Analysis of Merlin Series 5 Episode 8: The Hollow Queen

Analysis of Merlin Series 5 Episode 8: The Hollow Queen 10:11-15:50

Merlin agrees to leave Camelot on a dangerous mission to help a young Druid boy. In his absence, a deadly net closes in around Arthur.

Camera

The clip starts with an LS to MCU pan of Gwen as she reaches for a key above the door, and as this is how a boy got into the castle earlier it hints to the audience that they are in cohorts. The next shot is an LS of Gwen putting down a letter, and later there is an CU of Morgana picking it up, presenting an image of women standing together, and it is also positive that they are clever and sneaky enough to come up with a plan as villains are normally played by men, however the fact that they are both evil and keep failing presents quite a negative view of treacherous females. There are no two shots of them in the clip, unlike with the male friendship shown in the CUS of Arthur and Gaius as well as the large numbers of Merlin and the druid boy, perhaps suggesting that the men’s friendship is honorable and noble, and contrasting with the stereotype of girl BFFs. The two shows also indicate equality between Merlin and the boy, giving the boy an incentive to save his friend later on in the episode. On the other hand, Gwen is shown to be more powerful bt being shot from a single MS LA looking down on everyone else, whereas Arthur’s knights are all standing behind him in a triangle formation illustrating their unity and his liberal mindedness, making the audience respect his for his modern views.

Editing

The shot reverse shot technique is used extensively as most of the clip comprises of dialogue, an the 180 degree rule is never broken which means that the audience can get immersed in the story as they build up the tension through cross cutting. There are 3 parallel scenes that the clip cuts between: Merlin and the boy on their journey then arriving at the spot where Morgana attacks, Arthur preparation then meeting an enemy king and Morgana and Gwen doing their evil plotting. These cuts indicate that the different story threads are happening simultaneously, creating suspense as we know something bad will happen in Camelot as well as to Merlin which keeps the audience of the edge of their seats.

Mise En Scene

In shots with Arthur the lighting is far brighter and whiter than it is in shots with Gwen and Morgana where low key lighting creates a sense of evil around the characters. Arthur is also shown to be brave and good through his clothes and furnishings, which are all red and gold (which also signifies his rank), creating a bright and regal atmosphere while also matching Merlin’s short which suggests that they are a team. Gaius on the other hand is clothed in pale greens and browns to show his age and his lower rank, and his robes contrast with Arthur who seems more magnificent. As Merlin and the boy get nearer to Morgana’s trap the lighting darkens, and all the villains (Morgana, the Sarum and his men) wear black clothes to show their evil nature, and even Gwen and the boy were dark clothes, matching the black poison that Morgana pours into Merlin’s mouth to kill him.

Sound

In the beginning of the clip cellos and double basses are used to create a deep, foreboding sound, alerting the audience that Gwen is up to no good again, and the creaking gate and locking sounds are horror signifiers, indicating that something bad will happen, making the audience want to watch on to find out what it is. Tension is also built through the use of a synthesized glockenspiel as Merlin gets nearer to Morgana which plays one of Merlin’s signature motifs letting the regular audience know something bad is going to happen, and it is repeated by the orchestra later when Merlin is lying is a ditch poisoned. Discordant Brass music announces the arrival of the bandits and creates suspense and an atmosphere of fear, and the following voiceover is used to convey the fact that the boy is lying as if he was a druid he would have been able to hear it. Two of the storylines are linked y the repetition of the discordant brass, and many familiar motifs are repeated with slight alterations, and because the audience know them so well they create dramatic irony, as we know what will go well or badly.