I guess Gwen is well-matched for Arthur after all! Instead of fleeing to safety, she tries to fight the looters! It doesn't make her look heroic, it makes her look stupid. Especially given that she has no weapon on her. What's more she has to be dragged away by TWO people before she comes to her senses. And I was so impressed with her the previous episode! However, they made it abundantly clear she is under Arthur's spell, so I'm going to put it to that, rather than because she truly is that stupid.
Arthur whines yet again that he's the king yet continues making dumbass decisions. Or non-decisions. Merlin is right: Arthur is only king because Merlin deemed it so. Kay and Leontes continue being more kingly than Arthur, as usual. (Not surprising:: while those two are being productive, Arthur is spending his time staring at Gwen.)
What is up the modern names? Bridget and Vivienne. Bridget I buy, but Vivienne not so much. It's the time of Celts and Romans, writers! The names should be Latin-sounding or at least Chaucer-fied, if you don't want to dig all that way far back.
Gawain is even more intriguing than Arthur! Gawain could have had his own show, he's so good! He teaches himself to read "to be better," and doesn't fight because there's no one worth fighting for. And knows how to make money! Arthur was/is far too spoiled. (Even after having BOTH his adoptive parents die, he seems to have no depth. He also seems more obsessed with Gwen than honoring his parent's memories.) And he even joins for a noble reason too: to learn to read (well, in those times, few people did know how to!) Not for conquest, or to get a girl. But to READ! He rocks!
"If you don't mind, I'd quite like to pass out." A memorable line in what is turning out to be a rather dull episode. (You have to hear the line in the context of the situation. It just fits Arthur to a tee.)
( Possibly spoilery... ). Although this whole series could be said to be ripping off Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Although I'm hard pressed to think of how the fabulous wealth and conquests of the Arthur legends could be told in a modern way that didn't look like colonism or unneccessary war-making. Or profit for profits sake. (There IS nobility in the Arthur legends, certainly. But in these recession-hit times, Robin Hood is more people friendly. Which is probably why Arthur has been redone as Robin Hood-lite.) (Besides, anytime shows feature wealthy people, the rule is they have be backstabbing, social climbing bitches. Which is another reason why the Arthur legends in their medieval form don't work. Because while conquests are important, it's building one's character, finding one's self, the meaning of one's journey that matters) (This series doesn't deserve these sorts of academic processes. I have a feeling I shall be revisiting these thoughts though.)
Once again. The majority of the budget seems to have been spent on lovely scenery and lovely costumes and lovely make-up for the actors. Oh, well. There are worst ways to make a somewhat mediocre, slightly cheesy series bearable. ;)
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