MERLINMERLINMERLIN (3.01)
Sep. 12th, 2010 05:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
corilannamAfter frantically shopping, vacuuming, and throwing things into closets, I actually got to celebrate the Merlin s3 premiere with other people. Awesome people, even!
Although I'm reserving storyline judgment until the second half next week, I have to say I really loved so much about this episode!
A few thoughts:
* Merlin/Arthur -- LOVING THEM SO MUCH. I love the way they just insult each other freely in front of the knights and servants and nobody so much as blinks an eye. It has a different feel to it than last year, like it's a show of affection, rather than derision. Even when Arthur was mocking Merlin in front of the knights, he gave him a little look that seemed to make it as much a joke between them as anything. He was like, hee! and Merlin was like, yeah, ha ha. And I love that Merlin got his own back, even if Arthur doesn't know it (yet).
I liked that Arthur noticed something strange about how that last bandit died. I choose to interpret his subsequent mockery of Merlin as his way of diverting attention from Merlin's unsubtle magical assists. In any case, I would love it if Merlin figured out some way to make his magic look like something else that he could actually take credit for, just so Arthur could give him some real kudos for once. I craaaaave that.
* Arthur making comments about the soreness of Merlin's bottom -- this had to be a separate item just because... well, come on!
* Arthur fighting blindfolded - HOOOOOO BOY! I don't mind saying, that really did it for me. Especially the way he looked right to Merlin for approval as soon as the blindfold came off (and boy, did Merlin look appproving the whole way through). Mating display, y/y?
* Arthur and Uther - Loving the increasing complexity they're showing us in this relationship. I hope it makes it into the fic, too, especially the AUs. In spite of everything, Arthur loves his father and isn't ready to lose him yet. He broke my heart with his tears at Uther's bedside.
* As a sidenote, what was Merlin doing making Uther's bed? Uther has a manservant; we just saw him.
* Uther/Morgana -- damn, could Uther salivate just a little more over Morgana? Creepy, sexy, dirty, wrongness there with that faux father/daughter facade, layered over nothing but sexual symbolism. A dripping doll under his bed to send him mad? That's about as subtle as Katie McGrath's smirks.
* Speaking of which, it was great to see Morgana so vibrant and present. She is finally starting to show some potential to be the badass witch they tried to sell her as last year. I could wish that she had more than two facial expressions, but we can get by on them for now.
* On the flip side, apparently now even Morgana has no use for Gwen. Sad.
* Morgana stabbing the guard: hot. Morgana finishing him off with poison: dumb. Honestly, people! You have one, single, wounded, helpless witness to a treacherous crime, and YOU LEAVE HIM COMPLETELY UNATTENDED??
* Uther seeing Ygraine in the well -- CREEPTASTICALLY AWESOME.
* LOVED that Morgana knew that Merlin was skulking after her when she went to meet Morgause. It's about time someone caught him. And I don't say that because it ended with Colin Morgan on his knees in chains. Okay, I don't say that ONLY because it ended with Colin Morgan on his knees in chains (and being a major badass with his dragon powers - how hot was that? I am so curious to know if this is the first time he's called on Kilgarrah for help, or if they've been staying in touch over the last year).
* Morgause, HBIC. Nimueh who??
* Hello, King Cenred. You may invade me at your leisure. However, I would like to add one more item to my wish list -- is it too much to ask that his kingdom actually get a name?? It would make things much less awkward ("Oh, that's just King Cenred, you know, from that kingdom that Ealdor is in.")
Can't wait for next week. Merlin riding the Dragon? Good gravy!
Although I'm reserving storyline judgment until the second half next week, I have to say I really loved so much about this episode!
A few thoughts:
* Merlin/Arthur -- LOVING THEM SO MUCH. I love the way they just insult each other freely in front of the knights and servants and nobody so much as blinks an eye. It has a different feel to it than last year, like it's a show of affection, rather than derision. Even when Arthur was mocking Merlin in front of the knights, he gave him a little look that seemed to make it as much a joke between them as anything. He was like, hee! and Merlin was like, yeah, ha ha. And I love that Merlin got his own back, even if Arthur doesn't know it (yet).
I liked that Arthur noticed something strange about how that last bandit died. I choose to interpret his subsequent mockery of Merlin as his way of diverting attention from Merlin's unsubtle magical assists. In any case, I would love it if Merlin figured out some way to make his magic look like something else that he could actually take credit for, just so Arthur could give him some real kudos for once. I craaaaave that.
* Arthur making comments about the soreness of Merlin's bottom -- this had to be a separate item just because... well, come on!
* Arthur fighting blindfolded - HOOOOOO BOY! I don't mind saying, that really did it for me. Especially the way he looked right to Merlin for approval as soon as the blindfold came off (and boy, did Merlin look appproving the whole way through). Mating display, y/y?
* Arthur and Uther - Loving the increasing complexity they're showing us in this relationship. I hope it makes it into the fic, too, especially the AUs. In spite of everything, Arthur loves his father and isn't ready to lose him yet. He broke my heart with his tears at Uther's bedside.
* As a sidenote, what was Merlin doing making Uther's bed? Uther has a manservant; we just saw him.
* Uther/Morgana -- damn, could Uther salivate just a little more over Morgana? Creepy, sexy, dirty, wrongness there with that faux father/daughter facade, layered over nothing but sexual symbolism. A dripping doll under his bed to send him mad? That's about as subtle as Katie McGrath's smirks.
* Speaking of which, it was great to see Morgana so vibrant and present. She is finally starting to show some potential to be the badass witch they tried to sell her as last year. I could wish that she had more than two facial expressions, but we can get by on them for now.
* On the flip side, apparently now even Morgana has no use for Gwen. Sad.
* Morgana stabbing the guard: hot. Morgana finishing him off with poison: dumb. Honestly, people! You have one, single, wounded, helpless witness to a treacherous crime, and YOU LEAVE HIM COMPLETELY UNATTENDED??
* Uther seeing Ygraine in the well -- CREEPTASTICALLY AWESOME.
* LOVED that Morgana knew that Merlin was skulking after her when she went to meet Morgause. It's about time someone caught him. And I don't say that because it ended with Colin Morgan on his knees in chains. Okay, I don't say that ONLY because it ended with Colin Morgan on his knees in chains (and being a major badass with his dragon powers - how hot was that? I am so curious to know if this is the first time he's called on Kilgarrah for help, or if they've been staying in touch over the last year).
* Morgause, HBIC. Nimueh who??
* Hello, King Cenred. You may invade me at your leisure. However, I would like to add one more item to my wish list -- is it too much to ask that his kingdom actually get a name?? It would make things much less awkward ("Oh, that's just King Cenred, you know, from that kingdom that Ealdor is in.")
Can't wait for next week. Merlin riding the Dragon? Good gravy!
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Date: 2010-09-12 09:31 pm (UTC)I am all for Uther crying as much as possible!