Merlin 3.03. Goblin's Gold
Sep. 26th, 2010 11:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakGood old Howard Overman. That was enjoyable, despite the occasional moment where I rolled my eyes and thought „really, show, really?“. Still, fun, and it used its ensemble (i.e. everyone had something to do) instead of focusing on just one or two characters, which I’m all for.
To start with the eyeroll parts because I like to go from the not so good to the praise and squee, I’ll never get the British (or should that be British tv aimed at a family audience?) fascination with fart jokes. (See also: DW, SJA and earlier episodes of Merlin.) Also, the shirtless!Arthur in bed curtains blindly waving his sword around was old before it even started and way too slapstick-like. The tag scene also suffered from cheap punchline syndrome. And now on to the fun stuff, because I actually liked the ep a lot.
1.) Gwen! Had lines! More than one! And the Gwen and Merlin friendship was back full force, which was adorable to see. Every time they do this teaming up thing, I think what a great detective duo they’d make, but I don’t think anyone has written that AU. Gwen’s scene with donkey!Arthur was pretty adorable, too (and Bradley James was great with the changing expressions).
2.) As opposed to the aforementioned fart jokes and slapstick stuff, I found bald!Uther genuinenly giggleworthy.
3.) Given the emphasis on Arthur’s prat side so far this season, Arthur figuring out the goblin on his own and laying a trap for him was both a needed and very welcome scene. Also laid to rest my wondering about his low key reaction to the original magic accusation (i.e. given that he didn’t believe it and planned on getting Goblin!Gaius to incriminate himself, there was no reason to freak out).
4.) Goblin!Gaius’ scene with Morgana was another welcome surprise; I hadn’t expected Morgana to be more than set decoration in this episode given it was a Gaius and Merlin one, but like I said, Overman really used the entire ensemble and the scene was a good one. Incidentally, I wonder whether that sleeping bracelet will show up again later this season given that Morgana still doesn’t have it back by the end of the episode.
5.) Even non regular but recurring Sir Leon got a scene, and btw, is this the most text he’s had since his talk with Arthur at the start of Overman’s The One and Future Queen?
6.) Richard Wilson enjoyed himself, as I expected he would, but he resisted the temptation to camp it up. You do actually believe that most Camelotians would buy Gaius as Gaius instead of everyone seeing at once he’s a fake. (Though I’m a bit disappointed Gwen didn’t figure it out on her own. Otoh, see above, Arthur doing so was more needed in terms of previous eps this season.)
7.) So the goblin and the secret chamber date from 50 years back, i.e. pre-Uther’s reign as king, do they? Hmmmmmm….
8.) Merlin coming up with the poisoning plus antidote as a way to get the goblin to leave Gaius' body really works for me, given the two precedents (in Beauty and the Beast II, where it was Gaius' idea to use Arthur that way, and of course the not-planned one with Morgana - not planned in that Merlin didn't know he could trade her life for everyone else's when he poisoned her, it was meant as a poisoning, but once he saw Morgause's concern, he didn't hesitate to use it that way).
To start with the eyeroll parts because I like to go from the not so good to the praise and squee, I’ll never get the British (or should that be British tv aimed at a family audience?) fascination with fart jokes. (See also: DW, SJA and earlier episodes of Merlin.) Also, the shirtless!Arthur in bed curtains blindly waving his sword around was old before it even started and way too slapstick-like. The tag scene also suffered from cheap punchline syndrome. And now on to the fun stuff, because I actually liked the ep a lot.
1.) Gwen! Had lines! More than one! And the Gwen and Merlin friendship was back full force, which was adorable to see. Every time they do this teaming up thing, I think what a great detective duo they’d make, but I don’t think anyone has written that AU. Gwen’s scene with donkey!Arthur was pretty adorable, too (and Bradley James was great with the changing expressions).
2.) As opposed to the aforementioned fart jokes and slapstick stuff, I found bald!Uther genuinenly giggleworthy.
3.) Given the emphasis on Arthur’s prat side so far this season, Arthur figuring out the goblin on his own and laying a trap for him was both a needed and very welcome scene. Also laid to rest my wondering about his low key reaction to the original magic accusation (i.e. given that he didn’t believe it and planned on getting Goblin!Gaius to incriminate himself, there was no reason to freak out).
4.) Goblin!Gaius’ scene with Morgana was another welcome surprise; I hadn’t expected Morgana to be more than set decoration in this episode given it was a Gaius and Merlin one, but like I said, Overman really used the entire ensemble and the scene was a good one. Incidentally, I wonder whether that sleeping bracelet will show up again later this season given that Morgana still doesn’t have it back by the end of the episode.
5.) Even non regular but recurring Sir Leon got a scene, and btw, is this the most text he’s had since his talk with Arthur at the start of Overman’s The One and Future Queen?
6.) Richard Wilson enjoyed himself, as I expected he would, but he resisted the temptation to camp it up. You do actually believe that most Camelotians would buy Gaius as Gaius instead of everyone seeing at once he’s a fake. (Though I’m a bit disappointed Gwen didn’t figure it out on her own. Otoh, see above, Arthur doing so was more needed in terms of previous eps this season.)
7.) So the goblin and the secret chamber date from 50 years back, i.e. pre-Uther’s reign as king, do they? Hmmmmmm….
8.) Merlin coming up with the poisoning plus antidote as a way to get the goblin to leave Gaius' body really works for me, given the two precedents (in Beauty and the Beast II, where it was Gaius' idea to use Arthur that way, and of course the not-planned one with Morgana - not planned in that Merlin didn't know he could trade her life for everyone else's when he poisoned her, it was meant as a poisoning, but once he saw Morgause's concern, he didn't hesitate to use it that way).
Well..
Date: 2010-09-26 01:16 pm (UTC)The toilet humour scenes were expectedly cringe-worthy, but I have to admit that they could have been worse. Uther saved the scene with his frantic urging to end the meeting. Goblin-Gaius' scene with Morgana was also unexpected and good (but had the potential to be so much more than 'you're eeeevil!'). It really was good to see the Gwen/Merlin combo back...I think they had some interesting scenes and chemistry in season one, and for some reason that was completely dropped afterward. Probably to make room for Arthur/Gwen and Lancelot/Gwen, both pairings that bore the hell out of me...Arthur never convinces me in the romance department, and Lancelot is perhaps the most boring cardboard cut-out of all time. His lines were literally delivered in robot-like fashion. (I guess they hired him for the pretty face.) I wish someone would attempt to depict the T.H. White Lancelot in a movie or something, as I absolutely loved that take on the character. Getting back to the episode, though...unexpectedly funny, and I mostly enjoyed it aside from a few scenes.
Next episode looks okay, not sure what to make of the preview.
Re: Well..
Date: 2010-09-26 06:34 pm (UTC)Leon:
Re: Gwen and Merlin - I like them better as bffs than as romantic interests, actually, which is why I didn't mind that after Lancelot the episode Gwen gave up on her early crush on Merlin. There is something to be said for friendship between a male and a female character instead of playing all m/f relationships as inevitably romantic.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 05:28 pm (UTC)I love how many people are no longer impressed by shirtless!Arthur.
I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this episode, except for the farting things which triggered my embarrassment squick and made me go "aghh!" and cover my eyes.
Gwen/Merlin detective agency AU--I never even thought about having that story, but now I need it so badly! It would be especially fun if you dialed back their ages so they could have intrepid adolescent adventures like "Camelot Detective Agency and the Mystery of the Missing Meatpies".
no subject
Date: 2010-09-26 06:37 pm (UTC)Camelot Detective Agency and the Mystery of the Missing Meatpies is a fanfic that needs to be written. Badly.