Your lack of plot disturbs me.

Okay, so I just watched the second episode of the third season of Merlin. Had I started a blog during the first season, I could have given a review episode by episode. However, fans of the series wouldn't thank me for it, so perhaps it is best left as it is.

An introduction, perhaps would be most suitable. Merlin, in my opinion, follows Arthurian legend, in the same way a group of teenagers beg their teachers for more homework. It doesn't. There are names that are the same... and... that's about it. Now before I get flamed for 'Why do I watch it when I only hate about it' Well, I don't hate it. And why watch it? Because it's funny to take the piss out of it. I get entertainment out of the sheer amount of suspension of disbelief required to accept it as.. good.

Now, onto the recent episode, namely a two parter. Spoilers below, so ya know.
The Tears of Uther Pendragon consists of Morgana and Morgose teaming up with nameless king-guy to take down Pendragon, teaming his army with their magic, Morgana in particular since she is a trusted member of the court. So, to start their plan, Morgana puts a somewhat sticky mandrake under Uther's bed, causing him to go mad. As a side note, I think it's hilarious that the vegetable screams. See, eating vegetables -is- murder.
 Then Uther starts to go nuts, seeing the faces of the dead mages he's killed over the years. King-bloke then preps up to go to war against Pendragon. For one thing, I think it's stupid that they consider the kingdom completely crippled just because Uther is out of action. Regency anyone? Or the Council? It's not like Uther never gets a stomach ache and has to let everyone take care of things. Okay, sure, war is a little bigger on the requirement scale, but still. Regency, likely to Arthur. And he's not completely incapable of defending the city is he?

Well apparently he is, actually. Granted, some of my complaints about to be written could be down to the fact they had to fit this all in 40-80 minutes, but sod it, they could have MENTIONED it.
Arthur starts out by getting -everyone- inside the city to stay safe, regardless of homes and farms that will get crushed under KB (King-bloke). Granted, saving people is good, but, y'know.. he's coming from a direction. Unless your city was built against a cliff-face, why not just evacuate people to the other side of the city? As well as those farms being safe anyway. Unless the city falls, but in that case everyone is screwed anyway.

Second, they leave the gates open so the enemy can come through and they can fight them sword to sword. Where are the archers? Where are the cauldrons of boiling oil being sent over the side of the gates on the battering rams? And my biggest complaint is Arthur being on the frontlines -himself-. You're leading the battle, as a GENERAL, not literally you halfwit! Soldiers do the fighting, leaders doing the strategy.

Again, Merlin uses his garbled Latin to save the day in various means, Morgana goes around shifty-shifty without anyone batting an eyelid, and KB gets increasingly impatient. Dude, it's a siege. You're a king. You should know, setting siege on a castle, tends to take a while. Especially if you're trying to starve them out, which is why we spent all that time watching them get supplies. But no, the siege lasts all of.. half an hour apparently.

The skeletons were kinda silly. They didn't add much at all, there weren't very many of them, and they were mostly for intimidation purposes it would seem. I did like the one getting stabbed and then shrugging though. I might add though, wouldn't -blunt- weapons be more effective? ~Sigh~
Uther comes to mid-way, and.. rushes to the frontline to hit some people with a sword. Yes, this is the man who the entire kingdom was worried they were crippled about for his being out of the game. He didn't even try to contact any of his officers or Arthur to re-establish communication in the higher ranks for strategy.

Overall, extensive rant is extensive. Merlin has a sizable budget, and Anthony Head is a great actor (He was awesome in Buffy the Vampire Slayer) But the writing is just poor most of the time. It has little to no association to Arthurian legend, but it's still entertaining if you have an hour or so to kill and wanna make fun of something. Or are easily able to suspend your disbelief to go 'Ooh. Action. Ooh, Trebuchets! Ooh. Swordfighting.' Then enjoy.

SilverStrike16, reviewing Merlin Series 3, mostly the second part of the two parter.
Next time, probably Halo: Reach.
(Everyone else is probably doing it, and I have it, so why not.)