34
TV By NICOLA HOBAN
seren.bangor.ac.uk
Merlin’s Final Adventure
A
s the countdown to Christmas begins, fans across the globe prepare for the hit BBC show Merlin to air its final episodes. The show, which some believe has been axed when in reality had always been planned to only ever have five seasons, was first aired on 20th September 2008 and is loosely based on the Arthurian legends, following a young Merlin (Colin Morgan) and his
by AILISH BUMPUS
F
December Issue 2012
ive years after a tragic boat accident, Oliver Queen (billionaire playboy) comes back from the dead. He begins to right his father’s wrongs as a hooded vigilante, taking down corruption-filled Starling City’s biggest crime bosses. But what happened on the island he was rescued from? And how long can he keep his alter-ego a secret? At a first glimpse, ‘Arrow’ is a richfamily-with-secrets drama, with a superhero edge. But as it develops you will be pleasantly surprised by this gripping, action-packed show with plenty of personal family issues. In the first episode, it delves straight into the action with dishevelled castaway Oliver being rescued, and he comes back to a less than warm welcome that introduces all the main characters in a short space of
adventures with Prince Arthur (Bradley James). Merlin, a young wizard, is sent to Camelot by his mother, who sends him to stay with the court physician Gaius (Richard Wilson). With magic being outlawed in Camelot, Merlin has to undertake his destiny of protecting and guiding Prince Arthur without his natural gifts being discovered, in the hopes that one day the future King will bring back the land of magic once again. The task proves to be difficult however, as the duo face many obstacles in
time, perhaps to keep the pace and get on with the secrets and violence. The action throughout the series is fast-paced and exhilarating, balancing the realistic fighting of untrained thugs and stylised, highly trained Oliver. Also the use of ‘trick arrows’ (grappling hook, transmitter, sleeping gas) sets apart the action from other shows. Oliver is equipped with his father’s notebooks, crossing out the names of the crime bosses he takes out which, although slightly cliché, gives a good climax to each episode. The star of ‘Arrow’ is the charming and smoking hot Stephen Amell, previously in ‘Private Practice’ and ‘New Girl’, playing both the smarmy rich kid and tormented vigilante equally well. In CW’s familiar way of bringing the female, teenage audience, Amell shows off his excellent physique in the slightly out of place ‘training’ scenes. But the scene-stealer has to be the endearing John ‘Diggles’ Diggle; Oliver’s bodyguard who’s a comic relief with his quick wit and, refreshingly, doesn’t give into Oliver’s every whims like the other characters. With the show being based on an already loved and highly developed comic book character, does the show do the hero justice? It seems the Green Arrow universe has been condensed so all the important characters are conveniently Oliver’s close family and friends. Also, Oliver seems to be nonchalant in killing people for justice, which is a great contrast to his comic book equivalent who goes out of his way not to, as he sees it as morally wrong. ‘Arrow’ brings a hefty contender into the newly revived superhero scene, and with its gritty realism and great cast, viewers can look forward to the show’s future with plenty of room for character development, flashbacks and answered questions.
their path, one being the king’s ward Morgana (Katie McGrath), who proves to be a powerful sorceress who wants Camelot’s for herself and will do anything to get it. While Merlin and Arthur are not friendly towards each other at first, the audience have watched their bond and camaraderie grow stronger with each passing episode. The characters of Lady Guinevere (Angel Coulby) and the Knights of the Round Table are also loved just as much by the fans as the main pair for what they contribute to the storyline, as well as their rapport with one another, namely the
by BECKI WATSON
L
ike any responsible student, instead of getting a sensible amount of sleep in order to focus better on my studies, I spend my evenings watching hours of television, and my latest obsession has been the hit US comedy Community. While the show has never gained huge audiences, it has received great acclaim from critics across the board, and is sure to become a cult classic. Set in Greendale Community College, the show follows ex-lawyer Jeff, who had to return to school when the bar found out he’d forged his college diploma, as he sets up a fake Spanish study group in order to seduce high school dropout and anarchist Britta. This backfires when other students hear of it, and the group expands to include pop-culture obsessed Abed, single mother Shirley, over-achiever Annie, former high school football player Troy and elderly millionaire Pierce. Despite their various personality flaws, the group bonds, and together they navigate their way through the surreal antics of college. The genius of Community is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. As well as satirising itself to brilliant effect, Community constantly parodies pop culture. From a full length skit of Doctor Who called ‘Inspector Spacetime‘, to a Shaun of the Dead style send up of horror
knights Sir Leon (Rupert Young), Sir Gwaine (Eoin Macken), Sir Percival (Tom Hopper), Sir Elyan (Adetomiwa Edun), and the more recent addition of Mordred (Alexander Vlahos). The large cast of Merlin and their talent makes the show what it is. While the show started off with mixed reviews, it has gone from strength to strength throughout the seasons. Now standing at 62 episodes, Merlin has starred many a big name over the years, including that of Anthony Head, John Hurt and Michelle Ryan. Though Merlin now starts to draw to a close, leaving fans of the show devastated, it could be said by some that a glimmer of hope remains as the possibility of a spin-off is being discussed, though some fans feel that the
show should be left as it was intended to end. While I’ll be watching the final episodes with a bunch of tissues and a lot of snacks ready for the emotional rollercoaster to come, the questions that remain to be asked are these: What will happen to the cast once their journey with Merlin ends? Will there be a spin-off series and could it tarnish the show? And most importantly, when will Merlin’s magic be revealed to everyone, though more specifically, to Arthur?!
movies where Troy is encouraged to ‘be the first black man to make it to the end’, their satire is as clever as it is hilarious. Added to this are the amazing characters, who grow and develop as the show goes on, such as Troy, who evolved from a cool, popular jock, into a guy who isn’t afraid to show his geeky passions. He also develops a truly epic nerdy bromance with Abed (we’re talking JD and Turk levels here), and together they provide some of the funniest moments in the programme. But aside from all of the wonderfully surreal fantasy sequences, Community gives a hilarious look into college that many students can relate to. From scarily intense lec turers, to study sessions where not much actual studying takes place, it brings all of the weird and wonderful elements of universit y superbly to life. With the premiere of the fourth season pushed
back by the network to an unknown future date, the fate of the show remains uncertain. But even so, the characters of Community are ones you’ll grow to love, and its passionate fan base will ensure it stays on air for many seasons to come.