Merlin, Ranked
My ranking of the fantasy series that follows a young man with a very special talent, as he serves the prince of the Kingdom of Camelot...
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- DirectorEd FraimanStarsJohn HurtColin MorganSantiago CabreraMerlin would have been killed by a giant griffin (half eagle, half lion) if not for valiant Lancelot, who bravely attacked it and got them safely away. Learning Lancelot's life dream is to become a knight, grateful Merlin brings him to court, but when told only noblemen may apply, magically forges proof of nobility. Lancelot passes hazing and close combat tests against Prince Arthur but is found out as commoner and jailed. When the griffin attacks Camelot - even inside the royal castle - the knights' arms prove unable to penetrate it . Arthur frees Lancelot, who in return (with Merlin's magical help) triumphs where all knighthood fails miserably, but will Uther finally hear Arthur's plea to allow the best sword to serve in chivalry despite existing social restrictions?8/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtColin MorganBradley JamesThe mighty citadel is buzzing in anticipation of the prince's birthday celebrations, but Arthur's old adversary, Odin, promises to ensure this is one party Camelot will never forget, for amongst the assembling guests lurks a deadly assassin, set to strike. As the dust settles, Camelot is left devastated, but just how far is Merlin prepared to go to put things right? Would he really risk everything and reveal his secret?8/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtRupert YoungKatie McGrathThe new queen of Camelot proves to be far crueler than Uther, who is made to watch from his dungeon as she slaughters innocents. Guinevere helps Sir Leon escape from prison and joins her brother Elyan, Gaius, Merlin, Arthur and Gwaine, who are hiding in the woods. Soldiers follow but they are saved by Lancelot and a youth of immense strength, Percival. Merlin looks into the waters of Avalon in the phial given him by the Fisher King, which directs him to Excalibur, the sword which will defeat the enemy. The fugitives find a round table, around which they movingly declare allegiance to each other, and Arthur knights all the young men - except, of course, Merlin, though Lancelot, aware of his powers, tells Merlin he is the bravest of them all. The group launches its invasion of Camelot, which gives Gaius his finest hour as the sisters are routed, largely due to Merlin's use of Excalibur. However, he places the sword in a rock until it can be used again.8/10
- DirectorDavid MooreStarsJohn HurtBradley JamesColin MorganA heroic stranger causes trouble for Merlin after risking his life to save Arthur.8/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtFintan McKeownJack SandleRealising that his jousting opponents always let him win because he is the royal prince, Arthur pretends to leave court and enters the lists in disguise to win on merit. He stays with Guinevere, who tells him some home truths about his arrogance, and they kiss. Moorish assassin Myror, paid by neighbouring king Odin (whose son challenged a reluctant Arthur to a duel and lost his life) arrives at Camelot to kill the young prince. He enters the joust with a lance hiding a dagger on its tip, but Merlin uses magic to defeat and kill him. Arthur has learned some humility by his experience but tells Guinevere that Uther would oppose any romance between them.8/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtRupert YoungAnthony HeadSir Leon is nursed back to health by Druids using the Cup of Life after he is the sole survivor of an attack by Cenred's men. It purportedly grants immortality to those who drink from it, and Arthur and Merlin retrieve it from the Druids to prevent it falling into Cenred's hands. However, they, along with Gwaine, are ambushed and the cup stolen. Having killed Cenred, Morgause makes his soldiers drink from it and, under her orders, they successfully attack Camelot. By the time the three young men arrive back at the court, Uther is in chains and Camelot has a new ruler.8/10
- DirectorDavid MooreStarsJohn HurtAlexander SiddigJoe DempsieHearing that his village is being threatened by a warlord and his gang, Merlin travels home with Gwen, Morgana and Arthur, the latter doing his best to drill the peaceful villagers into a fighting force. Merlin's friend William is dismissive of Arthur's efforts, feeling they constitute egoism, though he ultimately saves the young prince's life. Nonetheless the villagers are inexperienced in martial ways and Merlin must use magic and conjure up a wind-storm to help see off the bandits.8/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtAngel CoulbyTom HopperFriendship, love, and loyalty between Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin.8/10
- DirectorAlex PillaiStarsJohn HurtJames CallisTrevor SellersThe mysterious Julius Borden arrives in Camelot with news of a magical secret that threatens to change the landscape of the kingdom forever. He has located the final part of the key to the tomb of Ashkanar, an ancient mausoleum which holds a very special treasure: the last remaining dragon's egg. Merlin is understandably drawn in by Borden's news, and promises to help him, but just who is the enigmatic stranger and, more importantly, what does he really want with the egg?8/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtColin MorganBradley JamesFleeing enemies, Merlin and Arthur take refuge in The Valley of the Fallen Kings. There, the sorcerer Taliesin cures the wounded Arthur and shows Merlin the Crystal Cave, which provides a disturbing vision of the future in which Morgana stabs a sleeping Uther. Come her birthday, Morgana, given a dagger by Arthur, steals into the king's room to kill, secretly followed by Merlin, who uses magic to thwart her. She is temporarily put into a coma, during which time Uther confides in Gaius that she is his natural daughter - a fact of which she is also aware. Gaius believes that Arthur should be told as now Morgana is a legitimate heir to throne and he stands in her way.8/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtColin MorganVictoria FinneyIn his determination to rule magic out of Camelot forever, Uther hires the services of Aredian, a terrifying witch hunter who is most feared due to the fact that he stops at nothing in the quest to uncover all and every kind of sorcery. Even though no one is under direct suspicion, several people in Camelot are afraid that the witch hunter could see straight through them: Morgana is worried that Uther might have her executed and Gaius is concerned for the fate of Merlin and his own, since caring for the young warlock is considered crime and treason. Will all three be able to escape a dreadful fate?8/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtEmilia FoxJem WallUsing an incantation, Morgause revives the deadly Knights of Medhir and, whilst Merlin and Arthur are the sole survivors of the party sent to beat the knights, Morgause uses Morgana to bewitch Camelot so that everybody except Morgana herself falls asleep, rendering the court defenseless when the knights approach, intent on killing the king. Merlin learns from the Great Dragon that the only way to break the spell is to kill Morgana, so he uses her as his bargaining power to force Morgause to call off the attack. As a consequence he must honour his pledge to free the dragon.8/10
- DirectorEd FraimanStarsJohn HurtMichelle RyanColin MorganIn poisoning a cup, Nimueh's latest scheme jeopardizes a peace accord between two kingdoms, turns father against son, lays a foe low, and sends Arthur on a perilous quest alone.8/10
- DirectorJames HawesStarsJohn HurtWill MellorAndy LindenKing Uther Pendragon holds an annual tournament where Prince Arthur Pendragon is to defend his title against other knights of the realm. Sir Valiant comes with a magic secret weapon - a shield from which the painted poisonous serpents can come to life and attack (which Sir Valiant also used to murder its creator). By nursing snake-poisoned knight Ewan, Merlin finds out how this vile knight has been defeating adversaries as easily as Arthur. He informs the prince, but a servant's word is worthless against a knight's, and by the time the prince challenges Valiant, the only 'worthy' witness has died (via more serpentine magic). Arthur, furious to be humiliated and seeming scared, fires Merlin. Receiving enigmatic encouragement from the Great Dragon, Merlin decides against giving up, resorting to magic from the book Gaius earlier gave him.7.5/10
- DirectorJames HawesStarsColin MorganJohn HurtAnthony HeadYoung Merlin, sent by his mother from their village to start a better life, arrives in Camelot where he is to be apprenticed to Gaius, physician to the repressive King Uther. Uther, believing all magic evil, has made it punishable by death, so when Gaius finds that Merlin has magical, telekinetic powers, he agrees to keep the boy's secret. The mother of a sorcerer Uther recently executed comes to Camelot for revenge in the guise of a pretty girl, charming the court to sleep with her singing. Only Merlin sees what is happening and, staying awake, saves the situation without exposing himself as a warlock. As a reward, he is promoted to valet of Uther's arrogant son, Arthur.7.5/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtBradley JamesAngel CoulbyAfter Arthur is unseated from his horse, his saddle is shown to have been tampered with and stable groom Tyr Seward blamed. Imprisoned, he tells Merlin he saw the true culprit but was told his mother would die if he informed on them. The actual saboteur, Guinevere (enchanted by Morgana) kills Tyr, and Arthur realises too late his innocence. Guinevere then poisons Arthur and casts the blame on Merlin, leaving an imprisoned Merlin to use magic to save himself and the king. To cover herself, Guinevere summons the apothecary from whom Morgana purchased the poison to pass subsequent blame onto Morgana as the would-be assassin, though Merlin knows better.7.5/10
- DirectorDeclan O'DwyerStarsJohn HurtBradley JamesAlexander VlahosMerlin sees Mordred helping Kara, a wounded Druid with whom he was once in love, but agrees to keep it secret. Later Kara tries to kill Arthur and is sentenced to death, with Arthur turning down Mordred's pleas for mercy. Mordred uses magic to help Kara escape but they are recaptured and Kara is executed. Merlin rightly fears this will make Mordred determined to destroy Arthur; and, sure enough, he flees and goes to see Morgana, revealing to her that Emrys is Merlin.7.5/10
- DirectorJustin MolotnikovStarsJohn HurtColin MorganBradley JamesArthur has been king for three years without incident, but now an expedition north to the land of Ismere, led by Gwaine and Percival, is captured by Morgana and fellow sorcerer Ruadan and set to work in the mines to locate a mystical key. A search party headed by Arthur and Merlin goes after them, coming upon a village whose inhabitants have been massacred, A dying Druid warns Merlin of Arthur's bane - a battle where the young king will be slain. Ruadan's daughter Sefa is a spy working as Guinevere's maid, who warns her father of Arthur's army heading for Ismere through the lands of his ally Queen Annis. The group is thereby ambushed and Merlin and Arthur captured by Mordred, whom Merlin recognizes from the prophecy as being Arthur's killer.7.5/10
- DirectorDeclan O'DwyerStarsJohn HurtGary LewisKatie McGrathMorgana captures Alator - her former ally who later sided against her - in order to find out the identity of the legendary warlock known to the Druids as Emrys (still unaware this is Merlin). Merlin is approached by a mysterious woman, Finna, who warns him of danger and asks him to meet her at the temple of Erui. Though she is sent by Alator, Gaius suspects a trap and alerts Arthur to send his knights to find her, though she escapes with Merlin. She gives him a box and warns him against Mordred before willingly sacrificing herself to divert the pursuing Morgana. Back at Camelot, Merlin and Gaius open the box, which contains a prophecy of an imminent great battle. Shortly afterwards, a declaration of war by Morgana arrives.7.5/10
- DirectorJustin MolotnikovStarsColin MorganPeter GuinnessKatie McGrathMerlin finds himself facing the future he's fought so long to avoid.7.5/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtAlfie StewartRupert YoungEarnest young druid Daegal begs Merlin to come to his village and save his dying sister, but the boy leads him into a trap where he's left to die by Morgana. Arthur meanwhile hosts the ruthless Sarrum of Amata, with whom he plans to form an alliance; however, with Merlin deliberately put out of the way, the bewitched Guinevere, appealing to the Sarrum's lust for power, persuades him to assassinate Arthur on the promise of a share of the kingdom. He accepts (though plans on killing her, too). Guilt-ridden, Daegal returns to save Merlin and they make it back to Camelot in time to thwart the assassination, though with several casualties. Merlin is more determined than ever to discover the cause of Guinevere's unnatural actions.7.5/10
- DirectorMetin HüseyinStarsJohn HurtRichard RidingsLaura DonnellyMerlin saves a Druid girl from a bounty hunter's cage, but there is more to her than meets the eye.7.5/10
- DirectorAshley WayStarsJohn HurtAngel CoulbyTomiwa EdunAfter visiting her father's grave, Guinevere is captured by Morgana and imprisoned in the infamous Dark Tower haunted by ghostly visions and screams. Merlin and Arthur lead the knights in a rescue mission but get lost in the thick and aptly named Impenetrable Forest. Mab, the fairy queen of this forest, appears to Merlin and shows him how to guide the others through it but tauntingly reveals that one will not return. Arriving at the tower, they save Guinevere but at the cost of a man. None, however, realise that Guinevere is a changed woman thanks to Morgana.7.5/10
- DirectorJeremy WebbStarsJohn HurtBradley JamesRichard WilsonMorgana has gone with Morgause, and the dragon, freed by Merlin, repeatedly attacks Camelot, causing huge fire damage. Only a dragon-lord is capable of containing the beast, men whom Uther persecuted years earlier, from which only one still survives (Balinor), who lives like a hermit in a cave. Gaius, who helped him escape Camelot, tells Merlin this is his father, and when Merlin and Arthur trace him, Merlin reveals himself to Balinor (though they keep it from Arthur). Balinor agrees to come to Camelot to assist, but there is further drama before Merlin proves himself to be his father's son and defeats the dragon.7.5/10
- DirectorAlice TroughtonStarsJohn HurtNathaniel ParkerBradley JamesAs Morgana's forces capture Camelot, Arthur at last comes to see his uncle's treachery. He is reluctant to flee, but Merlin bewitches him into escaping with him, temporarily blocking his memory and dressing him as a peasant. Elyan, Gaius, and Gwaine are taken prisoner, though Morgana is impressed by Gwaine's performance in trials by combat. Separated from Leon and Percival, Merlin and Arthur fall in with smugglers Tristan and Isolde, during which Merlin's spell wears off and the young king can reveal his identity to them. The quartet escapes to Ealdor, Merlin's village, where a wounded Arthur is nursed by Guinevere as Agravaine and his army close in.7.5/10