Merlin: Review: Series 5 Episode 6: The Dark Tower (spoiler-free)
Morgana kidnaps Gwen and takes her to the Dark Tower…
We are very definitely getting into Stephen King territory with this episode with some real horrors, both physical and psychological – I’ll be very interested to see what certification this gets from the BBFC for the DVD release. This certainly isn’t an episode for younger children! The Dark Tower isn’t part of established Arthurian lore – its origins appear to be in Shakespeare’s King Lear – but it fits in well with the BBC variant, which hasn’t hesitated in the past to adopt elements from every version of the myth, and is now doffing its hat to Stephen King’s epic saga, in which Arthur-Eld is a key part of the backstory of the Dark Tower.
This is one of the first times that we see Merlin in his proper role to Arthur: he’s not just a guide in this episode, he is the one who has a lot of the solutions, and we’re seeing a gradual realisation by Arthur that this is the case. Arthur, Merlin and the knights’ quest is counterpointed with some nasty scenes for Gwen, and a more subtle play by Morgana than she’s sometimes used. We also learn more about what happened to Arthur’s nemesis during the three-year gap between series four and five, which do help to explain the changes we’ve seen in Morgana this year. Both Angel Coulby and Katie McGrath excel, making up, particularly in the former’s case, for what has seemed like a reduction in role for the character in recent weeks.
Don’t let anyone spoil the developments of the final act: it remains to be seen whether what they set up will be retreading old ground, or whether the show is willing to go even darker…
Verdict: Those who wanted a more proactive Merlin will be pleased by this. 7/10
Morgana kidnaps Gwen and takes her to the Dark Tower…
We are very definitely getting into Stephen King territory with this episode with some real horrors, both physical and psychological – I’ll be very interested to see what certification this gets from the BBFC for the DVD release. This certainly isn’t an episode for younger children! The Dark Tower isn’t part of established Arthurian lore – its origins appear to be in Shakespeare’s King Lear – but it fits in well with the BBC variant, which hasn’t hesitated in the past to adopt elements from every version of the myth, and is now doffing its hat to Stephen King’s epic saga, in which Arthur-Eld is a key part of the backstory of the Dark Tower.
This is one of the first times that we see Merlin in his proper role to Arthur: he’s not just a guide in this episode, he is the one who has a lot of the solutions, and we’re seeing a gradual realisation by Arthur that this is the case. Arthur, Merlin and the knights’ quest is counterpointed with some nasty scenes for Gwen, and a more subtle play by Morgana than she’s sometimes used. We also learn more about what happened to Arthur’s nemesis during the three-year gap between series four and five, which do help to explain the changes we’ve seen in Morgana this year. Both Angel Coulby and Katie McGrath excel, making up, particularly in the former’s case, for what has seemed like a reduction in role for the character in recent weeks.
Don’t let anyone spoil the developments of the final act: it remains to be seen whether what they set up will be retreading old ground, or whether the show is willing to go even darker…
Verdict: Those who wanted a more proactive Merlin will be pleased by this. 7/10
Second, how many of you are beginning to thoroughly dislike him? For the longest time I put up with him as the amusing defacto father of Merls and that was all fine well and good and I could cope with his lack of imagination re the tavern issue all day long (Merlin being in the tavern) but this, this constant, thing of never quite telling all the relevant details and what is more, being selective in his memory is beginning to wear thin.
In fact, sometimes I find him far more evil than the warpedness of an Odin or an Uther because they are just blindingly ignorant but he knows better.
Thoughts welcomed. Very very miffed with Gaius this season.
