Network blurb: King Arthur finds himself torn between head and heart when a stranger gives him the power to summon the dead.
Unable to turn down such a tempting offer he seizes the opportunity to speak to the person that he misses the most: his father.

However, the spirit world is dark and dangerous and such a decision will come to a terrible price. Defying all odds, it’ll come to Merlin to put right Arthur’s mistake before everything they have fought for and built together is forever destroyed.

My Recap: Arthur is given a unique horn by a sorceress on her death bed. This horn enables the user to summon the dead. After the anniversary of the death of Uther Pendragon, Arthur summons the ability to see his father. But his decision comes at a terrible price and now everyone in Camelot is under fire by the ghost of Arthur’s father. This poltergeist resulted after Arthur made a huge mistake after seeing his father. A mistake even Merlin may not be able to fix.

We see Arthur start to question his ability as King and the decisions he has made since his father’s death after his father chastises him for marrying a servant girl and having commoners as knights. Yet, Arthur steps up to the plate and banishes his father, just as Uther learns that Merlin is a sorcerer. This infuriates Uther and just as he is about to off Merlin, Arthur shows up and as stated earlier… he banishes him.
This episode was pretty good because it harkened back to earlier episodes, where we see Arthur and Merlin playfully joke with one another and see Merlin and Arthur deal with an issue that threatens all those that they care about. However, seeing Mordred just makes the viewer remember that not all is right in Camelot.

I have to admit that I miss the insanity of Morgana, but I think she will have her sights set on Mordred as well as Arthur and that should be interesting.

Next episode: S5:Ep.4 – Another’s Sorrow
Morgana, together with Nemeth and King Odin, uses Princess Mithian as the perfect bait to lure Arthur to his death. She manages to come up with a deception so effective that everyone in Camelot, Merlin included, is taken in.

Will the young warlock be able to see through the trickery before it’s too late? Or will Morgana finally satisfy her thirst for revenge?

From SFX – Thanks to the gradual way the new line-up was has been introduced, you barely notice there’s none of the original cast around. Even if you do, you give up caring pretty damned quickly. “Trinity” may not be a classic episode – like most first episodes there’s too much necessary setting up to do – but it does have all the hallmarks of what makes the British Being Human such a cherishable series in spades.

Here are a few random, non-spoilery thoughts and cryptic clues about what to expect:

• Alex (Kate Bracken) is wonderful as the new ghost on the block and has some brilliantly snarky lines throughout (listen out for her casual mention about “drawing cocks”). Although she has to go through the “I can’t feel, I can’t love” motions we’ve all see before, it’s not laboured and she does have one genuinely heart-rending scene of acceptance. She also seems more ready to use her ghostly powers to her advantage than Annie was. There’s a great, eerie moment when torments someone who doesn’t know she’s there

• Hal is just brilliant. Honestly, Mitchell fans, stop pining and enjoy Damien Molony’s quirky performance. Hal’s a tad more of an Anne Ricey vampire than Mitchell in the flashbacks (which is ironic, since Toby Whithouse retooled series one to make the vampires less Anne Ricey after the pilot) but in the modern day his OCD tendencies are used to great effect, and makes the moment when he loses his vampire cool all the funnier/more shocking.

• Oh yeah, and there’s a lot of topless Hal, very early on…

• Tom is a little underused, but has a few good moments, and remains thoroughly entertaining to watch and great part of the mix. His best line involves him grumbling about being given a “general knowledge round”. He manages to unwittingly grate on Hal’s nerves a couple of times, but it’s a shame there aren’t more Hal/Tom scenes as they work well together, dramatically. On the other hand, he has some great scenes with Alex.

• It starts with a flashback, and has lots of flashbacks.

• The main “concept” of the season – as it’s revealed over the course of the episode – is one of the most outrageously hokey ideas the show has yet attempted, but it grasps it with such gusto, you’re left desperate for more.

• There’s a new bit of mythology about the creation of vampires.

• Alex seems to have a knack for untimely, tasteless jokes. Not sure if this will be a running gag, yet, or just a reaction to her unease at the new world she finds herself in.

• Richard Wells’ music seems more to the fore than ever before, and there are some lovely moments when the score sounds like something out of Amelie or Hugo.

• Hal is forced to witness something that could drive him insane.

• There’s a reference to a vampire in Marigolds – which must be on purpose.

• There are some great domestic scenes, reminiscent of series one.

• Phil Davies is amazing as Captain Hatch, and cleverly introduced in a slow, subtle way… He is absolutely chilling at one point.

• Hal does things he regrets and is bound to regret more as the series goes on… both in the present and in flashback.

• Hal has a problem with punctuation.

• There’s a brilliant, quip-filled fight scene.

• A couple of performances by guest characters are a little broad and overly comedic (oh God, it’d the nasally nerd), but one of them redeems himself as the episode goes on.

• Somebody acts so bizarrely around Hal, you kinda hope there’s a supernatural explanation for it later in the series (but you fear there may not be, and it’s just another one of those broad performances)

• There are some great tonal changes – it flows effortlessly from comedy, to high emotion to horror.

• And there are some very creepy bits, especially when someone bends over backwards to accommodate a new arrival.

• The plot concerning the Cleaners (those men in suits introduced at the end of last season) takes a turn you probably won’t expect, which makes them more even more interesting.

• The pop music used on the soundtrack includes a surprising choice – a certain, quirky punk classic.

• An extra with no lines is killed, but despite his silent status you will be glad he’s bumped off.

• There’s a very unexpected cameo. You may not even recognise who it is when he appears. If you don’t, check the final name in the list of actors in the credits (don’t do this beforehand, because if you do recognise who it is, you’ll love the fact that you recognised them without being prompted)

All in all a strong start to the series, great central performances, and an intriguing new central arc. Mitchell who?

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Had to share and cannot wait to see it!!!!!

~M.

Remember to tweet @MerlinOfficial, @Syfy or #Merlin and follow me on Getglue so we can talk about tonight’s episode in real time.

~M.

Synopsis: “A Fringe team member takes on a new role, and Walter follows leads to a key piece needed in the battle against the Observers.”

With only three episode left in the season, we are biting our nails to the nub wondering who will and will not survive this season of True Blood. This ominous feeling is not helped with episode titles such as, “Gone, Gone, Gone.”

The synopsis for the episode is: With vampire attacks are on the rise, Bill starts a public relations campaign to gain public favor. Nora, on the other hand, is having a hard time selling Lilith’s gospel to Eric. Jason’s discovery of a mysterious scroll could reveal details about his family history. The new sheriff of Area 5 presses Pam and Tara to obey a new directive. Sam and Luna search for Emma. Russell seeks out his destiny.

Shake your fists to the sky and take deep breaths, these last few episodes are going to be a roller coaster of a ride.

The Merlin Trailer from the TCAs:

Garth will be back on Supernatural in it’s 8th Season and more casting news:

DJ Qualls stated during the TCA panel for his new show, Legit, that he would be returning to fan favorite Supernatural as supernatural hunter, Garth Fitzgerald IV.

Lauren Tom will guest on an episode on the CW’s Supernatural. But this character, who is described as an intense and overbearing mother to one of the characters on the show, may become a recurring character. Sounds like a fun season for Sam and Dean. Doesn’t it?

Death comes a knockin’ on Teen Wolf:

EP Jeff Davis stated, at the following at the SATURN awards, there will be a death in the season finale “and it could be one of the main characters.”

Dun, dun, dun…

4th Ep. - “We’ll Meet Again”: Eric and Bill fear for their lives; Lafayette puts Sookie’s life in danger; Roman and Salome root out a Council traitor. (Written by Alexander Woo; directed by Romeo Tirone.) Playdates: July 1, 4, 5 and 7

5th Ep. – “Let’s Boot and Rally”: Bill and Eric turn to Sookie for help with Russell’s whereabouts; Jason has a disturbing dream. (Written by Angela Robinson; directed by Michael Lehmann.) Playdates: July 8, 11, 12 and 14

6th Ep. - “Hopeless”: Bill and Eric are retrieved by the Authority; Roman lays out his plans for Russell. (Written by Alan Ball; directed by Dan Attias.) Playdates: July 15, 18, 19 and 21

7th Ep. -  “In the Beginning”: Salome reveals her true allegiances; Sookie embraces her human side; Sam sniffs out some perps; Alcide braces for a fight. (Written by Brian Buckner; directed by Michael Ruscio.) Playdates: July 22, 25, 26 and 28

8th Ep. -  “Somebody That I Used to Know”: The Authority revels in a new direction; Sookie and Jason visit the site of their parents’ deaths; Luna gets stuck on Sam. (Written by Mark Hudis; directed by Stephen Moyer.) Playdates: July 29 and 31

Bloodier and Sexier… fun times are ahead for us this season.

It’s that time of year again. That’s right, it’s season premiere time for True Blood and that means pictures from the red carpet:

Photos courtesy of True Blood Confidential