The BBC has been on something of a roll recently with their re-imagined takes on old British tales. First there was a darker, younger, and grungier Robin Hood, and now the King Arthurian legend Merlin gets a makeover with a younger cast and more modern sensibilities. As with Robin Hood, Merlin has been given a contemporary spin, complete with morals and ideas that would seem to not fit very well with what we know of Arthur and his times. Then again, this is a TV series made in 2008 (and recently re-aired on NBC in the States in 2009), so those points are somewhat moot. Taken on its face, what’s the verdict on the BBC’s Merlin? Let’s put it this way: I gave it three episodes and came away hopelessly bored.