Merlin is an action/drama/fantasy series that aired for five seasons on BBC. The 13-episode first season aired during the fall and winter of 2008. It starred Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Richard Wilson, Anthony Stewart Head, Santiago Cabrera, and John Hurt. It is an alternate (and unique) telling of the Camelot story, this time telling the story with the main characters, Arthur (Bradley James), Merlin (Colin Morgan), Morgana (Katie McGrath), and Gwenevere (Angel Coulby) as twenty-somethings, far removed (mostly) from who they ultimately become. This also removes Arthur as a peasant who becomes King by proving himself worthy of the storyline. In this version, he is the prince of Camelot, the son of King Uther (played by Anthony Stewart Head, who will always be known as Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Uther is a tyrant who has banned magic from the kingdom and kills anyone caught using it. Merlin is the servant to Arthur and assistant to the court's physician, Gaius (Richard Wilson). He is also guided by a dragon (voiced by John Hurt), whom Uther keeps chained up under the castle.
Even though the story does not follow the other versions out there, and the cast is mostly unknown younger actors and actresses, it is a very good telling of the story. The first season does a lot of character development, introduces some of the more important elements (Excalibur) and characters (like Lancelot), and does a good job blending story-of-the-week episodes with a larger story arc. Anthony Head plays a great Uther who is kind of a bad guy, certainly not a compassionate ruler, but more complex a character than he seems to be. Merlin is far from the wise wizard he will become, and Arthur is kind of an arrogant jerk who becomes more virtuous throughout the season. Morgana is not the sorceress she will become, and Gwenevere is her servant.
The DVD set is a five-disc set. The A/V quality is okay but not great. The special effects fall in the same category. The show had a different kind of budget than say, Game of Thrones, so the CGI looks like it is CGI and not as blended in as shows and movies with larger budgets to work with. The extras include commentary tracks on some episodes, usually with the director and a member or two of the cast. Those are on the "regular" discs, and then there is a final bonus disc with about two hours worth of behind-the-scenes, cast video diaries, production still photos, and more. A ton of good material for those who like going through the bonus features.
Overall, it is a well-written and acted series. Unless you are really tied to one version of the story, I think you will find this enjoyable if you enjoy the Middle Ages mixed with magic kinds of stories. I definitely recommend it.
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