![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
castaliaSeason 5 of Merlin continues to be awesome. I loved the "Halloween" episode last week, especially once it was clear that they weren't going to go the old route of Arthur trying to be more like Uther, but were going to give us a fun spooky ep instead. Totally a great way to bring back Tony Head for an episode. And now "reciting poetry in the armory" is Camelot code for "Merlin and Arthur are so doing it". ♥
This week was just as good. Arthur is such a good king and I love every time he brings the dream of a united Albion just that much closer. That whole ending scene between him and Odin, with Merlin giving him that little needed push, was just lovely.
It was nice to see Mithian again, even though she spent most of the ep being threatened by Morgana. However, she got to hold her own and managed to get a message to Merlin in the end. I love that nice callback to her previous appearance when she and Merlin were at odds then came to an understanding.
I also loved that Gwen wasn't at all jealous of Mithian or Arthur's helping her. Instead, she had perfectly valid concerns about Arthur wanting revenge on Odin, and they talked it over like a mature married couple (Very mature, as they've progressed to chaste kisses on foreheads and it's not at all clear that they share living quarters all that much - it really does seem like they have their own parts of the castle instead). Anyway, yes, liked that. They're not the most passionate of romances, but they're loyal and honest and care for each other and that's good.
Morgana is getting more powerful, which I like. This season is more about her and Merlin taking turns getting in lucky shots against each other, and making them more evenly matched makes me hopeful for a kickass climatic magical battle between them by the end of the season. Can't wait!
Not much to say about this one, as it's probably my least favorite episode of OUaT yet. I suppose they wanted to remind us of just how terrible The Dark One is, but I could've done without Rumple killing his wife like that. While I disliked Hook at first, I'm kind of rooting for him now, b/c damn.
I'm also pissed at the show for vilifying the wife for taking off and not caring all that much about her kid. It's not like she left him without anyone to look after him, and while yes, leaving without talking it over does suck, they made so much of her failings as a mother that it left a bad taste in my mouth. Women are criticized so damn often in our society if they don't fit the mold of "good wives and mothers", and it sucks to see so much emphasis on good and bad examples of mothers in my show this season. I really think Cora was a poor addition to the show and I'm worried about the turn this all could take.
I'll give them some points for finally letting Belle tell off all the men in her life (And holy shit, could they have made her father any more unlikable? Damn.), but most of those are negated by having her spend most of her time as a helpless captive in ridiculous shoes. At least she didn't take Rumple back right away just because he arranged for her to take over the library. It was a cute gesture, but as I'm never sure how much of The Dark One is in Mr Gold, it's hard to want him to succeed.
Just...*sigh* I hope tonight's ep is better.
Downton is my love/hate show right now, I think. I swear, every season my list of favorite characters changes b/c of what Fellowes does to them and how he writes them. Edith has become my fave, even perhaps more than Mary right now, and I hope she gets an awesome life as a celebrated author or journalist or whatever. She deserves it. At least one of the girls needs to escape Downton and its oppressive atmosphere and go be her own person. Daisy taking her father-in-law's farm and making a life for herself would be good, too.
Cora is awesome this season as well and really should just kick Lord Useless to the curb. Kind of pissed that Violet meddled so much to get them to sort of reconcile, as Robert really should've been blamed far more - he never actually apologized for anything at all, not even taking an aristocrat's word over their family doctor's (Cora's commentary on his classism was FLAWLESS), and considering he never apologized or even told her about his adultery either just makes me want him to go starve in the gutter somewhere. He's so awful in just about every way, the perfect example of what's wrong with that ruling class. I hope Matthew wins the battle over managing Downton better and makes Mary finally see what a flop her father is.
I did have a huge moment of glee when he stomped into Isobel's home demanding they all leave b/c of Ethel, and not a single one of the women listened to him. Watching him flail and be ignored, then have to slink off looking so ineffectual and stupid, was pure gold. I'm actually liking that storyline a lot.
I'm worried about where they're taking the Thomas storyline, though, b/c it looks like O'Brien may out him and get him fired, put in prison, or worse. He's also totally sexually harassing Jimmy, which is not cool and is far too much of the Evil, Predatory Gay stereotype.
Should get tonight's ep in a few hours, so we'll see. Eep!
This week was just as good. Arthur is such a good king and I love every time he brings the dream of a united Albion just that much closer. That whole ending scene between him and Odin, with Merlin giving him that little needed push, was just lovely.
It was nice to see Mithian again, even though she spent most of the ep being threatened by Morgana. However, she got to hold her own and managed to get a message to Merlin in the end. I love that nice callback to her previous appearance when she and Merlin were at odds then came to an understanding.
I also loved that Gwen wasn't at all jealous of Mithian or Arthur's helping her. Instead, she had perfectly valid concerns about Arthur wanting revenge on Odin, and they talked it over like a mature married couple (Very mature, as they've progressed to chaste kisses on foreheads and it's not at all clear that they share living quarters all that much - it really does seem like they have their own parts of the castle instead). Anyway, yes, liked that. They're not the most passionate of romances, but they're loyal and honest and care for each other and that's good.
Morgana is getting more powerful, which I like. This season is more about her and Merlin taking turns getting in lucky shots against each other, and making them more evenly matched makes me hopeful for a kickass climatic magical battle between them by the end of the season. Can't wait!
Not much to say about this one, as it's probably my least favorite episode of OUaT yet. I suppose they wanted to remind us of just how terrible The Dark One is, but I could've done without Rumple killing his wife like that. While I disliked Hook at first, I'm kind of rooting for him now, b/c damn.
I'm also pissed at the show for vilifying the wife for taking off and not caring all that much about her kid. It's not like she left him without anyone to look after him, and while yes, leaving without talking it over does suck, they made so much of her failings as a mother that it left a bad taste in my mouth. Women are criticized so damn often in our society if they don't fit the mold of "good wives and mothers", and it sucks to see so much emphasis on good and bad examples of mothers in my show this season. I really think Cora was a poor addition to the show and I'm worried about the turn this all could take.
I'll give them some points for finally letting Belle tell off all the men in her life (And holy shit, could they have made her father any more unlikable? Damn.), but most of those are negated by having her spend most of her time as a helpless captive in ridiculous shoes. At least she didn't take Rumple back right away just because he arranged for her to take over the library. It was a cute gesture, but as I'm never sure how much of The Dark One is in Mr Gold, it's hard to want him to succeed.
Just...*sigh* I hope tonight's ep is better.
Downton is my love/hate show right now, I think. I swear, every season my list of favorite characters changes b/c of what Fellowes does to them and how he writes them. Edith has become my fave, even perhaps more than Mary right now, and I hope she gets an awesome life as a celebrated author or journalist or whatever. She deserves it. At least one of the girls needs to escape Downton and its oppressive atmosphere and go be her own person. Daisy taking her father-in-law's farm and making a life for herself would be good, too.
Cora is awesome this season as well and really should just kick Lord Useless to the curb. Kind of pissed that Violet meddled so much to get them to sort of reconcile, as Robert really should've been blamed far more - he never actually apologized for anything at all, not even taking an aristocrat's word over their family doctor's (Cora's commentary on his classism was FLAWLESS), and considering he never apologized or even told her about his adultery either just makes me want him to go starve in the gutter somewhere. He's so awful in just about every way, the perfect example of what's wrong with that ruling class. I hope Matthew wins the battle over managing Downton better and makes Mary finally see what a flop her father is.
I did have a huge moment of glee when he stomped into Isobel's home demanding they all leave b/c of Ethel, and not a single one of the women listened to him. Watching him flail and be ignored, then have to slink off looking so ineffectual and stupid, was pure gold. I'm actually liking that storyline a lot.
I'm worried about where they're taking the Thomas storyline, though, b/c it looks like O'Brien may out him and get him fired, put in prison, or worse. He's also totally sexually harassing Jimmy, which is not cool and is far too much of the Evil, Predatory Gay stereotype.
Should get tonight's ep in a few hours, so we'll see. Eep!