vanessarama

I enjoyed that, but I found it a fairly weak episode - although Colin's performance was strong as ever and made up for some of the weakness in the writing. Actually this is one of the constants with Merlin - the acting always outshines the writing.

So. Merlin adds more to his inadvertent body count, meaning those who have innocently died because of his actions. Also, Arthur kills Merlin's girlfriend. Also, Gwen and Arthur both think Merlin's a crossdresser now.

WTF with the plot holes? Plot holes so giant the Slash Dragon could fly through them and his wings wouldn't touch the sides? Just off the top of my head: Why does Freya not just fly out of Camelot when she has wings - why does she keep going back to the dungeon? How does she even get there? If her clothes get shredded the last time she turns into a beast (they do, Merlin's clearly putting his jacket round a naked shoulder) then why didn't it happen every other time? If she leaves human footprints by the bodies every time, does that mean she turns back into a person after she's been a beast, and if so, how does she manage to evade Uther's (admittedly pathetic) guards? And most of all, if it's so freaking hard for her to escape Camelot, how come Merlin can CARRY her all the way out and to some pretty lake somewhere and nobody notices???!??

Good to see the blatant fanservice is still going strong with the topless Arthur, not to mention that I definitely spotted package when he wandered out in his towel.

Poor Merlin has no subtlety. He has to overdo everything; overheating Arthur's bath, stealing all his breakfast instead of just half of it, taking all the sausages... Silly boy. Why can't Merlin just wander down to the kitchens and tell them Arthur wants two breakfasts? Or go and buy some food, for that matter? I'm assuming he does get paid.

Ahhh, Merlin, showing off to get the girl. Again, subtle Merlin is not subtle. It's very endearing though, with his cute grin and general dorky adorableness.

Love how they make Helig look so much taller when Merlin bumps into him, even though when they part ways after Arthur intervenes it's clear they're pretty much exactly the same height :)

Merlin again gets carried away by the impulsiveness which is his greatest fault. How very naive Merlin is, how little understanding he has - desperately well-meaning, but he just leaps into the role of protector and barely asks Freya what she wants at all. If they had run away together it would totally have screwed up his life and she understood that; relationships which begin with one party wanting to rescue the other never end well. Not that I think he was genuinely in love with her; just thrilled with the idea that he could be himself with someone else who really understood him.

The relationship between Merlin and Gaius was lovely in this episode, from Gaius' initial eyebrows when he knows Merlin's lying to him, through his irritation at Merlin's I-got-some humming and teenager-going-out act, the scene where Gaius makes him 'fess up, and then nice fatherly comforting scenes.

The best thing about this was Colin's performance and HIS LITTLE FACE. That single tear mid-kiss! His trembling hand on Freya's face as she died! ALL HIS LITTLE FACES. Oh what a sucker I am. Although I was mesmerised by the fact that Merlin's ear was all red from him lying on it while Gaius was comforting him in his bedroom. Heee. Also, in the lakeside scene, by spotting the different takes according to the disappearance and reappearance of a speck of grit on Colin's cheek.

Poor Merlin; in the end magic is still evil and he has to apologise for it. "I'm so sorry for what that sorcerer did to you".

That last scene is so lovely. The bond between Arthur and Merlin is clear all through this; Arthur rescuing Merlin from Helig, that masterful scene in the corridor where Arthur nearly, nearly lets Merlin get away with the dress without comment, and that last scene where Arthur has actually noticed that Merlin's upset and tries - in his very Arthur, not-talking-about-feelings way - to make him feel better. N'awww.

Looks as if we get good comedy Arthur next week, before the serious slide into the finale.

I must say this has been a great Merlin week:

Colin and Bradley both doing adorable interviews to promote A Night Less Ordinary.

Mysteriously appearing clip of an onset prank

Children in Need skit

There's going to be a Colin and Bradley Do Wales show

Videos and photos and more pics and clips of Colin, Bradley and Katie at BAFTA 'Inside the Magic' event

and the episode. Not to mention that we watched Katie's episode of 'The Tudors' tonight and got a few seconds of her being shagged by Jonny Rhys Meyers.