A wonderful gift from BBC television has been imported by NBC, and awaits your family viewing. "Merlin" is a new reimagined drama series that features teen sorcerer Merlin of the Arthur legend who makes his way in the court.
Terrific actor Anthony Head plays Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, the reigning tyrannical ruler of Camelot who has banished all forms of sorcery in the kingdom, and keeps a chained-up captured dragon (voiced by John Hurt) on the down low.
The setting is the mythical city of Camelot, where dragons and other fantastical beasts still dwell in an ominous world where the black arts and witchcraft abound, used for power and glory, control and deception.
This is perfect for the whole family, and the quality of the casting, production and writing make it one of the summer's best series to enjoy.
The 13-part summer series is on NBC, debuting tonight, Sunday, June 21st, and features newcomers Colin Morgan as Merlin, a brave but green new arrival to the castle. Arthur is played by Bradley James, and is first introduced as an arrogant prince who has serious run-ins with the young Merlin.
Terrific actor Anthony Head plays Arthur's father, Uther Pendragon, the reigning tyrannical ruler of Camelot who has banished all forms of sorcery in the kingdom, and keeps a chained-up captured dragon (voiced by John Hurt) on the down low.
Anthony Head - A wonderful gift from BBC television has been imported by NBC, and awaits your family viewing. "Merlin" is a new reimagined drama series that features teen sorcerer Merlin of the Arthur legend who makes his way in the court. © Solarpix / PR Photos
Anthony Head spoke to Monsters and Critics at the past NBC press day in Pasadena about taking on the period role of the King, and if he had ever done anything like this before. "It's my first time as a knight, there's not actually that much of this kind of era been done. I mean, this show, is it's one of those shows that you ask yourself why the hell it hasn't been done before because it kind of basically has a little bit of everything. Romance, and spills and thrills, beautiful photography, stunning sets, beautiful costumes and it's a great thing to watch. And you do kind of wonder why it hasn't been done before?"
Head elaborated on the great pains production used to "find" their Camelot to shoot the series. "Well, right at the last minute (they) found Pierrefonds, which is where we shot the series. And it truly is like the seventh or eight character on the cast list because it's absolutely stunning and it lends its weight to pretty much everything we did."
The castle however, was actually located in France. "It's an hour north of Paris and was built on medieval ruins in 1880 commissioned by Napoleon III - he asked his architect to build him a working model basically of a medieval chateau." Head added, "It sort of has a luminosity about it. The stones still look new even though it's a few hundred years old. And that sort of as a huge kind of prism. It's not like a castle that's got bits missing and chunks taken out of it. It's all there and consequently it feels when we're working in it like it's home. We shoot there three months in the chateau and the rest of the time we spend in Wales on sets and shooting sort of Camelot scenery in the lush countryside of Wales."
In the series, young Merlin must keep his special powers to himself, until a turning point in the action proves that his powers can be used for good, by saving the necks of King Uther and his court caught in a deadly spell by an enchantress.
The crafts of the production are exemplary; costuming, special effects, CGI, art department and makeup - they all work together an add a sumptuous layer to this old worn tale of King Arthur and the Sword and the Stone. The series is pure fictionalized spell binding escapism and will be enjoyed by a wide swath of ages, from tots to grandparents.
This is network television at its finest, and highly recommended.
Merlin Preview – Check out a Sneak Peek of the new series Merlin!
Merlin Preview, Pt. 2 – Watch a sneak peek of Merlin!
A King’s Castle – The cast discusses the real-life castle that serves as Camelot.
Cast Interviews – The stars of Merlin discuss the lure of reliving the legendary tale.
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