Review: Merlin 3.11:The Sourcerer's Shadow

What should have been a predictable and formulaic episode actually surprised me by managing to patch up some of its problems with good characterisation and a fresh perspective on events. This week we once again use the "Tournament where someone uses Magic" plot, which is as old as the second freaking episode. I mean, it was even used earlier this series. Luckily the formula is flipped on its head, and we have another decent subplot running by it.
     In our main plot, we see gormless-bastard weakling sorcerer Gilli (Harry Melling, pictured far right) arrive in Camelot for the Open Tournament, which anyone (Men, in other words) are able to enter. He uses magic to help him along, and Merlin (Colin Morgan) actually cottons on for once. They discuss how his father died because he feared Uther and how he thinks Merlin has betrayed their kind, and how with his magic Gilli finally feels respected as a person. Merlin ends up consulting The Dragon (John Hurt) when Gilli's next opponent turns out to be Uther. It's advised that Arthur shouldn't see his father die by magic, and so Merlin counters Gilli's magic in the fight. Everyone forgives everyone and Gilli promises to come back in two episodes.
     The surprisingly interesting subplot this week was similar to Misfits in that it involved tension between father and son, this time between Arthur (Bradley James) and King Uther (Anthony Head). Arthur really didn't want his father fighting, but a mixture of Uther's arrogance and meddling by Morgana (Katie McGrath) led to him doing so anyway. the real climax of this subplot came mid-episode, when Arthur and Uther were forced to fight, and the former was forced to let his father win to preserve his dignity.

Game: Spot the obvious villian.

     The thing that saved this episode was how realistically it served up its characters. Gilli felt like a bullied individual, in his mannerism and speech, and so it was all the more jarring when we saw him fighting and killing. Morgana was actually subtle for once, dropping little hints instead of obvious proclaimations with evil grins. Arthur showed genuine concern for his father's wellfare in realistic ways, something we don;t usually see. Uther... well, he was a bit of a dick.
    The formula this week should have been tiring due to its overuse by the series, but the use of a protagonist using magic instead of an enemy helped breath some life into it, along with a superb, character-driven subplot. This episode beats down its first impressions and presents an entertaining and worthy story, something that Merlin should do more often.

Thanks.