Ack, crappy and offensive Merlin episodes continue...

[shadowkat]

Well, I've hit the offensive Gwen arc on Merlin. Flist you were right to be offended. IT's beyond bad. It's repetitive and cliche. Ugh. Tell me it gets better? There isn't that many episodes left, so I have my doubts. Can totally see why this is the last season, the stupid writers have run out of ideas. Morgana is beginning to remind me of Wile E. Coyote with Arthur as the Road Runner.


You know this wouldn't be a problem if there weren't only two female lead characters, and all the guest female characters were either shown as weak damsels or conniving bitches, with maybe one brief exception, Isolde. Show? I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, now, I'm beginning to think your writers are terribly insecure little boys.

Before you state the Arthurian Legends are like this...uh, no, not. Depends on the version. In the ancient Mabinogi - the welsh translations, Morgana wasn't a complete witch...and she was struggling for her religion. Gwen was just in love with Lancelot and as young bride married a man much older than she was - as a political union.

I love the male friendship on Merlin, but the character assassination of Gwen, which makes little sense and is terribly contrived was unnecessary.

Also what in the heck happened to Mordred? Did he just up and disappear??? In the original legends, he's the one plotting against Arthur and Morgana's aid. Which would have worked here too. Why didn't they do that? Oh right, because we have to make women look horrible, got it.

I'm told the show gets better...?

Comments

[kathyh]

Don't worry. It does get better. The last three episodes are crackers.

The only redeeming feature of the Evil!Gwen arc is that the actress enjoyed playing it! I think it actually exists to give her something different to do in the last season.

They should have killed Morgana off last season but I suspect the actress's five year contract is what saved her.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

The only redeeming feature of the Evil!Gwen arc is that the actress enjoyed playing it! I think it actually exists to give her something different to do in the last season.

Can totally see why...the writers really don't know what to do with female characters or how to write them effectively. Everything else about the series I like (obviously or I wouldn't watch it), but I wish it dealt with female characters better. Although to be fair...T H White and Mary Stewart were not all that much better in their interpretations nor for that matter was the film Exclabiur. I think the only versions that are - are the musical Camelot and of course Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon, which I had troubles getting through for some reason. So its not exactly a genre that lends itself to great female roles. LOL!

[kathyh]

I had trouble getting through Mists of Avalon too, which I think swung too far in the other direction, except I seem to remember Guinevere was quite a pathetic character so maybe not.

The Merlin writers have at least gone out of their way to redeem Guinevere from centuries of ignominy, but they may have fallen into the trap in later seasons of making her too perfect. It's a refreshing change to have a blameless Gwen though.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I had trouble getting through Mists of Avalon too, which I think swung too far in the other direction, except I seem to remember Guinevere was quite a pathetic character so maybe not.

I'd agree. Also, I remember it being awfully preachy. Morgana was the heroine, and Gwen pathetically was bringing the paternal religion and seducing Arthur away from the old religion or something like that. I didn't make it through it and it was a long time ago. Tried watching the mini-series, but it was worse.

And I'd agree...one of the pluses of Merlin is at least she's not the reason Camelot falls. As I posted in response to elisi below - I have to give them credit for finding a new twist on the Gwen bit. Usually Arthur finds out Gwen has been having a fling with Lancelot, he goes nuts and sleeps with Morgana, who bears Mordred - who kills Arthur who is still mourning the loss of Gwen - who has left for a nunnery. This round - they did that storyline in S3 or 4, and it didn't really affect Mordred at all. Although Morgana was admittedly behind it. She is a bit dumb though - in that she still has not figured out that Merlin has magic and is her main problem. If she just got rid of Merlin - she'd be able to get rid of Arthur. Got to give Evil!Gwen credit for figuring it out and blaming the whole thing on Merlin.

[elisi]

What Kathy said. I love, love, love the ending. Even the Gwen stuff is sort of redeemed in context.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

From your comments regarding the series this past fall (I avoided the spoilers, so wasn't sure what you were talking about until now) - I gather that it gets really good in the last three episodes.

Will have to give them a little credit for attempting a new twist on the Gwen betrays Arthur bit. Usually, Arthur goes nuts and sleeps with Morgana, who gives birth to Mordred, who kills him - because he finds Gwen and Lancelot sleeping together. This round they clearly aren't doing that, thank heavens.