DVD Reviews

Merlin: The Complete First Season – DVD Review

By June L. Apr 22, 2010, 11:48 GMT

Like Smallville did for Superman, Merlin is a new drama series that updates the story of the infamous sorcerer of Arthurian legend for a new audience. In a time before history began, the mythical city of Camelot was a fantastical realm and a dangerous world in which magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant Uther Pendragon. When Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, arrives in the ...more

Magic, castles, knights in armor, evil, good, romance and legend, the new Merlin series has it all.  In addition, the well-known characters are portrayed by actors certain to please the youthful in the audience and the old stories are given a fresh treatment with some splendid special effects and reinterpretations. 

If one is a King Arthur scholar, or utterly devoted to the Sir Thomas Mallory accounts of the legend, this may not be the series to watch.  However, for those open to some stretching, rearranging and politically correct changes to the familiar old stories, this new Merlin can be great fun. 

In this version of the story, Arthur (Bradley James) is a young adult, his father Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head) is still alive and Morgana (Katie McGrath) is a ward of the crown, not to mention obviously romantically interested in Arthur.  Merlin (Colin Morgan) is a young man whose magical abilities are destined to cause him trouble in a society that deems magic to be criminal. 

Sent to Gaius (Richard Wilson) the Court Physician (and at one time a wizard) for training, Merlin stumbles almost immediately onto a plot against Prince Arthur’s life.  He also hears the “dragon’s call,” from Kilgharrah (voiced by John Hurt) a dragon that is imprisoned under Camelot. 

From Kilgharrah, Merlin learns of his amazing destiny that centers on Arthur becoming the legendary once and future King. With all this information churning about in his head, warring with the idea that Arthur is a bully and a snob, Merlin is able to save the Prince.  As a reward, King Uther gives Merlin the job of being personal servant to Arthur. In this new position, Merlin becomes friendly with Morgana’s lady-in-waiting Guinevere (Angel Coulby), and is on constant watch for the Prince’s safety.

At this point in the action, some friends who are serious Arthurian scholars have expressed the notion that their heads are near exploding as they try to absorb the changes to the legend this series has employed.  There has been discussion lately of whether a legend loses anything by being changed, and of course there are at least two positions ready to do battle. 

One can love the old, but still be interested in the new, as it might open up an inventive interpretation for consideration and possibly find a fresh audience.  If the legend began as a song or story based on fact, and through generations of tellings has had bits added, or changed, what we know today probably bears very little resemblance to original, but the story lives on. 

Perhaps in the future, a study of legends will include what was changed, when it was changed and the sociological factors that made the changes seem like a good idea.  It has already happened in our day with Robin Hood. 

Before Kevin Costner’s telling of the legend, there was no dark skinned Saracen in the band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest.  Now he is part of the canon, even appearing in skits and send ups, and ultimately adding a new dimension to the story.  Perhaps the same will occur in the Arthur legends.

Merlin: The Complete First Season DVD is presented on five discs with a nice array of special features.  There are audio commentaries on selected episodes, and video diaries from the entire season.  The running time is 587 minutes for the episodes, and with the featurettes, “Behind the Magic” looks at how moments bewitching or horrible were created. 

Don’t dismiss this as too far from the old legends to be enjoyable.  The stories are interesting, the characters well played and if nothing else may lead a younger audience to fall in love with the legend of King Arthur and look for more information among the past ballads, stories, poems and histories.

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