Merlin Series 5 Episode 12: Diamond of the Day — Part 1

I’m going to be frank, here: I’ve just started writing this post with a bear minimum of actually screen-grabs and photos.

Which I’ll be adding, as soon as the penultimate episode of Merlin’s last series finishes ripping*.

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, tonight’s episode of Merlin — Diamond of the Day — Part 1 — is the twelfth in the fifth and last series. is one mightily impressive piece of work.

Opening with Morgana torturing one of her troops, it sees her sending a trained trooper to break into Camelot to set a magical creature on Merlin.

A hideous, leech-like, creature called a Gæn Canach that sucks its victims dry of any magical power.

Which it does to Merlin.

Leaving him to seek out the Crystal Cave — last seen in Series Three — to recuperate his power.

Just in time, in fact.

As, in order to do this, he’s had to abandon King Arthur: as the latter is forced to the Plain of Camlann, to confront Morgana and Mordred’s army.

By outflanking them … 

The last ever episode of Merlin will be on Christmas Eve, on BBC 1 at 8·15pm.

It’s going to be tight … 

*        I tend — and this is slightly iffy legal territory, sometimes, I know — to record TV series’ I like onto DVD, then use Handbrakeº to copy it across — or rip — to my hard drive.   Laws are relaxing on this, however: ESPECIALLY for personal use.

º        Windoze users will need a copy of Handbrake and DVD43 to do this.

Merlin Series 5 Episode 11: The Drawing of the Dark

Kara
Alexandra Dowling

Mordred
Alexander Vlahos

Phew … !

No, seriously: it’s another Phew.

Or maybe I should call that a Saturday Night Phew … ?

Either way, what I’m trying to say, hear, is relatively simple.

Tonight’s episode of Merlin — The Drawing of the Dark, episode 11 of the final fifth series — was … well, I’m thinking ‘rivetingly fantastic’ might just be overdoing it.

But could equally be bloody accurate.   I think, here, that the comments box is what the phrase ‘You Tell ME’ was designed for.

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But let me try and summarize, first, though.

The Drawing of the Dark opens with the Knights of Camelot finding a wagon from the kingdom: one that’s been attacked by Morgana’s Saxons.

And that that’s accompanied by Kara, a Druid and old friend of Mordred: who Mordred is still enamoured of.

And who Mordred initially releases: and treats, with some herbs, stolen from Gaius’ infirmary.

Of course, the only person who realises what’s happening is Merlin himself.

Which leads to a confrontation between the two: and the eventual capture of Kara, the Druid girl that Mordred is so taken with, along with Mordred, himself.

Capture … Execution … 

Mordred’s escape … 

And his eventual betrayal of Merlin.

Well …

Look’s like Christmas — and the overall Merlin finalé — can’t come too soon …

Merlin — Series 5: Episode 9 — With All My Heart

Arthur — Bradley James

Merlin — Colin Morgan

 Wowsa … !

Arthur and Mordred —
 Bradley James and Alexander Vlahos

Or, at least I think it’s possibly a Wowsa …

The Dolmìr — Colin Morgan

Guinevere and Arthur —
Angel Coulby and Bradley James

 Actually, possibly not: now I come to think of it.

Mordred and Merlin —
Alexander Vlahos and Colin Morgan

I’d better get explaining, hadn’t I … ?

Yes, I think I should.

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It’s Saturday.   You’d noticed, hadn’t you?   At least, if you hadn’t I’d like to know why … !

That means I’m usually watching something.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve already worked out I’ve been watching the BBC and Shine version of Merlin from series 1: right up to tonight’s episode.

Episode 9, of series five, called With All My Heart: just so you know.

And I have to admit: I liked it … 

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With All My Heart opens with as Guinevere sneaks out of Camelot, late one night, to deliver the planned route of a delivery to Morgana.

The twist to the opener … is that Gwen’s being observed by Arthur: accompanied by Merlin.

And Arthur, on finding out the traitor in the heart of Camelot is his wife … 

Is OBVIOUSLY not happy.

Though, as Merlin points out, there’s an alternative to using a sword.

Although — as the episode progresses — Arthur’s decision to seek help for his bewitched queen is not as easy as one would imagine.

It definitely tests Merlin’s abilities to wear a frock … … … … 

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Now … 

I’m hearing you ask if this was a good episode … ?

Yes, it was, frankly: although the opening pre-title sequence has something of a plot hole — in NOT explaining how Arthur has been made aware of his wife’s treachery, in the space of a week — the whole episode rolls along at a nice pace.

Actually, at a superb pace!

Complete with enough tension to certainly have me nibbling my nails.

And, although it brings the Guinevere as traitor storyline to a neat close, in the run up to the last ever episode, it does so in a way I personally found very satisfying.

Thus far … ?

Thus far, Merlin’s last series is proving worth of its name.