S01E01: 'The Dragon's Call'

Could the debut episode of Merlin successfully establish a new take on the Arthurian mythology and feature an absorbing self-contained plot? Not quite, as until the rousing finale events were more grinding than gripping.

The 'body swap' plot was certainly too over-familiar for the opening instalment of a major production. It was severely lacking in incident until the brilliant climactic sequence in which the revenge-fuelled witch cast her singing spell over the court. If only she could go on X Factor and do the same.

As the antagonist, Eve Myles showcased her versatility and gave the performance an ambiguous tone that ensured she wasn't mere villain fodder, but a grieving mother fuelled by anger over her son's death. Similarly, Anthony Head's turn as King Uther Pendragon also raised many questions about the character's true nature.

The other roles were particularly well cast too, especially Colin Morgan as the eponymous hero. He doesn't just look perfect for the part of a young wizard, but also perfectly draws out the clash of supreme power and adolescent awkwardness within Merlin.

There was one moment that left a sour note though, when Merlin took a swing at Arthur after some baiting. This wasn't ideal behaviour from the supposed hero in a family show, using his fists ahead of his brain. Yet it may ultimately work in the show's favour in future episodes should the character experience a 'passage of rites' and move away from any more bouts of aggression.

'The Dragon's Call' impressively showcased the lavish spectacle of the show, with fine direction immersing us within the Camelot environment. However, the dragon himself was frustratingly lacking in screen time and didn't manage to establish his presence enough, despite some dazzling effects work and John Hurt's world-weary voiceover.

Overall, the narrative was fairly pedestrian until the final quarter, but interest was sustained through a range of appealing performances from an excellent cast that were given little more than bog-standard dialogue.

As a 'pilot', it fell far short of the brilliance of the reinvented Doctor Who's debut story 'Rose', which established the back story and characters in perfect combination with a self-contained invasion plot. Still, there's more than enough promise in this series to justify tuning in next week.


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