anime_babble (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
anime_babble) wrote2011-02-20 09:49 am
anime_babble) wrote2011-02-20 09:49 am
BBC Merlin
So pretty much an easy way to get me to watch your show is to put up about a season's worth on HULU.
Off shoot rant: I sympathize with authors feeling angry that their books get pirated. But I'm not sure that their argument that they lose money from this is actually true. Yes, some people would never ever pay money anyway. But for others, giving away the stuff for free will actually get you a money.
Never done this with books as I don't think there's an equivalent for a book stream, but do you really think that Funimation is going to LOSE money from me even though I watched FMA: Brotherhood on Hulu? From what I can discern what my pattern is this: 1) Watch show online legally for free. 2) Like the show. 3) Buy the DVD set and also merch if I loved it.
Now granted, if 2 doesn't happen, I won't get it. But I generally don't buy shows unwatched so you didn't lose my money in the first place. And yes, I won't buy a full set unless I've seen more than a couple eps. I'm looking at you CW. Sometimes I read about Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries and think, oh hey, maybe I would like these shows? Or certain aspects at least? And then I realize there's no method for me to catch up for free, and I'm not shelling out for the DVD sets of prior seasons based on the one or two episodes that I can catch when I remember to turn on the TV at home.
Anyway, back to BBC Merlin. So you know those shows where you can never ever interact with fandom because your reading of the show is so different from everyone else? This is one of them.
Merlin is not a great show. It boosts awesome actors who frequently can elevate the material into stratospheric heights, but the actual writing is not great. For those that don't know, the basic premise is a Smallville like retelling of the myth; so Merlin before he was Merlin. The biggest departures from the most commonly told tales, is that Merlin is younger than Arthur, and his servant, and Gwen is a servant in the castle as well. Unlike others, I don't have a problem with this because the Arthur retellings are so varied and pretty much all authors who retell it change some things anyway.
The writing for the women is absurdly horrible. Morgana starts out as Arthur's adoptive sister and a force for good and she is generally a badass chick in the first season. By the third, she's turned, but adequate reason for her willingness to kill Arthur and Gwen is pretty much nonexistent. But in general, if you are female and have magic? Evil. I know that's how it runs in the myth as well, with the notable exception of the Lady of the Lake, but geez show. When all your most interesting and full-of-own-agency women are villains, there is a problem.
And OMG Gwen.
Gwen is the most boring and bland character on this show. It's clear that the writers have NO FREAKING CLUE what to do with her. At least in the first season, she had some characterization. A little foot-in-mouth, gangly, falls into crushes easily. But in subsequent seasons, she's there to prop up Arthur's arc. They trot her out to give Arthur a speech about Believing!In!Him! and then trot her away again. Also, show; YOU CAN'T HAVE GWEN FIND OUT MORGANA IS EVIL AND THEN NOT DO A THING ABOUT IT FOR 3 EPISODES. Do you WANT Gwen to look like an idiot? I mean at least have her tell Merlin about it!
And now shipping. I had read that there was a lot of Gwen hate for her getting in the way of the Arthur/Merlin bromance. Obviously, I don't condone that. But the Arthur/Gwen shippers who hate on Arthur's actor, Bradley James, for his comments on the Arthur/Gwen ship? Also insane.
Look. Bradley and Angel, the actors for Arthur and Gwen respectively, are genetically blessed people. Before I knew it was on Hulu, I'd watched some of their random scenes on youtube and it was well lit and romantic and I can see why it's catnip to some viewers.
But. But.
Viewed IN CONTEXT? They are THAT couple, guys. You know, the ones who are so angsty and dramatic with Our Love is the Greatest and Most Tragic Thing Ever! I mean there's a scene where Gwen tells Arthur, "You have nothing to Prove! Least Of All To Me~!" (Yes, I could hear the capitals), and I'm like, I thought this was Arthur's journey to prove to himself that he's actually good at what he does, even if he is a Prince? Like, there has been no indication WHATSOEVER that it's ALL ABOUT YOU GWEN?
Nearly all their scenes play with the whole EPIC ROMANTIC DESTINY subtext and it's KILLING the ship. When Bradley voices his concern that the ship has moved so quickly without any real development, HE IS NOT LYING. HE IS NOT SOME STAUNCH ARTHUR/MERLIN SLASHER WHO HATES GWEN, FANDOM. This is perhaps the first fandom where I've seen actor hate for someone PLAYING HALF YOUR SHIP GUYS.
Also, I can't believe I'm saying this, but like Bradley? I ship Lancelot/Gwen. I buy their relationship despite it's lack of screen time comparatively, because when THEY WHIPPED OUT their epic speeches, they were ABOUT TO DIE, and I can buy that sort of thing in those circumstances. It helps that Lancelot has the most heroic theme ever. To understand my feelings on this, you have to realize that generally? I hate Lancelot, dislike Gwen, and loathe Lancelot/Gwen in most retellings, because they portray Gwen as a backstabbing bitch and Lancelot as someone who would betray his best friend. Dammit if BBC hasn't instead created THE PERFECT LOVE TRIANGLE, where in I buy the feelings on all sides, and can blame no one. I love Lancelot and Arthur both, understand their love for Gwen, understand Gwen's love for both men, and CRUCIALLY, get Lancelot's love and almost hero-worship of Arthur. The show did not screw this one up. Unlike, 99% of so called 'love triangles', it's not clear which man is actually the one you are supposed to root for. (Fandom will argue Arthur, but I disagree. Both men offer different things for Gwen, and I think she's more suited to Lancelot actually, though we know she will marry Arthur).
In summary, this is a show I love that I have no idea why I love given it's problems, except for the fact that occasionally to keep me interested, though throw me a master thespian acting scene. And the shippers drive me nuts.
Off shoot rant: I sympathize with authors feeling angry that their books get pirated. But I'm not sure that their argument that they lose money from this is actually true. Yes, some people would never ever pay money anyway. But for others, giving away the stuff for free will actually get you a money.
Never done this with books as I don't think there's an equivalent for a book stream, but do you really think that Funimation is going to LOSE money from me even though I watched FMA: Brotherhood on Hulu? From what I can discern what my pattern is this: 1) Watch show online legally for free. 2) Like the show. 3) Buy the DVD set and also merch if I loved it.
Now granted, if 2 doesn't happen, I won't get it. But I generally don't buy shows unwatched so you didn't lose my money in the first place. And yes, I won't buy a full set unless I've seen more than a couple eps. I'm looking at you CW. Sometimes I read about Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries and think, oh hey, maybe I would like these shows? Or certain aspects at least? And then I realize there's no method for me to catch up for free, and I'm not shelling out for the DVD sets of prior seasons based on the one or two episodes that I can catch when I remember to turn on the TV at home.
Anyway, back to BBC Merlin. So you know those shows where you can never ever interact with fandom because your reading of the show is so different from everyone else? This is one of them.
Merlin is not a great show. It boosts awesome actors who frequently can elevate the material into stratospheric heights, but the actual writing is not great. For those that don't know, the basic premise is a Smallville like retelling of the myth; so Merlin before he was Merlin. The biggest departures from the most commonly told tales, is that Merlin is younger than Arthur, and his servant, and Gwen is a servant in the castle as well. Unlike others, I don't have a problem with this because the Arthur retellings are so varied and pretty much all authors who retell it change some things anyway.
The writing for the women is absurdly horrible. Morgana starts out as Arthur's adoptive sister and a force for good and she is generally a badass chick in the first season. By the third, she's turned, but adequate reason for her willingness to kill Arthur and Gwen is pretty much nonexistent. But in general, if you are female and have magic? Evil. I know that's how it runs in the myth as well, with the notable exception of the Lady of the Lake, but geez show. When all your most interesting and full-of-own-agency women are villains, there is a problem.
And OMG Gwen.
Gwen is the most boring and bland character on this show. It's clear that the writers have NO FREAKING CLUE what to do with her. At least in the first season, she had some characterization. A little foot-in-mouth, gangly, falls into crushes easily. But in subsequent seasons, she's there to prop up Arthur's arc. They trot her out to give Arthur a speech about Believing!In!Him! and then trot her away again. Also, show; YOU CAN'T HAVE GWEN FIND OUT MORGANA IS EVIL AND THEN NOT DO A THING ABOUT IT FOR 3 EPISODES. Do you WANT Gwen to look like an idiot? I mean at least have her tell Merlin about it!
And now shipping. I had read that there was a lot of Gwen hate for her getting in the way of the Arthur/Merlin bromance. Obviously, I don't condone that. But the Arthur/Gwen shippers who hate on Arthur's actor, Bradley James, for his comments on the Arthur/Gwen ship? Also insane.
Look. Bradley and Angel, the actors for Arthur and Gwen respectively, are genetically blessed people. Before I knew it was on Hulu, I'd watched some of their random scenes on youtube and it was well lit and romantic and I can see why it's catnip to some viewers.
But. But.
Viewed IN CONTEXT? They are THAT couple, guys. You know, the ones who are so angsty and dramatic with Our Love is the Greatest and Most Tragic Thing Ever! I mean there's a scene where Gwen tells Arthur, "You have nothing to Prove! Least Of All To Me~!" (Yes, I could hear the capitals), and I'm like, I thought this was Arthur's journey to prove to himself that he's actually good at what he does, even if he is a Prince? Like, there has been no indication WHATSOEVER that it's ALL ABOUT YOU GWEN?
Nearly all their scenes play with the whole EPIC ROMANTIC DESTINY subtext and it's KILLING the ship. When Bradley voices his concern that the ship has moved so quickly without any real development, HE IS NOT LYING. HE IS NOT SOME STAUNCH ARTHUR/MERLIN SLASHER WHO HATES GWEN, FANDOM. This is perhaps the first fandom where I've seen actor hate for someone PLAYING HALF YOUR SHIP GUYS.
Also, I can't believe I'm saying this, but like Bradley? I ship Lancelot/Gwen. I buy their relationship despite it's lack of screen time comparatively, because when THEY WHIPPED OUT their epic speeches, they were ABOUT TO DIE, and I can buy that sort of thing in those circumstances. It helps that Lancelot has the most heroic theme ever. To understand my feelings on this, you have to realize that generally? I hate Lancelot, dislike Gwen, and loathe Lancelot/Gwen in most retellings, because they portray Gwen as a backstabbing bitch and Lancelot as someone who would betray his best friend. Dammit if BBC hasn't instead created THE PERFECT LOVE TRIANGLE, where in I buy the feelings on all sides, and can blame no one. I love Lancelot and Arthur both, understand their love for Gwen, understand Gwen's love for both men, and CRUCIALLY, get Lancelot's love and almost hero-worship of Arthur. The show did not screw this one up. Unlike, 99% of so called 'love triangles', it's not clear which man is actually the one you are supposed to root for. (Fandom will argue Arthur, but I disagree. Both men offer different things for Gwen, and I think she's more suited to Lancelot actually, though we know she will marry Arthur).
In summary, this is a show I love that I have no idea why I love given it's problems, except for the fact that occasionally to keep me interested, though throw me a master thespian acting scene. And the shippers drive me nuts.