A retelling of Camelot

MANILA, Philippines - The name Camelot evokes nobility, gallantry and romance.

AXN Beyond’s Camelot presents a power struggle between two heirs to the throne. It is like the legendary Kingdom of Camelot is under siege. Camelot will premiere tonight at 9.

The TV series is far from the closest Camelot-inspired story First Knight (starring Richard Gere in the title role and Sean Connery as King Arthur) and the Arthurian tale immortalized in children’s books. Hopefully, there’s no sword stuck in the stone.

Camelot is not a romanticized version of the medieval myth where Queen Guinevere falls for the young, free-spirited Lancelot. And the gentleman that Arthur is, he gives in and his death makes the queen and the knight create their own happily ever after.

In the first episode, Camelot also explores human frailties such as deception, betrayal and vengeance. The story revolves around ideas like “hope springing eternal” and “good triumphing over evil.” But the road to it is treacherous, as one character puts it.

Joseph Fiennes plays the sorcerer Merlin

Signaling the story’s beginning is the appearance of Morgan (played by Eva Green), the king’s daughter and only legal heir to the throne. It foreshadows what comes next and how things will be shaped. She asks why her father has abandoned her and shows ill feelings towards her stepmom queen. You can’t help but feel for the princess.

That segues to a young lady who shows up in the middle of the revelry. She puts a strong poison that slowly kills the king. It reminds one of Shakespearean tragedy. As the familiar scene unfolds, the ally-sorcerer Merlin (Joseph Fiennes) goes to the king’s death bed and performs an act to save the kingdom and the bloodlines of goodness and leadership. He does this for Britain and for the boy named Arthur.

What will excite the televiewers is the set of characters and their motives and fates.

Plucked from his mundane, commoner life to become the new king is Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower). He is the illegitimate-secret son sired by the king in a magical way. Arthur would rather see himself fight for a woman’s love instead for honor and country. His brother Kay (Peter Mooney) has the makings of a good king leading and protecting his people.

“Everything comes to you easily and you get so much,” says Kay to Arthur. “I should be in your destiny.”

Although novice in the field of politics and battles, Arthur has Merlin on his side guiding the future king in every step of the way. He is bent on making Arthur a beacon of hope amidst killings and greed.

“When you make a decision, you use this (brain) in conjunction to this (heart),” says Arthur’s adoptive father.

In the historical-fantasy-drama, Arthur is also in search of his true identity knowing how his father was like. The king was a good leader, according to his people. Arthur inherits the loyalty of his father’s allies, and Arthur can do no wrong.   

From left: Peter Mooney, Tamsin Egerton, Joseph, Eva Green and Jamie on the set of the 10-part drama series

Making things difficult for Arthur is Morgan. She summons and seduces a rival to be her ally. Morgan is not the submissive woman but the wicked sister whose eyes are set on the throne. Camelot promises a sibling rivalry between the secret son and frowned-upon daughter.  

Aside from the intriguing plot, Camelot is as grand as the castles and towers in it. Some 400 people worked behind and before the cameras with a budget of almost $50M. The TV series was shot in Ireland for that medieval feel. Feast on the magnificence of Luggala Castle and Powerscourt Estate where the 10-part series was filmed, plus the costumes and the astounding set design. The images seemed straight from trade books.

Whether true to the popular telling of the myth or not, Camelot definitely adds another dimension to the Arthurian legend.