Tag: Supernatural Mystery

Categories
Fantasy News Science Fiction Television

Sanctuary Returns

Tonight, Sanctuary returned after a long mid-season break with a resolution to the mid-season cliffhanger ending in which it appeared Magnus, Will, Kate, and Henry had been executed. [Oops, I orignally said Tesla, but when I watched to episode I realized I was getting confused…]

Sanctuary TV Series on Syfy

(Easiest way to watch missed episodes is at Amazon – Click here.)

I haven’t actually watched yet though, because I’ll be getting to that tomorrow. Gotta love that DVR. Tonight I watched DVR’d episodes of Merlin from the latest season that I hadn’t had a chance to catch up on yet.

Should I be in a hurry to catch up with the Sanctuary team? I hope so! As I’ve said before, the hollow Earth story hasn’t been that thrilling for me. I’m hoping the season gets a lot better in the back half.

Not to say I didn’t enjoy specific episodes or the show in general this season (season 3), just that I’m not sure the hollow Earth story is something that I find appealing. I’d rather it went away in favor of something better…

Support the shows you love. You can buy Sanctuary episodes cheap at Amazon. They cost around $2 each. You can watch 4 episodes for the price of a paperback these days. And you don’t have to sit through any commercials.

Categories
Fantasy News Science Fiction Television

Being Human Renewed

Being Human has been renewed for a second season. The announcement came several days ago, which I happened to see on Syfy’s Twitter account.

Just today, I watched the latest episode, Dog Eat Dog, and cannot begin to express how fascinating I’m finding the relationships between Aidan, Bishop, Josh, Sally, and Rebecca. My favorite is the power plays going on inside the vampire culture. (And I don’t even like vampires!)

There are three full episodes online at Syfy for viewing, but your best bet is to catch reruns on the Syfy channel or buy episodes at Amazon or from the iTunes store.

I think the second season renewal is great news and hope the show continues to be so interesting.

What do you think of it?

Categories
Fantasy News Television

Sanctuary to Return in April

On April 15, we’ll finally get an ending to the cliffhanger we were given at the end of the first half of the 3rd season.

Sanctuary TV Series on Syfy

(FYI: Easiest way to watch missed episodes is at Amazon.) Who knows what kind of ending that will turn out to be, but at least we’ll find out if anyone died. My bet is on “No.” I don’t have any inside information about that, though, so maybe I’m wrong.

What would I think of Sanctuary if another character died? What do I already think of it?

I’m not sure I would continue to watch, even though I do enjoy the show overall. The fact is, I haven’t felt quite the same about the series since Ashley was killed off, and Druitt went missing for all those episodes, nearly the entirety of the first half of season 3. I did love having Tesla in so many episodes but I have to say in all honesty, I haven’t found the whole “hollow earth” story line to be inspiring or exciting. Kind of dull, in fact. Which is really too bad, because there are some great characters in this show and the actors are wonderful. I guess this is entirely a problem with the writing, since the writers are in charge of plot.

Early in season three of Sanctuary, there was a great set up for a future story that had to do with the death of Big Guy’s priest friend, and then the story was brought to an abrupt and unfulfilling end. Why? Am I the only one who found that disconcerting? I have to think something happened to interfere with Sanctuary’s writers’ ability to pursue that story line to a better conclusion… but I might be stretching it to think there’s something behind it other than bad writing.

I still like the series though and imagine I’ll stick with it as long as Henry, Will, Kate, Helen, Big Guy, Druitt, and Tesla make it out of the season alive. After Ashley, though, I find I have a very low tolerance for character death on this show.

So be warned writers. I’m instigating a zero tolerance policy for crap writing this season. Too many good shows, too little time.

Anyone with me? (Or not?)

Categories
Fantasy News Science Fiction Television

Syfy Series Renewed: Eureka, Warehouse 13, Haven

A recent Syfy tweet announced “And before we start…#Warehouse13, #Eureka & #Haven have all been renewed & we are working on new seasons, airdates TBA” (link)

So there we go.

Warehouse 13 renewed for a season 3.

Eureka renewed for a season 5.

Haven renewed for a season 2.

Categories
Fantasy Television

Being Human (Paranormal TV Series, Syfy)

Although I had never intended to watch Being Human, I’ve found I really like this television show. It’s darker than I usually enjoy but there’s something very appealing about it. Aidan tries hard to be normal while Josh just seems so earnest and Sally is sympathetic. The characters work, the setting works, the villains work: the show works.

If you haven’t watched, check it out. Being Human airs on Mondays at 8 pm central time on Syfy.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

Goblin’s Gold – Review

Merlin

Goblin’s Gold

I’d summarize this episode as: Merlin accidently releases a mischievous goblin, which then causes all kinds of hilarious trouble for Merlin, Gaius, Uther, and Arthur. Things get out of hand, and Merlin must stop the goblin before it gets Gaius–and Merlin–killed.

Goblin’s Gold (Syfy recap – major spoilers) is the kind of episode that lightens things up while still maintaining the tension established in The Tears of Uther Pendragon. Events conspire to create possible future conflicts with Morgana and Gaius, while Arthur proves he’s not yet ready to accept Merlin as a Sorcerer.

There were a few inconsistencies of character in the story, but nothing so drastic that the episode didn’t hold together. Uther proved a bit too forgiving; Morgana didn’t take full advantage of the situation; Arthur accepted Merlin’s guilt a little too passively.

But after seeing last week’s previews of what this episode had in store, I wasn’t disappointed. Goblin’s Gold was a hilarious and fun diversion after the more serious two-part season opener, The Tears of Uther Pendragon. What did you think?

Buy Merlin Season 1 DVD box set or Merlin Season 2 DVD box set at Amazon

image image

Click images above for each current Merlin DVD set price

If you’ve missed any episodes from the first or second season of Merlin, now’s a good time to catch up. Although most episodes are stand-alone, the show has been on long enough now that missing too many episodes means you might not understand the implications of everything that happens. The animosity between Morgana and Merlin, the developing relationship between Arthur and Gwen…all these things are building on previous episodes at this point.

Merlin episodes aren’t available on Amazon on Demand. So, buying the Merlin DVD sets is the best way to support the show and watch some excellent fantasy TV.

Categories
Books Television Tie-in Merchandise

Merlin Book Series – List of Currently Available Books

Here’s a list of the books in the Merlin book series. These are the YA books from Bantam and most are also available as ebooks.

(UPDATE: Most of these books are out of print now, but you can occasionally still find used copies. Just check your favorite online used book store.)

  • The Dragon’s Call
  • Valiant
  • The Mark of Nimueh
  • The Poisoned Chalice
  • A Fighting Chance
  • The Sorcerer’s Curse
  • Dangerous Quests
  • The Last Dragonlord
  • The Nightmare Begins
  • The Adventures of Merlin: The Complete Guide
  • The Adventures of Merlin: Villains Guide
  • The Adventures of Merlin: Heroes Guide

If you find yourself wanting a deeper look at the Merlin television series, these books give you the chance to get into the heads of your favorite characters in a way you can’t do through the TV.

Keep reading for more descriptions of the books and images of the book covers. They’re nice enough to want to add to anyone’s Merlin collection.

Merlin Books Series (BBC TV Series)

Merlin: The Dragon’s Call

Merlin Book 1 - The Dragon's Call bookcover

Merlin arrives in bustling Camelot eager to make his way in the world and with a sense that some greater destiny is calling to him. But he soon finds that amidst the excitement there is a darker side to Camelot. Magic is outlawed here, so Merlin must keep his unique magical talents a closely guarded secret…

Merlin: Valiant

Merlin Book 2 Valiant bookcover

A mysterious new knight arrives in Camelot for the sword tournament. His fighting skills are impressive but Merlin suspects that dark magic is involved. With Prince Arthur next in line to fight, time is running out for Merlin to prove that evil is afoot…

Merlin: The Mark of Nimueh

The Mark of Nimueh book cover

A deadly plague is rife in Camelot and Gwen is suspected of witchcraft. Merlin must help Gaius find a cure and save his friend from execution…

Merlin: The Poisoned Chalice

The Poisoned Chalice book cover

Merlin is poisoned by the sorceress Nimueh and Arthur seeks the only antidote that can save him – but the prince is walking into a trap…

Merlin: A Fighting Chance

A Fighting Chance book cover

Merlin wants to help his new friend, Lancelot, become a Knight of Camelot – but it’s not as easy as he hopes. Then the Lady Morgana is struck down by a mystery illness. Gaius is baffled and a new physician arrives to help. He seems to have all the answers, but Merlin suspects that there’s something sinister going on. With a graphic novel element to bring the text to life, this book covers two TV episodes (#5 and #6 from the first season)…

Merlin: The Sorcerer’s Curse

The Sorcerer's Curse book cover

A treasure trove is discovered deep beneath Camelot but when the spirit of an evil sorcerer is unwittingly unleashed, Merlin quickly discovers that all that glitters is not gold. Meanwhile, a deadly assassin has arrived in Camelot. His aim? To kill Arthur. Will Merlin be able to save the prince from the killer’s lethal blade. This book covers two TV episodes (#1 and #2 from the second season)…

Merlin: Dangerous Quests

Dangerous Quests book cover

When Arthur kills a unicorn, Merlin knows that terrible consequences lie in store for Camelot and its people. And things are set to get worse. After a hunting trip in the forest, Arthur is fatally attacked by a savage beast. As the Crown Prince lies dying, Gauis knows that dark magic is at work and Merlin is the only one who can save him – but at what cost? With a graphic novel element that brings the text to life, this book covers two TV episodes (#11 and #13 from the first season)…

Merlin: The Last Dragonlord

The Last Dragonlord book cover

This is a spellbinding, action-packed book covering three exciting episodes of Merlin. The powerful enchantress Morgause arrives in Camelot. Set on destroying the bond between Uther and his son, she revives the seven deadly Knights of Medhir. While Arthur and Merlin ride out to face the Knights, everyone in Camelot is plunged into a deep and impenetrable sleep – everyone but Morgana. Desperate for a cure, Merlin is forced to beg for the Great Dragon’s help, but it comes at a price: the Dragon’s freedom. Why has Morgana escaped the effects of this powerful magic? And once free, will the Great Dragon wreak it’s vengeance on Camelot once and for all?

Merlin: The Nightmare Begins

The Nightmare Begins book cover

When Morgana’s nightmares spill into waking hours she becomes terrified that she has magic. Gaius is determined to keep her in the dark for her own good but Merlin won’t stand by and watch his friend suffer. He knows exactly what she’s going through and he knows she needs the truth. Is Merlin about to reveal his secret at last? Willfully disobeying Gaius, Merlin risks everything to help Morgana, little guessing what the far reaching consequences might be. Lives are put in danger, loyalties are tested, and Morgana is reunited with the strange young druid boy Mordred, who the Dragon predicted would one day kill Arthur…

The Adventures of Merlin: The Complete Guide

Merlin, The Complete Guide book cover

This guide contains all you need to know about the world of Merlin. Explore Merlin’s world and find out all there is to know about the characters and their secrets. Contains facts and great imagery of all the cast, locations, and props. Discover the lore and legend of Merlin. Looks at each character and their various relationships as well as exploring the baddies and the monsters that lurk in Camelot. Never seen before footage as well as maps and spells from the spell book finish this complete guide. Welcome to Camelot! Enter the magical world of Merlin. Uncover secrets about the characters and delve into the murky history of some of Camelot’s mysterious visitors. Meet villains and heroes, deadly beasts and ethereal creatures in this must-have guide for all Merlin fans. Discover: Secrets about each character. Pages from Merlin’s Book of Spells. A must have for any Merlin fan!

…

The Adventures of Merlin: Villains Guide

Villain's Guide book cover

This the official guide contains facts and profiles from the hit TV show. In a land of myth and a time of magic there is a constant battle to maintain the balance of the world. Evil forces are at work to destabilize the kingdom. Meet the villains out to destroy Camelot in this official guide. Filled with tales of dreadful deeds, fascinating facts and fun activities this is the must-have guide for all “Merlin” fans…

The Adventures of Merlin: Heroes Guide

Heroes Guide book cover

This the official guide contains facts and profiles from the hit TV show. Enter the magical world of Merlin! In a land of myth and a time of magic the world is in need of heroes. Meet the brave champions of Camelot in this official guide. Filled with tales of bravery, fascinating facts and fun activities this is the must-have guide for all “Merlin” fans…

These Merlin books are available in print or as ebooks

To read the ebooks all you need is one of the free ebook readers available for download on Google Play or the Apple store then you can read these books right on your mobile device.

Of course, many fans prefer to have the print copies on their shelves. If that’s the case, most of these are available through third-party sellers. I’ve bought SGA books through third-party sellers before and had no problems receiving any of them.

Categories
Science Fiction Television

The Tears of Uther Pendragon, Part 1 & 2 – Review

Merlin

The Tears of Uther Pendragon

A short summary of the episode might go like this. The end of season two saw Morgana taken away by her sister Morgause. The Tears of Uther Pendragon opens a year later. After an exhaustive search for Morgana, Arthur and his knights find her, bedraggled and downtrodden, ready to be rescued. Morgana returns to Camelot, where Merlin worries that she will tell someone about his previous attempt to poison her, but she tells him she understands why he did it. He believes her, but begins to have doubts about her loyalty to Camelot and must take action to discover her real purpose for returning to Camelot.

I use the term review loosely here, because I don’t have a special way of reviewing an episode once I’ve watched it, and I also don’t tend to look beneath the surface for deep meanings, allegory, or metaphors.

What I do look for is enjoyment, excitement, continuity, drama, character development, and, just, STORY. Good story.

High story. The kind that pulls me in, holds me tight, and doesn’t let me go until days later, when I finally quit going over and over it in my head.

Merlin’s The Tears of Uther Pendragon Parts 1 and 2 are just such a pair of episodes. Click the link for Syfy’s summary, but beware of spoilers.

I enjoyed the interaction between Merlin and Arthur, Merlin and Morgana, and Morgause and Cenred. I also like to see Uther suffer a little for his bloodlust and this pair of episodes gave me some of that. I did think Morgana’s creepy evil smiles were a bit overdone, although I liked the first few. After a while though, they seemed to come a little too frequently and even seemed a bit cliché.

Still, I waited all week for the second part of The Tears of Uther Pendragon and I loved it! What did you think?

Buy Merlin Season 1 DVD box set or Merlin Season 2 DVD box set at Amazon

image image

If you’ve missing any episodes of either season, you should catch up before too many episodes of the new season air because the show is more enjoyable when you’re clear on what’s gone before. Otherwise, you might end up confused about what’s happening now. Most episodes are stand-alone with a few exceptions, but like any good series, new material often builds on old!

You can’t catch up on Amazon’s Video on Demand, because Merlin isn’t available there (likely because of licensing issues, Merlin isn’t available on most U.S. based sites where you would normally purchase episodes to watch online or download to your computer or TV to watch).

Categories
Fantasy News Television

Merlin Season 2 DVD Shipping from Amazon

I know this because my copy of the Merlin Season 2 DVD just shipped. I’m excited to know Merlin is on its way to my home! I preordered the DVD set a few months ago and I get two day shipping so I expect to have it Tuesday (or Monday if I’m lucky).

Merlin’s season two was excellent.

Although some people have claimed it’s too modern, I disagree. I think the fact that Merlin isn’t stuck too firmly “in period” keeps the show relatable and is one reason my entire family enjoys the show.

There’s a great combination of drama, humor, and angst to keep everyone entertained. Merlin and Arthur both have a way a grow over the course of the series and it’s exciting to watch them wrestle with the issues that will eventually shape and mold the characters of each.

Merlin is my find of the year (since I had no clue what I was missing until early October of this year when I caught the first season on Netflix).

If you haven’t seen an episode yet, you should definitely check out this family friendly, medieval fantasy series. It’s a great TV show from BBC and it’s currently airing season 3 at the moment on Syfy.

The season 2 DVD has 5 discs and contains special features, including:

  • cast and crew introduction to season two
  • cast and crew audio commentaries
  • Behind the Scenes
  • The Making of Merlin
  • a photo gallery
  • wallpapers

The episodes in season 2 of Merlin are:

  1. The Curse of Cornelius Sigan
  2. The Once and Future Queen
  3. The Nightmare Begins
  4. Lancelot and Guinevere
  5. Beauty and the Beast, Part One
  6. Beauty and the Beast, Part Two
  7. The Witchfinder
  8. The Sins of the Father
  9. The Lady of the Lake
  10. Sweet Dreams
  11. The Witch’s Quickening
  12. The Fires of Idirsholas
  13. The Last Dragonlord
Categories
Fantasy Television

Buy Merlin Season 1 DVDs – They’re on Sale!

Merlin Season 1 DVD Set Box Cover

On Sale! Merlin Season 1 DVD

See More Info or BUY NOW

I was taking a look at my preorders on Amazon today and noticed that my Merlin: Season 2 DVD order is supposed to be delivered around January 18th. That was a nice little surprise, because we love Merlin.

While I was there, the Merlin season 1 DVD set caught my eye (I already own this one) because it’s on sale for $19.99 and the list price for this set is $49.98. That’s a hefty discount! I can’t say how long this discount will last but for the moment, if you’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing the Merlin DVDs, this might be the perfect time to buy.

In the Merlin Season 1 DVD Box

The box cover and discs are lovely, with a panoramic cast photo spanning the entire back of the unfolded disc holder and character pictures on each of the 5 discs that are part of the season one set.

However, whoever put the set together made one serious mistake. The discs include a disc number and episode numbers, but nowhere on the disks or the box are the episode titles! I don’t know about you, but when I watch episodes, I remember them by title, not number. So, I’ll have to come back to my lists regularly to find a particular episode number I want to watch.

  • Disc One: Episodes 1-3
  • Disc Two: Episodes 4-6
  • Disc Three: Episodes 7-9
  • Disc Four: Episodes 10-13
  • Disc Five: Special Features

DVD Extras – Special Features on the Merlin Season 1 DVDs

Merlin Season One includes some really wonderful and family-friendly episodes and includes these lovely DVD extras.

  • Audio commentary
  • Making-of featurettes: “Behind the Magic”
  • Video diaries
  • Photo gallery
  • Wallpaper

Episodes on the Merlin Season 1 DVDs

  1. The Dragon’s Call
  2. Valiant
  3. The Mark of Nimueh
  4. The Poisoned Chalice
  5. Lancelot
  6. A Remedy to Cure All Ills
  7. The Gates of Avalon
  8. The Beginning of the End
  9. Excalibur
  10. The Moment of Truth
  11. The Labyrinth of Gedref
  12. To Kill the King
  13. Le Morte D’Arthur

Any time I find a series I really enjoy, I try to pick up the DVDs to add to my collection. Merlin is fun and the DVDs are well worth their spot on my shelves.

And in case you have no idea what I’m talking about here, here’s some information about Merlin.

The mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began. A fantastical realm of legendary beasts and mysterious peoples. A dangerous world in which magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant, Uther Pendragon. When Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, arrives in the kingdom, he quickly makes enemies, including the heir to Uther’s crown, the headstrong Prince Arthur. But guided by Uther’s wise physician, Gaius, Merlin is soon using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets. As he does so he discovers that his destiny and that of Arthur, the kingdom’s young leader-in-waiting, are inextricably linked.

Merlin season three premieres on Syfy on January 7, 2011 at 10/9 central.