Merlin
Episode 10: “The Moment of Truth”
BBC One, Saturday 22 November 2008, 7.25PM
Written by Julian Jones
Directed by David Moore
Warning: this review contains some spoilers. If you’d rather not know what the story is going to include, bookmark this page and read it after viewing.
Television fantasy and SF shows often borrow familiar plot lines; the excuse is that it helps general viewers understand an unfamiliar situation if they can at least latch onto a story they recognise. So there’s certainly nothing wrong with the makers of Merlin nicking the basic premise of The Seven Samurai. It’s just a shame that they make such a poor fist of it, ending up with a solid, but rather unmoving and predictable tale that adds nothing to the series’ reputation.
Anyway, the story is this: Merlin’s home village is under threat from brutal, nasty ruffians led by a (typically) facially scarred villain, in this case called Kanan and played with some relish by a snarling, bearded Alexander Siddig (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Dr. Bashir). When Merlin’s mother’s pleas for assistance are reluctantly rejected by Uther Pendragon—for the local equivalent of geo-political reasons: the village is within another kingdom—Merlin decides to head back home, and finds himself with Gwen, Morgana, and Arthur at his side. This is frankly rather distracting, because even a casual viewer must wonder how Pendragon could possibly not notice the absence of his only son and ward. After all, it’s not as if Merlin is there either to distract him with some frankly feeble explanation. Surely this viewer was not alone in expecting an extremely grim-faced Anthony Head to ride in with the troops like the seventh cavalry at the story’s climax? Or, at the very least, to expect the next episode to start with both Arthur and Morgana “grounded” in the dungeon for their defiance of Pendragon’s decision.
Anyway, this not-so-Magnificent Four arrive, and Arthur tries to turn the villagers into an effective fighting force; frankly, given the material, even he realises that things don’t look good. Not even when, bowing to 21st century sexual equality, he’s persuaded by Gwen and Morgana to let the women fight, too. But, as the final attack approaches—the raiders kindly don’t even consider attacking at night—it becomes clear that Merlin will have to use his magical powers to save the village and, by doing so, reveal himself as a sorcerer to Arthur.
Actor Joe Dempsie (best known for his role in the controversial and acclaimed UK drama Skins) has the thankless task of playing Merlin’s lifelong friend William, a one-note character sulking in the background who firmly believes that Merlin should use his “gift” to save the village instead of forcing the villagers to fight and die. Also, in a nod to the programme’s ongoing discussion of class and hierarchy, William has little or no respect for any member of the nobility. Predictably, of course, he comes through in the end, giving his life for Arthur and conveniently taking the rap for the use of sorcery. Frankly, though, raising a mini typhoon hardly seems the most startling use of magic Merlin could’ve come up with, ending the narrative with a real sense of anticlimax.
This isn’t helped by the fact that, though we’re repeatedly told during this episode about the strong relationship between Merlin and Arthur (even that old cliche, “two sides of the same coin”, is given an airing), it’s not something that is effectively shown. This robs the episode of much needed dramatic tension because we’re never entirely convinced about what Merlin risks losing if he uses his magical powers in full sight of Arthur.
John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven was an excellent remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Unfortunately, Merlin’s “Moment of Truth” isn’t, and it does the series no good to have tried.