Merlin - Complete Series 2 Box Set [DVD]

Merlin is a fun watch. This review however will concentrate on the DVD Extras for the people out there like me who really appreciate seeing/hearing from their favourite cast members. Great extras help make the decision to buy an easy one.

Merlin have really spoilt the fandom, thank you to who ever gave the cast a camera for their video dairies, and the cast themselves for "doing their homework". It has provided the fans with fantastic informal moments. These daries and the ones from Series 1 have left me eagerly awaiting the Series 2 Box set.

EXTRAS:
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Secrets and Magic (~10 - 15 mins each)
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Each Merlin episode has a corresponding S&M episode. They are very much appreciated as they provide interesting footage on behind the scenes and guest stars. All 13 have been included in the box set (1-6 in Vol 2.1, 7-13 in Vol 2.2), which is great for non-UK people.

Last year the cast diaries were included as separate videos. This year there is no separate cast diary video. Instead their recorded videos have been sliced into the secrets and magic episodes where relevant.

The great upside to having the diaries in the S&M means we the fans get to see them on a weekly basis during airing which is -----> fantastic :)

But it would have been great if they had also included just the diary footage together as a separate video. This would allow fans to just watch the cast, rather then having to fast forward the S&M to get to say the "Your the Voice" (scratch that, its been cut, perhaps due to licensing) or "Lost in Abergavenny" video.

I was slightly hoping there may have been extended diary footage or new footage included in this box set as I have seen certain members with their cameras out (e.g. BJ in the A Night Less Ordinary interview). There is a couple of minutes in Making of Merlin though (see further below).

Overall one can not complain too much with the amount of extras the S&M episodes have given us.

Cast commentaries
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The cast commentaries, providing some personal opinions, character insight (which is always welcomed), director talk and endearing ramblings (I'm looking at you BJ and CM - keep it up ;).

02.01 The Curse of Cornelius Sigan [Bradley & Colin]
02.02 Once and Future Queen [Angel & Anthony]
02.04 Lancelot & Guinevere [Bradley & Colin]
02.08 The Sins of the Father [Bradley, Colin & Anthony]
02.10 Sweet Dreams [Bradley, Angel, Julian Murphy (producer) & Alice Throughton (director)]
02.11 The Witch's Quickening [Katie, Julian Murphy (producer) & Alice Throughton (director)]
02.12 The Fires of Idirsholas [Colin, Katie & Jeremy Webb]

Cast and Crew introduction to Series 2 (~10min)
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Snippets of the producers and cast introducing their characters and a couple of seconds on their series 2 thoughts/direction. They talk about and show scenes from episodes 1-6 etc.

Making of Merlin (~35min)
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This is an additional Behind the Scenes (episode 14?) that has not aired (is only on the Series 2, Volume 2 DVD at this stage).

Plenty of snippets of the producers and main cast (and a bit of the extended/guest cast) talking about:
- The Legend
- Talking Spellish
- Horses (+ more joust talk!)
- Mystical Creatures / CGI

As with the previous Behind the Scenes there is also some new cast diary footage sliced in.

Others
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- Wallpaper
- Photo Gallery

PACKAGING
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The box set contains volume 2.1 and 2.2 (also sold separately on Amazon). Each volume contains 3 disks. 2 full of episodes and one full of extras.

Content wise though you are not missing anything if you brought the set separately. The benefit is that the volumes are enclosed in the cardboard box which nicely matches the Series 1 box set. May be nice if just this outer box was sold (cheaply) separately for the dedicated fans that didn't hold out for the full series set. Media lovers like matchy matchy.

The artwork on the disks and cases are also pleasing, with each disk containing one of the main 6 cast members (I uploaded four images). It has 5 DVD9s, and 1 DVD5 (~567 mins).

Merlin Series 3 Extras
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Check out my Merlin - Series 3 - Complete [DVD] review for the Volume 1 [DVD] extras (Vol. 2 extras will be added once its released).

At this stage it appears there are no Secrets and Magic episodes for Series 3, or Cast Diaries which is a big shame. There are deleted scenes on Volume 1, and Volume 2 is yet to be confirmed. To BBC Merlin - any footage saved from the cutting room floor and included in the box set is appreciated! Fans love it and I believe it's a great DVD Box set seller.

First & foremost, I'm not 1 of those "obsessed" by the "original" legends' genesis, even if I'm aware of the Arhurian-cycle (also because I had to make a specific research on it for my studies)...
Anyways, I've always enjoyed this fascinating myth, & I was curious to watch this new version, to know how the story would have been portrayed again on screen.

I was almost sure to be disappointed...& oh boy if I was WRONG!! It has surprised me in a good way: you can find a little of everything for all tastes, ages & at the same time, even if it's suitable for children, it's not banal at all.
Merlin is that kind of series in which, as a good book, you're allowed to read between the lines, finding a "deeper meaning", an inspiration for more in store , about the future plot too.

Obviously enough it's not meant for strict purists, but for anyone else is pure "magical" entertainment!;-))
At first I was perplexed by a too young servant Merlin, a king Uther Pendragon still alive, a Morgana-not yet witch & living within Camelot,with her maid Gwen(-future queen Guenièvre?), of another race (as others characters too: of course no problem at all with that, but nevertheless it seemed weird to me at the beginning), etc...
As other fans have said before, it's a little like the young Superman of "Smallville", but in my opinion the outcome has been better for Merlin; I've really enjoyed the European style & the Brit-humour, overall it works perfectly well; when you've accepted "the rule of the game", you're easily aboard!!

It's a great fresh adaptation of the old legend, even if it seems distant, the authors managed to develop a brand new plot, with bringing into it the main important classic characters we all remember (The Lady of he Lake, Mordred, Morguese...), with the add of a twisted modern touch, so that you could not properly imagine the next step.

As an extra-bonus, this year the CGA effects are even more effective...Even if I still think that the most beautiful effect always comes by the core of a story (also if it's a fantasy/sci-fi 1!)

The Irish actor who plays Merlin is first-class, this year really is grown up as an actor & shines in this role, 'cause he's good to make the audience feel the emotions of his "hero", this special empathy.
Besides the chemestry of the main actors is brilliant too, even better this year, the stories are improved deeply in this 2nd season: there're playfulness & drama in good balance, with an outstanding finale, that will leave you screaming for more...BRING IT ON SERIES 3!!! ^_^
(& as a French fan already said...God saves BBC too, bravo! ;-D)

PS_The extra-features for the dvds are nice, with commentaries, interviews, a nice packaging for fans! + the English subtitles too.

After becoming addicted to this after the first series, I didn't originally know if a second series would be as good, but if anything its even better. I have been told that the viewer ratings weren't that great for this, but that may have been due to the BBC endlessly changing the times it was shown.

I am still amazed that this works at all, after all there is a tradition of Arthurian stories getting mixed up and altered over the years, but this one is so original. And thankfully, unlike the dire Robin Hood, this is highly watchable and entertaining. There are some great cameos in this series, Charles Dance plays a witchfinder, Emilia Fox is in chainmail (who could believe that a woman could look sexy in all that metal? But Emilia shows that it can be done), and Sarah Parish is absolutely fantastic as a troll.

With Merlin having to still keep his magic a secret, Morgana finding out what she really is, and Mordred vowing vengeance on Merlin there is more than enough action here. On top of that Uther falling in love with a troll due to magic, and Arthur having a love spell placed on him there is bound to be trouble and comedy in store. Arthur professes his feelings for Guenivere and starts to learn more about humility and compassion, whilst Merlin has to keep his promise to let the dragon go free, and he also finds out who his father is. Merlin also starts to see that his powers are greater than he could have first suspected and that he must use them wisely.

Why this works so well is that it mixes drama and action (with great effects) with a touch of humour, and it doesn't try to lay down some kind of code for behaviour, although with its depictions of chivalry, honour, truth, humility and compassion it does show an ideal of how we should all behave. The Arthurian legends have always been popular, probably due to the things I have mentioned, but it somehow goes beyond that, after all what boy wouldn't want to be a world famous knight, and what girl wouldn't want to be rescued by a knight on horseback?

All in all then this is another great series of Merlin, and I can't wait until the third, that is great for all the family to watch.