‘Wheel of Time’ Fans Need to Watch Forgotten Fantasy Gem ‘Merlin’

Fans of Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time need to check out this mythical fantasy series created by the BBC. Merlin takes on the Arthurian legend of the fellowship between the wizard Merlin and ‘the once and future’ King Arthur. An addictive and imaginative series led by a wonderful cast, Merlin is an epic medieval romp that only gets better and better. Rated one of the 10 best fantasy series of all time here at MovieWeb, Merlin is now available for viewers to stream for free.

Set in a time of mystery and magic, Merlin tells the story of the titular wizard in his early days in the kingdom of Camelot. At a time when magic and sorcery are forbidden, the young wizard is forced to hide his magical abilities as he works as a servant in the king’s castle. Assigned to assist an arrogant prince who will become King Arthur, Merlin learns that his abilities make him destined to protect the future king. Against the near-constant threat of dragons, sorcerers, and changelings, Merlin and Arthur fight for the future of Camelot and manage to forge a friendship that will be the stuff of legends.

‘Merlin’ Is a Fierce and Fiery Medieval Fantasy

Merlin is a perfectly wonderful fantasy series. A fun and imaginative retelling of the popular medieval legend, the show is funny, uniquely charming, and excellently paced from beginning to end. With wonderful characters, witty writing, and the perfect tone of whimsy and danger, Merlin expertly balances a fun buddy adventure with a devastating life-and-death battle between good and evil. Featuring a supremely talented cast headed up by Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Bradley James (Arthur), the series has excellent chemistry with characters and storylines that pull you in and the magic of an adventure that is highly bingeable and gloriously entertaining.

Related

21 Shows to Watch When You’re Missing Merlin

Merlin was a great show that left many people with a hole in their hearts. Maybe one of these shows can help fill it?

Like Wheel of Time, Merlin is a fantastical series set in the world of an era gone by, a world of magic, legends, and one epic dragon. After all, what’s a magical adventure without any dragons? Viewers don’t have to worry as the magical creature lies at the heart of both TV shows. While the Wheel of Time’s Dragon is called so only by name, Merlin’s dragon is the fire-breathing scaled beast that audiences have come to expect. A representation of fierce power and unlimited magic, The Wheel of Time and Merlin begin their series with the dragon enchained in a hostile world set up against them. It is only a matter of time until the dragons, like repressed magic, are unleashed.

‘Merlin’ Is a Series That Only Gets Better as It Continues

Merlin received an 85% critical score on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and with a similarly rated 88% among fans, the series was well-received across the board. Critics called Merlin fun, delightful, and addictive and praised the show for its special effects and imaginative storylines. The common consensus of the reimagining of the Arthurian legend is that it is an entertaining and humorous frolic that only gets better as the series continues. It starts as a light-hearted buddy-type adventure before making an expert transition into darker tones as the series moves on. This transition into truly darker territory allows the show to build up to the legendary myth of its characters. And critics appreciated it as well.

Warning: review links may contain spoilersDan Martin of The Guardian said of Merlin, “The biggest joy of Merlin came from watching it improve year on year,” while Dave Adamson of Den of Geek said, “Each episode has been an achievement in storytelling.” While Merlin received positive ratings throughout, the final two seasons of the show received a perfect 100% score from critical reviews. Both critics and audiences loved the chemistry and banter between the series’ leading men. “Colin Morgan and Bradley James have always had incredible chemistry, and it’s all cashed in here,” Abigail Chandler of Starburst stated before calling the “bromance” between Morgan and James even better than that found in Sherlock and Supernatural.

Related

What Merlin Season 6 Might Have Looked Like

As Merlin fans know, the world could use some saving from King Arthur and his knights of the round table.

Where To Watch ‘Merlin’

Merlin was created by the BBC and imported to the US via NBC and SyFy, and ran for five seasons, with the first season premiering on NBC in 2008 before switching to SyFy for the remainder of the series’ run. Merlin also starred Anthony Head (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Katie McGrath (Supergirl), Angel Coulby (Thunderbirds Are Go), Richard Wilson (Gnomeo & Juliet), and John Hurt (Midnight Express).

The series is rated TV-PG, which makes it a perfect watch for families. Though the earlier seasons are lighter in tone, the fourth and fifth seasons tend to edge a bit darker in theme and tone, which makes them more suitable for older children. Merlin is available to stream for free on Tubi, Sling, Prime Video, and Pluto TV. You can watch Season 3 of Wheel of Time on Prime Video.