Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 3 "The Mark of Nimueh"

By: Julian Jones

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

           Oh my - only three episodes in and we've already reached the plague story? They're burning through their range of plots awful fast, aren't they?

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Why exactly is Miss Big Bad Evil Blue Eyes sitting on top of a fissure leading to Camelot's water supply and yet only just creating an enchantment to do them all in? And for that matter, why bother with an enchantment? Why not just use a fast-acting poison?

- I laughed so hard whenever Gwen gave Merlin that flower. I just knew that somehow the payoff would be painful or embarrassing for our dear wizard. I didn't realize that it was going to be both!

- As usual, one of the good things about this episode is the interplay between the characters. The story is pathetic, the logic twisted and relying on stupidity, and the special effects terrible...but the clashing personalities and banter push things forward.

- Against all the odds not one of our heroes succumbs to the disease (my money had been on Uther) and we don't have any sad montages of characters brooding by their bedside.

- Merlin's comment about going about wearing a pointy hat got a chuckle out of me. Also, now whenever the magic reveal finally does happen, Arthur can't go about moping that Merlin never told him. Because Merlin did and no one believed him.

- Gotta love how fast he jumped to his manservant's defense, though. Presumably it has now been months since the events of the first two episodes and he does care, no matter how much he pretends not to.

- Is this villain going to do anything beyond skulking in caverns with her scrying bowl?

- At least they're finally going to burn a witch instead of beheading her...uh...it. I can't believe that, third episode, and Gwen is already in danger, though.

- Loved the bit with the four elements talk. I just wish it had been explored a bit better. That was fascinating. Will it ever come back to play?

- Morgana manipulating Arthur is always fun, even if it does make the Once and Future King look like a doofus.

- The CGI on the afanc looks pretty bad. Good thing it was kept primarily in the shadows.

- I also should very much like to know why neither Morgana nor Arthur were even slightly suspicious about that wind that whipped through the tunnels at just the right moment. Yeah, yeah at this point Merlin's magic has to be kept a secret...but making characters act conveniently oblivious or stupid is not the way to do it. C'mon, writers! You can do better than that!


- Wait a minute...I know that they destroyed the afanc and all that (yada, yada, yada) but how did that give Gwen a get-out-of-jail-free card? Somehow I don't see Uther letting her go out of the goodness of his heart. He's far more likely to burn her as an accomplice.

- And plot convenience again! Gaius only just at the end recalls about Nimueh in time to make a foreboding statement.


           


               All in all this was a fairly enjoyable (if frustratingly predictable) 40 minutes of television. It is definitely worth watching the first time, thanks to the performances of the cast, and certainly is fun. Don't miss it as you go on your quest through Camelot as it does set up some important elements for later on in the series. The Mark of Nimueh is a 3/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?