As far as drama premieres go,
Camelot's two part opener succeeded on all fronts, introducing a darker, raunchier incarnation of the Arthurian legend whilst setting up several intriguing plot elements sure to form a large arc over the course of the season. We saw King Arthur plucked from his rural residence, crowned and forced to face the forces of his half-sister Morgan over the course of the two hours (which, strangely, is more than
Merlin has managed in four years!), with the rivals portrayed brilliantly by newcomer Jamie Campell Bower and former Bond girl Eva Green respectively in such a way that we get a wildly different dynamic to any shown before on a screen adaptation of the folklore, but one that works all the same. As with many American dramas, there were times when the pacing faltered and the plot either seemed to meander on pointless happenings like Arthur's vision of Guennivere emerging from the lake or require an event involving sex or slaughter to keep the audience interested and likely the BBFC rating of the boxset in the 15 or 18 zone, yet this was never enough to dilute the sense of complete depth and substance we found in the new interpretations of much-loved characters and their interwoven destinies. In an age where new seasons of decade-spanning shows are commisionned on an annual basis without fail, it's quite refreshing to find something so diverse and innovative as
Camelot- don't get me wrong, I love seeing the likes of
Doctor Who, Merlin and
Sherlock back every year, but this has come along and set a surprising new standard for both American and British drama, and I only hope that the rest of this season (and future dramas in general) keeps up the high standard!
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