Merlin 

These are the brand new adventures of Merlin, the legendary sorcerer as a young man, when he was just a servant to young Prince Arthur on the royal court of Camelot, who has soon become his best friend, and turned Arthur into a great king and a legend.

Creators:

Johnny Capps, Julian Jones, Jake Michie

Stars:

John Hurt, Colin Morgan, Bradley James

4 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
John Hurt	...	The Dragon / ... 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Colin Morgan	...	Merlin 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Bradley James	...	Arthur 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Richard Wilson	...	Gaius 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Angel Coulby	...	Gwen 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Katie McGrath	...	Morgana 65 episodes, 2008-2012
Anthony Head	...	Uther Pendragon 43 episodes, 2008-2012
Rupert Young	...	Sir Leon 39 episodes, 2009-2012
Eoin Macken	...	Sir Gwaine / ... 30 episodes, 2010-2012

Storyline

Young Merlin is a teenager, discovering and then learning to master his magical gift. Magister Gaius, King Uther Pendragon's learned court physician to whom he's assigned as humble page, teaches him medicine, coaches his magical self-study, and warns him of Uther's strong aversion to magic. Merlin becomes squire to the noble but imprudent crown prince, Arthur, whose fate is linked with Merlin.

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Plot Keywords:

magic | mentor protege relationship | medieval times | half brother half sister relationship | merlin | 

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Taglines:

The Die Is Cast

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

BBC [UK] NBC

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Merlin

Filming Locations:

Puzzle Wood, Perrygrove Road, Coleford, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shine, BBC Wales

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (seasons 1-3) Dolby Digital (season 4-)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Of the six episodes in which Lancelot appeared, three were named after him.

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Goofs

Arthur's horse, including tack, would change dramatically from scene to scene even when on a multi day quest where there would be no opportunity to switch horses.

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Quotes

[introduction to each episode]
The Dragon: [voiceover] In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy. His name... Merlin.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Princesses and Queens from TV (2014)

User Reviews

For what it is, actually fairly good

Okay, I feel like you have to judge this show with a grain of salt. I've actually found it very enjoyable and oddly addictive, though that doesn't mean I think it's good. Yes, there are plot holes, character inconsistencies, cheesy dialogue, etc., but I think because it doesn't take itself too seriously (like, for example, Robin Hood was prone to do) it can get away with most of these things. There are moments of genuine comedy that I really appreciate, and the rest of the time I spend giggling at the aforementioned flaws. I think the cast is quite good as well: Colin Morgan is charmingly dorky as the title character; Anthony Head milks a surprising amount of emotion from a ridiculously poorly written character; and the rest (except perhaps for Katie McGrath, who can be a little too emotional) imbue their roles with genuine humanity. I especially like the growing relationship between Merlin and Arthur-- the way the show is written, Merlin's only reason for helping Arthur is that 'it's his destiny,' and Arthur has no real reason at all to help Merlin, and yet you definitely feel that they are starting to care for each other.

So, yeah, it's no television masterpiece, but it is fun to watch, and sometimes that's all you need.