Merlin Vol. 7 - DVD

Content: Merlin - The New Adventures enters its fourth season after a short breather. Included in the seventh DVD box set are the first six episodes of the new season. These follow on from Merlin and Arthur's victory against Morgana. While this is cause for celebration for most, King Uther is seemingly broken by Morgana's betrayal. And so Arthur must make important decisions when Morgana and her sister Morgause succeed in freeing the spirits of the underworld, which could become a danger not only to Camelot. Only a blood sacrifice could end the curse. Arthur is willing to sacrifice his life, but Merlin, of course, cannot allow that.

In Camelot, Arthur has given power to his uncle Agravaine, unaware that he is making common cause with Morgana. But Arthur trusts his uncle, something he will bitterly regret. But that's not all: on his birthday of all days, a troupe of jugglers plans an attack on Arthur, in which not he, but his father Uther is seriously injured. To save the king, Merlin makes a fateful decision. A curse designed to make Merlin kill Arthur or an enchanted sword that denies Arthur any chance of a fair duel also provide material for some very exciting moments in the six episodes of this seventh DVD box set.

The tone of the series becomes increasingly dark again, especially since fans have to say goodbye to two beloved characters at once, among them even one of the previous main characters. Nevertheless, there is always room for a bit of humor and romance in the new episodes, which is what makes this fantasy adventure series worth watching. The aforementioned death of a supporting character drives the story decisively forward and, although a little sad, is of vital importance to the series.

Although, as with the previous seasons, not all elements work (Merlin as an old man, for example, is only very partially convincing), the entertainment value has not diminished one bit over time. On the contrary: some of the new episodes prove that the adventures of Merlin and Arthur are even more exciting, especially since Morgana is allowed to be really evil. So fans of the series can safely get their hands on this one, too. Especially the episode Deadly Birthday makes this box set an absolute must. Therefore: if you have followed Merlin - The New Adventures so far, you should definitely not stop now. Recommended!

Picture + Sound: The technical implementation is again, as with the previous boxes, on a good TV level. The picture is clean, the overall sharpness is on a good level and especially the atmospheric colouring leaves a positive impression. The stereo sound doesn't have any massive surround effects to offer, but every now and then the sound image, which is dominated by dialogue and music, is enriched with some nice sound effects. Good.

Extras: In addition to three entertaining audio commentaries on the first DVD, there is about 25 minutes of other bonus material on the third disc. This consists of some cut scenes, some amusing outtakes, an animated fan gallery and storyboards. Whether this really needed its own disc, or whether the little bit of bonus material could have been spread across the other two discs, is up for debate. Fans of the series, however, will certainly enjoy any form of additional material.

Conclusion: The first episodes of the fourth season of Merlin - The New Adventures again offer fantasy entertainment of the particularly entertaining kind. It applies right at the beginning to say goodbye to dearly won characters, whereby the plot is also clearly advanced. The whole thing gets darker and darker, but there is still room for humor and romance. The technical realization is as usual on a good level, only the bonus material is a bit meager this time. Nevertheless: for fans of the series this seventh box is an indispensable must!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp