Merlin Review: That’s Just Nasty!

Last week, I called the giant disgusting wilderin beast the “grossest creatures ever featured on [Merlin].” Looks like I spoke too soon!

The gorgeous Lady Catrina (Sarah Parish) stumbles into Camelot to ask for Uther’s help after her father’s kingdom has been taken over by enemy troops. Uther and her father have been longtime allies and Uther is saddened by this news. He willingly lets her stay as an honored guest and everyone seems to be enchanted by this mysterious Catrina. Everyone but Gaius, that is…

To put it bluntly, Catrina is the most unattractive, farting and burping troll you will ever see. Yes, troll!

This troll has taken a potion that will give her the appearance of Lady Catrina – her ulterior motive being to get Uther to fall in love with her so she can eventually gain control of Camelot. Her plan works like a charm, until Gaius puts her through a test.

When Catrina was a child, she suffered from a rare bone disorder that would have been incurable. He brews the potion that she would have taken to treat the illness, but when Merlin delivers it to Catrina, she turns it down.

It doesn’t take long for Uther to fall completely head over heels for Lady Catrina. Arthur’s look of disgust when he realizes his dad is falling in love is hysterical! And yet things still aren’t moving fast enough for the troll; she puts Uther under a spell with a necklace she gives to him as a “gift.”

Sarah Parish is an incredibly talented actress! She can go from poised and gracious one second, to disgusting, twitchy, grunting and crouching troll the next. It’s really a revolting character.

For once, Gaius encourages Merlin to snoop around and help him prove that Catrina isn’t at all what she seems. Merlin sneaks into her bed chambers and immediately takes notice of the awful stench (trolls only eat rotten food). He also notices that her bed hasn’t been slept in (she insists on a cave) and that her servant, Jonas, has a tail. Merlin then does a mirror test with his magic that reveals Catrina’s true gruesome face. It ain’t a pretty sight!

Gaius tries to warn Uther (and fails horribly) and Merlin tells Arthur, but well – do I even need to tell you his reaction? Scarily enough, Merlin’s magic isn’t powerful enough to reveal Catrina’s true identity in front of the King.

It’s too late, though: Uther and Catrina announce their engagement and the very next day, they get married. And that’s how this episode ends – Uther and Catrina seal their union with a kiss. ICK! If only Uther really knew what he was locking lips with…

Part 2 continues next week: will Merlin and Gaius work quickly enough to expose Catrina before she’s crowned Queen?

Season 2, Episode 5: Beauty and the Beast (aired April 30, 2010)

For more on Merlin, click here.

Fridays at 10/9c on Syfy

Photographs courtesy of NBC Universal and SyFy.