# Does the Merlin TV series get better?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 26, 2012, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696 "2012-08-26T06:39:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/1 "2012-08-26T06:39:17Z")
> **[Merlin (TV Series 2008–2012) ⭐ 7.9 | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1199099/)**
>
> 45m | TV-PG
I have watched the first 3 episodes. The acting and dialogue are pretty bad for the most part. The plots are incredibly simplistic. I am not sure I even like the main character honestly. The CGI is laughable but I don’t really care about that. Does the series get any better?
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/2 "2012-08-26T08:27:29Z")
I saw some later episodes… or at least one. The acting is AWFUL in what I saw, and I can’t imagine how anyone would enjoy the show. I mean, it’s just laughably bad.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/3 "2012-08-26T10:04:45Z")
> [@by-tor](#):
>
> [Merlin (TV Series 2008–2012) - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1199099/)
>
> I have watched the first 3 episodes. The acting and dialogue are pretty bad for the most part. The plots are incredibly simplistic. I am not sure I even like the main character honestly. The CGI is laughable but I don’t really care about that. Does the series get any better?
You do realise that it’s aimed at children?
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/4 "2012-08-26T11:19:16Z")
It does get way better. The acting doesn’t improve any, but the characters develop well, the structure solidifies into a great adventure serial, and it is a lot of fun to watch. But this is in the same league as _Primeval_, or _Robin of Sherwood_. Not as good as _Doctor Who_, not as bad as _The Sarah Jane Adventures_.
There’s a new UK series started called _Sinbad_. It’s certainly not very good so far, but I’ll give it room to improve.
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### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/5 "2012-08-26T12:26:22Z")
The acting is poor to mediocre, the plots remain pretty stupid and transparent. And I found the initial premise totally off-putting. I don’t mind re-interpretations of famous stories, but this is “re-interpretation” to the point of ludicrous.
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### Author:  [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/6 "2012-08-26T20:52:20Z")
Quartz, I didn’t realize that children are the target demographic. That explains the simple plots.
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### Author:  [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/7 "2012-08-26T21:00:59Z")
No. But I still enjoy it on a mindless level- it lets me do other things at the same time without missing anything. I’m a huge Arthurian buff, though, so YMMV.
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### Author:  [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/8 "2013-04-07T02:39:12Z")
The first two seasons were pretty bad. Shallow characters, silly plots with large holes, monster-of-the-week, etc.
From season 3 on, the characters suddenly had some depth and the dialogue was markedly improved. I remember mentioning this to my hubby when it happened. The plot was a bit less silly, and we started caring about the characters. (Except for character X who became a badly acted arch-enemy.)
Also, it had various kinds of cute guys.
We just watched the final, final episode a couple of days ago, and it wasn’t bad.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2013, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/9 "2013-04-07T05:23:16Z")
> [@Heracles](#):
>
> We just watched the final, final episode a couple of days ago, and it wasn’t bad.
I think that’s about the highest praise anyone ever gave Merlin.
I can see it on the front of the final season box cover now!
“…it wasn’t bad!” -Heracles
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2013, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/10 "2013-04-07T11:54:40Z")
> [@by-tor](#):
>
> Quartz, I didn’t realize that children are the target demographic. That explains the simple plots.
I don’t see how “children’s show” and “depth” cannot coexist.
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### Author:  [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/11 "2013-04-07T13:14:38Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#):
>
> I think that’s about the highest praise anyone ever gave Merlin.
>
> I can see it on the front of the final season box cover now!
>
> “…it wasn’t bad!” -Heracles
And then I’ll sue because my review didn’t contain an exclamation mark. 😃
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [April 7, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/12 "2013-04-07T13:41:31Z")
My kids are liking it, especially my son. I’m not sure how long I can tolerate the show though. The characters spend a lot of time being dumb and that annoys me. It is how Grimm lost me. I’ll give it a few more eps.
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### Author:  [@wombattver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wombattver)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-merlin-tv-series-get-better/632696/13 "2013-04-13T05:16:12Z")
It is simplistic, but I generally enjoy it and have been watching for a few seasons now. Mindless, but entertaining, IMO, but then I might just have a crush on Merlin… he’s such a cutie.