S K

Great movie with the excellent cast - simultaneously funny and serious! Love it

I got across this show on Netflix a couple of months ago. Usually I don't write the reviews. This time was different – after watching the last episode I felt stupid and angry, and this is why I am writing this review. I was really enjoying the show, it was similar to the fairy tale stories I used to read a lot as a kid. Some flaws were here and there but every episode was filled with kindness and the actors were charming. It was very enjoyable show until I watched the last episode. The last episode was total disappointment in every moment and place – acting (Colin and Bradley, please forgive me because I think you could do differently and better), directing and script writing. I was disappointed not only because of Arthur's death (even I feel sorry the writers killed him). The last episode was poorly written and executed. There wasn't enough of a screen time for Merlin and Arthur to properly reveal the importance of Merlin's help to Arthur or about who Merlin really was. The most important part of this show (Merlin’s confession) took about a few seconds on the screen! They should be given more screen time to properly develop this line. It wasn’t enough. The script itself was bad too - Merlin constantly repeated that he was born to be a servant. No, he wasn't born to be a simple servant. He was born to help Arthur, to guide him, to advise him, to make him a better person and great king. That was his destiny and he wasn't born to be his servant who washes Arthur's cloth, cleans his room, and gets punched in his face. I am just curious who wrote the script for Merlin saying that Arthur "would build the great kingdom without him". No, Arthur wouldn't. That was stupid remark. Merlin makes a confession of being a sorcerer shamefully, he looks and sounds like a complete idiot, like someone who cheated on a spouse and cries non-stop while confessing - "Please honey, I was wrong, please forgive me, I will not do it again!". " I am a sorcerer", - crying Merlin confesses. Why are there too much crying? It is so stupid! That should be his moment of all seasons, of all episodes, the most important moment of whole show - when after being shown as a jerk and simple person, he could reveal to Arthur a different side of his personality - maturity, wisdom, kindness, intellect etc. This is who he is, he should be proud of being the sorcerer, and Merlin sounds and looks ashamed of it. He should feel sadness and sorrow because Arthur was mortally wounded but to cry non-stop like a hysterical person???!! I am not talking about being historically correct, it is a fantasy, you can write any way you want but rather I am talking about proper development (screen time, writing, acting and directing) of the culmination moment of the all five seasons. In my opinion, the director and writers were very wrong. I am very upset with them, they should have shown more professional skills. And also, it would be nice to "age" the actors a bit. They haven't changed at all for all these years (Mordred grew up, and Merlin and Arthur were still the same). The makeup team for this show should have and could have done a better job by making them to look older. And the ending itself is very strange and out of everything. This show had some flaws here and there, but this last episode was just bad and very poorly executed. It was very disappointing. The last episode spoiled all five seasons for me.