This soothes the pain of the end of Gods of the Arena ... a little

[fembuck]

*bows down at the feet of her majesty Queen Eva* 

Seriously, the show is worth watching if for no other reason than seeing Eva HBICing like it's going out of style.

TV Series: Camelot (2011)
Network: Starz
Creator: Michael Hirst, Chris Chibnall
Cast: Eva Green♥♥♥, James Purefoy, Claire Forlani♥, Jamie Campbell Bower, Tamsin Egerton and Joseph Fiennes
Genre(s): Drama | Fantasy | History
Certification: US: R, UK:15
Plot:  England is threatened with chaos after the sudden and untimely death of King Uther. The sorcerer Merlin sees visions of a future filled with darkness, and helps install Arthur, Uther's son -- raised from birth as a commoner, with no knowledge of his royal lineage -- as the new king. When Morgan, Arthur's half-sister, learns that she has a half-brother, one for whom Merlin claims proof that he is the legitimate heir to the thrown, she is determined to battle and defeat Arthur "to the bitter end," using "unnatural forces to claim the crown" in what will unfold as an "epic battle for control. 
Camelot - 1x01 - Pilot

Thoughts:

-  The episode starts off slow and badly edited, and the pacing throughout the whole thing is almost incomprehensible (there is almost no sense of how long is supposed to have passed between scenes), but picks up in the later half.  I got genuinely interested in what was happening when Merlin, Arthur and Kay arrived at the abandoned castle Camelot, and thought the episode stayed strong after that.  I'm willing to give this show a while to find it's legs though, because I was thoroughly unimpressed by Spartacus: Blood and Sands pilot, but I ended up loving (and still love) the hell out of that show.  Also, Eva Green.

- I'm glad that we won't have to suffer that bastard Uther in this series like we do on Merlin.  I love you Giles (ASH) but Uther is such an asshat.  I'm glad that the character's douchery is called in this show and he gets what's coming to him.  I like Sebastian Koch though, so I'm sad that he's gone (it was like watching S.W.A.T: Firefight for Kristanna Loken and her only being an screen for two minutes all over again.  Okay, this was less disappointing, but it's the same principle)

- Eva Green is phenomenal.  It's going to be awesome watching her be powerful, bitchy, wrathful, manipulative, and regal for the course of the show.

- As a Merlin viewer, I couldn't help but love that Camelot's Morgan, is pretty much Morgause.  Her background, her hatred for Uther, her mastery of magic, her disdain for Arthur, and her seducing King Lot in order to gain the use of his army (it's basically exactly what Morgause did with Cenred).  And my love for Morgause is well known, so I love that Morgan shares similarities with her.

- I'm actually really liking Claire Forlani as Igraine.  And after the first scene of the show, I kind of ship Igraine/Morgan.  The look Igraine gives Morgan right before she leaves the room did it.

- Not sure how I feel about Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur, or maybe just how I feel about Arthur at this point.  JCB managed to charm me a few times, but they were far and few between.  Arthur is a real teenager right now, and I'm not really interested in watching him emo his way onto the throne.  I wish they'd switched the personalities of Arthur and Kay.  Kay is great so far, and much more noble/heroic than Arthur.

- I'm sorry show, but the softcore porno dream Arthur had about Gwen (and Merlin hilarious creepin' in on his sex dreams) did not inspire a sense of epic romance in me. 

-  This is an interesting presentation of Merlin.  He comes across as a real arrogant bastard, but then again it's not surprising that someone as powerful as Merlin would be.  He definitely has the potential to be a magnificent bastard though, so I'll see how I feel about him in a few episodes.

- James Purefoy is a lot of fun to watch as King Lot.  He's basically playing a bearded Marc Antony, and this time is sexing up Eva Green instead of Polly Walker.  Say is with me people .... lucky fucking bastard!  I don't think King Lot is going to be around for the whole first season, but I'll enjoy him while he's here.  Also, the sex scene between Lot and Morgan was ... I don't even know how to describe it.  It was kind of hilarious, but also pretty awesome.  Oh, those two.

All in all, the pilot was okay, but I definitely sense potential for the show to become Must-Squee-TV.

Comments

[blackgrl71.livejournal.com]

i've been SOOOO waiting for this show ever since I saw the 1st promos because i LOVE me some Eva Green and her character is FIERCE! next up: the Borgias - the 1st Crime Family on Showtime and the Game of Thorns on HBO. all have top notch acting and more importantly, a TON of fierce female characters guaranteed to stimulate our muse.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Eva Green is the main reason I am excited for this show, and I will continue watching because of her. Hopefully the show will catch up to her awesomeness in future episodes.

Borgias and Game of Thrones are on my Must See List as well. I am anxiously awaiting both of them. Cable TV in spring is going to be so full of awesome!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

First, thank you for this post as I had no idea they had shown the premiere.

So, I've just watched the episode and I agree with your general impression. Both Morgan and Merlin are badass and I'm not really impressed with Arthur, except that he's super slashy with Kay and he drools over Morgan (what would be the Arthurian legend without incest vibes?) and of course there's definitely something dodgy going on between him and Merlin (LMAO at Merlin watching Arthur's sex dreams XDDD).

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

No problem! Happy to be of service.

I'm not really impressed with Arthur, except that he's super slashy with Kay and he drools over Morgan (what would be the Arthurian legend without incest vibes?)

Heh! It's true, Arthur's most endearing traits are his incestous (and pseudo-incestuous) feeling. Honestly, Arthurian legend is nothing without family members loving each other a little bit too much.

LMAO at Merlin watching Arthur's sex dreams XDDD

I literally LOL'D at that. It was so ridiculously hilarious.

[harper-m.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on Arthur. The problem I have is that, right now, I want him to lose. I want him to catch a dagger through the throat early on so that I can watch the epic adventures of Morgan without having to deal with him much. I'll hold out to see if he can win me over, but so far there's a lot going against him. (Added to the fact that I find him insipid and boring is the fact that he looks, to me, like an alien and a rat had a baby who never washed its hair. I realize this is harsh.)

I agree, too, that they're going to have to smooth out the edges on this one. Some parts dragged, and there's a sense that the various players are hamming it up as individuals and not as a whole. But, Sparty did take a while to find its groove, too, so I'll cut it some slack.

And lol forver - Say my name.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

The problem I have is that, right now, I want him to lose. I want him to catch a dagger through the throat early on so that I can watch the epic adventures of Morgan without having to deal with him much.

Ugh! This. So much. I just wanted to him off my screen every time he showed up.

Added to the fact that I find him insipid and boring is the fact that he looks, to me, like an alien and a rat had a baby who never washed its hair. I realize this is harsh.

Harsh but true. JCB's face irritates me, and we're not alone in feeling this way. He just looks like a wimp. I would not follow him to the grocery store, let alone into war. And there really was no reason for him to look so greasy when everyone else appeared to be most hygienic. How that girl at the beginning could cheat on Kay with Arthur is beyond me. I also think I'm not going to have much respect for Guinevere since she'll fall for him and I just don't see how that's possible.

I agree, too, that they're going to have to smooth out the edges on this one.

For sure, it was really rough. But I'm going to give Starz the benefit of the doubt here, since kind of hated the first two episodes of Spartacus, but eventually came to adore that show.

And lol forver - Say my name.

LOL! That scene was so ridiculously awesome. Oh, Morgan. Go get it gurl!

[trancer21.livejournal.com]

Not sure how I feel about Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur, or maybe just how I feel about Arthur at this point.

Honestly, couldn't they have cast someone who actually looks like they're capable of producing testosterone!! I'm sure somewhere Bradley James is kicking himself right now. But, things could've been worse - they could have cast Alex Pettyfer!!

Eva Green is phenomenal.

My only gripe is did they have to make her *soo* batshit insane? Like, a little nuance goes a LONG way! IDK, it kinda reeks of sexism. Like, Morgan can't be powerful *and* female unless she's crazy.

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

Honestly, couldn't they have cast someone who actually looks like they're capable of producing testosterone!!

Heh! I know. In that sex dream sequence with Gwen it was almost impossible to tell who was who with both of them having flowing blonde hair and delicate frames.

But, things could've been worse - they could have cast Alex Pettyfer!!

Ugh. Alex Pettyfer's 15 minutes have only just started but I already want him to go away forever. He's not even that pretty anymore. Hopefully once "Beastly" tanks, Hollywood will stop trying to make him happen.

My only gripe is did they have to make her *soo* batshit insane? Like, a little nuance goes a LONG way! IDK, it kinda reeks of sexism. Like, Morgan can't be powerful *and* female unless she's crazy.

I wish she was a bit more subtle, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now. They did portray Uther has an utter douche which gave credence to Morgan's hatred of him, and she did apologize to Arthur to before Lot murdered his non-Claire-Forlani mom in retribution for Arthur killing his son in self-defense.

Merlin comes across as a manipulative, kind of creepy dick (though we're supposed to cheer for him and presumably love to hate Morgan), Lot is crazy (over-react much there buddy?), and Uther was a cold-hearted, pillaging rapist, so it's not like Morgan is the only person of questionable morality.

Hopefully the flesh out the character a bit more though. I don't want another smirking!Morgana debacle.

[jelei.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the download, dude!

[fembuck.livejournal.com]

No problem! Enjoy!

[pf-c.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the DL! I love that there's another Morgana I can love on my screen. This one is fierce.