HOMG SHOW!!!
Sep. 19th, 2009 04:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lotesseDear sweet fantastic gay Jeebus. *flail* This is ... suddenly awesome. Like, in that it's actually, you know, good, as opposed to cute and dorky. Not that it isn't still cute and dorky!
Is there some reason why this ep is fixated on Arthur's bare torso? Because I'm not complaining, but when your season opens with a semi-nude Prince Arthur reclining in bed and calling for his manservant, and when that's not even the most manflesh shown - oh my god, Arthur's waist, with that curve - well, it might say something of note about your show.
Somehow they seem to have become even prettier. I really appreciate Merlin's new hair - and the lack of that damn neckerchief, because dayum he's got lovely collarbones - but that's nothing compared to Gwen's utter lovely radiance. God, Guinevere - and the use of her full name, which was lovely.
I am still killed ded by the sweet romanticism of that scene with Merlin getting cleaned up by Gaius after the breakup with Arthur - the sentimental music, the gentle lighting, the "I just want Arthur to see me for who I am." It was nearly as romantic as Gwen petting Morgana's nightmares away.
But I'm amazed at just how poly this show is, at the way that the various het and slash pairings never seem to contradict or detract from one another. Because I also got squeaky over Gwen saving Arthur's life by draping herself attractively across his (very manly) chest.
And the effects, and the dense plotting, and the actually totally creepy sorcerer villain - not to mention the oddly hot bit with Merlin in the swirling mist when he totally might be evil and you kind of don't mind if he keeps looking like that. The effective use of the slash dragon. Uther being both terribly sweet about his son and really effing hardcore at the end with the scorched earth policies.
I could wish that the emotional Merlin/Arthur resent button scene at the end had not been quite so heavy handed - it would have been nice if it could have been played so as to leave no doubt as to Arthur's reciprocation of Merlin's feelings. Because we know that he's completely gone on the boy, and it would be lovely to play it as an open secret - they're going to pretend that they're not in love with each other, but both knows how the other feels. As is, the scene was a slight sour note in an otherwise fantastic episode.
and then, next week: tournament! witchfinder! Lancelot! trolls! "The boy, Merlin!"
Last series, I enjoyed this show - it was sparkly, and it was an excuse to play again with the Arthuriana, which I've always loved. This series promises to be something quite different. Because I loved this on every level.
Is there some reason why this ep is fixated on Arthur's bare torso? Because I'm not complaining, but when your season opens with a semi-nude Prince Arthur reclining in bed and calling for his manservant, and when that's not even the most manflesh shown - oh my god, Arthur's waist, with that curve - well, it might say something of note about your show.
Somehow they seem to have become even prettier. I really appreciate Merlin's new hair - and the lack of that damn neckerchief, because dayum he's got lovely collarbones - but that's nothing compared to Gwen's utter lovely radiance. God, Guinevere - and the use of her full name, which was lovely.
I am still killed ded by the sweet romanticism of that scene with Merlin getting cleaned up by Gaius after the breakup with Arthur - the sentimental music, the gentle lighting, the "I just want Arthur to see me for who I am." It was nearly as romantic as Gwen petting Morgana's nightmares away.
But I'm amazed at just how poly this show is, at the way that the various het and slash pairings never seem to contradict or detract from one another. Because I also got squeaky over Gwen saving Arthur's life by draping herself attractively across his (very manly) chest.
And the effects, and the dense plotting, and the actually totally creepy sorcerer villain - not to mention the oddly hot bit with Merlin in the swirling mist when he totally might be evil and you kind of don't mind if he keeps looking like that. The effective use of the slash dragon. Uther being both terribly sweet about his son and really effing hardcore at the end with the scorched earth policies.
I could wish that the emotional Merlin/Arthur resent button scene at the end had not been quite so heavy handed - it would have been nice if it could have been played so as to leave no doubt as to Arthur's reciprocation of Merlin's feelings. Because we know that he's completely gone on the boy, and it would be lovely to play it as an open secret - they're going to pretend that they're not in love with each other, but both knows how the other feels. As is, the scene was a slight sour note in an otherwise fantastic episode.
and then, next week: tournament! witchfinder! Lancelot! trolls! "The boy, Merlin!"
Last series, I enjoyed this show - it was sparkly, and it was an excuse to play again with the Arthuriana, which I've always loved. This series promises to be something quite different. Because I loved this on every level.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-20 05:53 pm (UTC)thank you. i'm gonna need some new shows at some point, and i'd hate to miss out on something like this because no-one'd made it understandable from a thinking point of view.
no subject
Date: 2009-09-22 05:26 pm (UTC)Maybe sort of similar to the way that so few of us wrote LotR fanfiction before PJ opened it out into pop culture? Because it feels presumptuous and overwhelming.
But Merlin gives us the Matter of Britain made silly and safe and fun, with all these places for us to bring our tropes and lenses and id vortexes to bear on something pretty major.