Merlin 1x01 and drabble
Jan. 11th, 2009 01:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meteordustOKAY IT IS PRETTY.
Mostly I am glad that it is not another Torchwood, which also had people dancing about strewing flowers at its feet, but which had me blinking at the screen and saying, "Seriously? No, I mean, seriously?" (One might think that Captain Jack Harkness plus lots of slashy hijinks would add up to a good show, but no. Although it seems like the writers were hoping it would.)
Anyway, Merlin is no Torchwood, being a show that actually has a likeable protagonist, an interesting assortment of characters, and a solid though predictable plot. Though I have to treat it as a remix, because I come from The Once and Future King, and I don't know how you can have Arthurian legend without the sword in the stone. It's all about the sword in the stone! Unless it's all about Arthur and Guinevere and Lancelot, which gives you Camelot, or Arthur and Morgan le Fay and Mordred, which gives you the fall of Camelot.
I am a little sad that here Arthur is a prince, because behind this handsome but arrogant young man is the ghost of an orphan boy who knew humility and kindness. I guess here Merlin is like the Arthur character, and Arthur is like the Kay character. Which goes to show that there are certain patterns in story even revisioning cannot deny.
The last time I wrote drabbles was way back in Smallville days, but below is one for Merlin. Coda to 1x01. Spoilers for the episode.
His Reflection
He had killed someone.
He had killed someone *using his magic*.
Merlin stared at his reflection in the mirror. The same familiar face looked back at him, apprehension in its eyes. No burning brand marked his forehead.
No one would blame him, even if they knew. The old woman had not been guiltless. She had committed two murders, was about to commit a third. Merlin had only acted in defence of another. He had good reason.
Merlin touched the glass. He wondered if the old woman had ever looked into her reflection and told herself she had good reason too.
Mostly I am glad that it is not another Torchwood, which also had people dancing about strewing flowers at its feet, but which had me blinking at the screen and saying, "Seriously? No, I mean, seriously?" (One might think that Captain Jack Harkness plus lots of slashy hijinks would add up to a good show, but no. Although it seems like the writers were hoping it would.)
Anyway, Merlin is no Torchwood, being a show that actually has a likeable protagonist, an interesting assortment of characters, and a solid though predictable plot. Though I have to treat it as a remix, because I come from The Once and Future King, and I don't know how you can have Arthurian legend without the sword in the stone. It's all about the sword in the stone! Unless it's all about Arthur and Guinevere and Lancelot, which gives you Camelot, or Arthur and Morgan le Fay and Mordred, which gives you the fall of Camelot.
I am a little sad that here Arthur is a prince, because behind this handsome but arrogant young man is the ghost of an orphan boy who knew humility and kindness. I guess here Merlin is like the Arthur character, and Arthur is like the Kay character. Which goes to show that there are certain patterns in story even revisioning cannot deny.
The last time I wrote drabbles was way back in Smallville days, but below is one for Merlin. Coda to 1x01. Spoilers for the episode.
His Reflection
He had killed someone.
He had killed someone *using his magic*.
Merlin stared at his reflection in the mirror. The same familiar face looked back at him, apprehension in its eyes. No burning brand marked his forehead.
No one would blame him, even if they knew. The old woman had not been guiltless. She had committed two murders, was about to commit a third. Merlin had only acted in defence of another. He had good reason.
Merlin touched the glass. He wondered if the old woman had ever looked into her reflection and told herself she had good reason too.
