Posted by Jennifer Asencio | Published
When I reviewed the first two episodes of the The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of MerlinI said it wasn’t a celebrity show. I was wrong.
The Pendragon Cycle It gives Merlin a Magical Presence
Episode 3 The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin takes place an unspecified number of years after the end of episode 2. Baby Merlin is now a golden-eyed adult, played by Tom Sharp, who has been riding the “Sons of Constance,” Aurelius and Uther, in their quest to unite divided England into one kingdom under a high king. The last high king didn’t fare so well, and the three men hope to replace Aurelius. They went to Ynis Avallach to get some well-deserved rest before Merlin and Uther set off to gather more help.
Help is needed because the Saxons are threatening and raiding the coast. Ynis Avallach is weak and unable to provide military assistance, but has been harboring refugees among the Britons. Everyone, from Avallach to Maridunum and the Belgae monarchies to Morgain, married and living on the Isle of Fear, fears the Saxon threat and defends himself by hoarding resources or isolating himself.
Politics is intense, and negotiations happen as often on the edge of a sword as they do with diplomacy. War is about to break out, and divided among themselves, the kings of England are powerless to defend themselves. In the midst of all this is the lonely Merlin, initiated in the ways of his people but convinced that something is missing, and with the ideals of a young woman. And he is certain of some magical presence watching his every move.
The Rise of Merlin Brings Good People and Good Spectators
This is the third installment of the The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin it is the greater improvement of the two. The results are amazing, treating us to decorating castles and terrifying visions; gone are the ardent CGI keepers of the first two episodes. They are featured in beautiful pictures of sea cliffs, green valleys, and ancient forests. The Britons live in very well-designed sets built to resemble wooden barns. Visually, this episode knocks it out of the park.
The spectacular scenery is not the only thing that makes the plot beautiful. Ynis Avallach is full of white and green, with Charis carrying the issue in her usual stunning, white color. He takes on even more of the earthy spirit that defined him in the first episodes, as his character becomes more focused on the events around him. Morgain, in contrast, is dressed in rich greens and feathery blacks, an earthy combination that honors her femininity while remaining modest.
The men, who are more active in the matter, wear the black and brown clothes of the travelers rather than the rich clothes of those left behind. This gives them a chance to go hunting and camping, get dirty, and Myles Clohessy as Uther shows off his shirtless, muscular but not overly built body. Even with the significant influence of the two Atlantean women participating in the events, this episode is about the men and their quest.
Beautiful Songs Cover This New King Arthur Show
There’s even a great comedic friendship between Uther and Merlin’s boss, Penelaus, which is a good sign for the character. One of my only three complaints about this episode and the performances of many of the characters that appeared was that, once or twice, someone let out a sad cry or scream that was inappropriate and over-emphasized.
Otherwise, the acting is fantastic: Merlin’s smoldering, Uther’s rage, King Taldric’s skepticism, Rose Reid’s Charis’ bitter determination, and Arellius’s vision are all to be admired. The heated exchange between the other men creates a lot of tension because it’s so well done (except for Anakin Skywalker’s one “Noooooooo!”).
In the first two episodes, my favorite character was Emree Franklin for her brilliant, nuanced portrayal of Morgain. In this episode, she does not disappoint, she exudes strong female power and shows that she has her husband and sons wrapped around her finger without breaking a sweat. Rose Reid represents her own album, using her dignified powers to portray Charis as she does things her way.
But the show is stolen by Alex Laurence-Phillips as Pelleas. This actor conveys more with his face in scenes without lines than a thousand lines of dialogue. Her reaction to what is happening around her is priceless, and her conversation with Uther is a comic relief in what could have been a very heavy episode.
A Tale of Two Wonderful Scenes
Although the majority Merlin’s growth the third episode focuses on the political debates between proud, angry, and desperate leaders, political intrigue is intense. The comic relief between the verbal battles is essential to the flow of the episode, otherwise you’ll need a Xanax by the end.
However, there are two scenes in particular that I have to single out for their excellent screenwriting and the frame in which they are presented.
The first is the presentation of two opposing views in two different debates. The perspective of this collective scene shifts between these two dialogues, comparing and contrasting how they relate to the complex politics of the program. The way these conversations are juxtaposed with different scenes is interesting and important because it shows how these ideas are transient and misunderstood.
The second tandem scene worth noting is a feast of production value, featuring two simultaneous battles. With strong frames, we are brought closer to the action in the same way as other more intense battles Game of Thrones (I was directly reminded of “Battle of the Bastards”). Once again, our perspective shifted from one battle to the next, focusing sharply on everything that was happening. The color difference between the two skirmishes makes it easy to follow, even in all the chaos. The tandem presentation connects all the events of the episode into a beautiful, cohesive whole.
Development Room in Pendragon Cycle
For all the praise I gave this episode, there were some glaring mistakes. I have already mentioned the occasional excess. This was further enhanced by the inclusion of so many characters that I lost track of some of their names (eg I think his name was King Taldric?). All the important characters are easily recognizable, but the supporting characters are easily lost, and the dialogues throw out the names of people I’m not sure appeared on the screen.
Another big problem is that Merlin’s eyes look fake. The character is said to have golden eyes, similar to those of the bird he was named after. The problem is that the contact lenses worn by the character look like bad CGI in many scenes. I’m not sure they weren’t. Since Merlin is the main character of the show, it is very disturbing when his eyes are highlighted in a way that makes them stand out more than usual.
How Christian is the Christian King Arthur Show?
Another thing to note is that although magic is discussed and used in the episode, Christianity is not prominently emphasized. This is a bit of a break from the first two episodes, which were very preachy.
Magic and pagan gods have not been scorned in this series so far, but they have been shown as important and demanding forces of nature, compared to the benevolent and benevolent Christian god. However, a little of that is revealed in this episode, and Merlin still wears the druidic spiral on his cheek. Future episodes will pick up on that thread again, but so far, I’ve been impressed with how religion has been handled in what was expected to be a very heavy show.
The Pendragon Cycle Rises in Episode Three
All in all, Jeremy Boreing has done a great job developing this story, and the third episode shows that The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin it is learning and developing. As it progresses, production rates become sharper and most of their results improve. If the next four episodes are as good as this one, The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin it will fully earn its place among the popular epics.
PART 3 OF TURNING THE PENDRAGON UPDATE THE RESULT
The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin airs on Daily Wire+. Episodes drop on Thursdays.
