Merlin, the popular King Arthur fantasy show, came to an end in 2012 after five seasons. The show seemingly had no hope for a renewal. The cast has gone on to star in other projects like The Fall, Damien, and even the upcoming John Wick prequel series. Although the talented actors had no shortage of other movies and shows for fans to follow, the audience of Merlin was crushed to hear the news of the cancellation, as were the members of the cast.
Despite Merlin going off the air over ten years ago, the fanbase is still alive and well on social media. They reminisce on their favorite moments from the show, share art and headcanons, and even write their own versions of what a sixth season might look like. The show had a well-written and well-rounded ending, yet it could also lend itself perfectly to a future season, picking up exactly where it left off. The season finale ended with the inevitable death of King Arthur and shows the sorcerer Merlin living well into the modern-day on his own – this ending works to fulfill the prophecy the show spoke so much about.
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With the fanbase so devoted, there is always the possibility for Merlin to join the ranks of those old TV shows that are now getting a second chance with a reboot. If fans continue to enjoy the IP and continue to create their own fiction based on the show’s canon, the possibility grows for it to become a viable choice for a remake. Even now, fans continue to dream up new storylines for the show. And they are still creating a healthy flow of fan art and screenplays. Those that enjoy the old tale of King Arthur and the story the show Merlin tells might have something to gain from seeing a new season of the show in this day and age.
While there is no news of a Merlin revival, a community of fans remains strong, and the culture surrounding the show is brimming with possibilities.
Updated by Ted Bajer in August 2022: If you’re a fan of the show Merlin, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated this article with context about the show years after its cancellation.
Merlin’s Prophecy
BBC
The British series constantly refers to Arthur as the once and future King, in reference to the book of the same name by T.H. White, which tells the story of Camelot. Merlin always has to save his friend from perpetual peril because of this prophecy that many of the magic and antagonistic characters in the show see as a threat to the future. So they try to end the reign of Arthur before it begins. Ultimately, Arthur takes over the throne after the death of his father, Uther. The show’s finale showed Arthur’s demise at the hands of Mordred as seemingly inevitable, but the dragon Kilgharrah assures Merlin that his beloved King will return when Albion’s need is greatest.
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There have been many retellings of the story of King Arthur, not all of which were successful, but almost none of them have dared to venture into the modern-day. With the promise of King Arthur’s return and an ever-hopeful fanbase, the current climate would be a perfect opportunity to resurrect the king. Arthur is prophesied to return when the need of Albion (the area of Great Britain) is greatest. But the way the past few years have been, it seems that time is now. If the show were to adjust its setting to that of the modern day, it could potentially fictionalize current events and have King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table save us from more contemporary problems.
A Modern Day Merlin
There are several ways the return could go if Merlin were to do a revival season. It could begin in a manner similar to The Kid Who Would Be King and bring back Arthur as a young boy who is the reincarnation of the righteous hero. This would be an opportunity for a young actor to play an incredibly iconic role alongside an equally incredible cast. It would also allow the story to play on the idea of the younger generation being the heroes of our society’s future.
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Another way to restart the series would be to pick it back up with the same beautiful cast led by the handsome Bradley James as Arthur and Colin Morgan as Merlin. This is likely what most fans would like to see. And it would reunite the beloved companions of Merlin and Arthur, who made the show so popular to begin with. A heartwarming reunion with Bradley James and Colin Morgan is what fans have always been itching for. Many groups of fans on social media even viewed their characters as being in love.
While the showrunner Julian Murphy did describe the story of the two characters as a type of love story, Merlin and Arthur never canonically had a romantic connection. If the show were to come back now, a modern setting would make a queer relationship more historically viable. Culture in cinema has changed as well. In the time when the show was on (2008-2012), it was more risqué to show a gay relationship on camera. In contrast, today’s atmosphere is more accepting of seeing this on screen.
The state of the world is something to behold and leaves many of us wishing for a handsome knight in shining armor to come rising from the lake with Excalibur in hand to save the day. It would be a wonderful escape to watch our beloved King Arthur come back to make our world even just a little better. He could save people and fight alongside social causes while supporting the younger generation of activists and respecting their efforts as if they were knights of the round table. Perhaps he could be partnered with his sorcerer as they begin to fall in love all over again after centuries of being apart.
The possibility of Merlin’s return seems unlikely, but that doesn’t mean fans aren’t staying hopeful. There’s always a chance the King will return when we need him most.
