Boob Tube: Dance, Magic, Dance

After the disappointment of eagerly anticipating Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire and Legend of the Seeker this past year only to discover them to be steaming piles of dragon poop, my expectation level for new fantasy series has plummeted pretty drastically. So when I heard that NBC had picked up a BBC show based on the Arthurian legend with a teenybopper, Smallville-esque cast of characters, I was admittedly less than enthused. It sounded lame. The trailers looked lame. And let’s face it, these things tend to run in threes. It seemed only fitting that this show too would go the way of suck.

But lo and behold, Merlin is actually entertaining. It’s no Mists of Avalon (although in a cinematic sense, that’s rather a good thing, isn’t it?), but the storyline so far is quite clever. Magic has been outlawed by stuffy old Giles – er, King Uther, who keeps the last living dragon in the realm held prisoner in a cavernous dungeon under his castle. The young Merlin, recently arrived at court and awarded a job as Prince Arthur’s manservant after saving his life, must hide his burgeoning gift of innate magic, risking death if his abilities are discovered.

Oh, Merlin and Arthur. Just wait until the Smallville slashfic set get their hot little hands on your pretty little mugs!

I’m only halfway through the episodes that have aired thus far, so I can’t say yet if Merlin manages to weave in and play with subtext and metaphor in the grand tradition of truly wonderful fantasy, but based on the sheer fun of the storytelling, sweet special effects and (for once) lack of godawful acting, I can safely recommend this one to fans of swords and sorcery fantasy. A big thanks to Rusty for egging me on to give it a try!

Boob Tube News

Good FILFy fun: One of my top five FILFy crushes just landed a new TV gig. Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly, Imagine You and Me) will play a top notch CIA trainee in the spy-thriller Covert Affairs on USA. Nothing will ever fill the hole left in my heart when Alias ended its run, but the thought of watching Piper Perabo kick ass from week to week helps. Lots!

Piper Perabo, actress, coyote, FILF!

It’s Going to Be LEGEND! Wait for it… DARY! Doctor Horrible himself, Neil Patrick Harris is in talks to host this year’s Primetime Emmys Awards. No word yet on an agreement being reached, but it sounds like there’s plenty of enthusiasm to land him for the gig. Sounds like the perfect follow-up to this year’s surprisingly charming Oscars Awards, hosted by Hugh Jackman. Those boys from Broadway; they know their funny!

To Watch For Next Week

Sunday! The contestants have survived ridicule from the judges, treachery from among their own and flying stainless steel trays straight to the cheekbone, but will they live to tell the tale after coming face to face with Dread She-Thing Rachel Ray on The Next Food Network Star, (Food Network, 9 p.m.)?

Monday! Intellectual heavyweights like Hulk Hogan, Perez Hilton and Tila Tequila tackle some of humanity’s great mysteries (i.e. “Who would win in a fight: Tom from Tom and Jerry or Mighty Mouse?”) on the series premiere of The Great Debate, (VH1, 10 p.m.). Alanis Morissette returns to TV as Nancy’s new baby doc on Weeds, (Showtime, 10 p.m.).

Tuesday! Rumors that scallywag JC bats for both team plague the Brat Pack Part Deux on NYC Prep, (Bravo, 9 p.m.). The series premieres of teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) and the X-Filesesque Warehouse 13, (Syfy, 9 p.m.). Sacha Baron Cohen on Letterman.

Wednesday! Neil Patrick Harris joins the judge’s table on an all new Top Chef Masters, (Bravo, 10 p.m.). Queen Latifah on Letterman.

Thursday! The season premiere of Big Brother’s 11th season, which boasts among the new crew of housemates a neuroscientist, a sci-fi geek and a tattooed hottie who used to nanny for a celebrity couple, (CBS 8 p.m.). Boy wonder Daniel Radcliffe on Letterman.