The series, which first aired on BBC One in September 2008, chronicles the teenage life of the mythical sorcerer Merlin (Colin Morgan), sent by his mother to live in Camelot. The third season begins with Prince Arthur leading a search party for King Uther's stepdaughter, Morgana (Katie McGrath), who has been missing for a year. After battling a camp of soldiers, Arthur and his men quickly find Morgana and welcome her back with open arms. However, Merlin hesitates to believe Morgana's claims that she was held hostage.
In a surprise twist, we learn that Merlin attempted to poison Morgana in order to break an evil enchantment cast over Camelot by her half-sister, Morgause. Merlin worries that Morgana will seek revenge by exposing his crime or worse, revealing his magical powers.
Although magic helps to set "Merlin" apart from other British medieval dramas imported to American television (think "The Tudors" and "The Pillars of the Earth"), it unfortunately weakens the show's storytelling.
Tacky CGI effects, such as the flashes of orange that fill characters' eyes when they perform enchantments, make it hard for viewers to take "Merlin" seriously. Juxtaposed with the show's finely detailed period costumes and sets, these cheap digital effects are simply distracting.
The show's screenwriting relies far too frequently on the novelty of magic to conjure excitement. Bewitched mandrake roots drenched in muck and giant enchanted scorpions constitute the major plot devices of the episode and the camera lingers on these objects with a baffling devotion. Spells and their unexpected magical effects propel the show forward, but "Merlin" loses its grounding in the present moment as a result.
The show's writers seem to be in such a hurry to get from one epic magical sequence to the next that they forget to devote time to character development. Although creating complex characters may seem an unnecessary and even banal endeavor for an action-based series, I believe that compelling characters are the missing ingredient that would add depth to this fluffy fantasy.
The interactions between the show's main characters are far more captivating than their otherworldly encounters, even though more time is devoted to the latter. For example, the magic-hating King Uther's attraction to the sorceress Morgana suggests an intriguing weakness behind his tough exterior. Although "The Tears of Uther Pendragon" only explores the relationship between Prince Arthur and Merlin superficially through bad jokes Arthur calls Merlin "a girl's petticoat" and Merlin tells Arthur he is a "dollop-head," for example the episode works best when these two central characters are together onscreen.
Merlin is the quintessential awkward nerd, while Arthur is the popular, good-looking golden boy. The unlikely friendship between these two opposites has much potential for both comedy and drama, but at this point in the series, the relationship between Merlin and Arthur is neither believable nor interesting.
To the show's credit, "Merlin" follows the lives of young characters without falling into the trap of teenage melodrama. Merlin takes a prophecy to protect Prince Arthur to heart and even the jovial Arthur is haunted by the knowledge that he will someday rule Camelot.
However, despite this one redeeming quality, "Merlin" ultimately falls short, focusing more on fabricated magical dangers than relatable inner turmoil.
"Merlin" airs Fridays at 10 p.m. on the Syfy network.
