Skip to content

TV Review: MERLIN Series 5, Episode 6 ‘The Dark Tower’

Written By:

Abigail Chandler
merlin_series_5_episode_6_the_dark_tower_review

Merlin Series 5 Episode 6 The Dark Tower

When Morgana kidnaps Gwen and locks her in the top of a fairytale tower, it’s up to Merlin, Arthur and his Knights to save her.

This is a nasty, dark tale with Morgana using gooey mandrake roots to wage psychological warfare against Gwen, tormenting her with visions of her own fears and insecurities before offering kindness. By the end of the episode, in a surprising twist, we learn that Morgana was successful in brainwashing Gwen, who is now working with Morgana to bring down Arthur.

This isn’t an episode for young kids. The scares here are far more unsettling than in the earlier ghost-Uther episode. The screaming in the Dark Tower of the title is creepy enough, but when you add the Knight’s trek through the graveyard surrounding the tower and a shocking death, you’re left with little ‘uns who won’t go to bed. That said, the creepier content of this episode makes it all the better for older viewers. Considering it’s a show about magic, it’s surprising that it’s taken Merlin this long to do what is essentially a horror episode (mixed with a bunch of princess-in-the-tower fairytale nods).

This is a gorgeous-looking episode, from the vine-entangled Impenetrable Forest (they like their literal names in Camelot) to the almost desert-like surroundings of the tower. The Knights and their red cloaks are always a godsend to cinematographers but this episode gets some particularly striking visuals out of them. This episode also manages to do a Knight vs. Enchanted Sword fight that actually works on screen and makes for a genuinely exciting, tense action sequence. Merlin has come a long way in the special effects department since it began (although those snakes at the beginning didn’t look particularly convincing).

Of course, the big shock of this episode was that we lost a Knight. Sir Elyan fell at the (unseen) hand of a magic sword after rescuing his sister. It’s a shame – Adetomiwa Edun often didn’t have much to do, but when he did he excelled. He was probably the best actor of the Knights, and I’d have rather lost Leon or Percival (God knows he’s only there for his arms) before Elyan, but I guess his death was needed to push Gwen that last little way towards Morgana’s side. Still, it’s hard not to feel uncomfortable when a show kills off their only black Knight.

There were some great performances this episode, particularly from Angel Coulby, who always impresses when she’s given something to do. She sold the baby steps of Stockholm Syndrome very well to kids who may struggle to understand what Morgana was trying to do to Gwen. It was also nice to see Merlin step up and take the lead when Arthur’s emotional involvement in the quest compromises him. I’d have liked to see a little bit more of Arthur being dangerously reckless in the search for his beloved – instead, Elyan took that role.

With Mordred and now Gwen bringing danger to Camelot, the showrunners are clearly trying to shake up the Morgana-does-something-evil format, which was desperately needed. Hopefully this episode has set up an interesting new dynamic for the series – at least until Gwen is de-enchanted, anyway.

Abigail Chandler

You May Also Like...

black widow star scarlett johansson in talks to lead new universal jurassic world film

Scarlett Johansson In Talks To Join JURASSIC WORLD Film

Another MCU star appears to be taking up the reins for Universal’s new Jurassic World movie: two-time Oscar nominee Scarlett Johansson is reportedly in talks to lead the franchise that
Read More

Exclusive Reveal! Titan Comics to Deliver Prehistoric Hysterics in First 2 DUMB DINOS Collection

Titan Comics have exclusively revealed to STARBURST that they’re gearing up to publish the first-ever collection of the hilarious cult digital comic strip 2 Dumb Dinos, and we’re not the
Read More

New Dates For Lovecraftian Key of Dreams

Key of Dreams has announced new spaces for its titular immersive luxury horror event. The critically acclaimed company is known for its overnight experiences that dunk you into a strange
Read More

FAB Café to Host Free Film Screening of New Indie Comedy SECRETS OF A WALLABY BOY

We’re well known for our championing of truly independent filmmakers here at STARBURST, so it’s doubly exciting to be writing about one of our own! After joining the crew in
Read More
colin farrell returns as oswald cobblepot in the penguin series trailer

Colin Farrell Returns In THE PENGUIN Trailer

Colin Farrell returns as Gotham City’s answer to Tony Soprano in the first trailer for Max series The Penguin, which spins out of the world of the 2022 DC film
Read More
michael keaton as beetlejuice in beetlejuice 2 trailer

First Look At Jenna Ortega In BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE Trailer

Almost 40 years down the road, the infamous bio-exorcist finally returns in the first trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic film. Jenna Ortega (Wednesday,
Read More