Merlin: Season 5 [Blu-ray]

First off a friendly warning:Disc 3 only has 3 eps on it, though it's labeled Episodes 9-12. Do not worry. The last disc, 4, has the missing ep... the final two parter, though it is labeled Episode 13. Have no clue how this happened, but it's the only thing I had a problem with.*SOME SPOILERS: BEWARE!*The final series of Merlin, in my opinion, left very few questions to be answered, namely the fate of the younger dragon Aithsu. Did Merlin ever go back to Camelot after sending Arthur's body on its way? (Of course there's really no spoiler here, we all know how the legend ends, it's just 'how' it ended for this show that's the mystery, and I'll keep it as such, with the exception of saying keep a box of Kleenex or even a paper towel by your side. I should have used a paper towel. The Kleenex did little to absorb all the tears I shed. Colin and Bradley's performances in their final scenes was what defines the word 'Bromance'. This relationship, above all others in the story line, was the central focus and remained so until the very end. Be prepared. If you are wrapped up in this series, you WILL sob your eyes out.)I have not been so involved in a television show in a very, VERY long time. It was the Bromance that drew me in and kept me riveted. As the producers/creators said, "It is a love story", but obviously between two clearly straight men. Merlin's love for Arthur is incredibly profound, Arthur's changing from a king who will not listen to his servant into a king that finally does, is as beautiful and breathtaking as the final battle scene when the sorcerer Dragoon makes his appearance. (For those who do not know who Dragoon is, watch the series from start to finish. Trust me, Colin has fun with this version of himself and it's quite evident. ;D)I am very sorry there will be no more of this story-line, but all good legends must come to an end, and sometimes it's as gut-wrenching an ending as it is satisfying (clue here: any show that brings me to a sobbing point is worthy of the 5 star rating I give it).Others who complain about the ending I know are only doing so because of the sorrow it caused. Others who have dissected this series and offered their complaints have missed certain elements within the plotting. I had the advantage of watching the series from start to finish within the span of 2 months, not five years, so I was able to keep fresh all the former hints and clues that were given to us. Watch it again straight through and you'll see what I mean.My only two complaints with the writing and acting was 1) Katie's bad habit of dropping her last syllables during her dialogues. Her acting was superb aside from that, but it was that little annoyance that, from the beginning,kept niggling at me and continued to do so throughout the series. Also her inability to maintain the British accent. She fell into and out of it more times than I would bother to count. Other than her speech/vocal mishaps, she played a fantastic Morgana. Her expressions were spot on, her sense of betrayal, even her compassion for Aithsu was compelling. Just wish she'd had a vocal coach to keep her on track.And 2) Gaius's constant pulling his knowledge of 'the Old Religion' out of his hat, as though he were a walking encyclopedia of all things mystical, and his constant refusal to accept Merlin's misgivings at his word. After 10 years of being at the boy's side, and having Merlin's 'funny feelings and suspicions' constantly verified, Gaius still cannot seem to grasp it that Merlin may just know what he's talking about. Arthur's (supposed) inability to do that is understandable... he has no idea Merlin is a sorcerer(Or does he??? see my view on this below), and looks upon him as just a servant. But Gaius? However, that being said, I love the character dearly as when he finally sees Merlin has grown up, he comes across as a father figure who doesn't want to see that happen. Those two things were my only complaints with the series. As for Arthur's being oblivious to Merlin's sorcery, I choose to believe on the side of 'plausible deniability'. He 'knows' Merlin is special, hence his constant need to keep his servant at his side, but if he allows himself to believe that Merlin is of magic he would be forced to deal with him. Yes, in the final magic reveal he shuns Merlin, but only for a while as he tries to wrap his head around the fact. Of course, this is all supposition on my part, nothing to really base it on fact, but I've been a victim of denial myself, so I keep wondering, does Arthur suspect anything at all about Merlin and is he just going into severe denial about it? It's possible. Then again, I'm a hopeless 'bromantic' and never want to see the boys at odds to the point of ripping their relationship apart. So I choose to believe for the best. It's my nature, sue me. ;DI will no doubt watch the entire series again and again. Bromances of this quality are hard to come by, and I seek them everywhere. This one delivered in spades!

Love this series. A great addition to your collection.

To say I am a fan of the show is an understatement. Hands down, it's the best show out there. Unfortunately, it was the last of the 5 series that will be aired and to say I am disappointed is also an understatement. So it is only natural that I would buy the last of the series on DVD. Of course it goes well with my Merlin Series 1-4 DVDs.This season is the best of the group. All the episodes are exciting and leaves you wanting it to go longer than the scheduled times for that episode. Each of the 13 episodes tie in all the loose ends from previous seasons and it is done well.Although, I wanted to have Merlin reveal who he is to Arthur right from the get go in this series, it doesn't happen until later. Too late if you ask me. The first 2 episodes are action packed. Episode 3 was terrific with Anthony Head coming back to this show. Episode 4 and 10 brought back some previous actors/actresses. Episode 5, to me, was the turning point and fates were sealed. It's one of my favorite episodes. These fates will be shown in episodes 11-13. The only sorta slow episodes were 6-9, but they tied in Morgana's/Gwen's parts according to the legend. They are still great episodes. The last three are where the real action comes in. It completes the story line of the great legend of King Arthur and Camelot. Note to oneself... store lots of Kleenex to use for the final episode.The entire cast should be very proud of their accomplishments because each and everyone of them delivered their best this season. Colin Morgan (Merlin) has set the bar for one of the best young actors, worldwide...IMHO. To say he is anything less than brilliant would be gross misjudgment on anyone's part. To prove my point, Colin earned the best actor award for 2013 beating out all other highly favorite British actors. An accomplishment that was not suppose to happen...but did. He has come so far and it is so good to see someone who deserves the best get the best acknowledgement. Colin IS the main reason I watched Merlin for 5 years straight. Bradley James (Arthur) was magnificent and without his presence, the show wouldn't have reached it's full potential. Katie McGrath was perfect to play the part of Morgana. She really portrayed the evil, high priestess well. Richard Wilson (Gaius), never better as he was in this series. So glad to see they kept him a constant in the 5 series. The newcomer, Alexander Vlahos (Mordred), was perfect in his role. He (to me) was the one character who was so vital in this series and Alex contributed so much to his part. Very talented and not to mention he has such stunning blue eyes.As I write this review, I realize that it should be on the product (DVD) itself, but for some reason, I feel it's more important to write about the series. I will add that the DVD was shipped fast and I bought it at a good price ($29.99). I definitely got my money's worth and then some. There is no other show, TV or DVD I would rather watch. I will continually watch Merlin, starting from Series 1, episode 1 all the way to Series 5, episode 13. It never gets boring and re-watching it, I pick up more each time. Classic legend with a relatively modern twist, makes this show the #1 show...ever (to me)!!I will miss this show deeply and pray that the cast will come back at some point to make a movie or a TV show...even if it is for one night. The cast and crew from England made one terrific legend into a five year brilliant TV show. BBC, you outdid yourself and I am so glad I was able to enjoy Merlin each airing week.Thank you Merlin cast, creators, producers, and all involved for making the last 5 years the best ever TV entertainment for this US citizen.Well done Merlin, well done.

For some reason, I had purchased the DVD sets of Season 1 and 2 a few years ago.They just sat there in front of my TV with many other TV series... I didn't even look at them anymore, as I didn't think they would be very good. The subject matter was kind of Ohh Humm... and after I got them, I discovered this was a British series and made by the BBC, so I knew it couldn't be very good.I began to run out of some of the more interesting series' I'd purchased, and decided one day to watch Season 1.I was shocked! The production, and acting was quite good, as were the special effects, and story and the writing!! But, the best was the acting of the main characters! Excellent! Really excellent!So, it goes without saying I watched Season 2 after and then purchased season's 3 and 4, and 5. All of these seasons proved quite excellent and well worth the cost as well as the time spent watching!The only downside with the series was of course it was a BBC production, meaning it showed NO bloodshed! I mean come on... in ALL the many battles and sword fights, stabbing some foe with a sword, the sword ALWAYS came away clean and with NO blood on it! I mean how FAKE can you get, right? I discovered that almost all productions by the BBC are like that. Apparently not wanting to show blood and gore to any audience! Oh my God!However, aside from that, this was one of the best and most entertaining series I've ever watched.

I ordered a used because it was a lot cheaper than new and the disc's were in good quality. There were no dents in the casing and the disc's themselves played flawlessly. No scratches at all.

Brilliant, and works great.Waiting for seasons one to three be released on Blu-ray.

Qualità eccellente, molti extra, eccellente prodotto per una serie senza tempo e per tutti. In inglese con sottotitoli in inglese, ma questo è scritto ovunque, quindi inutile lamentarsi dopo. Arrivato alla data stabilita, forse un giorno prima, come sempre.

Dernière saison 5 de la série Merlin composée de 13 épisodes en VF (sauf le bonus toujours en anglais et oui !). La qualité d'interprétation des acteurs n'a pas changé toujours excellente sauf que ceux-ci ont mûri dans leur rôle et laisse entrevoir un avenir plutôt sombre pour Arthur et son règne.Tout empire ou royaume a une fin et celle-ci n'y déroge pas hélas. Néanmoins Camelot pourra renaître de ses cendres et le mal sera vaincu tout du moins pour une bonne période mais il aura auparavant réussi à faire des ravages chez nos chevaliers. La scène où Merlin tient Arthur dans ses bras est mémorable, pour les âmes sentimentales et sensibles attention sortez vos kleenex !Dommage qu'il n'y ait pas une suite on ne s'en lasse pas !

Merlin Series 5Mit der 5. Staffel hat die Serie Merlin ihren Höhepunkt erreicht. Der letzte Krieg bricht aus, die Ritter der Tafelrunde fallen wie die Fliegen und Merlin und Morgana treffen sich, um die letzte Schlacht zu schlagen. Blitze und Feuerbälle fliegen, Sachsen und Ritter von Camelot kämpfen gegeneinander und Aithusa speit Feuer so dass ein zweites Schwert entsteht - eines für Mordred! Doch schließlich ist es Excalibur, welches das Ende der Arthussaga herbeiführt.Vorsicht SpoilerWenn Sie die Merlin Filme anschauen möchten, sollten Sie mit diesen Zeilen vorsichtig sein. Es gibt viele Hinweise auf das, was geschehen wird, so dass Sie sich den Spass nehmen.Übersicht über die Folgen:Episode 1 Arthurs bane 1Sir Gwain macht sich auf Morgana zu suchen. Sie findet ihn, fängt ihn und sie steckt in in ihre Bergwerke. Dort findet er ein Wesen mit der Gabe der Prophezeiung. Eine Spionin hat sich während dessen in Camelot eingeschlichen. Und Merlin sieht einen alten Bekannten wieder."The prophets speak of Arthurs bane, you would do well to fear it."Episode 2 Arthurs bane 2Merlin sieht Aithusa wieder, doch sie ist etwas gewachsen. Mordred und Morgana verfolgen Arthur und dieser findet zusammen mit Merlin, was man in den Hölen finden kann."It is both a blessing and a curse. Is there anything you want to ask me?""If Mordred is not Arthurs bane, than who is?" "Himself"Episode 3 The death song of Uther PendragonArthur findet eine Pfeife, mit der man die Toten heraufbeschwören kann und Arthur beschwört die Person, die ihm in seinem Leben am nächsten stand: Uther. Doch wie bringt man ihn in das Reich der Toten zurück?"There are some things that are more important than love. It is your duty to strenghthen and protect the kingdom. You have failed." "I always tried to make you proud" "How can I be proud of a son who ignores everything I taught him."Episode 4 Anothers SorrowNicht nur Merlin kennt den Alterungszauber, auch Morgana kann sich als alte Frau verkleiden und so gelangt sie nach Camelot. Als Zofe einer guten Freundin Arthurs - Lady Mithian.Odin: "You killed my son." Arthur "You killed my father. We both lost much to the others hand."Episode 5 the OisirDrei alte Damen fällen ein Urteil über Arthur Pendragon. Wenn er sich nicht zu den alten Wegen bekennt, wird alles vergehen, was ihm am Herzen liegt. Bekennt er sich nicht zu der alten Religion, ist das Schicksal von Camelot und seines auf eine Münze geprägt. Mordred begleitet ihn. Arthur muss sich entscheiden - die alte Religion anzunehmen, oder alles zu verlieren, was ihm am Herzen liegt."Sometimes, to save the tree the ivy must be cupped."Episode 6 The dark towerMorgana fängt Gwen und sperrt sie in den dunkelen Turm, doch Hilfe naht - Arthur, Sir Alion, Sir Gwain, Sir Percival und Merlin machen sich auf. Werden sie Gwen vor dem Wahnsinn bewahren? Der Preis für ihr Leben wird ein anderes Leben sein.Parcival "Blunt anyway"Episode 7 A lesson in venganceGwen benimmt sich seit sie aus dem Turm gerettet wurde etwas merkwürdig - ob sie noch unter Stress steht? Während dessen versucht jemand Arthur zu vergiften und Merlin landet im Kerker.Merlin "I am who a am and I am who I was and I am who I always will be."Episode 8 The hollow queenEin Druidenjunge bittet Merlin um Hilfe. Merlin müsste es seit Mordred eigentlich besser wissen, aber er folgt dem Jnungen zu seiner kranken Schwester. Man kann Zauberern einfach nicht trauen."I want Merlin back, where is he?"Episode 9 With all my heartArthur macht sich mit Merlin auf zur Dulma, einer Zauberin, die gut gesonnen ist und die Gwen wieder zur alten Gwen machen wird. Und tatsächlich die Dulma wird Arthur helfen - und sie mag gerne Kleider."Do you remenber when I asked you to marry me. What did you say? With all my heart"Episode 10 The kindness of strangersMorgana sucht weiterhin nach Emrys wahrer Existenz, und sie findet jemanden, der sie kennt. Doch Folter und Zauber bringen ihm nicht zum reden - vielleicht redet seine Freundin."You have learned to separate your mind from your body, but can you separate your mind from your mind?"Episode 11 The Drawing of the darkEine Druidin wird im Wald aufgefunden - sie lebt schon lange im Herzen eines Ritters. Er hilft ihr verbindet ihre Wunden und bringt ihr zu essen. Heimlich hofft er, dass sie Arthurs Land verlassen wird. Doch Arthur fängt sie und verurteilt sie zum Tod. Die Hexe soll hängen - ist Arthur nun doch ein Herrscher wie sein Vater?Arthur: ItŽs my decision, my decision alone.Episode 12 The diamond of the dayMorgana hat eine schleimige Schnecke gefunden, die Zauberern ihre Zauberkraft nehmen kann - sogar einem Drachenlord. Merlin ist Arthur keine Hilfe mehr - er ist nur noch ein einfacher Diener.Arthur: You know all these jokes about you being a coward - I never really meant any of them. I always thought you are the bravest man I ever met - guess I was wrong.Episode 13 The diamond of the day IIDer Showdown. Das Schicksal erfüllt sich, Arthur stirbt durch Mordreds Hand, Merlin und Kilgarah verabschieden sich, Morgana und Mordred fallen im Krieg durch Merlin. Excalibur geht zurück in den See, wo "the Lady of the Lake" es fängt. Und Albion? Wenn eines Tages Albions Not am größten ist, dann wird Arthur wieder aufstehen. Großes Kino, große Gefühle - ein würdiger Abschluss. Doch zuvor wird Arthur Worte sagen, auf die man schon lange wartet."Rest, my son and soon you shall awaken to the light."Insgesamt ist Merlin 5 wieder eine sehr gelungene Staffel geworden. Die Serie kommt mit vielen Überraschungen, und lässt doch die grobe Story mit den Verheißungen geschehen. (Arthur stirbt durch Mordreds Hand, Melin tötet Morgana, etc.) Vieles, was ich erwartet hatte, habe ich nicht gesehen. - so hatte ich für Merlin und Arthur eine Zeit erhofft, in der Merlin und Arthur gemeinsam Abenteuer erleben, ohne dass Merlin sich verstecken muss. Doch dann wäre die Serie nicht mehr dieselbe gewesen - sie wäre abgeglitten in die Art von Artusssage, die man auch 100 anderen Filmen kennt. Ich hatte auch auf einen Drachenkampf zwischen Aithusa und Kilgarah erwartet. Dafür nimmt die Story viele intelligente Wendungen und bleibt wegen der Überraschungen spannend.The king is dead - long live the queen!