Merlin - Original KryptonSite Thread

[KryptonSite]

This sounds really intriguing... it apparently premieres in the Winter, Sundays at 8PM on NBC. Apparently it's a BBC show repurposed here, which I think is a cool idea... now if only they'd do that with something like Doctor Who or Torchwood...

Of course being a repurposed series we'll probably only get a dozen episodes or so

The lead actor is guest starring on a Series 4 Doctor Who episode!

MERLIN - "Merlin" brings to life a new legend for a modern audience. "Merlin" is an exciting, hour-long fantasy series set in the mythic city of Camelot -- but inspired by 21st Century storytelling. Before Merlin (Colin Morgan, "Doctor Who") and Arthur (Bradley James, "Lewis") became legends, they were ambitious young men looking for adventure, hoping to live up to their family's expectations, discovering love and finding their own true destiny, making mistakes along the way. The innovative, action-packed drama has cross-generational appeal and paints a picture of Merlin and Arthur's early life that audiences have never witnessed before. Anthony Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"), Richard Wilson ("A Passage to India"), Angel Coulby ("Magicians") and Katie McGrath ("The Tudors") also star. A FremantleMedia Enterprises distribution of a Shine production for BBC.

[TMLS]

It's along the lines of Robin Hood - have you been getting that?

They're looking to do a quarterly genre show - Doctor Who beginning in Spring, a Pirate show beginning in the Summer (starts 2010 I think), Robin Hood beginning in the Autumn (Fall to you heathens ) and then this Merlin in the Winter. Pretty uninspiring stuff I think so far, but the cast's more intriguing than I expected.

Whilst I'm on Craig, they've found a show for Bionic Woman Michelle Ryan already on the opposite channel, an awful sounding Rom-Com, with everyone's "favourite" Spartan alongside her:

Michelle Ryan will return to British television alongside Sean Maguire in a high-profile ITV1 romantic comedy.

Two-parter Mr Eleven will see the Bionic Woman star play Saz Paley - a schoolteacher obsessed with marrying her 11th sexual partner.

Adam Garcia (Wicked) will also star, while the show is written by Amanda Coe (Shameless, As If) and directed by Paul Gay (Skins).

The story is based on the statistic that women are statistically most likely to marry their 11th sexual partner.

Saz is on the verge of marrying the man she believes is number 11 - and is an "all round Mr Perfect" - until she finds out he is actually number ten.

"A sexual conquest she had counted is revealed to be a near miss on her wedding day," said ITV. "Handsome Aussie Alex (Garcia) turns up unexpectedly as an old friend’s ‘plus one’. Alex was Saz’s Mr Nine. Until he confesses that she passed out before the deed was done."

ITV commissioner Victoria Fea said: "Not only is this a colourful, contemporary romantic comedy by the fantastic Amanda Coe but it is also a perfect opportunity to entice two of our most exciting young Hollywood converts to return to our screens in a classically British love story. Supported, of course, by a stellar cast of favourite TV faces."

Source

I'd rather they just brought her back in a second series of Jekyll, but looks like that'll never happen, seem to want to keep it perfect and not dilute the show, which is fair enough I suppose...

[jordeant1200]

cant be as good as the miniseries with sam neill

[jimmyolsenblues]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008...rss&feed=media

Merlin: BBC cues up TV and cinema ads
The BBC is to launch a TV and cinema advertising campaign to support the launch of Merlin, BBC1's autumn fantasy drama featuring veteran actor John Hurt and Bionic Woman star Michelle Ryan.

Launching this weekend, the campaign will run in cinemas nationwide as well as on BBC TV channels and radio stations. The promotional ad campaign has been created by agency Red Bee Media.

The 13-part series aims to update the King Arthur legend for a modern audience and will be broadcast from September in the BBC1 early Saturday evening family drama slot previously occupied by Doctor Who and Robin Hood.

In the series Ryan, the former EastEnders star, plays the role of wicked sorceress Nimueh, while Hurt provides the voice of the Great Dragon, the young Merlin's mythological mentor.

Santiago Cabrera, who played Isaac Mendez in the US drama Heroes, will appear as Lancelot, joining an all-star cast that also includes Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Anthony Head and One Foot in the Grave's Richard Wilson.

The three main parts of the young Merlin, Arthur and Guinevere will be played by a trio of newcomers.

Colin Morgan, 22, will take on the role of Merlin. Morgan has appeared in Doctor Who and The Catherine Tate Christmas special. He played Esteban in a production of All About My Mother at London's Old Vic last year.

Bradley James, 23, who plays the young Arthur, has appeared in an episode of ITV1's detective drama Lewis, while Angel Coulby, who plays Guinevere, has appeared in Doctor Who and ITV1 police drama Vincent.

Merlin is being made by Elisabeth Murdoch's independent production company Shine through BBC Wales, which also makes Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Julie Gardner, the head of drama at BBC Wales, said that working with Doctor Who show runner Russell T Davies informed the development of Merlin.

"I learned so much about the 7pm slot from Russell T Davies' Doctor Who scripts and from his approach as an executive producer to that particular slot," she said.

"Russell's been a huge supporter of Merlin. He immediately saw its potential and proved invaluable in early discussions about how to shape the series for Saturday night."

Shine producers Julian Murphy and Johnny Caps, who came up with the idea after working on BSkyB's teen horror show Hex, said Merlin was also influenced by US show Smallville, about the early years of Superman.

Smallville helped provide the idea that Merlin would see a "Camelot that existed before its golden age".

"Just as in Smallville we wanted to subvert expectations," said Capps. "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."

The series has already been sold to a number of international broadcasters by distributor FremantleMedia Enterprises, including NBC in the US and CTV in Canada.

[SuperKyptonGirl13]

did they say they got the idea from SMALLVILLE, lord help them (jk) it looks great though

[SuperShazam!!]

Wow anyone in UK see the trailer last night? Looks pretty cool

[AngelaV]

CTV is picking it up? Wonder if it'll stay on CTV so I take advantage of HD if it's in HD, or stick it on A-Channel that doesn't have HD. They like to do that to sci-fi/fantasy stuff. You know what really looks good in HD? At least LOST has stayed ON CTV HD.

[WriteAngel1]

Anyone catch the first episode? I really liked and have since (over the past few hours) become obsessed. you must reconcile yourself to the fact that it is suppose to be a mythical land with teens that act modern and once you do that, it is great. A little like the other bbc drama robin hoodie when it comes to historical accuracy.

[SuperShazam!!]

Well its better than Robin Hood! And yeh it was alright, but nothing got me hooked to come back. The magic was good, and I liked Gwen from Torchwood!

I'll give the second episode a try and then make up my mind

[TMLS]

Really enjoyed it. Reminded me of Smallville a lot - taking the characters we already know and supplanting them elsewhere, but with enough ties to the general storyline to keep it familiar.

One to watch.

[TMLS]

An OK if a slightly disappointing second episode - but what do you expect with Will Mellor as a baddie? Sheesh.

This weekend sees the introduction of former Bionic-Woman Michelle Ryan as the sorceress Nimueh, she's going to be in four episodes.

[Estro-gen X]

This gets better every week. So far its better than doctor who has been since eccles left

[SuperShazam!!]

I think its a bit rubbish to be honest

[PJBoy]

Awesome show! I'm loving it!

[KryptonSite]

It's kind of sad with the number of people I know on Livejournal who love Merlin, that we're only on post #14 here. So who's seen it? What do you think?

[Sue Denim]

I didn't know this thread existed. I've seen three episodes and love it.

[KryptonSite]

One of my good friends has recommended to me that I watch it; I've been a little scattered visiting my mom and unable to see more than a few minutes, but I really like what I have seen thus far.

[Sue Denim]

Yes, it's pretty cool. The concept of a young man with powers, and being forced to hide them is awfully familiar. I see Gwen a lot like Chloe, and Morgana to be very Lana like, but a cool Lana. I'm only at episode three myself, but so far... ME LIKES.

[KryptonSite]

The interaction between Merlin and Arthur seems a bit familiar too, but I can't really place from where. (I had forgotten how amusing the dialogue/scenes were "back in the day" between those other two) Merlin is really snarky which is funny... I loved his reaction to the scene where he was asked if he called Arthur "friend," and that seemed typical of what I've seen so far.

I've also been impressed by some of the guest stars I've seen - it was a pleasant surprise to see Eve Myles from Torchwood and a peek at Wikipedia reveals there are some other treats on the way too. If I can fit it into my visit, I may have to watch as much as possible.

Darn British TV for only doing 13 episodes a season, but then again, most American shows have 13 episodes of good stuff and 9 episodes filler anyway, so I guess it evens out if they're all good.

[Mars Investigations]

Never seen this despite living in the UK. I'm gonna have a marathon of it tomorrow and see what I think.