While Game of Thrones was garnering a lot of attention, I was curious if anyone watched the first episodes of Camelot on Starz this past weekend. It was pretty good. Eva Green and Joseph Feinnes did a good job chewing up scenery. I was also pleasantly surprised to see James Purefoy from Rome in the premiere. Anyway most of my knowledge of Arthurian legend comes from multiple viewings of Excalibur, so it will be interesting to see the direction they take this series.
I enjoyed it.
The sex scenes (and generic nudity) felt a little forced as if they were just trying to capitalize on the success of their own Spartacus, or perhaps more aptly, the hole left by Showtime’s The Tudors. I also found the guy playing Arthur to be pretty bland.
Other than that, I did like it. Like you said, Eva and Joseph are fun to watch. It has potential, but I’ll have to give it another couple of episodes to really feel it out.
I’m a big fan of BBC’s Merlin and most of my knowledge of the Camelot universe comes from that show. There are a lot of characters that show up in both shows, but the story is different in several significant ways.
So far I would still take Merlin over Camelot but they are two very different shows in tone and style. Overall I was actually pleasently surprised with Camelot and only had two complaints. The first one has already been mentioned, the sex scenes. I’m getting a little fed up with cable shows having graphic sex scenes when it seems like they are only doing it because they can and to set themselves apart from the big networks. It makes sense in True Blood and Spartacus because both vampires and ancient Rome are heavily connected to sex. But is it really nessecary in a show like Camelot or Boardwalk Empire? I don’t get offended by it at all, I just hate when it seems like they use these scenes for the shock value alone and not because it is necessary for the story.
The other thing is that I’m not really sold on Arthur in the show. So far I’m not a big fan of the actor but I’m especially not a big fan of the way his personality changes from scene to scene. The kid they found in the village seemed very different to the man speaking to his people later on, and then he turned back into a kid and then a man again. I don’t buy into his personality just yet, but it could get better in the comming episodes. I did absolutely love most of the other characters in the show. Aside from the ones already mentioned I was pleasently surprised to see Philip Winchester who I had been a big fan of when he did Crusoe. The overall cast is really solid, hopefully the lead can win me over with time.
I’m a sucker for fantasy tv but despite the endless opportunities there really isn’t a lot out there. I think Merlin is the only one I know of since Legend of the Seeker was cancelled. So I’m really looking forward to seing more of Camelot in the comming weeks.
wait … Eva Green … and sex scenes … head explodes
I need me some Starz from the sound of it.
Cheers