More Ramblings and Some Action Figures

[magog_83]

I just spoke to my brother, who is at the London Expo. I had asked him to see if there were any Merlin action figures for sale, and there are and he is getting Merlin and Arthur for me, and the YOU CAN'T ESCAPE DESTINY poster (YAAAAY). BUT, I also asked him to ask about a Gwen figure (it was Freemantle Media people running the stall) and they said they are bringing one of her out next year! Along with the dragon (which I read about already), King Uther and POSSIBLY one of Gwaine (they only said possibly on that one, which begs the question NO SIR LEON???????????). So that was all good news (and I'm looking forward to my FULLY POSEABLE ACTION FIGURES)

Also, because there is much discussion of it everywhere today, there WILL be whineage and complaining in my journal. Complaining is very therapeutic for me, and there has been much to complain about this series (my number one complaint, if you can't guess, has a full violin soundtrack and mostly involves Merlin NOT being the main character in his own show. I'm mainly pretending pod!morgana does not exist). If I don't complain, the rage builds, my face goes all red, and there is a 98% chance my head will actually explode. Nobody wants that. So yes, you don't have to read the complaining, or comment on it, but it will be here, because complaining is good for my soul apparently :D And I don't mind anyone else complaining either, although wishing death on characters is just scary. I would rather send angry thoughts at Johnny Capps, it's equally ineffective but still oddly satisfying (also I write REALLY IRATE letters to the BBC, Shine and Radio Times in my head, it makes me feel better and they don't know about it. Perfect).

Comments

[giecast.livejournal.com]

I wanna complain too! Let's have a complaining party! I read the spoilers and just felt complete RAAAAAAAGE. WTF everyone has their own story arc except Merlin. I thought the show is all about Merlin's journey to greatness or something. What the hell happened?! I keep telling myself "calm calm calm...you're watching this show for the pretty, not the plot..." BUT IT'S NOT WORKING!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I share your rage!! I keep telling myself it's just a show, the writer's are crap and it doesn't matter anyway because I spend WAY more time reading fanfic than I ever do watching the episodes, BUT STILL. It wouldn't KILL them to give Merlin a plot arc. I don't remember signing up for a new take on the Epic and Eternal Love of Arthur and Guinevere. I thought I was watching King Arthur and Merlin :(( Even when they do get scenes together, Merlin's either playing the fool, being ignored, or there just to set up A/G in some way. It just makes me feel so frustrated because the show has the potential to be so good, the actors are great, and yet they just recycle plotlines and progress everyone but the two at the centre of the show.

The thing that makes me most sad is that series one seems like a world away now. I don't even recognise Morgana anymore (and they've given us no reason whatsoever to believe in her complete and total lack of humanity all of a sudden), Gwen and Arthur are In Love for no reason I can fathom, and all Merlin does is fix things in the last ten minutes and get no thanks for it. Part of me even feels like I can't wait for series 3 to be over, so we can all go back to doing what we do best, mostly ignoring canon and producing brilliant fanfiction instead.

/rant

[giecast.livejournal.com]

I don't remember signing up for a new take on the Epic and Eternal Love of Arthur and Guinevere. -- This! It's not even epic or eternal, they're just trying, unsuccessfully in my opinion, to make it seem that way. I just can't get behind a pairing knowing that one half of it will betray the other.

I hear you, bb. I miss S1 so bad and I just want everyone to go back to their S1 dynamics. Morgana's character development (if you can call it that) is just weird. She just went from being concerned for the welfare of Camelot to wanting to kill everyone. What what what?!?!

...all Merlin does is fix things in the last ten minutes and get no thanks for it. -- The way things are going, it actually looks like the future fall of Camelot is Merlin's fault. He let Mordred get away, he let Morgana live, he encouraged Arthur to pursue Gwen. Ugh! My head aches now. I dunno what the writers are trying to do. *kicks things*

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

Also, new review says Arthur and Gwen get an uninterrupted romantic moment. DO NOT WANT. PLEASE SOMEONE INTERRUPT.

Ugh, I hate the Arthur and Gwen Show. And I also hate that I'm supposed to squee about it :( ::stubbornly REFUSES:: They're just ridiculous as a pairing, and it annoys me that they're selling it as true love when they barely know each other.

I love to read spoilers but they make me immensely grumpy sometimes.

Morgana's total lack of compassion makes no sense when it was pretty much her defining characteristic in series one and two. I would have been able to buy it more if they'd actually portrayed her as mad, at least then it wouldn't really be her.

The way things are going, it actually looks like the future fall of Camelot is Merlin's fault.

God, you're probably right! Makes you wonder if Capps is even aware of the implications.

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

My lips are sealed on the spoiler front ::zips::

Series one is canon as far as I'm concerned, and the rest is... not so much. I loved series one, it wasn't perfect but it had so much potential, it was about characters not guest stars and everyone was HUMAN, not Saintly or Evil Personified :(

I know the writers have said they have a 5 year plan, but I haven't seen any evidence of that. They mostly seem to approach the show with the idea that nothing lasts from week to week (except A/G, and that's only really had continuity this series) and they don't have to bother justifying any major OOCness. I suppose they're mostly right, after all viewing figures are good and most people don't analyse it like we do, but that doesn't feel like a very good excuse for shoddy writing and plot holes the size of Great Britain.

I really hope they're going somewhere with Morgana, SOME kind of conflict over her behaviour. Although the extent she's been willing to go so far would suggest she's really just EVIIIIL and has no redeeming features whatsoever.

Ugh, this show makes me so sad sometimes :(

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

Yay on the action figure front.

And complain away. As you know I have *coughs*issues*coughs* at the moment with how things are going. Pretty much the same ones you do. Venting is healthy. I a lot better today after venting a bit yesterday.

Hee I've thought about writing irate letters too.

I read a couple of reviews for 3x08 and A/G again?! WHY? Just...I am tired of it being shoved down our throats. This is 'Merlin' not some Disneyfied fairytale story (and seriously A/G as a love story that Mr Capps thinks is epic and compares to Romeo and Juilet just...do not want). I hope we get at least some good Merlin and M/A stuff to compensate. I am looking foward to seeing Warick Davis guest star.

In my head Morgana has been enchanted. In fact everyone has been enchanted they just don't know it (A/G aren't in love, Merlin isn't such an idiot, Uther is not so stupid about his kids and Gaius is not giving bad advice and the dragon is not about to convert to het). It's all part of Nimueh's masterplan from beyond the grave. This is the truth in my head.

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Had to LOL about Nimueh's masterplan. Sounds like a great fanfic in the making.

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

Depending on how season 3 pans out I might have to write it. ;-)

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I always feel better after a good rant :D

Some of my irate letters are AMAZING. They are really cutting and incisive and I can NEVER remember the bloody things in the morning :(

I read a couple of reviews for 3x08 and A/G again?! WHY?

RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. Is this the Arthur and Gwen show now? The thing is, the way this series is going, and if all the finale speculation is correct, then I don't see ANY more M/A centric episodes at all. Gwen will just always be there, and while I don't have a problem with the character by herself, if she's there it will be in her important capacity as Love Interest and Moral Guide and just UGH DNW. Once Morgana is out of the picture, Gwen has no other purpose in the show (as she's been written) except as Arthur's love interest.

I suppose I'm just never going to happy with the show now, because I just want M/A, I want genuine friendship and warm banter and adventures with just the two of them. I want a magic reveal, and to know why Merlin is 'Emrys' and what that means. I want another Labyrinth of Gedref episode (why can't they recycle the GOOD plotlines?).

I'm in favour of your enchanted idea, especially regarding Morgana who has gone beyond parody at this point.

[a8c-sock.livejournal.com]

It's good to rant ;-)

That's frustrating I can imagine. Things always ound rally good in my head.

Is this the Arthur and Gwen show now? The thing is, the way this series is going, and if all the finale speculation is correct, then I don't see ANY more M/A centric episodes at all.

My thoughts exactly! And yes alas I think we've had it on the M/A front now.

All I wanted was one decent M/A centric episode this year. One. I would have been happy. I wasn't greedy. But no we 're not even allowed that.

Bloody everything has to involve A/G. It's like plot sand getting into everything.

My biggest fear now is that Gwen will be directly involved with the magical reveal which is just so much do not want. That belongs to Merlin and Arthur, should belong to them.

Does Gwen even have any flaws at all? Or any characterisation outside 'moral guide love it interest'? I admit I am starting to dislike Gwen for her Mary Sue tendencies.

I have to say I love how Bradley dismisses the A/G stuff or just never talks about it if he can avoid it he will. It's one of the few things I can cling to.

I want what you want too. I want M/A with a genuine friendship that doesn't involve Arthur thrpwing things. I want a magical reveal between the two of them and the two of them only. I want to know why Merlin is Emrys and I want to see him grow into that.

And yes why can't they recycle a decent episode?!

Seriously as far as I am concerned enchanment is exactly what is going on. No matter what canon says. One day Merlin will wake up, realise, use his epic wizarding potential and fix things the way they are meant to be. Even if we never see it onscreen that is what will happen. *nods*

[giecast.livejournal.com]

Bloody everything has to involve A/G. It's like plot sand getting into everything. - Too true! TOO BLOODY TRUE. *weeps*

My biggest fear now is that Gwen will be directly involved with the magical reveal which is just so much do not want. That belongs to Merlin and Arthur, should belong to them. -- Oh god please no. NOOOOOOO! I want Arthur to work it out on his own. And then they can angst and finally make out or something. That's my ideal scenario. If not that, then for Merlin to tell him. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE ELSE FINDING OUT FIRST AND THEN TELLING ARTHUR. NONONONONO!

[archaeologist-d.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's your journal. You should whine or scream or whatever in your journal because it's yours! Although please don't explode. It's very messy!

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

I will try not to let my head explode ;) I need it to finish my thesis after all. Sometimes I wish I didn't care quite so much about the show, because when the show is on air everything on screen is contradicting my fanon so much that I find it hard to write my stories, and then I just feel miserable about it because I love writing fic so much.

I will be sure to have my Merlin and Arthur figures behave better :D

[tearful-eye.livejournal.com]

yaay, for getting your own action figures! (those pics of the boys posing with them are so utterly adorable <3 )

& this: and mostly involves Merlin NOT being the main character in his own show = OMG YESSS, MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY! *JOINS THE RAAAGE* but i've already thought this all throughout season2, so *shrugs* i've almost grown used to it :/

[magog-83.livejournal.com]

As soon as they arrive I will sit them next to my Tenth Doctor figure and take a photo :D I'm looking forward to my poster too.

I can't remember how I felt in series 2 now... I remember being irritated with all the A/G but it was so sporadic that I just ignored it mostly. Now I think it's so overt, as is Evil Morgana, that I've woken up to the fact that they're starting to eclipse Merlin himself :( I would give anything for some decent Merlin development, and for him to challenge Arthur on his behaviour more often.