Merlin 4x08 - Lamia
Nov. 19th, 2011 11:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
castaliaYeah, this one is forgettable. The cute moments of the Knights bantering, Gaius giving Arthur more hints about Merlin's awesomeness, Elyan standing up for Merlin, etc. couldn't quite make up for the actual plot. Of course the Monster of the Week takes the form of a waifish girl. Of course she turns the guys against each other as they fight over her. Of course yet another feminine magical creature is evil.
Even Gwen getting to be awesome with a sword had to be tarnished by Arthur declaring how awful it must be to be saved by a girl. And seriously, Arthur? You're still referring to the woman you love as just a girl? That smacks of early seasons Arthur and I really don't want to go back to that, thanks.
Poor Merlin, as well. I was hoping the Knights would apologize for how rotten they were to him, but looks like we'll have to turn to fic for that. At least Arthur was suitably happy to see him at the end and was sure to give both Merlin and Gwen some affection. That helped a bit.
Very "meh" this week, mostly due to sexism. Next week makes me both intrigued and worried. I hate love triangles.
Even Gwen getting to be awesome with a sword had to be tarnished by Arthur declaring how awful it must be to be saved by a girl. And seriously, Arthur? You're still referring to the woman you love as just a girl? That smacks of early seasons Arthur and I really don't want to go back to that, thanks.
Poor Merlin, as well. I was hoping the Knights would apologize for how rotten they were to him, but looks like we'll have to turn to fic for that. At least Arthur was suitably happy to see him at the end and was sure to give both Merlin and Gwen some affection. That helped a bit.
Very "meh" this week, mostly due to sexism. Next week makes me both intrigued and worried. I hate love triangles.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-20 05:01 am (UTC)Yeah, I was not especially pleased by that. I'm so conscious of it now that when I was writing a story, I turned a character into a shapeshifter (more or less) to get around it. I just...meh.
JUST SAY NO TO THE LOVE TRIANGLES! I will come to LJ and peek at ep reviews thru my hands before I watch next week. I am afeared.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-20 07:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-20 06:42 am (UTC)Even Gwen getting to be awesome with a sword had to be tarnished by Arthur declaring how awful it must be to be saved by a girl.
That *really* annoyed me. It also made the scene with him telling Gwen how proud he was of her come across as patronizing and insincere. Way, way too much fail in this episode.
Next week makes me both intrigued and worried. I hate love triangles.
Except, the teaser makes it look like that's not, precisely, where they're going with it. All the voice over stuff about "Is it really Lancelot?" combined with shots of him looking shifty and Up To Something makes me think it's gonna be a mirror universe evil!Lancelot.
I'd wondered how they were gonna handle the whole Arthur-Gwen-Lance love triangle thing, but if that's the way they're going? Blech. Also, lame. Part of what makes the legend of Arthur so compelling and tragic is the whole doomed love dynamic.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-20 07:51 pm (UTC)Yes, exactly that. It totally smacked of "tell the love interest what she wants to hear but mock her behind her back" juvenile crap.
I agree the teaser seems to be going with the alt!Lancelot, which yeah, do not want. But I have to disagree with your last part, as I detest that part of the legend and prefer the earlier versions without it. Haaaaaaaate love triangles.