By: Lucy Watkins
**Spoilers**
If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.
Well, at least now we know what happened to Jenny after she flew off at the end of The Doctor's Daughter; she went to Albion, got amnesia, and became a princess. A very beautiful, spoiled princess, no less.
This was one of Merlin's more comedy-oriented episodes and it involves a very Puckish love potion. A very Puckish love potion that is given to Prince Arthur, no less, pulling his gaze away from Guinevere and onto the Lady Vivian. This would be all well and good, except Vivian's father is, quote, "...the most overprotective buffoon I've ever met" and is sure to skewer Arthur if he even gets wind that the Prince of Camelot is LOOKING at his daughter. Cue hijinks and humor...and thankfully no fart jokes.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- There are few characters I have felt a stronger urge to kick than Trickler, King Alined's servant/magician. He is the most irritating little whiner of a man. Ugh.
- Though this is a story about Arthur being enchanted to fall in love with Lady Vivian, actually the episode has a lot of great Arthur/Gwen moments. I especially like the scene at the beginning with the two of them laughing over how ridiculous Vivian is.
- "Anyone insulting Gwen should do so at extreme peril." Arthur has his own vat of hot oil, you know...
- Merlin ribbing Arthur about his (very obvious) feelings for Gwen is always quite funny. And pretty cute, since he's so obviously over the moon happy for them.
- Okay, so HOW was Uther not suspicious whenever Trickler created butterflies out of nowhere? Live, flapping butterflies, no less! Did he think that Trickler had them in a pocket before or something? Because that looked like magic to me.
- The scene where Arthur wakes up under the power of the love potion and proclaims that his purpose is "To woo." leaves me cringing every time. Because Merlin thinks Arthur is thinking about Gwen. And it's just such an awkward, hurtful situation.
- "It is destiny, my love! Destiny and chicken!"
- Though, I must say, sulky!Arthur is almost adorable. Poor Merlin, though, having to deal with him. Merlin really deserves a day off and a pat on the back for the things he does for that clotpole.
- Okay, so question, did Merlin erase Vivian's memory or something? Because he hit her right between the eyes with that spell. There's no way she (silly though she is) could miss the fact that Merlin has magic. For a moment there I thought we were going to get a magic reveal and I'm still confused as to why and how exactly we avoided it.
- "I am in love! With a man more courageous than a lion, stronger than an ox, and so perfectly formed it is as if he has been sculpted by the gods themselves." Stop building up Arthur's ego, Lady Vivian!
- It is hilarious that Merlin stuffed her into Arthur's wardrobe, though, and Arthur was none the wiser.
- Bradley James makes some of the most hilarious faces.
- Okay, so HOW was Uther not suspicious whenever Trickler created butterflies out of nowhere? Live, flapping butterflies, no less! Did he think that Trickler had them in a pocket before or something? Because that looked like magic to me.
- The scene where Arthur wakes up under the power of the love potion and proclaims that his purpose is "To woo." leaves me cringing every time. Because Merlin thinks Arthur is thinking about Gwen. And it's just such an awkward, hurtful situation.- "It is destiny, my love! Destiny and chicken!"
- Though, I must say, sulky!Arthur is almost adorable. Poor Merlin, though, having to deal with him. Merlin really deserves a day off and a pat on the back for the things he does for that clotpole.
- Okay, so question, did Merlin erase Vivian's memory or something? Because he hit her right between the eyes with that spell. There's no way she (silly though she is) could miss the fact that Merlin has magic. For a moment there I thought we were going to get a magic reveal and I'm still confused as to why and how exactly we avoided it.
- "I am in love! With a man more courageous than a lion, stronger than an ox, and so perfectly formed it is as if he has been sculpted by the gods themselves." Stop building up Arthur's ego, Lady Vivian!
- It is hilarious that Merlin stuffed her into Arthur's wardrobe, though, and Arthur was none the wiser.
- Bradley James makes some of the most hilarious faces.- "Every woman in the land is attracted to this boy! I'm almost attracted to him myself." Now, now...let's not build up Arthur's ego, my lord. It's big enough as it is.
- Even if Merlin hadn't found Vivian's hair under Arthur's pillow, the fact that Arthur fights so incredibly badly in the arena (he's too busy showing off to 'his love' to parry) would have been a clue.
- I love the scene where Merlin has to go and find Gwen and convince her to save Arthur. It's the combination of terribly sad and incredibly funny that this show does so very well and both Colin and Angel just sell it.
- Let's hope that Arthur apologized PROFUSELY for the downright prattish way that he treated Gwen all throughout his enchantment. That was just cruel.
- I guess it really was a case of "...with true love's kiss the spell will break." Did Maleficent cook up this love spell?
- And the episode ends with Arthur threatening bodily harm on Merlin if he ever speaks of the these events again. Typical. Status quo is restored and Arthur gratefully waves goodbye to the still-enchanted Lady Vivian. Shame she never came back to the show...
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
1 comment:
I love the bit where Arthur was talking to Gwen and she thinks he's talking about her even though he's actually talking about Vivian.
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