Merlin Serial Wikipedia

Merlin (also known as The Adventures of Merlin) is a BBC fantasy drama which premiered on BBC One on 20 September 2008. It stars Colin Morgan as Merlin and Bradley James as King Arthur Pendragon. It consists of 13 episodes per series with a running time of 45 minutes. There were a total of five series.

  • 27 rows  The fifth and final series of the British fantasy drama series Merlin began broadcasting on 6.
  • Merlin befriends a young man by the name of Arthur, who is to become the future king. The two are contemporaries, but Merlin keeps a watchful eye on the prince, knowing he might be in danger. Arthur doesn’t agree with his father’s rulings, which makes his bond with Merlin even stronger.
  • Merlin Wiki is a database for the BBC and NBC TV series Merlin, including characters, episodes, locations, and spell information, plus blogs and more! The Merlin Arena Community-fuelled fun! Read more The Darkest Hour Read about it! Read more Emrys The destined warlock Read more.
  • Merlin is a legendary character. He is best known as the wizard in the Arthurian legends. He was King Arthur's guide. Merlin is always a mysterious figure. He rarely gives his reasons for the things he does. Merlin was probably first written about in Welsh legend. His story is based on parts of several different real and fictional characters.
  • Created by Johnny Capps, Julian Jones, Jake Michie. With John Hurt, Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Richard Wilson. These are the brand new adventures of Merlin, the legendary sorcerer as a young man, when he was just a servant to young Prince Arthur on the royal court of Camelot, who has soon become his best friend, and turned Arthur into a great king and a legend.
  • Merlin website used to have a serial # to year table somewhere. Might try the web archive if it's no longer there. Seems like the serial was on a rear dropout 0 tmessenger.

Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy, and Johnny Capps, starring Colin Morgan in the title role. It was broadcast on BBC One from 20 September 2008 to 24 December 2012. The show is loosely based on the Arthurian legends of the young wizard Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur, but it differs from traditional versions. The show was influenced by the US drama series Smallville about the early years of Superman,[1] and was produced by independent production company Shine Limited.

The series was broadcast on BBC One from 20 September 2008 to 24 December 2012. During the course of the programme, 65 episodes of Merlin aired over five series. The five series are available on DVD in the UK, the US and in Canada.[2]

  • 2Episodes
  • 3Specials

Series overview[edit]

SeriesEpisodesOriginally airedAve. UK viewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
11320 September 200813 December 20086.32
21319 September 200919 December 20095.99
31311 September 20104 December 20106.78
4131 October 201124 December 20117.17
5136 October 201224 December 20127.13

Episodes[edit]

Series 1 (2008)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
11'The Dragon's Call'James HawesJulian Jones20 September 20087.15
22'Valiant'James HawesHoward Overman27 September 20085.40
33'The Mark of Nimueh'James HawesJulian Jones4 October 20086.30
44'The Poisoned Chalice'Ed FraimanBen Vanstone11 October 20086.48
55'Lancelot'Ed FraimanJake Michie18 October 20085.37
66'A Remedy to Cure All Ills'Ed FraimanJulian Jones25 October 20086.00
77'The Gates of Avalon'Jeremy WebbBen Vanstone1 November 20086.45
88'The Beginning of the End'Jeremy WebbHoward Overman8 November 20086.25
99'Excalibur'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones15 November 20086.47
1010'The Moment of Truth'David MooreJulian Jones22 November 20087.03
1111'The Labyrinth of Gedref'Stuart OrmeHoward Overman29 November 20086.71
1212'To Kill the King'Stuart OrmeJake Michie6 December 20086.31
1313'Le Morte d'Arthur'David MooreJulian Jones13 December 20086.27

Series 2 (2009)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
141'The Curse of Cornelius Sigan'David MooreJulian Jones19 September 20095.77
152'The Once and Future Queen'Jeremy WebbHoward Overman26 September 20095.94
163'The Nightmare Begins'Jeremy WebbBen Vanstone3 October 20096.09
174'Lancelot and Guinevere'David MooreHoward Overman10 October 20095.69
185'Beauty and the Beast - Part 1'David MooreJake Michie24 October 20095.53
196'Beauty and the Beast - Part 2'Metin HuseyinBen Vanstone31 October 20096.14
207'The Witchfinder'Jeremy WebbJake Michie7 November 20095.62
218'The Sins of the Father'Metin HuseyinHoward Overman14 November 20096.16
229'The Lady of the Lake'Metin HuseyinJulian Jones21 November 20096.30
2310'Sweet Dreams'Alice TroughtonLucy Watkins28 November 20096.02
2411'The Witch's Quickening'Alice TroughtonJake Michie5 December 20096.01
2512'The Fires of Idirsholas'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones12 December 20096.01
2613'The Last Dragonlord'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones19 December 20096.64

Series 3 (2010)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
271'The Tears of Uther Pendragon – Part 1'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones11 September 20106.49
282'The Tears of Uther Pendragon – Part 2'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones18 September 20106.06
293'Goblin's Gold'Jeremy WebbHoward Overman25 September 20106.22
304'Gwaine'David MooreJulian Jones2 October 20106.42
315'The Crystal Cave'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones9 October 20106.36
326'The Changeling'David MooreLucy Watkins16 October 20106.40
337'The Castle of Fyrien'David MooreJake Michie23 October 20106.82
348'The Eye of the Phoenix'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones30 October 20106.92
359'Love in the Time of Dragons'Alice TroughtonJake Michie6 November 20106.90
3610'Queen of Hearts'Ashley WayHoward Overman13 November 20107.37
3711'The Sorcerer's Shadow'Ashley WayJulian Jones20 November 20107.42
3812'The Coming of Arthur – Part 1'Jeremy WebbJake Michie27 November 20107.12
3913'The Coming of Arthur – Part 2'Jeremy WebbJulian Jones4 December 20107.67

Series 4 (2011)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
401'The Darkest Hour - Part 1'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones1 October 20116.40
412'The Darkest Hour - Part 2'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones8 October 20116.80
423'The Wicked Day'Alice TroughtonHoward Overman15 October 20117.04
434'Aithusa'Alex PillaiJulian Jones22 October 20116.96
445'His Father's Son'Alex PillaiJake Michie29 October 20117.40
456'A Servant of Two Masters'Alex PillaiLucy Watkins5 November 20116.94
467'The Secret Sharer'Justin MolotnikovJulian Jones12 November 20116.72
478'Lamia'Justin MolotnikovJake Michie19 November 20117.00
489'Lancelot du Lac'Justin MolotnikovLucy Watkins26 November 20117.32
4910'A Herald of the New Age'Jeremy WebbHoward Overman3 December 20116.90
5011'The Hunter's Heart'Jeremy WebbRichard McBrien10 December 20117.12
5112'The Sword in the Stone: Part 1'Alice TroughtonJake Michie17 December 20118.39
5213'The Sword in the Stone: Part 2'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones24 December 20118.18

Series 5 (2012)[edit]

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
531'Arthur's Bane - Part 1'Justin MolotnikovJulian Jones6 October 20127.12
542'Arthur's Bane - Part 2'Justin MolotnikovJulian Jones13 October 20126.99
553'The Death Song of Uther Pendragon'Justin MolotnikovHoward Overman20 October 20126.86
564'Another's Sorrow'Ashley WayJake Michie27 October 20126.86
575'The Disir'Ashley WayRichard McBrien3 November 20126.88
586'The Dark Tower'Ashley WayJulian Jones10 November 20126.85
597'A Lesson in Vengeance'Alice TroughtonJake Michie17 November 20126.86
608'The Hollow Queen'Alice TroughtonJulian Jones24 November 20126.86
619'With All My Heart'Alice TroughtonRichard McBrien1 December 20126.76
6210'The Kindness of Strangers'Declan O'DwyerRichard McBrien8 December 20127.00
6311'The Drawing of the Dark'Declan O'DwyerJulian Jones15 December 20127.34
6412'The Diamond of the Day - Part 1'Justin MolotnikovJake Michie22 December 20128.45
6513'The Diamond of the Day - Part 2'Justin MolotnikovJulian Jones24 December 20127.80

Specials[edit]

Children in Need[edit]

No.TitleOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions) [3]
1'Merlin in Need 2008'14 November 20089.83
The kingdom raises money for the great creature Pudsey by throwing rotten vegetables at Merlin. A two-minute sketch for the BBC's 'Children in Need' appeal.
2'Merlin in Need 2009'20 November 200910.08
An apparent sorcerer is on the loose, turning everything modern in Camelot. A two-minute sketch for 'Children in Need'.
3'Merlin in Need 2010'19 November 201012.94
The cast of Merlin gives a quick summary asking to donate money to Children in Need with some bloopers.

BBC Wales Exclusive Documentary[edit]

No.TitleDirected byOriginal air date
1'The Real Merlin and Arthur'Mark Procter28 November 2009
Stars of the hit drama series Merlin, Colin Morgan and Bradley James, set off across Wales to explore the country's centuries-old connections to the legend of King Arthur and his wizard Merlin. Along the way they encounter enthusiasts and experts in Arthurian lore, and visit some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Wales.[4]

Secrets and Magic[edit]

A documentary series created by the BBC called Secrets and Magic was produced to accompany episodes of the second series. In a similar fashion to Doctor Who Confidential, the series looks at the production of each episode of the drama, featuring interviews with cast and crew as well as on-set footage. Shown on the BBC Three.

No.TitleOriginal air dateProd
code
0'Welcome to Camelot'19 September 20091.X
1'Merlin Time'20 September 20091.1
2'Fit For a King'2 October 20091.2
3'Casting the Magic'9 October 20091.3
4'Maid to be Queen'12 October 20091.4
5'Trolly Dolly'24 October 20091.5
6'Con-troll Freak'2 November 20091.6
7'Witch Hunt'9 November 20091.7
8'A Family Affair'16 November 20091.8
9'Hardwork and Heartbreak'22 November 20091.9
10'Love Fool'28 November 20091.10
11'Beauty & the Thief'6 December 20091.11
12'The Dragon's Den'13 December 20091.12
13'That's a Wrap'21 December 20091.13

Colin & Bradley's Merlin Quest[edit]

Although Merlin Secrets and Magic was not recommissioned for a second series, Colin & Bradley's Merlin Quest was produced to accompany Series 3 of Merlin. Colin Morgan and Bradley James, who play Merlin and Arthur in Merlin, appear in a weekly series of short (usually 2 to 4 minutes) online videos posted on the official site of Merlin. In each episode the actors have to complete various challenges and tasks, including questions and games with Merlin bloopers shown regularly. Colin & Bradley's Merlin Quest was produced by Ian Smith with Luke Baker as assistant producer.

Ratings[edit]

Merlin : U.K. viewers per episode (millions)
SeriesEpisode numberAverage
12345678910111213
17.155.406.306.485.376.006.456.256.477.036.716.316.276.32
25.775.946.095.695.536.145.626.166.306.026.016.016.645.99
36.496.066.226.426.366.406.826.926.907.377.427.127.676.78
46.406.807.046.967.406.946.727.007.326.907.128.398.187.17
57.126.996.866.866.886.856.866.866.767.007.348.457.807.13
Audience measurement performed by Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.BARB

References[edit]

  1. ^Sweeney, Mark (29 August 2008). 'Merlin: BBC cues up TV and cinema ads'. The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  2. ^'Merlin's Fourth Season Casts Spell on DVD'. IGN. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  3. ^ abcdef'Weekly Viewing Summary (see relevant week)'. BARB. Archived from the original on 8 November 2008.Cite uses deprecated parameter |deadurl= (help)
  4. ^'Two Programmes – The Real Merlin and Arthur'. BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2010.

External links[edit]

  • Merlin on BBC
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Merlin_episodes&oldid=906125142'

Merlin Tv Wiki

Merlin
Also known asThe Adventures of Merlin[1]
GenreSerial drama
Medieval fantasy
Adventure
Created byJulian Jones
Jake Michie
Johnny Capps
Julian Murphy
Written byJulian Jones
StarringColin Morgan
Angel Coulby
Bradley James
Katie McGrath
Anthony Head
Richard Wilson
Nathaniel Parker
Theme music composerRob Lane
Opening theme'Merlin's Arrival at Camelot'
Ending theme'The Call of Destiny'
Composer(s)Rob Lane
Rohan Stevenson
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes65 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)Julie Gardner
Bethan Jones[2]
Production location(s)Wales
France
Running time45–50 minutes
90 minutes (movies only)
Production company(s)Shine Limited
Shine Group
DistributorFremantleMedia
Release
Original networkBBC One
BBC One HD (Series 4 – Series 5)
Picture format1080i (HDTV)
Audio formatDolby Digital 5.1
Original release20 September 2008 –
24 December 2012
Chronology
Related showsMerlin: Secrets and Magic
Atlantis
External links
Website

Merlin is a British fantasy-adventuredrama television programme created by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy, and Johnny Capps, starring Bradley James as King Arthur and Colin Morgan as Merlin. It was broadcast on BBC One from 20 September 2008 to 24 December 2012 for a total of 65 episodes. The show is loosely based on the Arthurian legends of the young wizard Merlin and his extremely close relationship with King Arthur, but it differs from traditional versions. The show was influenced by the US drama series Smallville about the early years of Superman,[3] and was produced by independent production company Shine Limited.

The show was picked up by the BBC in 2006. The series premiered in 2008 to mixed reviews but good ratings which improved as the series went on, and proved popular on the BBC's digital catch-up service iPlayer. It was shown in the United States on NBC, though it later moved to the cable network Syfy. It is a mainstay on Netflix in both the US and the UK.

Merlin is a reimagining of the legend in which the future King Arthur and Merlin are young contemporaries. Arthur's father Uther Pendragon has banned magic in Camelot. Its use is punishable by death, forcing Merlin to keep his magical powers secret from everyone in Camelot other than his mentor Gaius. Arthur grows from a young, self-absorbed boy to the mighty king in the legends, while Merlin develops into his colossal role in creating the powerful Camelot. In 2012, the show's producers announced that its fifth series would be its last, with a two-part finale on 24 December 2012.

  • 2Cast
  • 8In other media
    • 8.2Exhibitions
Serial

Series overview[edit]

Merlin (Colin Morgan) is a young and powerful warlock who arrives in the kingdom of Camelot after his mother arranges for him to stay with the court physician, Gaius (Richard Wilson). He discovers that the king, Uther Pendragon (Anthony Head), outlawed magic twenty years earlier in an event known as the Great Purge and imprisoned the last Dragon deep under the castle. After hearing a mysterious voice inside his head, Merlin makes his way to the cavern beneath the keep to find that he was hearing the dragon's voice. The Great Dragon (voice of John Hurt) tells Merlin that he has an important destiny: To protect Uther's son, Arthur, who will return magic to Camelot and unite the land of Albion.

When Merlin meets Arthur, Merlin believes that he is an arrogant bully and Arthur (Bradley James), likewise, has a less than stellar opinion of Merlin. After saving the prince's life, Merlin is appointed as his personal servant. The two experience many adventures, over the course of which, they begin to respect and trust one another. Merlin eventually becomes close friends with Arthur, and another servant named Guinevere (Angel Coulby). But when Uther's actions eventually cause his ward, Morgana (Katie McGrath), to turn against Camelot, Merlin must work together with the Once and Future King (Arthur) to save Albion.

Cast[edit]

From left to right: Guinevere, Gaius, Morgana, Merlin, Arthur, Uther and the Great Dragon in the background
Merlin
  • Colin Morgan as Merlin, Arthur's servant and Gaius' ward, who secretly develops his magical gifts under the gaze of kings Uther and Arthur, both of whom despise the art. Although Merlin is (falsely) accused of sorcery several times during the run of the series, only Gaius and Lancelot are aware of his magic. Merlin also has an alter-ego, 'Dragoon the Great' (conjured when Merlin performs an aging spell upon himself), who is considered a criminal by both Uther and Arthur, and inspires profound fear in Morgana, who recognises him as 'Emrys', her prophetic nemesis.
  • Bradley James as Arthur Pendragon, the prince and later King of Camelot, and the commander of the kingdom's knights. Despite being charged with carrying out his father's harsh edicts, Arthur is portrayed as a far more compassionate man, who defends the falsely accused before the king, and even secretly defies him from time to time. Additionally, he welcomes commoners Lancelot, Gwaine, Mordred, and Percival as knights, and falls in love with Gwen, a mere serving girl. Most importantly, he comes to regard his servant Merlin as a close friend and confidant, never realising how many times Merlin has had to save his life using magic. Arthur initially promises to lift Uther's ban on magic when he becomes king – but changes his mind when magic kills his father.
  • Angel Coulby as Guinevere ('Gwen'), Morgana's servant who later rises to become Queen of Camelot. Her relationship with Arthur at first causes conflict within the kingdom, as Uther considers her unworthy and forbids Arthur to court her, even accusing her of witchcraft when Arthur's affections for her do not diminish. However, Gwen proves popular among the common people (being one of them herself), and strives to make Arthur and his advisers approachable to them.
  • Katie McGrath as Morgana Pendragon, Uther's ward who is later revealed to be his daughter. Initially portrayed as a kind and empathetic young woman, Morgana comes to despise Uther not only for his prejudice against magic but when she realizes he would never accept her if he knew of her magical powers, she begins covertly plotting against him. She becomes the show's primary villain by the third series, relentlessly coveting Arthur's throne and coming to recognise Merlin for the formidable foe that he is, despite not knowing of his powers.
  • Anthony Head as Uther Pendragon, Camelot's stubborn and hard-hearted king, who shows Arthur repeated tough love and ruthlessly enforces the kingdom's strict ban on sorcery. Although meaning well, Uther earns himself many enemies in his brutal fight against magic, and Morgana's ultimate betrayal leaves him a broken man.
  • Richard Wilson as Gaius, the court physician and Merlin's guardian and mentor. Once a sorcerer himself, Gaius has long since abandoned the practice but even so is willing to help foster Merlin's talents, and comes to love him as his own son. An eminently wise man with a long memory, Gaius is one of Uther's closest advisers, and always among the first to realise what is really happening when magic threatens the kingdom.
  • Nathaniel Parker as Agravaine de Bois (series 4), Arthur's uncle who steps in after Uther dies, reputedly as a trusted adviser to Arthur, but is soon identified as a traitor and spy for Morgana. Merlin and Gaius especially distrust him.
  • John Hurt as the voice of The Great Dragon, the last of his kind after Uther destroys all of his kin and makes an example out of him by imprisoning him in a vast cave. The Great Dragon gives Merlin grudging advice and forges the sword of Excalibur in his breath for Arthur, but persistently demands his freedom in return. Merlin eventually does release him, unwittingly unleashing a full-on assault on Camelot by the dragon, seeking revenge for his murdered kin. However, Merlin learns from his father that he is descended from a long line of dragonlords, and is able to use their craft to control the Great Dragon.

Character appearances[edit]

CharacterPortrayed bySeries
Series 1
(2008)
Series 2
(2009)
Series 3
(2010)
Series 4
(2011)
Series 5
(2012)
Main
MerlinColin MorganMain
GuinevereAngel CoulbyMain
Arthur PendragonBradley JamesMain
Morgana PendragonKatie McGrathMain
Uther PendragonAnthony HeadMainGuest
GaiusRichard WilsonMain
Agravaine de BoisNathaniel ParkerMain
Recurring
The Great Dragon/KilgarahJohn HurtRecurring
Geoffrey of MonmouthMichael CroninRecurring
HunithCaroline FaberRecurringGuest
NimuehMichelle RyanRecurring
TomDavid DurhamRecurring
Sir GregoryGary OliverRecurring
MorrisEd ColemanRecurring
Sir LancelotSantiago CabreraGuestRecurring
MordredAsa Butterfield
Alexander Vlahos
GuestRecurringRecurring
IseldirTrevor SellersGuestGuest
Sidhe ElderMichael JennGuestGuest
Sir LeonRupert YoungRecurring
MorgauseEmilia FoxRecurringGuest
Ygraine PendragonAlice PattenGuestRecurring
FreyaLaura DonnellyGuest
BalinorJohn LynchGuestGuest
Sir GwaineEoin MackenRecurring
Sir ElyanAdetomiwa EdunRecurring
CenredTom EllisRecurring
Sir PercivalTom HopperGuestRecurring
AudreyZee AshaRecurringGuest
HeliosTerence MeynardRecurring
AlatorGary LewisGuest
Queen AnnisLindsay DuncanGuest
The DorchraidMaureen CarrGuest
Princess MithianJanet MontgomeryGuest
BerounBarry AirdRecurring

Episodes[edit]

SeriesEpisodesOriginally airedAve. UK viewers
(millions)
First airedLast aired
11320 September 200813 December 20086.32
21319 September 200919 December 20095.99
31311 September 20104 December 20106.78
4131 October 201124 December 20117.17
5136 October 201224 December 20127.13

Production[edit]

Château de Pierrefonds is used for filming Camelot scenes

The programme was conceived by Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps.[3] The BBC had been keen on showing a drama based on the character of Merlin for some time; a year before the Shine series was initiated, writer and producer Chris Chibnall had been developing a project aimed at a BBC One Sunday night slot, but this was ultimately not commissioned.[4] The Shine version of the project was put into development in late 2006, commissioned by Controller of BBC One Peter Fincham and BBC Head of Fiction Jane Tranter, with Fincham keen on having more series on his channel which embodied 'three generation TV – that's TV you can watch with your grandparents and children. There's not enough of that about.'[4]

Merlin is influenced by the US show Smallville, about the early years of Superman, according to Shine producers Murphy and Capps, who said that it provided the idea that Merlin would see a 'Camelot that existed before its golden age'. Capps said: 'Just as in Smallville we wanted to subvert expectations. Camelot is a land where magic is banned [and] Merlin ... is a young boy who works as Arthur's manservant and has to hide his abilities.'[3]

The series went into production in March 2008,[5] with filming in Wales and France (at the Château de Pierrefonds).[3] Two Kent locations were also used: The Barons Hall and Garden Tower at Penshurst Place, and Chislehurst Caves for the first series.[6] The series was produced by Shine in association with BBC Wales, whose Head of Drama Julie Gardner was executive producer for the BBC.[3]Doctor Who's chief writer Russell T Davies had been an important influence on the tone and style of Merlin.[3]CGI special effects for the series were provided by The Mill.[2] The Old English for spells was written by university scholar and medievalist Dr. Mark Faulkner,[7] and later by the script editing team.[8] An initial series of 13 episodes, Merlin began transmission in the UK on 20 September 2008. A trailer was prepared in advance for television, cinemas, and online.[3]

US broadcaster NBC began airing Merlin on 21 June 2009; but, after a decline in viewers, it was moved to cable network Syfy, where it began broadcasting series 2 on 2 April 2010. On 19 September 2009, series 2 began airing on BBC One.[9] On 5 September 2010, BFI Southbank in London previewed Episodes 1 and 2 of series 3 for its September Film Funday programme.[10] A ten-episode fourth series was confirmed on 25 October 2010 (though it was rumoured to air in early 2012, later than its usual slot in autumn) so that it would not clash with the BBC's other primetime drama Doctor Who which would possibly run during the same period.[11] In March 2011, this was revised, and the fourth series was extended to the standard 13 episodes.[12] The fourth series was broadcast in the United States on the Syfy Channel 'in early 2012.'[13] In UK, the fourth series began on Saturday 1 October 2011.

Capps and Murphy confirmed on 24 July that BBC had commissioned a fifth series.[14] Filming for the fifth series began March 2012 in Pierrefonds, France and near Cardiff, Wales. 13 episodes were ordered.[15] Series 5 started broadcasting on 6 October 2012.[16] On 26 November 2012, it was announced that the series 5 of Merlin would be the last, with a two-part special concluding the series over Christmas.[17][18]

Merlin Serial Wikipedia Full

Broadcast[edit]

A documentary series called Merlin: Secrets and Magic explains how the series was created. Apart from the initial 50 minute special, which was broadcast directly after the series two premiere, and the first episode, shown first on the Sunday repeat, all new 50 minute episodes were shown after each Merlin episode repeat on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Friday evening on BBC Three. The show is frequently shown on CBBC.[citation needed]

In April 2008, United States broadcasting rights were purchased by NBC,[19] where it was shown on Sundays at 8 pm (EST), starting 21 June 2009.[20] This made it the first British drama in over 30 years to be shown on US network television, as opposed to PBS or cable.[21] The programme moved to Syfy, a cable channel also owned by NBC, for the second series, which premiered on 2 April 2010.[22]Syfy aired the third series in early 2011, after the conclusion of the initial broadcast on BBC.[23] It was later announced the series would air after WWE SmackDown beginning 7 January 2011 at 10 pm (9 pm Central).[24] The distributor, FremantleMedia Enterprises, also sold broadcast rights to CTV in Canada, Network Ten in Australia and Prime in New Zealand. Currently airing on Choice TV.[25][26] The series was broadcast in 183 countries.[27]

Home media[edit]

Series one and two were released on DVD in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Series three is available in the United Kingdom, and was released in Australia on 4 August 2011. Accompanying box sets are featurettes, video diaries, and commentaries.[28][29][30] Behind the Magic, a two-part overview of making Merlin is included with the UK series one box set, while the documentary series, Secrets and Magic, is included with series two.[28][29] In Australia 'The Complete Collection' boxset (23-Discs, Seasons 1-5) was released on May 13, 2015.[31]

All five series are available on DVD (and some on Blu-ray) in North America.

SeriesUKUS
Complete Box Set
Australia
Complete Box Set
Volume 1Volume 2Complete Box Set
Release dateDiscsRelease dateDiscsRelease dateDiscsRelease dateDiscsRelease dateDiscs
1st24 November 2008[32]39 February 2009[33]35 October 2009[28]620 April 2010[34]630 July 2009[a][35]4
2nd23 November 2009[36]38 February 2010[37]38 February 2010[29]618 January 2011[38]622 July 2010[b][39]4
3rd15 November 2010[40]324 January 2011[41]324 January 2011517 January 2012[42]52 August 2011[43]5
4th28 November 2011[44]323 January 2012[45]323 January 2012[46]515 January 201341 March 2012[47]5
5th26 November 2012[48]321 January 2013[49]321 January 2013[50]523 April 2013[51]413 February 2013[52]5
1st–5th28 October 2013274 November 201427??
  1. ^Re-released 4 August 2010.
  2. ^Re-released 6 January 2011.

Soundtrack[edit]

A soundtrack for the first two series featuring music from selected episodes was released on the MovieScore Media record label.[53]Merlin composer Robert Lane was nominated for Best Original Score for Television for the 10th annual Movie Music UK Awards (2008),[54] the 8th edition GoldSpirit Awards (2008),[55][56] and the 5th annual International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) Awards (2008).[57] In early October 2012 MovieScore Media released the soundtrack from the third and fourth series along with that from the start of the fifth series.

SeriesRelease DateCatalog Number
Merlin series 14 November 2008[58]MMS08021[58]
Merlin series 217 November 2009[59]MMS09027[59]
Merlin series 32 October 2012 (digital)[60] / 12 November 2012 (CD)[60]MMS12010[60]
Merlin series 3 & 4, Best of2 October 2012 (digital)[61] / 12 November 2012 (CD)[61]MMS12011[61]

In other media[edit]

Official magazine[edit]

UK publisher Attic Brand Media launched an official magazine for the show in September 2011 featuring articles, puzzles and a comic strip written by Damian Kelleher and drawn by Lee Carey.[62] The monthly magazine cost £3.20 per issue and was distributed in UK newsagents.

Merlinwax work at Warwick Castle

Exhibitions[edit]

Merlin: The Dragon Tower[edit]

A Merlin attraction was created at Warwick Castle entitled Merlin: The Dragon Tower. which featured a walkthrough, a projection of Kilgarrah the dragon, Merlin from the BBC TV Series Merlin, or at least a true-to-life wax model-which was created with over 300 measurements—and a catalogue of reference shots of Colin Morgan. Upon seeing his wax work, Morgan said, 'Little did I think that when I visited Madame Tussauds as a kid that I would have the honour of having the same fantastic team making a wax figure of myself. It’s truly amazing and I can’t praise their hard work enough in creating such a brilliant life-like me.'[63]

The wax model cost £150,000, and the entire castle experience was part of a £3 million investment by the Merlin Entertainment Group to promote the show.[64] The attraction closed in 2014 and is now the site of the Warwick Castle Time Tower.

References[edit]

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Merlin Serial Wikipedia

External links[edit]

Merlin Serial Wikipedia Series

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Merlin
  • 'The Adventures of Merlin'., the official global Merlin site
  • Merlin at BBC Programmes
  • Merlin on IMDb
  • Merlin at TV.com
  • 'Merlin'. Syfy.
  • 'Merlin'. NBC.

Merlin Serial Wikipedia Free

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