Merlin 2x02 The Once and Future Queen

[themadpoker]

I'll just be here, commenting as I go. S'all good.

1. Okay once in awhile Arthur you are so adorably naive it kind of makes me want to squish you. ^.^ It has never once occurred to you that your knights might hold back when facing you? I thought that was probably one of the first things you beat out of them in training.

2. =D I love the look on Merlin's face when Arthur says he wants to be normal. 'Really?' Yeah, I think he doesn't know what he's talking about there either. xD

3. =DDDD Oh, I LIKE the farmer man. What's his name? When will someone write the first piece of fanfiction on him? A+++ unnamed farmer actor!

4. GWEN. ♥♥♥ No words can adequately describe how much I love Angel Coulby's facial expressions. She just gets across so MUCH with every second the camera's on her.

5. Myror is BADASS. And apparently a distant relative of Spiderman.

6. And uses LOGIC. Damn, he is cool. Can you not kill this one off Merlin? Just pay him more then the last guy, he's a mercenary so I'm pretty sure that'll get him working for you.

7. Oh my God, Gwen, you exploded and it's been building up for awhile and I'm pausing the video because I'm kind of terrified for you even though I know it's Arthur and you'll probably be alright.

8. Umm Arthur? You don't know HOW to cook. xD Something tells me he's going to be calling Merlin in.

9. =) Yeah so Gaius and Merlin are my favourite relationship on this show. I love that season 2 is establishing how they're closer now after the events of Le Morte D'Arthur.

10. Okay so I am extremely torn on the kiss. One the one hand OH MY GOD THEY ARE SO PRETTY I DO NOT WISH TO COMPLAIN OR EVEN THINK TOO HARD ABOUT IT. On the other hand that was way too early. :/ I like how the show was handling them up until that moment.

11. Oh wow. Her expression afterwards though is PERFECT. The way she looks more wary then anything else. Angel Coulby, YOU ARE SO GOOD AT YOUR JOB. I don't think I need to worry about Guinevere at all on this show, you make everything WORK.

12. Oh good. Good. I am so glad Merlin actually thought a little and didn't do anything flashy with his magic this time. Way too public for something like the stunts he's pulled in the past.

13. I actually kind of think Arthur not claiming the trophy is a pretty meaningless gesture. Why shouldn't he? He really did earn it. But hey, if it makes Merlin and Gwen happy.

14. EPISODETHREEEPISODETHREEEPISODETHREE. ♥_♥

In conclusion: Merlin is BACK! Way to go and grab that ball screenwriters! =D I'm really happy with this episode. The way they rushed the ArthurxGwen could've really, really sucked if it had been done a little differently but it worked. I didn't get the sense that they were trying to play it like they were super in love or whatever (which, GOOD because then it would've been Twilight and I think you know my thoughts on that), more like Arthur did like Gwen and wanted to impress her whereas with Gwen it's a little less...reciprocated? Gwen is VERY aware of her station and I think once in awhile Arthur surprises her with his decency but for the most part she knows he's the prince and her livelihood depends on him (remember episode 12 where he promised to take care of her forge?) and treats him with caution accordingly. And you could see that in the way she interacted with him in this episode (the LOOK on her face after the kiss! Someone less talented would've had her looking lovestruck, Angel had her looking like 'whoa. I need to be careful here'). And I really liked getting to see Gwen out of her work environment. It's kind of like the way she was in Ealdor in episode 10, because she's at home instead of the palace she let go enough to tell Arthur off for the way he was behaving.

Umm. Let's talk about things that aren't Gwen now. >_> I know there were other people in this episode, it's just that she's my favourite. Arthur wasn't quite as bad in this episode as he was in the premier, the way he treated Merlin was about his usual level of douchery (as opposed to SuperDouche!Arthur we saw last week) which I think is proof that they only did that to give Merlin more of a reason to hesitate at Sigan's offer. I can actually fit this characterization with the Arthur we saw grow in season 1. After all, he's always been a jerk and even in the first season you only really saw him be decent or affectionate in 'OMG! Someone may be dying' situations. Which wasn't this episode. And I like Merlin and his growing frustration, it makes sense and it was one of those things they neglected to show in season 1.

Yeah, that was alot of words to say episode 2 was excellent, want more!

Comments

[heather11483.livejournal.com]

*drive-by comment*

I'm ... not sure how I wound up here, I was sort of googling for 2x02 reviews, ANYWAY, just wanted to say I enjoyed reading your thoughts, especially on Gwen. She was really, really brilliant in the episode, and I'm dying to see what happens from here. I like how you point out her wariness and realism (since I wonder how many other folks picked up on that), and Angel played it perfectly, I could wax on about that for quite a while. *g* I love her SO much and I need the rest of the season NOW.

(ALSO OMG EPISODE THREE)

[themadpoker.livejournal.com]

Cool, I'm googleable. =) I finished this episode and all I wanted to do was analyze every single little thing about Gwen but I thought some restraint might be called for. xD Nobody needs to read five paragraphs that amount to 'HI I LOVE GUINEVERE, DO YOU LOVE GUINEVERE? Y/Y/Y?'

And episode 3! I was going to complain about the lack of Morgana but then it was all Where's Morgana? There's Morgana! HI! =D

[heather11483.livejournal.com]

I WOULD NOT OBJECT TO FIVE PARAGRAPHS OF THAT, I THINK. ;-)

And yeah, I'm holding out for episode 3, and then I'm going to hold out for them getting to be on screen TOGETHER! Imagine that! :P

[rubber-glue.livejournal.com]

I got here from google too! I loved reading your review and I agree that Angel Coulby's expressions are wonderful. I thought Bradley James was pretty good too. And while I think the kiss could have come later but the writers handled it well - it didn't seem to me that they were OMG!IN LOVE more like attracted to each other. :)

[themadpoker.livejournal.com]

Thank you. =) I feel special now that I show up on google searches. xD And yeah, if they were going to have the kiss that early than that was the best possible way to handle it. Angel Coulby and Bradley James just sold this whole episode to me.