all the time. TV show characters, lighten up, you’re starring in a ridiculous comic book show, have some fun. Anyway, these two go all World’s Greatest Detective and discover someone else was tracking Moira’s suspicious business dealings and discover a familiar – to the audience anyway – looking symbol.

The short of it is Walter is still uber-suspicious and when he searches Moira’s room comes across a very familiar – again, to the audience – looking book and takes it into Felicity for analysis. She comes up with a pair of 3D glasses she yanked from the movie theatre after catching Twilight: Breaking Dawn on her lunch break– I mean, a pair of infrared goggles that allow the wearer to read the invisible ink on the page. Guess what!? It’s the same list of names Oliver has in his little book. Who knew? The list is back, long live the list.

Ollie, Helena, Tommy, and Laurel end up on a double date after the two couples bump into one another at a fancy new restaurant. Calling is hella awkward is an understatement, and it’s painful to watch Helena as she realizes she sitting at a table with Ollie’s ex and his best friend whom she’s now dating. Especially when earlier Oliver gave her the whole story of how he fucked up that relationship with Laurel by sleeping with her sister. Helena believes she’s being manipulated, because she is, and leaves. Tommy storms off too but it’s all wrapped up in him not wanting to ask Ollie for help since being cut off from his daddy’s money, blah, blah, blah.

Helena’s gone, and not just from the date but over the edge. She wants her vengeance and isn’t going to let anyone stop her. She shows up at a Triad poker game, kills the boss dude, kicks the shit out of everyone else, and leaves them all with the impression it was at her father’s behest. Girl’s got her gang war. China White (Kelly Hu) – oh yeah, remember her? – launches an attack on the Bertinelli residence in retaliation. In the panic and confusion Helena is able to corner her father and reveal how it was her who took down his crime empire. While she’s readying to shoot him with the crossbow and deliver the final blow Oliver swoops in to stop her.

He denies her vengeance, but gives her justice. And she isn’t pleased about it one bit. After Ollie ruined her patricide she took a arrow in the shoulder from her own father, at which point the cops show up and Ollie has to carry her away. Back at the arrow cave he treats her wound, she wakes up, yells at him, admits she did want revenge and now that she’s been denied it, she’s done with Ollie. Helena leaves, threatening to reveal his identity were Ollie to follow her. Hmm, I wonder if her knowing his secret identity will ever come back to bite him the ass?

In the end Helena may be a lost cause, consumed by her grief and lust for vengeance, but Oliver may be able to final become the hero. He’s trying to help the city more and worry less about that damn list, though we know that’s coming back since Walter’s got a copy. He’s taking notes from Batman and making an attempt to not just kill people, but rather leave ‘em for the cops. And maybe, he’ll be able to let his friends and family in since his practice run with Helena.

Next week it’s the midseason finale! Check out the preview below,

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REVIEW: ‘Arrow’ – Episode 7 – “Muse of Fire”

Arrow was back last night after a week hiatus for the stuffin’-your-face-with-turkey holiday, and it came back strong. In an episode without any island flashbacks, though still managed to make the consequences of Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) time there the focus, we were introduced to Helena Bertinelli (Jessica de Gouw), known to most as Huntress, learned the true identity of John Barrowman‘s “Well Dressed Man,” and finally saw Ollie be honest with someone.

“Muse of Fire,” co-written by DC’s wonderboy, Geoff Johns, picks right up with Ollie trying to mend his broken family ties. On his way to meet his mother, Moira (Susanna Thompson), for lunch Ollie sees her narrowly avoid being shot as the man she was speaking with, an “associate” of mobster Frank Bertinelli (Jeffrey Nordling), is gunned down by a mystery motorcyclist. After first suspecting his mother must have been the target, Ollie decides to investigate Bertinelli thanks to a tip from Detective Lance (Paul Blackthorne).

While visiting Bertinelli to discuss “business,” Ollie meets Helena, and it’s like a match made in vigilante heaven. All right, maybe not at first but that’s because these two are awkward as hell. They’re forced to get to know each other when Helena’s father pimps her out to Ollie in order seal their business deal, while he goes and has a secret meeting with China White (Kelly Hu) and the Triad. While on their “date,” Ollie actually has a frank and open discussion with someone about how isolated he’s felt since returning from the island. They bond over their mutual suffering, which for her was having her fiance murdered by her father. Of all people to turn to, he’s opening up to the mob boss’ daughter he met like 2o minutes ago.

But that’s because she’s not just a mob boss’ daughter, Helena is pursuing a crusade of her own. All is revealed when after dinner their both back at the restaurant to bust up Bertinelli’s “associates” who came to harass the restaurant owner for protection money. First in is The Hood closely followed by the mysterious motorcyclist. The motorcyclist quickly shoots the mobsters at which point The Hood steps in for some vigilant on mystery killer action. Well, it’s a mystery until Ollie rips off the biker helmet to reveal, dun, dun, DUN – HELENA! Yeah, it’s not that much of a reveal since we, the audience, knew almost from the beginning she was the killer, but it sure surprises the hell outta Oliver.

But if you’re looking for a shocking reveal, I’ve got one for you. First, let’s check in on the other date happening in this episode, Tommy (Colin Donnell) and Laurel (Katie Cassidy). Yup, they’re moving on from friends with benefits towards something more serious. It’s a move which brings out this great line from Ollie, “That’s good. If you hurt her I’ll snap your neck. Just kidding.” Haha. Yeah, real funny bro, says Tommy as he discreetly shits his pants.

Anyway, on their date Tommy’s credit card in denied and it’s a major blow to his wooing of Laurel. It gets worse when he realizes that’s not all he’s being denies, he’s also been cut of completely from any of his family’s money. This guy’s a trust fund baby, everything he has comes from his father. Which is why he goes to confront daddy only to reveal he’s, dun, dun, DUN – JOHN BARROWMAN! That’s right, his mysterious “Well Dressed Man” is Tommy’s father, Mr. Merlyn. Which is such a ridiculous notion I love it all the more. I have to admit I gasped when he removed his fencing helmet – the only acceptable sport for the villainous elite – even if it’s not at all what I was expecting his role to be.

For their second date, since their first was simply smashing, Ollie and Helena are kidnapped by her father’s thugs as lead thug, Nick Salvati (Tahmoh Penikett), has deduced it was Helena at the restaurant who shot up their men. During Helena and Salvati’s war of words we learn her fiance was killed because a laptop was found with incriminating evidence he had been leaking to the FBI about her father’s shady dealings. Turns out that laptop was Helena’s as she’s been the one confiding to the FBI, to which Salvati admits he’s the one who actually killed her fiance and it’s all her fault anyway. Enough soap opera drama, cue the fight scene. Ollie and Helena easily break out of their zip tie bonds and kick the crap outta these guys. Helena kills Salvati by snapping his neck and saying she can’t let anyone learn her secret. Sound familiar?

Yeah, it’s much the same rational Ollie has used for killing guys in the past, but this time he has the audacity to call her out on it. Dude, double standard! In the end though, it’s this mutual thirst for justice – or vengeance, depending on who you ask – that brings them together. Together in the sense that Ollie likely spent the night at her apartment after their end of episode make out scene. Those Ollie/Laurel shippers must be in tears. And usually, I’d count myself among them but I haven’t really felt the connection between Ollie and Laurel the same way I do between Green Arrow and Black Canary. I dig the possibilities of this Ollie/Helena, and in turn The Hood/Huntress, pairing. The script of this episode was literally beating us over the head with how similar they were, of course they’d seek to confide in each other.

Next week Arrow is back with “Vendetta,” preview below, and it looks like Ollie and Helena won’t only lovers but crime-fighting allies. Tune in Wednesdays at 8pm on the CW.

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