drewder wrote: ↑Sat Feb 06, 2021 2:16 pm
I don't think hallmark was involved. This aired on one of the big three networks. Don't remember which one.
Wikipedia says it was NBC who made and aired it, in the States, and distributed by Hallmark. Hallmark did, apparently, make a schlocky sequel tough. IMDB disagrees, however, and lists Hallmark Entertainment as a full production partner. So Hallmark was involved somewhere along the line, but how much we can't say for sure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_(miniseries) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130414/co ... _=tt_dt_co
Elric4985 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:27 pm
Ah, I see that Mab is using the ol' Batman defense of "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you"
Just as well for making a story that they preferred to use armies instead of lawyers in those days. "Yes, I pushed her off the cliff, but I didn't kill her, hitting the ground did that!" isn't something you could spin out into a decent courtroom drama.
I remember watching this when it came out. And being disappointed. The actors were OK and the effects were OK but the story was blah.
As for Hallmark; they had a lot of fingers in several pies at the time. They were even a production company for Farscape, one of my favorite sci-fi shows. And incidentally, according to Google Trends, more popular in Alaska than the rest of the USA. Farscape that is, not Hallmark.
I remember watching the mini-series when it debuted and I found it mostly enjoyable. Some parts of the writing were not... good, CGI was average, and Mab as portrayed in it just didn't really do it for me as a villain (good actress though).
Story at least felt like it stood on its own and I think that's what helped it stand out more (for me, anyway).
I could tell some places where they jiggled events and characters around a bit for the new version of the legends, but it was enjoyably fun to watch as a kid.
The conversation where Merlin confronts the Lady of the Lake about Lancelot and her reply especially.
I get bits of it mixed up with the Excalibur movie though, as they were pretty close together when I watched them.
