UK Bargain Merlin Series 4 – Volume 2 BBC [DVD] Lowest Price

Bestseller Merlin Series 4 – Volume 2 BBC [DVD] – Price

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Isabelle "isabellec" (113 days)

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

The weaker half of series 4, 23 Jan 2012

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Isabelle “isabellec” (Burbank, CA USA) –

This review is from: Merlin Series 4 – Volume 2 BBC [DVD] (DVD)

This boxed set contains episodes 7-13 of series 4 of Merlin. The series started out brilliantly, with some of the most surprising, well-written episodes ever (The Wicked Day, Aithusa, His Father’s Son among my favorites.) The characterizations were spot-on, and the two young male leads, Bradley James and Colin Morgan in particular, have upped their game to incredible, amazing proportions. The degree to which they’ve matured and come into their own this season is commendable.

What’s more, the entire season is being shot in 35mm film, which means it is absolutely gorgeous visually. Shine (Merlin’s production company) has taken advantage of the beautiful scenery of Cardiff, Wales and surrounding areas, utilizing locations frequently and it truly makes a positive and impressive difference.

Episodes 1-6 (featured in volume 1) also feature some wonderful, hilarious banter between their characters, Arthur and Merlin. Their bromance is now legendary, and their chemistry is undeniable. We’ve seen Arthur mature from spoiled, bratty prince to regent and now to a strong, well-meaning king. We’ve seen the addition of Agravaine, Arthur’s traitorous uncle, (marvelously played by Nathaniel Parker), and the loss of King Uther, Arthur’s father. Gwen has taken on more the role of advisor and less the role of hanger-on to Arthur, as well as apparently been granted new Wonder-bras to enhance her array of designer-servant gowns. Gaius is still around to advise caution and offer sage advice. And Morgana….she of the overdone green eyeshadow, the trills, the preens, the poses, the smirks, the hair tossing…well. Someone really should tell the poor thing that real villains don’t need to flounce quite that much, but she makes up for it with all her mustache-twirling, over-the-top, cartoony malevolence.

Volume 2 of series 4 starts out with a very good episode called The Secret Sharer, in which Gaius is kidnapped by Agravaine and Morgana to extract information about the mysterious Emrys, and Agravaine sets it up to look like Gaius has fled. He plants magic books to cast further suspicions on Gaius, and fake-sympathizes with Arthur about how Gaius has always seemed like such a loyal advisor. There is another one of those scenes between Arthur and Merlin that reminds even the adults in the viewing audience why we tune in each week, with the inimitable Colin Morgan teary-eyed and lip-trembling, and Bradley James’ character Arthur at once declaring his friendship for him and shutting him down. (And I have to be honest, after that scene I was wholly convinced there would be a magic reveal this season. Alas, t’wasn’t to be…)

After episode seven, however, it was as if all the skilled and talented people involved in the show went on holiday, only to be replaced by pre-pubescent and illiterate girls. Episode 8, Lamia, featured Merlin getting bullied and threatened by the knights due to an enchanted creature in the guise of a girl. Episode 9, called Lancelot du Lac, had to be the worst hour of telly ever produced and was perhaps the biggest and most disappointing cop out of the show. Episode 10 was a filler episode up that had me almost falling asleep until the last ten minutes, when Bradley James totally took over and kicked some serious butt. (And again, another tease regarding Arthur’s accepting magic sooner rather than later.)Episode 11, The Hunter’s Heart, featured Elizabeth Montgomery as Princess Mithian, Arthur’s new betrothed, who was absolutely perfect and had more chemistry with him in one ep than Gwen has with him after four years. This was also the episode where Merlin meddled and nagged Arthur inappropriately, and Arthur threatened to banish Merlin, not once but twice (and meant it). So much for their bond of the first half of the season. The season’s finale was a 2-parter, Sword in the Stone parts 1 & 2, and unfortunately, it was a redux of last season’s finale: Morgana and her merry band of evils take over Camelot, Merlin and Arthur flee, Arthur is sad, Merlin peps him up, they re-take Camelot, Gwen and Arthur kiss amdist sunbeams and violins. The only variations this time were that Arthur was wearing a funny costume and was under Merlin’s mind control, unbeknownst to him. That was another brilliant performance by Mr. James, ranging between achingly vulnerable and hilariously humorous. As the title suggests, a piece of the famous legends is revisited with a new take. Oh, and there is also a rather wasted glimpse of two more characters of legend, Tristan and Isolde, although the only thing these characters have in common with the legend are their names. And in what has to be another WTF moment for this show, the new white baby dragon revives a mortally wounded Morgana–apparently, he isn’t going to be someone who bodes well “for the future of Albion Arthur & Merlin will build”, as Kilgarrah claimed back in episode 4.

Overall, it’s an amazingly flat and senseless end to a…

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Benlroberts (113 days)

6 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

Merlin is Destiny!, 31 Dec 2011

By

Benlroberts –

This review is from: Merlin Series 4 – Volume 2 BBC [DVD] (DVD)

What a great way to end a great series!

Theese DVDs include The Secret Sharer, Lamia, Lancelot Du Lac, A Herald of a New Age, The Hunter’s Heart and Parts 1 and 2 of The Sword in the Stone.

The Secret Sharer – 7/10
Lamia – 8/10
Lancelot Du Lac – 8/10
A Herald of a New Age – 9/10
The Hunter’s Heart – 8/10
The Sword in the Stone I – 9/10
The Sword in the Stone II – 10/10

This series ends on a cliffhanger, which would normally annoy me but It was presented in such a way I cannot fault it! Merlin is brilliant!

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