Merlin (2008 TV series)
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| Merlin | |
|---|---|
| File:Merlintitlesequence.jpg Title sequence to Merlin | |
| Genre | Drama/Fantasy |
| Created by | Julian Jones Jake Michie Johnny Capps Julian Murphy |
| Starring | Colin Morgan Angel Coulby Bradley James Katie McGrath John Hurt with Anthony Head and Richard Wilson |
| Composer | Rob Lane |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Julie Gardner Bethan Jones[1] |
| Production locations | Wales, France |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company | Shine Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One |
| Release | 20 September 2008 – present |
Merlin is a British television drama series that began in 2008. It is loosely based on the Arthurian legends of the mythical wizard Merlin and his relationship with Prince Arthur, but differs significantly from traditional versions of the myth. Produced by independent production company Shine Limited for BBC One, the programme was designed to run in the same Saturday evening family drama slot as other UK series such as Doctor Who and Robin Hood. The BBC has recommissioned the series for a second run.[2]
Production
The idea for the program was conceived by Shine producers Julian Murphy and Johnny Caps, who had previously worked together on Hex, a fantasy series produced by Shine for Sky One.[3] The BBC had been keen on showing a drama based on the character of Merlin for some time; a little over a year before the Shine series was initiated, writer and producer Chris Chibnall had been developing a project aimed at a BBC One Sunday night slot, but this was ultimately not commissioned.[4] The Shine version of the project was put into development in late 2006, commissioned by Controller of BBC One Peter Fincham and BBC Head of Fiction Jane Tranter, with Fincham keen on having more series on his channel which embodied "three generation TV – that's TV you can watch with your grandparents and children. There's not enough of that about."[4]
Merlin was also influenced by US show Smallville, about the early years of Superman, according to Shine producers, Julian Murphy and Johnny Caps, who said that Smallville helped provide the idea that Merlin would see a "Camelot that existed before its golden age". Caps said:
"Just as in Smallville we wanted to subvert expectations. Camelot is a land where magic is banned [and] Merlin ... is a young boy who works as Arthur's manservant and has to hide his abilities." [3]
This influence was apparent throughout the first season as the storyline forced Merlin to hide his abilities and make excuses for the supernatural acts he was responsible for, just as Clark Kent was made to for the first 3-5 seasons of Smallville. Critics have pointed to this repetitive and awkward plot device as a weakness of both series.
The series went into production in March 2008,[5] with filming taking place in Wales and France (at the Château de Pierrefonds).[3] The series was produced by Shine in association with BBC Wales, whose Head of Drama Julie Gardner served as executive producer for the BBC.[3] Gardner had extensive experience of working on the BBC's Doctor Who, and said that show's chief writer Russell T Davies had been an important influence on the tone and style of Merlin.[3] CGI special effects for the series were provided by The Mill, which had also worked on Doctor Who and its spin-offs.[1] Consisting of an initial series of 13 episodes, Merlin began transmission in the UK on 20 September 2008. In advance of this, a special trailer was prepared for release on television, in cinemas and online.[3]
On 13 December 2008, the BBC announced that it had re-commissioned Merlin for a second series, which was to begin filming in 2009.[6]
Cast and crew
- Colin Morgan as Merlin: The series protagonist is a young, remarkably talented sorcerer who attempts to keep his powers secret and will one day become the greatest wizard in the world. He is also Arthur's friend, despite the initial animosity between the two.
- Bradley James as Prince Arthur: the headstrong, arrogant and reckless but kind and benevolent son of King Uther, and future King of Camelot. Merlin must protect him from harm. Arthur becomes friends with Merlin, and the pair have saved one another's lives on numerous occasions.
- Richard Wilson as Gaius: Camelot's court physician and one of the few who know Merlin's secret. Gaius used to be a sorcerer himself, and is something of an alchemist and magical scholar. He has a dry sense of humour and sees Merlin as the son he never had.
- Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon: Arthur's father and current king of Camelot. Uther is depicted as a ruthless and sometimes cruel man, but he cares deeply about his subjects and friends. However, he is frequently blinded by his hatred for all forms of magic.
- Angel Coulby as Guinevere (Gwen): Morgana's humble maid servant, and her friend. She has an open, friendly personality but is occasionally antagonistic with Arthur.
- Katie McGrath as Morgana: King Uther's ward and the daughter of his late best friend. Morgana is best friends with Gwen despite their class differences and is also secretly a "seer" - a person who has prophetic powers.
- John Hurt as the voice of the The Great Dragon: Merlin often visits the Dragon when in a predicament, because the Dragon claims he knows Merlin's destiny. The Dragon is also one of the few who know Merlin's secret. The Dragon appears omniscient at times, and his motivations are unknown beyond his desire to be released from the dungeons of Camelot.
- Michelle Ryan as Nimueh: The main antagonist of the first series, Nimueh is here portrayed as a beautiful, powerful, but amoral sorceress, bent on overthrowing Uther and Arthur and restoring magic to Camelot.
Guest appearances
- Eve Myles as Mary Collins / Lady Helen ("The Dragon's Call")
- Caroline Faber as Hunith ("The Dragon's Call", "The Moment of Truth" and "Le Morte d'Arthur")
- Will Mellor as Valiant ("Valiant")
- Santiago Cabrera as Lancelot ("Lancelot" and a Series Two Episode)
- Asa Butterfield as Mordred ("The Beginning of the End")
- Julian Rhind-Tutt as Edwin Muirden ("A Remedy to Cure All Ills")
- Kyle Redmond-Jones as Sir Owain ("Excalibur")
- Alexander Siddig as Kanan ("The Moment of Truth")
- Joe Dempsie as William ("The Moment of Truth")
- Holliday Grainger as Sophia ("The Gates of Avalon")
- Mackenzie Crook as Cedric (Series Two)
- Sarah Parish as Lady Catrina (Series Two)
- Adrian Lester as Myror (Series Two)
- Charles Dance as Aredian (Series Two)[7]
Directors working on the first series include James Hawes, Ed Fraiman, Jeremy Webb, David Moore, and Stuart Orme.
Plot
 |
Merlin arrives at the city of Camelot, where the king, Uther Pendragon, has outlawed magic and imprisoned the last dragon. Merlin, who was born with extraordinary magical powers, is taken as the apprentice of Gaius. Merlin later discovers, after being informed by the last dragon, who is held as a prisoner deep under the city, that he has an important destiny in protecting Uther's arrogant son, Arthur, so that he may grow up to found a great kingdom.
The era in which the series is set is ambiguous; traditionally the Arthurian legends are set in the dark ages, and the idea of King Uther reigning over a small kingdom (which is present in both traditional legend and the television series) sets it before the union of England in 927. Despite this, the castle interiors are 15th century,[citation needed] making the series' setting inconsistent with English history. Britain is never mentioned, although the dragon has used the name Albion, which is the oldest known name for Great Britain.
The television series deviates significantly from more traditional versions of the legend, such as those written by Geoffrey of Monmouth, T.H. White, and Thomas Malory. For instance, in the original myth, it is Arthur who builds Camelot, whereas in this series it pre-dates Arthur's father Uther. Another key difference is that in the television series, Arthur and Merlin are of approximately the same age, whereas in traditional myth, Merlin is much older, and acts as Arthur's tutor. This kind of relationship is played out between Gaius and Merlin. Morgana, normally shown as an evil sorceress, is here a kind and caring woman, albeit one with a secret. Excalibur is an ordinary sword that becomes enchanted by the Great Dragon.
Other characters from Arthurian legend have appeared. Lancelot was portrayed as a commoner who longed to become a knight. Mordred has been shown as a young Druid boy who formed a bond with Morgana (in some legends Mordred's mother) and who was prophesied by the Great Dragon to be the cause of death of Arthur (in the legend this occurred at the Battle of Camlann). Mordred and the Great Dragon referred to Merlin by his Druidic name, Emrys (the Welsh form of Ambrosius; Ambrosius Aurelianus was a historical figure whom Geoffrey of Monmouth partially merged with Merlin[citation needed]). Geoffrey of Monmouth himself has appeared as the court genealogist.
Broadcast
In April 2008, American broadcast rights were purchased by NBC,[8] where it is shown on Sundays at 20:00 (ET).[9] This makes it the first British drama in over thirty years to be shown on US network television, as opposed to PBS or cable.[10] The distributor, FremantleMedia Enterprises, also sold broadcast rights to CTV in Canada, Network Ten in Australia,[11][12][13], RTL in Germany, Canal+ in France, M-Net in South Africa, and MICO in Japan.[14] The series also airs in Italy,[14] Malaysia, Norway, Portugal, and in Sweden, as on demand through the web.
American and Canadian broadcasts generally coincided during the first season, with NBC and CTV occasionally showing two episodes back-to-back.
| Country | TV Network(s) | Series Premiere | Weekly Schedule (local time) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Australia |
Channel Ten | 26 April 2009 | Sundays, 12:00 (replays), 18:30 |
 Canada |
CTV | 21 June 2009 | Sundays, 20:00 |
 Denmark |
DR 1 | 20 June 2009 | Saturdays, 20:00 |
 Israel |
HOT Summer | 10 July 2009 | Friday, 10:00 Saturdays, 10:00 |
 Italy |
Italia 1 | 15 December 2008 | Tuesdays, 21:10 |
 Malaysia |
Hallmark Channel | 1 March 2009 | Tuesdays, 21:00 |
 Netherlands |
Nederland 3 | 28 March 2009 | Saturdays, 19:20 |
 Norway |
TV2 | 18 January 2009 | Sundays, 20:00 |
 Poland |
Polsat | 7 March 2009 | Saturdays, 17:15 |
 Portugal |
SIC Radical | 28 June 2009 | Sundays, 20:00 |
 Romania |
Pro TV | 13 June 2009 | Saturdays, 18:00 |
 Russia |
TV3 Russia | ||
 Spain |
Antena Neox Antena 3 (replays) |
22 May 2009 27 June 2009 |
Fridays, 22:30 Saturdays, 21:30 |
 Sweden |
SVT1 SVT2 (replays) |
18 January 2009 |
Sundays, 18:45 Mondays, 22:30 |
 Turkey |
CNBC-e | 6 September 2009 | Sundays, 20:00 |
 Ukraine |
1+1 | 6 June 2009 | Saturdays, 12:45 |
 United Kingdom |
BBC One | 20 September 2008 | Saturdays, various times |
 United States |
NBC | 21 June 2009 | Sundays, 20:00 |
 Vietnam |
HTV7 | 12 July 2009 | everyday, 17:00 |
Ratings
The series première drew an overnight average of 6.65m (30%) viewers in the 19:00 slot (and a final consolidated figure of 7.15 million) despite being scheduled against popular ITV series The X Factor.[15] The series as a whole had an average of 6.32 million viewers,[16] which is fewer than Doctor Who attracted during its first series, and slightly more than those received by Robin Hood.[17] Merlin was the fifth most watched programme on BBC iPlayer in 2008.[18] In Australia the show premiered on the Ten Network. The show became Ten's 3rd highest rated program for its first week with 1.406 million. Ratings had stabilized for its second and third airings with 1.306 and 1.372, respectively. In its fourth airing, the show rose to its highest viewership of 1.500 million and was the 10th most watched program of the week. Despite the ratings rise, the show was Ten's fourth most watched program behind MasterChef Australia, Talkin' 'bout your Generation, and NCIS. Ratings for the show have since stabilized.[citation needed]
Weekly ratings
| # | Episode | UK Air Date | Viewers (millions)[19] | Audience share in timeslot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Dragon's Call" | 20 September 2008 | 7.15 | 30.0% |
| 2 | "Valiant" | 27 September 2008 | 5.40 | 30.6% |
| 3 | "The Mark of Nimueh" | 4 October 2008 | 6.30 | 28.9% |
| 4 | "The Poisoned Chalice" | 11 October 2008 | 6.48 | 25.6% |
| 5 | "Lancelot" | 18 October 2008 | 5.37 | 27.1% |
| 6 | "A Remedy to Cure All Ills" | 25 October 2008 | 6.00 | 28.6% |
| 7 | "The Gates of Avalon" | 1 November 2008 | 6.45 | 22.9% |
| 8 | "The Beginning of the End" | 8 November 2008 | 6.25 | 23.1% |
| 9 | "Excalibur" | 15 November 2008 | 6.47 | 24.4% |
| 10 | "The Moment of Truth" | 22 November 2008 | 7.03 | 25.6% |
| 11 | "The Labyrinth of Gedref" | 29 November 2008 | 6.71 | 23.0% |
| 12 | "To Kill the King" | 6 December 2008 | 6.31 | 23.1% |
| 13 | "Le Morte d'Arthur" | 13 December 2008 | 6.27 | 22.2% |
| CiN | "Merlin in Need" | 14 November 2008 |
US ratings
| Order | Episode | Rating | Share | 18-49 | Viewers (millions) | Rank (Timeslot) | Rank (Week) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Dragon's Call" | 3.2 | 6 | 1.3/5 | 5.46 | #3 | #14[20] |
| 2 | "Valiant" | 3.2 | 6 | 1.4/4 | 5.24 | #2 | #14 |
| 3 | "The Mark of Nimueh" | 2.8 | 5 | 1.0/3 | 4.29 | #2 | #28 |
| 4 | "The Poisoned Chalice" | 2.6 | 4 | 1.1/3 | 4.25 | #3 | #28 |
| 5 | "Lancelot" | 2.7 | 5 | 1.1/4 | 4.29 | #2 | #19 |
| 6 | "A Remedy to Cure All Ills" | 2.3 | 4 | 0.9/3 | 3.65 | #4 | #30 |
| 7 | "The Gates of Avalon" | 2.6 | 5 | 1.1/4 | 4.27 | #4 | #25 |
| 8 | "The Beginning of the End" | 2.7 | 5 | 1.1/4 | 4.21 | #4 | #21 |
| 9 | "Excalibur" | 2.7 | 5 | 1.1/3 | 4.46 | #3 | #20 |
| 10 | "The Moment of Truth" | 1.9 | 4 | 0.8/3 | 3.06 | #3 | #31 |
| 11 | "The Labyrinth of Gedref" | 2.4 | 4 | 1.0/3 | 3.95 | #5 | #31 |
| 12 | "To Kill the King" | 1.9 | 4 | 1.0/3 | 3.22 | #3 | TBA |
| 13 | "Le Morte d'Arthur" | 2.3 | 4 | 1.1/3 | 3.92 | #5 | TBA |
Canadian ratings
| Order | Episode | Viewers (100'00s) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | "The Dragon's Call/Valiant" | 11.03 | #4 |
| 3 & 4 | "The Mark of Nimueh/The Poisoned Chalice" | 9.92 | #8 |
| 5 | "Lancelot" | 8.31 | #13 |
| 6 | "A Remedy to Cure All Ills" | 9.03 | #15 |
| 7 | "The Gates of Avalon" | 9.48 | #13 |
| 8 | "The Beginning of the End" | 8.68 | #16 |
| 9 | "Excalibur" | 8.29 | #17 |
| 10 & 11 | "The Moment of Truth/The Labyrinth of Gedref" | 6.99 | #18 |
| 12 & 13 | "To Kill the King/Le Morte d'Arthur" | TBA | TBA |
Australian ratings
| Order | Episode | Viewers (millions) | Weekly rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Dragon's Call" | 1.406 | #13 |
| 2 | "Valiant" | 1.306 | #14 |
| 3 | "The Mark of Nimueh" | 1.372 | #14 |
| 4 | "The Poisoned Chalice" | 1.500 | #10 |
| 5 | "Lancelot" | 1.338 | #17 |
References
- ^ a b "Merlin's Secrets Revealed" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
- ^ Merlin Renewed
- ^ a b c d e f Sweeney, Mark (2008-08-29). "Merlin: BBC cues up TV and cinema ads". guardian.co.uk. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ a b Deans, Jason (2006-12-07). "BBC1 seeks magic touch for Merlin drama". guardian.co.uk. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
- ^ "Richard Wilson and Anthony Head lead cast in Merlin, a fantasy drama for BBC One" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 2008-03-17. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Hit fantasy Merlin is recommissioned for BBC One". bbc.co.uk. 2008-12-13. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/merlin/faq/show
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh (2008-04-03). "NBC buys BBC family drama Merlin". guardian.co.uk. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2008-04-04.
- ^ "Merlin". NBC. Retrieved 2009-04-25.
- ^ Holmwood, Leigh (June 6th 2009). "BBC drama Merlin to air on NBC". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved June 13th 2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "CTV secures Canadian broadcast rights to 'Merlin'". CTV News. 2008-10-15. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
- ^ Hurrell, Will (2008-08-07). "BBC's Merlin heading Down Under". Broadcast Now. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
- ^ "Merlin casts spell over TEN".
- ^ a b Clarke, Steve (2008-12-15). "'Merlin' heads into second series". Variety. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
- ^ Wilkes, Neil (2008-09-21). "'Merlin' pulls in 6.6 million". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ^ Exact figure: 6.32230769230769, calculated from BARB figures which can be found here
- ^ Doctor Who: Series One averaged 7.95 million viewers, Robin Hood averaged 6.19 (Series 1) and 5.83 (Series 2), calculated from BARB figures which can be found here
- ^ "BBC releases list of 10 most viewed shows to mark iPlayer's first birthday". Sam Nichols. The Guardian. 2008-12-12.
- ^ "Weekly Viewing Summary (see relevant week)". BARB.
- ^ "TV Ratings 6-15 to 6-21 and This Week In TV".
