DJariya

By djariya at 2011-04-01

Synopsis:



Episode 4 of 10

Promo:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/L-0PsHa9qvU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Love Guinevere

Really dig this show so far.

SiberianLlama

So wait, the sword that Arthur pulled out of the stone is not Excalibur? Huh??? I can't decide if I like this show or not. Most of the supporting cast is great, but I can't stand the actor who plays Arthur and Merlin is just eh as well.

Bill Needle

Interesting to learn that the moistened bint had lobbed the scimitar at Merlin and not Arthur.

Josh-da-man

It depends on the version of the story.

Usually, the sword in the stone and Excalibur are two different things, though in some versions they're the same. I'm not an expert on Arthurian legend, but I think in the earlier versions, the sword in the stone was Excalibur, and in later versions Excalibur was given to Arthur by the Lady in the Lake after he became king (by pulling the sword from the stone).

Thrush

The show is at its best when Author is not on screen.

Ive read this sentence a half dozen times and I still don't understand it.

Josh-da-man

Translation:

Interesting to learn that the drowning girl gave the sword to Merlin and not Arthur.

belboz

Here's the relevant clip.

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Snowmaker

Yeah, that really threw me as well. I always thought the sword in the stone was Excalibur. The whole time I kept thinking he already has a sword. And "Excalibur" damn sure doesn't sound like a girl's name.

brainee

So no new episode this week? I don't quite get that scheduling, when presumably they have the episode finished already and all they showed instead is a marathon of the first 4 episodes.

I've been tied up with things, so I just got caught up with this episode today. I do like that enough is changed up (at least from other Arthurian stories) to keep it interesting. But it's probably not a good thing that I find the characters of Arthur and Merlin to be pretty repugnant.

DJariya

It looks like they are trying to pad the show out until June. Plus we have another repeat scheduled for May 27th.

6/10/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#110) Episode 10
6/3/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#109) Episode 9
5/27/11 (Fr.) 11:00 PM STARZ (#106) Episode 6 (R)
5/27/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#105) Episode 5 (R)
5/20/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#108) Episode 8
5/13/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#107) Episode 7
5/6/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#106) Episode 6
4/29/11 (Fr.) 10:00 PM STARZ (#105) Episode 5

MikahC

Or maybe they just think viewership won't be high on holiday weekends -- which is the prevailing attitude amongst all the other networks too.

Flave

Couldn't agree more -- especially about Arthur. Not only is this a case of one of the worst casting decisions ever made, but the way his character is written paints him as a complete douche-bag and polar opposite of what I, or anyone else, has ever imagined the mythical Arthur to be like. This Arthur is a whoring, whiny, little bitch, pining over another man's wife (a man who is 10x the man he is), and who would lie, cheat, and do anything to get what he wants. And the fact that this pathetic little creature is surrounded by honorable men, the kind of men you'd expect from Arthurian legend, makes him look even more pathetic. He is indeed (to use your excellent word) most repugnant. WTF were the writers thinking?

And portraying all Arthurian legends as falsehoods that Merlin (as the Dark Ages equivalent of a modern political consultant) cynically makes up just to get his puppet Arthur to the British throne further spits in the face of Arthurian legend.

If not for Eva Green, this show would be a complete waste.

[Edit] FYI, in most versions of Arthurian myth, Excalibur was NOT the sword he pulls from the stone. The writers seem to be using Malory's Arthur for this series and Malory definitely says Excalibur is a different sword. In these versions, the Lady of the Lake (named Vivien -- interesting that Morgan's servant in this series is named Vivien) plays a very important role in Arthur's life including giving him Excalibur.