In the wake of King Uther’s sudden death, chaos threatens to engulf Britain. When the sorcerer Merlin has visions of a dark future, he installs the young and impetuous Arthur, Uther’s unknown son and heir, who has been raised from birth as a commoner. But Arthur’s cold and ambitious half sister Morgan will fight him to the bitter end, summoning unnatural forces to claim the crown in this epic battle for control. These are dark times indeed for the new king, with Guinevere being the only shining light in Arthur’s harsh world. Faced with profound moral decisions, and the challenge of uniting a kingdom broken by war and steeped in deception, Arthur will be tested beyond imagination. Forget everything you think you know…this is the story of Camelot that has never been told before. (Source: Starz)
Creators: Michael Hirst, Chris Chibnall
Camelot was a very recent series on Starz, a more adult version of the classic tale. Unfortunately, it only lasted one season. I'm really not sure the main reason for the cancellation, but I can only assume it was because of low ratings.
Personally, while I didn't love the series, I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed the more adult nature of the series. King Arthur stuff tends to usually be toned down quite a bit. This series was a typical pay-cable series. Lots of nudity, violence, sex and blood. If you enjoy shows like Game of Thrones, or Spartacus, you should enjoy this show as well.
The reason I didn't love the show as much as the previously mentioned series is because the "romantic" portions of the show really seemed to drag this series down. The interaction between Arthur and Guinevere were not well done, and they seemed to have little chemistry. I'm not against romance in my films in any way, but this seemed to have too much of a CW feel to it.
The acting is fantastic from an exemplary cast. Save maybe Jamie Campbell Bower who just doesn't seem like a good Arthur to me. In all honesty I prefer Merlin's Bradley James to him. The action is good when there is some and the story moves along ok. Joseph Fiennes is definitely the star of this show, I just wish this guy could get a gig that sticks.
All in all, this is a great King Arthur rendition and I wish there could have been more seasons for the show to get it's legs. Check it out if you enjoy the pay-cable shows or have a pension for King Arthur stuff.
Verdict: Recommended
The Cast
Joseph Fiennes ... Merlin
Peter Mooney ... Kay
Clive Standen ... Gawain
Chipo Chung ... Vivian
Sinéad Cusack ... Sybil
Lara Jean Chorostecki ... Bridget
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