# Merlin \[British TV show\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088 "2013-12-11T18:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/21 "2013-12-19T13:32:54Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The book is better than the Disney movie or for that matter the Musical. (Camelot was based on _The Once and Future King_ also). I think overall it holds up to re-reading. Though treat it as reading a young adult novel of course. The first section of _The Once & Future King_, in which Merlin teaches the young Wart (short for Arthur) is definitely YA. The later parts are definitely more adult. I was in high school the first time I read it. That same year I read Rosemary Sutcliffe’s _Sword At Sunset_ (a “realistic” version of the story of that leader who wasn’t really named Arthur & who was probably not a King, either), the C S Lewis Space Trilogy & _LOTR_ (the edition with the psychedelic covers). Re-read\* The Once & Future King\* fairly recently & it held up. I’ve caught a few episodes of _Merlin_ & will probably Netflix it someday. Arthur’s story (& Robin’s) can survive some really weird retellings. Besides–Giles plays Uther! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/22 "2013-12-19T13:35:50Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > It’s funny how many people I’ve known who think that King Arthur was a real person. There is an excellent chance the legend grew up around a few actual figures. But yes, the Arthur of legend is just that, legend. ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/23 "2013-12-19T14:15:24Z")
> [@BrokenBriton](#): > > No it doesn’t. The half sentence you quote refers to (what was) a $100 book from 2002. In 11 years the book in question has garnered two reviews. It doesn’t even directly consider the fact (or otherwise) of Arthur: > By ‘idea’, the author is talking about the folklore legends and whose interests those served through the centuries. Hold on, what Wikipedia cites is the chapter in Higham’s _King Arthur_ on the modern historiography of the debate on his historicity which argues that the issue has indeed been much disputed. It even opens with the sentence, ‘The historicity of Arthur has been deeply contested across the twentieth century’ (p. 11). So that’s a perfectly appropriate citation to support the statement that, ‘his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians.’ More to the point, the Wikipedia entry includes a whole sub-section on ‘[Debated historicity](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Arthur#Debated_historicity)’. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/24 "2013-12-19T16:05:34Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > The first section of _The Once & Future King_, in which Merlin teaches the young Wart (short for Arthur) is definitely YA. The later parts are definitely more adult. I was in high school the first time I read it. That same year I read Rosemary Sutcliffe’s _Sword At Sunset_ (a “realistic” version of the story of that leader who wasn’t really named Arthur & who was probably not a King, either), the C S Lewis Space Trilogy & _LOTR_ (the edition with the psychedelic covers). > > Re-read\* The Once & Future King\* fairly recently & it held up. > > I’ve caught a few episodes of _Merlin_ & will probably Netflix it someday. Arthur’s story (& Robin’s) can survive some really weird retellings. Besides–Giles plays Uther! I’ve had Thomas Berger’s _Arthur Rex_, which some Doper (alas, I apologize, I don’t remember who) recommends strongly, on my shelf since my last bout of Arthuriamania, when I read the Mary Stewart series a few years ago (it’s amazing, BTW, definitely read it if you haven’t), so that’s probably next. I also realize it’s been 20 years since I read _Mists of Avalon_, so I’m thinking of rereading that. Re: the TV show – I really am enjoying it tremendously. Excellent casting for the four main characters (Merlin, Arthur, Guinivere, Morgana), plus the very toothsome Anthony Head as Uther. I’m about 3/4 of the way through Season 4 and hope to finish the whole series in the next week or so. BTW, while we’re talking all things Merlin – I’m also immensely fond of the [1996 minseries](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130414/reference) with Sam Neill as Merlin and Helena Bonham Carter as Morgana. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/25 "2013-12-19T17:12:10Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’ve had Thomas Berger’s _Arthur Rex_, which some Doper (alas, I apologize, I don’t remember who) recommends strongly, … I would guess **Elendil’s Heir** as he is the one who recommended it to me. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/26 "2013-12-19T18:02:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I would guess **Elendil’s Heir** as he is the one who recommended it to me. That sounds right. ---
**Author:** ![BrokenBriton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@BrokenBriton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrokenBriton)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/27 "2013-12-19T21:22:44Z")
okay, okay, jees, there goes my childhood … ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/28 "2013-12-21T04:02:13Z")
Just finished S4, and all I can say is Tristan and Isolde!?!?!?!?!?!? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088/29 "2013-12-27T14:23:26Z")
Finished it last night. Damn, that was fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/merlin-british-tv-show/676088.md?page=1)