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The creators of Merlin position their hero as the original Harry Potter: a headstrong young wizard with mixed feelings about--and sometimes outright hostility toward--the destiny that's been thrust upon him. Merlin is a reboot of Arthurian legend, starting when all the heroes and sorcerous folk were teenagers, bursting with hormones and wrestling with the powers-that-be, particularly Arthur's heavy-handed father, Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head, best known as Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), a benevolent tyrant who's banished magic from Camelot. Merlin (Colin Morgan, an impish lad with prominent ears) comes to the kingdom with high hopes and innate magical powers. He's taken under the wing of the court physician, Gaius (Richard Wilson, One Foot in the Grave), but additionally becomes the servant of young Arthur (Bradley James), a handsome and talented fighter who's also a bully and a snob. Rounding out the main cast are Morgana (Katie McGrath), who will one day be Merlin's foe but is now Uther's ward, and Gwen (Angel Coulby), a.k.a. Guinevere, the woman who will one day be the center of a legendary love triangle--but who is now Morgana's maid. Clearly, Merlin wants to shake up any preconception about these stuffy old stories, presenting a multi-ethnic Camelot with contemporary language and attitudes.
Despite all this, Merlin quickly becomes addictive. The dialogue and special effects can be cheesy (particularly when the CGI monsters have to interact with actors), but the cast is charming and the stories, while a tad formulaic, keep things moving. Morgan is appropriately dweeby (but also has killer cheekbones), James combines football-quarterback good looks with a hint of sensitivity, McGrath is luscious and impetuous, and Coulby has earthy spunk. The heavy lifting, acting-wise, is ably handled by Head and Wilson. The first season deftly explores the origins of the pillars of Arthurian mythos, from the sword Excalibur to a very dashing (but born of peasant stock) Lancelot to the mysterious birth of Arthur himself. Add to it all an imprisoned dragon, voiced by John Hurt (Alien, The Elephant Man) and prone to cryptic but sometimes helpful advice, and you have an engaging fantasy series. In addition to 13 episodes, there's an additional disk with making-of features and video diaries of the young cast gallivanting around France. --Bret Fetzer
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By A. Aguiar
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great series. The first season was great. The characters are great and seeing Arthur mature throughout the season was fun to watch. Highly recommended
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The plots are well laid
out and I would recommend it to my teenaged grandchildren. They would enjoy all the sword fights. The girls would even like the romance in it.
out and I would recommend it to my teenaged grandchildren. They would enjoy all the sword fights. The girls would even like the romance in it.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Je suis heureuse de revoir tous les épisodes les uns après les autres. Je me sens légèrement "adicted" mais ça ne va pas durer...
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4.7 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Supernatural Camelot
"Merlin: The Complete First Season" is a mystical and uplifting show around the spiritual tests of each character in Merlin. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Stella Carrier
5.0 out of 5 stars
Merlin first season
We just love this series and all the DVD's worked which made me very happy!!!!
We intend to buy the rest of this series in the near future..
We intend to buy the rest of this series in the near future..
Published 12 months ago by babs
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chronologically incorrect but extremly entertaining
The chronological timeline of the BBC Merlin series is incorrect but that doesn't affect the entertaining values of the production. I particularly like the first season. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Althetrainer
5.0 out of 5 stars
The perfect beginning of a great series
I have always seen episodes of Merlin here and there and enjoyed it every time. I finally bought the season 2 dvd first since this was readily available at Walmart. Read more
Published on May 11 2011 by CC80
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wasn't sure ...
When I watched the first episode (not the series first as I came in close to the beginning) I wasn't too sure about this series. Read more
Published on April 6 2011 by Merry Me
5.0 out of 5 stars
excellent show
I loved this show from the first episode. I own the first three seasons (UK versions are released earlier). The fourth has already been announced, yay! Read more
Published on Mar 31 2011 by Harmony K.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Merlin with a twist
The BBC TV series is well cast and puts a new twist on all the Merlin stories and characters I've grown up with. The names are there but the story line is quite unique. Read more
Published on Aug 21 2010 by parchren
4.0 out of 5 stars
Merlin BBC 1st season
It is a great series, fun to watch. The acting is superb, and the chemistry between the actors is great. Read more
Published on July 10 2010 by L. Baars
5.0 out of 5 stars
An exciting fantasy that should be more well-known
Merlin is the most exciting TV series I've ever watched. The first episode drew me in, so if the first episode does not interest you, likely the other episodes won't interest you... Read more
Published on May 23 2010 by Sam
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