Merlin

This show offers a new take on a different stage of the King Arthur legend, but the legendary wizard deserves a more impressive series than this; it's fun, but it lacks magic. Everyone knows how that story turns out, but the main characters' early years don't typically get as much attention. The show takes significant liberties with the conventions -- though there are so many versions of the story that there's plenty of tolerance for change. Making Merlin a novice magician and turning Arthur into a thoroughly unlikable jerk places the characters at the start of a developmental journey, inviting viewers along to see how they finally get to their well-known destination.

While the idea is solid, the execution is a little shaky. James is so effective at making Arthur unpleasant that it's hard to imagine him becoming a better person, while Morgan plays Merlin as bemused and a bit cocky and doesn't seem to have much else in his emotional repertoire. As a result, his young wizard frequently seems full of himself, which might be more appropriate for a seasoned magician rather than one just learning the trade. The show's tone veers from lighthearted to dark; some scenes are played for laughs and might be fun for young viewers, while others feature malevolent magic and medieval-style violence that's more appropriate for teens and up.