Merlin Series 5 Episode 6 — The Dark Tower

Oh, my word, but wasn’t tonight’s episode of Merlin a myth-spotter’s delight … ?

No, seriously … !

As well as being a stinkingly good story, as well!

Oh, LORDY, yes!

I’m burbling, excitedly, aren’t I?

I should bloody well think so, actually.   And with good reason, I feel … !

But here … 

Let me grab a cocoa and tell you about it … 

~~~~~

Oh … that’s a bit calmer, isn’t it … ?

JUST a  touch … !

Now, where was I … ?   Oh, yeah: tonight’s episode of Merlin

Called The Dark Tower, episode 6 of series 5 opens with Guinevere and her brother, Sir Elyan,  at their late father’s grave, still — after all this time — mourning his loss*.

On the way back to Camelot, Guinevere, Elyan, and the knights who’ve accompanied find their horses spooked by snakes: snakes that have been magically summoned by Morgana.

Snakes that bite Percival and Leon into unconsciousness, that frighten the rest of the party’s horse BACK to Camelot.

Leaving Guinevere in the hands of Morgana.

Who’s armed with a plan, a huge tower … 

And a room full of mandrakeº: that’s screaming … 

Continuously. 

~~~~~

Now … 

Burbling excitedly … ?

Oh, yes … !

At LAST we get to see an episode where Angel Coulby, as the criminally underused Guinevere, can get to be centre stage.

AND do very well off the back of a beautifully written episode.

Oh, granted, The Dark Tower does it’s fair share of swiping plot elements from all over: it steals Queen Mab from Shakespeare, the impenetrable forest from Sleeping Beauty, and the Tower itself looks likes the production crew have DEFINITELY been at The Lord Of The Ringsª.

But weaves those elements together in such an entertaining and refreshing way, that I — personally — couldn’t HELP but be pleased with what I saw.

Personally … ?

Yes … 

I’ve thouroughly enjoyed tonight’s episode … !

*        The character is killed in To Kill The King: episode 12 of series one.

º        There’s an old superstition I learnt of, as a child: that the Mandrake plant has roots shaped like a human — hence the name — and a reputation for screaming so loudly it would kill you, as it’s uprooted.   From what I recall, there’s supposed to be a safe method of harvesting the roots.   You block your ears up, tie a dog to the plant, and get IT to pull.   Superstition, obviously.   ’Til you remember the things poisonous: and, going by the Wikipedia entry, ALSO contains quite a lot of hallucinogens … 

ª        There’s even what seemed like — in part — a nod to the days when a dungeon crawl like Uncle Ugly’s Underground was a hell of a lot of fun … !