Merlin
BBC-1 | SyFy | BBC | Release Date: September 20, 2008
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
3
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyAdam Markovitz
Season 1 Review: Cheesy? Sure. But there's enough sword-clanging Action--not to mention homoerotic tension--to keep viewers happily entertained for a spell. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterRandee Dawn
Season 1 Review: For those new to the legend, this is a fresh, and delightfully color-blind, approach to the tale. Read full review
70
The New York TimesAlessandra Stanley
Season 1 Review: A lighthearted, quite charming medieval adventure series made by the BBC, is tailored to the age of Obama. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyAdam MarkovitzJan 3, 2011
Season 3 Review: The series' tone has gotten a little grim over time, but there's still sudsy fun in its Xena-style fantasy mayhem (giant scorpions! evil witches!) and the leads' high-camp banter. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineKris King
Season 1 Review: Even with its quirky charm, though, the show's formula begins to wear thin. Read full review
40
Boston GlobeMatthew Gilbert
Season 1 Review: The middling show plays too much like “The O.C.’’ with swords, crowns, and a cheesy CGI dragon (voiced by John Hurt). Read full review
40
Washington PostTom Shales
Season 1 Review: It takes the stuff of legend and imagination and makes it dry and commonplace. You look forward not to the next exciting chapter, but for the whole enterprise to go "poof" and disappear. Read full review
40
VarietyBrian Lowry
Season 1 Review: It's just that Merlin is clearly shopping for tricks in the bargain bin, and like the song says, the new Camelot's shining moments are all too brief, indeed. Read full review
30
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteRob Owen
Season 1 Review: Merlin looks, well, typically British with shoddy production values. Worse, it tells dull stories. Read full review
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