So, I finally saw episode two of Camelot (the one on Starz) and I thought I'd review it.
This will probably be pretty long. Just warning you.
I actually liked this episode a lot for several reasons.
1) I love Morgan. She's so much more how I imagined her in my head than Merlin's Morgana. I mean, yeah, it kind of annoyed me at first that they combined her and Morgause into one person, but I think they've actually stayed more true to her character, in some ways. And this isn't something I thought from the first episode, but seeing this episode really changed my mind. The part that did it was after Lot had her tied to the pole in the middle of a field and he comes back and asks if she wants to still have their alliance and she says "yes". I was worried at first because I didn't think she'd willing have an alliance with a man who treated her like Lot did. She kind of seems, to me, like the kind of person who has to be in charge and has to be surrounded by people who... fear her, I guess, for lack of a better word. Which is why I think her and Lot clashed in the end, because he's also like that (except he's more stupid, IMO) and he doesn't like that a woman is trying to be more powerful than him. So, I was confused, but then when she came and told Merlin that Lot was going to attack them, I understood. It's not that she's on Arthur's side, because she's not, but she doesn't want Lot to win because she knows if he won, then she wouldn't have any of the power. So, instead of helping Lot like she said she would, she sort of becomes, like, a double agent or something. She'd rather help Arthur, who's her enemy, than sacrifice the power she would have to give up if Lot killed Arthur and became king. It's like, she does what's best for her and what will give her the best advantage or the most power and she doesn't care what anyone thinks or what she has to do to get there. She's not really on anyone's side but her own, basically. Which I like, because that's how I've always seen Morgan. She's not good or evil, she just does what will help herself.
2) I said this when I reviewed the first episode, but I love the way they handle the magic in this show. It's not like waving a wand or whatever, it's more like a part of the person. Not that I have anything against stories where the wizard's and witches have wands (I love Harry Potter), but I really like when tv shows or books or whatever like this have this sort of magic, as opposed to the kind that's more fairy-tale-ish. I think it's especially important in Camelot because the setting seems to be more historical, rather than somewhere made up. It just seems more realistic to me. I don't know how to explain it.
3) I love Merlin. I love how he's always creepin', I love how he's so mysterious, I love how you don't know why he won't use his magic, I love how he's kind of like all-knowing, I love how they hinted that he might've put the sword in the stone. He and Morgan are probably my two favourite characters right now, just based on characterization.
4) One of the things I don't like about Merlin (although I understand why they're doing it), is that it's taken them so long to get to the whole Round Table and sword in the stone bit. I mean, that's what I'm watching these shows for, is to see the knights of the Round Table and to see them go on quests and what not! That being said, I really liked that they had the sword in the stone (or their interpretation of it) in the second episode. I think that it was more important for them to do this earlier in the show because, whereas in Merlin it's more of a story of what happened leading up to Arthur becoming king, Camelot is more about what happened when Arthur was king and how he became king. Also, as much as I hate
On that note, some problems I still have with the series:
1) I hate that they killed off Sir Ector! I, literally, almost cried during that scene, and I never cry! I loved his death scene, but I hated that he died. It just doesn't seem right to me.
2) WTF is with this Merlin/Igraine nonsense? I don't understand! And not only that, but it's kinda gross, IMO. I mean, maybe it's just me... I just... eww.
3) I still don't understand the whole Leontes instead of Lancelot thing. And I don't understand why they've made Guinevere married to him. I just think it takes away some of who Arthur is (as in his character in general, not just in the show, but the obvious characteristics he's supposed to have) to have Arthur have an affair with Guinevere. It's not nearly as romantic, IMO because it just doesn't seem like something he'd do and I feel like, as king, he would want to be above that sort of thing because he has to set an example for everyone else and if the king is having an affair with one of his knight's wives...? How does that look for him? Isn't he supposed to be the person that people look up to? I just... ugh. I don't know if that's where they're going with this, but that's what it looks like, at the very least. I really hope this doesn't happen because it might ruin things. Of course, I'm not going to make judgments until I see what happens because that's unfair and, you never know, they might have a reason for doing it that way. Of course, if it's just to make it more sexy... then we have a problem.
Okay, so that's what I liked and what I didn't. Other than that, I'm interested to find out who, or what, this thing is that Morgan keeps talking to in the woods, especially after what Merlin said to her. What does he know about it? And, more importantly, how does he know? In general, I'm just excited to see the next episode and where they're going to go from here, now that Lot's dead. I think the thing in the woods has something to do with a way Morgan is trying to take over Camelot, or I hope so because that would be interesting. I really want to see some quests, but that probably won't happen for awhile, so I'm just going to have to wait :). Also, Gawain needs to hurry up and be in this series because I miss him and I want to see what they do with his character. The character profile they have on the website isn't too promising, to me at least, but we'll see. I'm trying to accept new things and look at this as just another version of the story that's separate from other's I've read.
Overall, I really enjoyed this episode and I'm looking forward to the new one!
--Sir Lancelot the Unicorn.
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