S01E02: 'Valiant'

Two episodes in and Merlin is already feeling slightly stale. This tale of a dastardly knight using an enhanced shield in a bid to win a tournament is too predictable and lacking enough incident to fill out 45 minutes.

The threadbare plot is, in essence, the same as last week's episode. A person from out of town arrives in Camelot and plans on using their magical power against Prince Arthur. Up pops Merlin in the nick of time to save his blond master with a spot of his own sorcery, albeit discreetly.

Throw in a bit of banter between Merlin and Arthur, a dull trip to the dragon, increasingly dodgy CGI snake effects, and an uninspired subplot about Lady Morgana's love life and that's about it.

Casting Will Mellor as Valiant was a poor move, as he doesn't have the screen presence and dramatic weight to be taken seriously. His wild-eyed pantomime gurning, supposed to denote the knight's mania, is more likely to induce laughs - certainly far more than he's ever generated on Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps.

Mind you, Mellor was hardly given anything remotely interesting to say. He's not alone in that department. Is the dialogue being written by some kind of computer programme? It's so bereft of any spark or personality.

Nonetheless, apart from the script and Mellor, there is still a lot to enjoy about the episode. James Hawes's direction is often breathtaking and showcases the visual scope of Camelot and its lush environment. Plenty of quick cuts ensure that the pace flows nicely and the swordfighting scenes are handled well and with pleasing authenticity. Fittingly for a family drama, the deaths and gore all take place off screen and allow the viewer's imagination to do the work.

Merlin still needs to justify the hype, as beyond the cosmetic details there's a very shallow core in operation right now. There's plenty of time left for the show to find its feet, but the lack of a compelling story arc or attention-grabbing characters is slightly worrying at this stage.

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