The English Game

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite Netflix show, The English Game! It takes place in England in 1879 and it's by the same creator as Downton Abbey (although I've never seen that series). I've watched episodes 01 - 04, so please no spoilers for the ending!

The English Game is a six-part drama "about the invention of modern [soccer] and how those involved in its creation reached across the class divide to establish the game as the world’s most popular sport."

( Some thoughts under the cut )

Morgana in Season Three Episode Five

I'm currently rewatching Merlin Season 3 and I was inspired by the marchmetamatterschallenge to write more meta. The episode before this one is when Gwaine is introduced (so episodes 4 and 5 are both memorable for me), but the more I watch the series the more I sympathize with Morgana.

This episode marks a dramatic turning point for Morgana because of what she learns while she's on her death bed. I find it odd that she can hear Uther talking to her, but not Merlin and Gaius? I'm just going to go ahead and assume Merlin cast some kind of quiet spell to explain that one.

Anyway, it was Morgana's intent since season two to destroy Uther's Camelot and take the throne. And her beef with Uther had always been personal, considering he raised her to hate magic and to hate who she turned out to be. But after she learns that Uther is her father, it intensifies her hatred of him personally. Her earlier plans with Morgause involved Uther dying by other means/other people, but now Morgana is actually ready to carry out the assassination herself - against Morgause's advice. Uther's worry over her safety cannot erase the years he spent lying to her and ensuring that only Arthur had a claim to the throne. He may have a flash of conscious as he sees her lying on her death bed, but that only shows he'd feel personally guilty if she died (as her sole caregiver). That sentiment is made abundantly clear by the end of the episode.

( the rest behind the cut )