Merlin: Arthur's Bane Part 1 Review

BBC1's Arthurian fantasy drama returns with a bang!
What with Doctor Who occupying the whole of September with a batch of stunning blockbuster episodes to kick off Series Seven, it began to seem as if the new season of Merlin was the BBC's 'dark horse' for sci-fi/fantasy drama this Autumn. Surprisingly, though, with premiere episode Arthur's Bane Part 1, the writers of this Arthurian drama managed to punch back and provide a thrilling three-quarters-of-an-hour of entertainment that was more than on a par with recent Who adventures.

At first, the narrative seemed to be a mere rehash of the past two seasons- Morgana is hatching a plot in the North to overthrow Arthur via the titular 'bane' and so he and the Knights of the Round Table must venture to Ismere to stop her. Thankfully, things were shaken up rather quickly as the threat of Mordred was introduced through an omnious warning and vision Merlin receives from a druid, as well as Gwen proving herself a resourceful monarch by ordering the execution of the traitor in Camelot's wake. Both unexpected twists instantly showed that the season arc looks to mean business, focusing on the end of Arthur's reign as the man destined to kill him steps into the limelight.

What of Merlin, though? Given that the show is titled after him, you'd think all of this would come through his perspective, yet the fifth season appears to be widening its gaze somewhat, albeit with the moral dilemma of Merlin's magical secret still at the forefront. It was great to see the Great Dragon back too, even if the proverbial elephant in the room- Aithusa- didn't get touched upon until the 'Next Time' trailer. All of these plot elements could have thrilling ramifications later in the run, so for now I won't hold too much criticism to the seemingly unnecessary questions I still have.

Overall, Merlin: Arthur's Bane Part 1 really achieved its intended showcasing of everything that's great about this new, confident and darker incarnation of the show. Whether this will be the last televised season on BBC1 remains to be seen, but I certainly am looking forward to spending twelve more weeks in the drama's company!
4.5/5