Camelot:

[TheEndIsNigh]

Camelot: More 4 - Wed 23:00. 1st of ten episodes.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/camelot

Warning - Its after the watershed for good reason. If your a Mary Whitehouse fan be prepared to look away (switch of the telly and throw it out of the window)

Just watched More 4's new series on the Arthurian legend.

Certainly a different take from the Sickly Sweet Merlin series.

I liked it, although its definitely not one for the children - far from it

It was a little disjointed, but its early days. Hopefully the characters will develop in the next episodes. So far the actors are giving fairly creditable low key performances: I'm prepared to give it a chance.

To me it seems to be sticking closer to the real legend, but I'm not an aficionado of things Arthurian.

On the plus side, so far there's no plastic dragons, centaurs, or a dentally challenged hamster in sight.

Sadly though, no Richard Harris.

 

[TheTomG]

Already seen the whole series here in the States, actually thought it would have made it Britside a long time back (particularly since it has a lot of European actors and actresses, and was filmed over there too.)

I'll let everyone decide what they think for themselves since it's just the first episode. Did watch it all the way through, so I guess it can't be that awful.

 

[svalbard]

This was shown on terrestial tv in Ireland back in April. The show was cancelled after the first series. The reasons will become apparant a few episodes in.

 

[williamjm]

Already seen the whole series here in the States, actually thought it would have made it Britside a long time back (particularly since it has a lot of European actors and actresses, and was filmed over there too.)

It was first shown in the UK on Channel 4 a few months ago. I do have all the episodes recorded, but I've only watched the first couple and I'm not sure if I'll ever bother with the rest.

 

[Moony]

I watched it all the way through to finish it.I wasn't all that impressed with it though.There were quite a few things in it I liked but it just seemed a bit lacking in some areas.
They cancelled it because two of the main actors were filming other things at the time they wanted to start filming the second season.It was approved for a second season after the second or third episode.They may eventually make the second season.Who knows? If they do I hope its better.

 

[alchemist]

This was shown on terrestial tv in Ireland back in April. The show was cancelled after the first series. The reasons will become apparant a few episodes in.

They certainly will (unless it is resurrected). There was only one reason to watch, if you're male, but otherwise it was pretty dreary.

 

[Boaz]

I watched the first three episodes yesterday.

The legend of King Arthur is that he was not the best jouster nor the best swordsman, but his courage, his divine destiny, and his righteousness inspired many others to high honor, chivalry, and kindness that founded a kingdom of peace for all and justice for the oppressed during the Dark Ages. The legend continues that passion and pride ultimately tore down Arthur's creation, yet the example of Arthur, Camelot, and the Round Table continue to inspire us, even today, towards hope.

Would you say this is a fair assessment?

In Starz Camelot, I was aghast at the first view of Arthur... skinny, gangly, crooked teeth, sallow skinned... I know Arthur is surrounded by the greatest knights, but at least he should look competent. This Arthur makes Tom Green look like Fabio. And Tom Green makes Seth Green look like Tom Cruise.

Uh oh. I feel a rant coming on...

Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur is the worst miscasting since Jamie Bamber as Apollo and Katie Sackhoff as Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica. Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Michael Hogan, James Callis, Tricia Helfer, Lucy Lawless, Dean Stockwell, and Kate Vernon were all flawlessly cast. I applaud the decisions to add them to the cast, but Bamber and Sackhoff were miscast. If Bamber was given a non speaking role, he'd have been perfect. But maybe that's not fair to Bamber... the Apollo character was a wretched, gutless, treasonous coward. And if they'd cut out all of Sackhoff's romantic scenes, then she'd have been fine to play Starbuck.... the number one rule in casting a sexy female lead is that the female be.... uh, well, I don't know.... how about... sexy. But Bower as Arthur is worse than Bamber and Sackhoff combined!

That aside, Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green steal every scene as Merlin and Morgan, respectively. They play the most compelling characters by far. Claire Forlani is always easy on the eyes. James Purefoy is very good as King Lot. Kay, Gawain, and Leontes are sqare jawed, athletic, and handsome... Arthur's knights put him to shame.

I was astounded at how miscast Arthur was. Truly, the pictures of Arthur on the jacket cover are by far the best pictures of him. His scenes with Guinivere remind me of Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett.... "What the heck is she doing with him?" Rosie O'Donnell is twice as masculine as Arthur. It's embarrassing.

Then I slept on it... and I thought, what if Arthur was not miscast? What if they cast him exactly as they intended? What if Arthur is a "coward" and "the slimiest weakling ever to walk the earth"? What if Arthur is the villain of this retelling? What if the whole thing was a massive cover up by Merlin and the Knights because this was the only way they could achieve peace? And I figured this makes more sense... not the destruction of the Arthurian myth, but the casting of Arthur.

Then I watched the fourth episode. And I think I'm right. The dark cancer eating away at the heart of Camelot is not Lancelot, Guinnevere, Morgan, Merlin, Tristram, nor Mordred... it is Arthur, himself. Now that I understand Arthur, I'll probably watch the rest of the show. I don't know that I approve of upending the Arthurian legend yet, but it explains how they cast Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur.

 

[Wiggum]

The show is horrible, but like a car accident.....

I.Just.Can't.Look.Away.

Morgan is the only character they portrayed that is actually worthy of being on air.

Fiennes channeled his inner Morrissey to play Merlin, to bad result.

Campbell looks like a high school senior that should be driving an old primered Camaro, listening to Foghat, while dreaming of his first day where he actually has facial hair worth shaving.

 

[Alysheba]

LOLOL Wiggum. You hit the nail on the head! Aurthur is weak and that is IMO is what the biggest downfall to this series was. In the end the viewers thought so too and it was cancelled.