Merlin Review: Series 3 Episode 4 "Gwaine"

By: Julian Jones

**Spoilers**

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

       Well after last episode's bombardment of fart jokes, this story is a breath of fresh air. (Pun wholly and utterly intended!) Not only is it a rollicking good time (and free of any flatulence humor) but it also introduces everybody's favorite ladies' man and Knight of the Round Table, Sir Gawaine! Except...he's not 'Sir' Gawaine yet and, uh, they kinda forgot an 'a' in his name. But that doesn't matter, because Gwaine is AWESOME and his introductory episode isn't half bad either!

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

 - So the episode begins with Merlin and Arthur out on a hunting trip (that miraculously didn't get sabotaged by bandits) when they stop at a tavern for some mead. Actually this is quite an original beginning for the show as, to date, I believe it is the only time we see Arthur and Merlin go out for a drink together. Usually Merlin episodes open with the villain cackling villianously in their underground lair or with Uther being a jerk...so this was a nice change.

- "In here, I'm just a simple peasant like the rest of them." "The simple part's right." "What?!" "I SAID the sun is very bright."

- Not sure how wise it is for Merlin One-Whiff-Of-A-Barmaid's-Apron-And-He's-Singing-Like-A-Sailor to be drinking mead. I'm sure it wouldn't be good for Arthur's image to have to drag his scrawny, drunken servant back into Camelot.

- The bartender takes a fancy to Merlin, though...much to Arthur's disgust.

- Merlin smirks at Arthur for a full minute after that one.

- Am I the only one who thinks that Gwaine looks a bit like Flynn Rider? Anyone? I'll say this, though, the barfight is probably the highlight of the episode. I could watch this all day. It's just a reminder of the fact that, whenever it does things right, this show is SO much fun!

- Ooo. Someone other than Merlin got put in the stocks this week! 

Pausing this show always yields great things...like this treasure.^^

- Still not entirely sure why Gwaine collapsed and remained unconscious from that little knife to the leg. (1) It wasn't really in the right place to hit an artery and, despite what Merlin said, it wasn't really bleeding all that much. (2) Nobody pulled the knife out, so it was still helping to plug the wound. (3) Wounds like that usually don't knock you out, even if you wish they had. Now, granted, I know this is a family show and so they have rules about how much blood they are allowed to show...but for goodness sake don't show a close-up of the wound and go on about how serious it was if you're not going to deliver!

- Arthur has a real complex about people who save his life. The amount of times he says "He/She saved my life..." throughout the series is almost as many times as he tells Merlin to shut up.

- Gwaine is apparently just as allergic to shirts as Arthur is. Maybe it's a knight thing? Then again, Eoin Macken was an underwear model before he got the part...so maybe they were just taking every opportunity to take advantage of his abs or whatever.

- And yes...he really does look like Flynn. It's uncanny...

- ARTHUR PENDRAGON! You do NOT through a goblet at someone's head that hard! Especially not Merlin's...he needs all the brain cells he has intact, that you very much!

- I still don't understand why that thug went to all the trouble of procuring illegal magical artifacts just to get revenge for Arthur putting him in the stocks. Seems like more trouble than its worth. Still...the people of Camelot (particularly the baddies) are a petty lot and he seemed rather thick.

- Gosh. Does everybody who is brought back to Merlin's place with a wound end up flirting with Gwen? Seriously? Is she the only good-looking woman in Camelot who happens to stumble across them? Are they too intimidated by Morgana's smirk? What?

- At least Gwaine knows when his charming ways aren't working and when to give up seriously pursuing them. 

- "This is my servant, Merlin. He LOVES hard work so, if you need anything, give him a call." Poor Merlin. I know Arthur is just joking (kind of) here...but you've got to wonder how many of the nobles he says this to knows that it's just a joke?

- I think the scenes with the knights pettily tormenting Merlin are supposed to be funny. Certainly the soundtrack seems to indicate that we are supposed to take the scene as such. But I just can't bring myself to laugh at it. It isn't that I'm a stick-in-the-mud (heavens knows I laugh at lots of inappropriate moments while watching things) but somehow the clash of tone just gets to me here.

- That soup Gaius feeds Merlin looks nasty. What even is it?! 

- "You know...not every master is as good to his servants as Arthur is." *Merlin spews out soup*

- Gwen comes and gets Merlin because Gwaine has been making an ass of himself in the tavern. Not an unlikable ass, though, because he buys everybody in The Rising Sun drinks and puts it on his tab. Merlin sends the bill to Arthur (nice) and helps Gwaine stumble drunkenly back to Gaius'. Keep tabs on this scene, people. It's the first scene where Gwaine calls Merlin the best friend he ever had, a sentiment that is said here half-jokingly but will come to utterly define their relationship.

- It's also the scene where we find out that Gwaine is the son of a noble as they snicker over Arthur's face whenever he gets the bill. And then Arthur punishes them by making them polish the boots of every single guard in the castle.

- This is the bill: 14 quarts of mead, 3 flagons of wine, 5 quarts of cider, and 4 dozen pickled eggs. Ewwww...

- Two of Gwaine's most endearing qualities are his cocky, devil-may-care attitude and his utter loyalty to the few people he lets into his life. Merlin and Gwaine actually have a lot in common. They both have lost their fathers, both have a life-changing secret they can never tell, and both are outcasts in society due to ideals and rank. Little wonder they become such good friends.

- Gwaine also makes friends with Guinevere, taking her dismissal of his advances in good grace and cheerfully turning into a charming but embarrassing brother figure. I can respect that.

- The plot of this episode is nothing spectacular and is close to predictable. Arthur offends a baddie, baddie turns up at Camelot (probably in magical disguise) to kill him, Merlin finds out, shenanigans ensue, the plot is foiled in the nick of time, Arthur is utterly oblivious, end of story. And that is exactly how it plays out. Still...the climax was pretty exciting what with the melee going on. We need more tournaments in Camelot!

          So while this episode was pretty much just a standard 'assassin baddie infiltration plot', it is shaken out of the realms of yawndom and into something fun due to the dashing and utterly dynamic personality of Gwaine. In many ways the story bears an uncanny resemblance to Lancelot. But where the story of the future Sir Dullalot was dull, uninspired, and all-around tedious to watch...this is actually a lot of fun. And I think the reason for this can be laid right at the feet of Gwaine and the way he is written. He's just a lot more interesting than the painfully noble Boringalot (no disrespect meant to Santiago Cabrera who is a fine actor) and, as a result, his by-the-book story is a lot more interesting. There are a few problems, but overall it is still a fun ride. Gwaine is a 4/5.



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