Although I had never intended to watch Being Human, I’ve found I really like this television show. It’s darker than I usually enjoy but there’s something very appealing about it. Aidan tries hard to be normal while Josh just seems so earnest and Sally is sympathetic. The characters work, the setting works, the villains work: the show works.
If you haven’t watched, check it out. Being Human airs on Mondays at 8 pm central time on Syfy.
Imagine my surprise when I logged into my Amazon account this morning and discovered that as an Amazon Prime member I can now watch movies and TV shows on my computer at no additional cost!
Here’s just a bit of what I found that was available as unlimited instant video for Amazon Prime subscribers. I think all of these are also on Netflix.
There are other instant streaming science fiction and fantasy TV shows at Amazon if you want to see it all: prime eligible sci-fi and fantasty TV at Amazon.
I’m a Netflix member and I have it set up through my WII, but I hadn’t imagined having even more television viewing options through my Amazon Prime membership. It’s a little overwhelming.
{Seriously. I might now have too many TV options to allow me to get any work done around the house or to spend time with my family. I am being bombarded by TV from places I would have never imagined.}
Of course–I like it! I’m getting more value for my money. Although, I will have to look around to see if there are actually any benefits to having TV shows available through Amazon.
I don’t know if any of the freely available TV shows on Amazon are shows that I can’t also get on Netflix. And of course, with Netflix hooked up to my television, I prefer to watch TV shows on Netflix instead of on the computer when I can.
Amazon didn’t send me any kind of notification of this change, though. It would’ve been nice if they’d sent me an email.
I’d summarize this episode as: Merlin accidently releases a mischievous goblin, which then causes all kinds of hilarious trouble for Merlin, Gaius, Uther, and Arthur. Things get out of hand, and Merlin must stop the goblin before it gets Gaius–and Merlin–killed.
Goblin’s Gold (Syfy recap – major spoilers) is the kind of episode that lightens things up while still maintaining the tension established in The Tears of Uther Pendragon. Events conspire to create possible future conflicts with Morgana and Gaius, while Arthur proves he’s not yet ready to accept Merlin as a Sorcerer.
There were a few inconsistencies of character in the story, but nothing so drastic that the episode didn’t hold together. Uther proved a bit too forgiving; Morgana didn’t take full advantage of the situation; Arthur accepted Merlin’s guilt a little too passively.
But after seeing last week’s previews of what this episode had in store, I wasn’t disappointed. Goblin’s Gold was a hilarious and fun diversion after the more serious two-part season opener, The Tears of Uther Pendragon. What did you think?
Click images above for each current Merlin DVD set price
If you’ve missed any episodes from the first or second season of Merlin, now’s a good time to catch up. Although most episodes are stand-alone, the show has been on long enough now that missing too many episodes means you might not understand the implications of everything that happens. The animosity between Morgana and Merlin, the developing relationship between Arthur and Gwen…all these things are building on previous episodes at this point.
Merlin episodes aren’t available on Amazon on Demand. So, buying the Merlin DVD sets is the best way to support the show and watch some excellent fantasy TV.
Here’s a list of the books in the Merlin book series. These are the YA books from Bantam and most are also available as ebooks.
(UPDATE: Most of these books are out of print now, but you can occasionally still find used copies. Just check your favorite online used book store.)
If you find yourself wanting a deeper look at the Merlin television series, these books give you the chance to get into the heads of your favorite characters in a way you can’t do through the TV.
Keep reading for more descriptions of the books and images of the book covers. They’re nice enough to want to add to anyone’s Merlin collection.
Merlin arrives in bustling Camelot eager to make his way in the world and with a sense that some greater destiny is calling to him. But he soon finds that amidst the excitement there is a darker side to Camelot. Magic is outlawed here, so Merlin must keep his unique magical talents a closely guarded secret…
A mysterious new knight arrives in Camelot for the sword tournament. His fighting skills are impressive but Merlin suspects that dark magic is involved. With Prince Arthur next in line to fight, time is running out for Merlin to prove that evil is afoot…
A deadly plague is rife in Camelot and Gwen is suspected of witchcraft. Merlin must help Gaius find a cure and save his friend from execution…
Merlin is poisoned by the sorceress Nimueh and Arthur seeks the only antidote that can save him – but the prince is walking into a trap…
Merlin wants to help his new friend, Lancelot, become a Knight of Camelot – but it’s not as easy as he hopes. Then the Lady Morgana is struck down by a mystery illness. Gaius is baffled and a new physician arrives to help. He seems to have all the answers, but Merlin suspects that there’s something sinister going on. With a graphic novel element to bring the text to life, this book covers two TV episodes (#5 and #6 from the first season)…
A treasure trove is discovered deep beneath Camelot but when the spirit of an evil sorcerer is unwittingly unleashed, Merlin quickly discovers that all that glitters is not gold. Meanwhile, a deadly assassin has arrived in Camelot. His aim? To kill Arthur. Will Merlin be able to save the prince from the killer’s lethal blade. This book covers two TV episodes (#1 and #2 from the second season)…
When Arthur kills a unicorn, Merlin knows that terrible consequences lie in store for Camelot and its people. And things are set to get worse. After a hunting trip in the forest, Arthur is fatally attacked by a savage beast. As the Crown Prince lies dying, Gauis knows that dark magic is at work and Merlin is the only one who can save him – but at what cost? With a graphic novel element that brings the text to life, this book covers two TV episodes (#11 and #13 from the first season)…
This is a spellbinding, action-packed book covering three exciting episodes of Merlin. The powerful enchantress Morgause arrives in Camelot. Set on destroying the bond between Uther and his son, she revives the seven deadly Knights of Medhir. While Arthur and Merlin ride out to face the Knights, everyone in Camelot is plunged into a deep and impenetrable sleep – everyone but Morgana. Desperate for a cure, Merlin is forced to beg for the Great Dragon’s help, but it comes at a price: the Dragon’s freedom. Why has Morgana escaped the effects of this powerful magic? And once free, will the Great Dragon wreak it’s vengeance on Camelot once and for all?
When Morgana’s nightmares spill into waking hours she becomes terrified that she has magic. Gaius is determined to keep her in the dark for her own good but Merlin won’t stand by and watch his friend suffer. He knows exactly what she’s going through and he knows she needs the truth. Is Merlin about to reveal his secret at last? Willfully disobeying Gaius, Merlin risks everything to help Morgana, little guessing what the far reaching consequences might be. Lives are put in danger, loyalties are tested, and Morgana is reunited with the strange young druid boy Mordred, who the Dragon predicted would one day kill Arthur…
This guide contains all you need to know about the world of Merlin. Explore Merlin’s world and find out all there is to know about the characters and their secrets. Contains facts and great imagery of all the cast, locations, and props. Discover the lore and legend of Merlin. Looks at each character and their various relationships as well as exploring the baddies and the monsters that lurk in Camelot. Never seen before footage as well as maps and spells from the spell book finish this complete guide. Welcome to Camelot! Enter the magical world of Merlin. Uncover secrets about the characters and delve into the murky history of some of Camelot’s mysterious visitors. Meet villains and heroes, deadly beasts and ethereal creatures in this must-have guide for all Merlin fans. Discover: Secrets about each character. Pages from Merlin’s Book of Spells. A must have for any Merlin fan!
…
This the official guide contains facts and profiles from the hit TV show. In a land of myth and a time of magic there is a constant battle to maintain the balance of the world. Evil forces are at work to destabilize the kingdom. Meet the villains out to destroy Camelot in this official guide. Filled with tales of dreadful deeds, fascinating facts and fun activities this is the must-have guide for all “Merlin” fans…
This the official guide contains facts and profiles from the hit TV show. Enter the magical world of Merlin! In a land of myth and a time of magic the world is in need of heroes. Meet the brave champions of Camelot in this official guide. Filled with tales of bravery, fascinating facts and fun activities this is the must-have guide for all “Merlin” fans…
To read the ebooks all you need is one of the free ebook readers available for download on Google Play or the Apple store then you can read these books right on your mobile device.
Of course, many fans prefer to have the print copies on their shelves. If that’s the case, most of these are available through third-party sellers. I’ve bought SGA books through third-party sellers before and had no problems receiving any of them.
A short summary of the episode might go like this. The end of season two saw Morgana taken away by her sister Morgause. The Tears of Uther Pendragon opens a year later. After an exhaustive search for Morgana, Arthur and his knights find her, bedraggled and downtrodden, ready to be rescued. Morgana returns to Camelot, where Merlin worries that she will tell someone about his previous attempt to poison her, but she tells him she understands why he did it. He believes her, but begins to have doubts about her loyalty to Camelot and must take action to discover her real purpose for returning to Camelot.
I use the term review loosely here, because I don’t have a special way of reviewing an episode once I’ve watched it, and I also don’t tend to look beneath the surface for deep meanings, allegory, or metaphors.
What I do look for is enjoyment, excitement, continuity, drama, character development, and, just, STORY. Good story.
High story. The kind that pulls me in, holds me tight, and doesn’t let me go until days later, when I finally quit going over and over it in my head.
Merlin’s The Tears of Uther Pendragon Parts 1 and 2 are just such a pair of episodes. Click the link for Syfy’s summary, but beware of spoilers.
I enjoyed the interaction between Merlin and Arthur, Merlin and Morgana, and Morgause and Cenred. I also like to see Uther suffer a little for his bloodlust and this pair of episodes gave me some of that. I did think Morgana’s creepy evil smiles were a bit overdone, although I liked the first few. After a while though, they seemed to come a little too frequently and even seemed a bit cliché.
Still, I waited all week for the second part of The Tears of Uther Pendragon and I loved it! What did you think?
If you’ve missing any episodes of either season, you should catch up before too many episodes of the new season air because the show is more enjoyable when you’re clear on what’s gone before. Otherwise, you might end up confused about what’s happening now. Most episodes are stand-alone with a few exceptions, but like any good series, new material often builds on old!
You can’t catch up on Amazon’s Video on Demand, because Merlin isn’t available there (likely because of licensing issues, Merlin isn’t available on most U.S. based sites where you would normally purchase episodes to watch online or download to your computer or TV to watch).
I know this because my copy of the Merlin Season 2 DVD just shipped. I’m excited to know Merlin is on its way to my home! I preordered the DVD set a few months ago and I get two day shipping so I expect to have it Tuesday (or Monday if I’m lucky).
Merlin’s season two was excellent.
Although some people have claimed it’s too modern, I disagree. I think the fact that Merlin isn’t stuck too firmly “in period” keeps the show relatable and is one reason my entire family enjoys the show.
There’s a great combination of drama, humor, and angst to keep everyone entertained. Merlin and Arthur both have a way a grow over the course of the series and it’s exciting to watch them wrestle with the issues that will eventually shape and mold the characters of each.
Merlin is my find of the year (since I had no clue what I was missing until early October of this year when I caught the first season on Netflix).
If you haven’t seen an episode yet, you should definitely check out this family friendly, medieval fantasy series. It’s a great TV show from BBC and it’s currently airing season 3 at the moment on Syfy.
The season 2 DVD has 5 discs and contains special features, including:
The episodes in season 2 of Merlin are:
If you’re a fan of Eureka, you might be interested in giving the Eureka books a try. These books are set in the world/universe of the Eureka television program and promise to deliver additional adventure and fun with the characters we’ve grown to love.
Eureka tie-in novels are a great way to revisit Eureka during the off-season (like now) while we wait for new episodes to come to Syfy.
The two books below are set during the time between season 3.5 and 4, before the time travel incident that led to season 4’s big “equation” change.
I’ve gathered plenty of information about these Eureka books here. Enjoy!
Welcome to Eureka.
Population: BRILLIANT
It’s a town of geniuses—and now it’s the smartest series going.
Founded by Albert Einstein and Harry Truman after WWII, Eureka is home to the greatest minds in science and technology. But the creations of these eccentric geniuses threaten to destroy the world as often as they save it. Jack Carter is the everyman sheriff who must use his common sense and unique street smarts to keep a lid on this Pandora’s Box of a town. Especially now, when Eureka’s people, cars, and buildings are being swapped with people, cars and buildings from other places.
Eureka: Substitution Method
By: Cris Ramsay
Published by: Ace
Publication date: August 31, 2010
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780441018857
Even the brightest of Eureka’s residents can’t read someone else’s mind. Then Global Dynamics develops the Brain Box: a device capable of capturing and storing human thoughts. When the Box starts messing with people’s minds Sheriff Jack Carter will have to keep his thoughts to himself if he’s going to save the town from going out of their heads.Even the brightest of Eureka’s residents can’t read someone else’s mind. Then Global Dynamics develops the Brain Box: a device capable of capturing and storing human thoughts. When the Box starts messing with people’s minds Sheriff Jack Carter will have to keep his thoughts to himself if he’s going to save the town from going out of their heads.
Eureka: Brain Box Blues
By: Cris Ramsay
Published by: Ace
Publication date: November 30, 2010
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780441019830
I was taking a look at my preorders on Amazon today and noticed that my Merlin: Season 2 DVD order is supposed to be delivered around January 18th. That was a nice little surprise, because we love Merlin.
While I was there, the Merlin season 1 DVD set caught my eye (I already own this one) because it’s on sale for $19.99 and the list price for this set is $49.98. That’s a hefty discount! I can’t say how long this discount will last but for the moment, if you’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing the Merlin DVDs, this might be the perfect time to buy.
The box cover and discs are lovely, with a panoramic cast photo spanning the entire back of the unfolded disc holder and character pictures on each of the 5 discs that are part of the season one set.
However, whoever put the set together made one serious mistake. The discs include a disc number and episode numbers, but nowhere on the disks or the box are the episode titles! I don’t know about you, but when I watch episodes, I remember them by title, not number. So, I’ll have to come back to my lists regularly to find a particular episode number I want to watch.
Merlin Season One includes some really wonderful and family-friendly episodes and includes these lovely DVD extras.
Any time I find a series I really enjoy, I try to pick up the DVDs to add to my collection. Merlin is fun and the DVDs are well worth their spot on my shelves.
And in case you have no idea what I’m talking about here, here’s some information about Merlin.
The mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began. A fantastical realm of legendary beasts and mysterious peoples. A dangerous world in which magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant, Uther Pendragon. When Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, arrives in the kingdom, he quickly makes enemies, including the heir to Uther’s crown, the headstrong Prince Arthur. But guided by Uther’s wise physician, Gaius, Merlin is soon using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets. As he does so he discovers that his destiny and that of Arthur, the kingdom’s young leader-in-waiting, are inextricably linked.
Merlin season three premieres on Syfy on January 7, 2011 at 10/9 central.
This is just a little note to mention that changes are coming to this site and blog. I’ve been neglecting SciFi Fantasies for a while now and I feel compelled to find a way to bring back the love I once had for the site. I’ve been giving that some thought as the end of the year has approached and I’ve had a few ideas that I think might work out.
1. I have a heavy interest in some shows and could care less about others. I’d like SciFi Fantasies to reflect my interests more.
2. I created a database back when I started this site, but I’ve found that I don’t enjoy keeping it updated. If I’m not going to keep it relevant, there’s really no point in having it here. I’m not planning on losing all of the content, but I won’t be keeping some of the minutia such as the individual pages for episode details–unless I change my mind between now and implementation.
3. I would like to chat more on the blog. News is all well and good, but I truly enjoy episode and show discussion and I would like to do more of that. To that end, this site is not going to be spoilerphobe friendly. I have a love for spoilers and the site is probably going to reflect that.
4. I run several other sites I created for shows I’m especially fond of (stargateatlantisfan.com, eurekafan.com, stargateuniversefan.com). I would like to integrate them more fully with this site. Not sure how that will work, but I’m going to give it some additional thought.
5. I love books! I want to talk about science fiction and fantasy books more often here. Especially tie-ins for television I love.
6. I want to showcase fun stuff that fans love. I get a little caught up in the worlds created by the tv shows I love and find myself sometimes wanting to read more about them outside the sanctioned channels. I would like to talk about and link to fanfiction I find particularly fun and entertaining, or at the very least to the archives where it can be found. I’ve found that good fanfiction can be integral to keeping me excited about a show when a few bad episodes try to spoil my fun.
7. There is no 7 yet. :)
So there you go, a short summary of things I’d like to do with the site in 2011 and that I hope to get started on ASAP.
Okay, he’s one of my favorite recurring characters. Who am I talking about? Nikola Tesla, that’s who.
Nikola Tesla is just villainous enough to seriously intrigue me, and yet he still has enough redeeming qualities to keep me rooting for him. These types of characters always, always, keep me interested. (For example, I still adore Todd the Wraith, even though he’s one of the big baddies from the sorely missed Stargate Atlantis.)
In fact, now that I think about it, the actor portraying Nikola Tesla had a small role in a few episodes of Stargate Atlantis. Although somewhat forgettable in that show, he’s really proven himself with the role of Tesla. I should probably do a little research and find out what his name is… :-) If you know, why don’t you leave a comment for me so I don’t have to go looking? I’d sure appreciate it!
I’m just about to start watching tonight’s episode, but I thought I’d make this quick post first, but now it seems as if I’ve run out of time. See ya!
