Merlin Complete BBC Series 5 [DVD]

*SPOILERS*

This being the final series of Merlin, expectations were high. As a lover of Merlin since it first began, I'm disappointed to say that it didn't quite reach those expectations.

There were some wonderful, stand out episodes, such as 'The Deathsong of Uther Pendragon,' 'The Dark Tower,' and, in particular, 'The Diamond of the Day, part 1.'

However, since the announcement that series 5 would be the last series, what we were all looking forward to was the magic reveal, and sadly, this didn't come until the very last episode. What we got in the meantime were many unecessary 'filler' episodes where the plot didn't move forward, which was very frustrating as we knew that we only had limited time left.

Part 1 of the finale is, hands down, the best episode of Merlin, ever, for me. It sets the stage for an outstanding last episode, which is a horrific let down. The ending is most clearly not what,(from the state of the show's Facebook page,)fans were looking for, and I wasn't too pleased either. For 5 seasons, we're told that Arthur and Merlin will create Albion together, but we're left not even knowing if magic is accepted in Camelot. Surely that was the whole point? And Arthur is meant to die as an old man, having ruled for years with Merlin at his side. However, whilst annoying, this is not what ruined the ending for me. The writers have never stuck to legend, so it's hardly fair to expect them to start now.

No, what ruined Merlin's finale was how rushed it was. It's almost as though they decided they weren't going to make a series 6 and then realised they had a lot of ends to tie up and not much time to do it in. Morgana's death, Mordred and Arthur's 'battle,' Gwaine's out of character stupid assasination attempt- all were rushed. There were so many questions left unanswered- what happened to Aithusa, Morgana's dragon? Was magic accepted in Camelot? Did Merlin ever return? What happens to Percival, who we see tracking Morgana? Why didn't Merlin just call upon the dragon to fly them to Avalon, if he was going to call him anyway? It was all such an anticlimax. It does make you wish that they'd cut some of the pointless episodes, such as 'Another's Sorrow,' or some of the evil Gwen episodes, to give more time and tie it up properly. What would have been good would have been to have the magic reveal right at the beginning of the series, and then had the series showing how Merlin and Arthur's relationship changed, and Camelot too. Ending with Arthur's death then, would have been reasonable, and it would have been good to see Arthur learning of all Merlin had done for him, of how he was the dragonlord, and the sorcerer who he believed killed his father.

This series does get 3 stars, for the good episodes which show Merlin at its best, the actual magic reveal, which in itself is perfect, and most importantly for the outstanding acting, which always has been the show's strength. Whilst I hated the finale, there's no denying that Colin Morgan and Bradley James, in particular,play it to perfection. My advice is - watch the series until about halfway through the final episode, then leave it. You'll never see the rushed endings to the character's stories, but will be able to appreciate all the fine points of Merlin's last series.

This show has changed with time: from an entertaining fairy tale to something of greater intensity. The actors have given their best all through the 5 seasons, but this last one is the best of all.
Colin Morgan and James Bradley are really good. The death of Arthur is heartbreaking, two friends who are going to be separated by death. The excruciating sorrow of Merlin who sees his lifelong friend leaving this world while he is unable, notwithstanding his magic, to help him survive. The only thing Merlin can do is hold his friend in his arms and cry
This is the scene where I shed tears together with the young warlock. A scene that, in my opinion, will be remembered as one of the best.

ARTHUR'S BANE - PART ONE: A strong opener with amazing visuals. Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) is a great guest star and steals most of the scenes he is in. Gwen has come far in the three-year gap between Series Four and Five. She appears to be much stronger and confident in her role as Queen - at one point even proving that she can make tough decisions when Arthur is away from Camelot. The episode ends on a great cliffhanger which leads nicely into Part Two. (4/5)

ARTHUR'S BANE - PART TWO: This episode follows on from the previous and like episode one, does not disappoint. The visuals are just as good and in some parts better than the first and the fight scenes are great. This episode also sees the return of Aithusa (from Series Four) and also another character who plays a huge part in Arthur's fate... Morgana appears to be slightly psychotic and in one particular scene shows how much she despises Arthur. There is no going back for her character, who appears to be a cat with nine lives. The ending is a huge surprise and will get viewers excited for the rest of the series. (4/5)

THE DEATH SONG OF UTHER PENDRAGON: Whenever a TV series has a really strong opening story, the following episode sometimes seems to be a little bit of a letdown. Episode Three however proves that this never has to always be the case. Anthony Head (Uther Pendragon) obviously returns as a guest star and proves that just because his titular character is dead, doesn't mean he cannot be a threat. Arthur, being a very different king to his father, has brought more peace to Camelot and even allowed men who are not born noble to become knights. This would always have shocked Uther and viewers are able to see his disgust. Uther's words at times are truly harsh to the son he craved so much. Certain scenes feel slightly like Poltergeist and as such may not be suitable for young children. Like the previous two episodes the ending is almost the best part. For those waiting for the big reveal this will surely come as a nice surprise. On the other hand, with this only being the third episode, the truth is not revealed just yet. But how much longer can it be? (5/5)

ANOTHER'S SORROW: Not as good as the previous episode but not terrible. Princess Mithian returns (Series Four), and is being used (and at times tortured) by Morgana. Morgana appears to have advanced her magic in this episode as she spends the majority of it under the effects of an ageing spell. Viewers will know that Merlin is also able to do this but in the beginning needed a potion to reverse it. Morgana on the other hand does not - proving she is moving ever closer to being Merlin's equal. (3/5)

THE DISIR: This episode, in my opinion, was a slight improvement on episode four however was again not as good as episode three. This episode appears to be borrowing from Shakespeare, as the enemy feels like Macbeth's three witches. Unlike the previous two episodes we finally get an episode that focuses on Mordred. He has a huge scene half way through and will make viewers question just whose side he is on. If it's not Arthur than Mordred is a great actor. This episode also has a twist similar to that from "The Crystal Cave" (Series Three) which has huge concequences on Arthur's fate. There is also a moment in this episode that will shock the viewers and possibly make them go "what????". (4/5)

THE DARK TOWER: Finally! An episode as good as, or possibly better, than episode three. This appears to be the darkest episode of Merlin yet and shows why the show is now being shown only slightly before the watershed. This is a very dark episode which at times is too dark for younger viewers. This episode belongs to Angel Coulby (Gwen) who gives her best performance yet. Having been kidnapped by Morgana, she spends the majority of the episode locked inside the titular "Dark Tower" which strikes fear in the hearts of knights. This episode sees the return of psychological torture in the form of the mandrake root. Like most of the series so far, this has an ending which is totally unexpected - in lots of ways. (5/5)

A LESSON IN VENGEANCE: This episode was not quite as good as last weeks but was not terrible either. With Morgana determined more than ever to kill Arthur, darkness settles itself into the very heart of Camelot. Morgana finds herself in a unique position of power when the character she brainwashed last week hatches a sinister plan to murder the King. But when stable hand Tyr Seward becomes caught in the crossfire, he threatens to ruin everything. There is one particular scene featuring Tyr which will certainly shock fans. The creator's didn't lie when they said this will be the darkest series yet. Unlike "The Dark Tower", this episode has more humour. This episode also sees the return of Old Merlin - however I feel it was slightly a waste of time seeing as he was only used in a comedy scene. Overall an enjoyable, if slightly predictable, episode. (4/5)

THE HOLLOW QUEEN: A young Druid named Daegal (guest star Alfie Stewart, who some could say looks like a younger Merlin) arrives at Camelot seeking out Merlin's help. After a moment of reluctance, Merlin eventually heads out on a lengthy journey to the Valley of the Fallen Kings, where events take a much more sinister turn. Back in Camelot, Arthur prepares for the arrival of Sarrum of Amata (guest star John Shrapnel, who puts in a brilliantly sinister performance). Colin Morgan shows why he is perfect in his role as Merlin, especially in one shocking moment of the episode when he truly shows the pain and anguish that he is going through. Like most of the episodes from this series, Mordred is almost entirely missing. Morgana's storyline, however, does make some progress this week, when we finally discover more information about her two-year captivity between the fourth and fifth series. These facts include learning how she was caught in the first place and also how white Dragon Aithusa became so deformed. A good episode which continues to make this a truly magical series. (4/5)

WITH ALL MY HEART: Since the announcement that Series 5 will be Merlin's final ever series, I have been wondering whether it was a smart idea to end it so suddenly, simply because it raises many questions. Can the show conclude everything while still satisfying the loyal fans? Will we ever see Merlin reveal his magic? Well this episode sees the end of the "puppet queen" and finally brings Mordred back into the action. The plot wastes no time in getting Arthur to see just what his "evil" wife has been up to and after asking Gaius if he knows of a cure, Merlin goes to see the Dochraid (seen in Series 4). Unlike a previous episode in this series, old Merlin is not shown in a comedic way but instead sees Colin Morgan portray him as a force to be reckoned with. As the Mordred plot hasn't really been seen since the first two episodes, it's nice to see some development this week. We also see a moment in this episode which may pinpoint exactly who his allegiance is with, however, Vlahos still plays him in a way that you never can tell whose side Mordred is really on. With this series being, in my opinion, the darkest yet, it seemed a bit of a let-down that the ending was so silly. This series has had quite a few episodes where the situations seem impossible and a magic reveal would not only have saved the day but also captivated the audience. Overall this was an average episode that moved the plot forward slightly. Originally I was going to give this episode 3 stars but after seeing Merlin in a dress, it has to be slightly higher. (4/5)

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS: With the `Puppet Queen' arc finally done and dusted it is essential for the creators to now begin setting up the finale and also tying up any loose ends. For this episode they do just that. Merlin's secret is now so dangerously close to being exposed it surely is only a matter of time before the big "reveal" comes. "The Kindness of Strangers" begins with immediate confrontation as within the first minute Morgana hunts down one of the few people who know the true identity of Emrys and also where to find him. Long term viewers will recognise him as Alator of the Catha (Gary Lewis - Series 4). Many will remember him as the man who tortured Gaius in "The Secret Sharer". However, in a reverse of fortune, he has become the one being tortured with some truly shocking actions from Morgana. Alator insists that Morgana is wasting her time as he will not break, but Morgana has other ideas. Fans that have waited desperately for a Merlin-centric episode will be very satisfied with this one as Arthur and Gwen are pushed aside for Merlin's story to develop further. After discovering a strange amulet, Merlin decides to investigate which leads him to a strange and mysterious hooded woman who goes by the name of Finna (Sorcha Cusack). Once again Colin Morgan puts in another amazing performance as the titular character. Merlin is not only at risk of being exposed but also ends up fighting for his life (especially in one tension building moment). Katie McGrath plays Morgana wonderfully and it really is surprising that before `Merlin' she had very little training or indeed roles in anything else. In two particularly shocking moments, Morgana becomes more ruthless than ever as her search for Emrys intensifies. Overall there are a few larger plot developments this week and despite not being quite as revelatory as some would prefer it is still a strong instalment that will leave viewers desperate for more. (5/5)

THE DRAWING OF THE DARK: This is an episode Merlin fans will not want to miss. It's a powerful story that sets-up the epic two-part finale brilliantly. The episode opens with Arthur, Merlin and the Knights coming across a Saxon camp that is full of dead bodies. Read more ›