HOME VIDEO -- Out on DVD and Blu-Ray this week:
- Merlin: The Complete Third Season (2010), and
- Sliders: The Fifth and Final Season (1999-2000).
Merlin: The Complete Third Season (2010)
Merlin, as well as the show named after him and the actor playing him, continues to come into his own in season 3, and the season that ends with the forming of the circle of knights around Arthur is, appropriately, fundamentally about the forging of a complex bond between Arthur and Merlin, well and subtly articulated by the writers and by actors Colin Morgan and Bradley James. The plot: While battling deadly assassins, mystical monsters and the most powerful sorcerers Camelot has ever seen, Merlin must work harder than ever to conceal his unique abilities while King Uther redoubles his war against magic. Stars: Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Anthony Head. Features: Audio Commentary; Making of Merlin Series 3; Deleted Scenes; Outtakes; Wallpaper; Gallery.
Sliders: The Fifth and Final Season (1999-2000)
Be careful what you wish for. While Sliders was on Fox, the show's creators and stars became more and more frustrated by network interference; but executives at Sci Fi Channel (now Syfy), where the show moved house for the fourth and fifth seasons, the execs were a lot more relaxed. In fact, by the end, they had stopped caring about Sliders entirely, but at least the show was able to shoot for what the Kromagg war and alt-Earth dualities they were aiming at before the problematic season 3, only with less money and, for season 5, without either of the O'Connell brothers. Nonetheless, while it still looks notoriously cheap, season 5 goes a considerable way toward redeeming the series. The plot: For four seasons, they've explored alternate realities, seen double versions of their hometown, their families and themselves. It's the last chance for the Sliders to answer the question that has haunted them from the beginning: will they ever reach home? Stars: Robert Floyd, Kari Wuhrer, Cleavant Derricks, Tembi Locke. Features: None.
