Cursed (2020) - Season 1
“Bad things happen to those who speak my name aloud.”
Sometimes, you just stumble across a series that you should criticize, but know you can't. Cursed (2020) is such a series. It is a wannabe that has obviously failed. Well, nearly. Every now and then, there are some good things. I must admit, it's like finding a needle in a haystack, but still. I will try to explain.
Cursed (2020) tells the story about the sword Excalibur and the lady who was the first and final person to wield it: Nimue, who is also known as the Lady of the Lake. My own daughter - who is twenty years old - is also called Nimuë, which pretty much means that everything that involves her, the sword, Merlin or Arthur is mandatory to watch. This also applies to this series.
In this version of the story, the story is shown in a different way and also shows a lot more of Nimue (Katherine Langford, 13 Reasons Why). The story is a twist to the original and I have no issues with that. But to portray the sword as some kind of demon is too much. Ultimately, I found myself comparing the sword to the ring from Lord of the Rings.
There were also too many parts of the story that felt too coincidental. That is a shame and completely unnecessary. The original Celtic story has more than enough information to be turned into something beautiful. The creators have either missed that or missed it on purpose. And because of that, Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård, Westworld), Arthur (Devon Terrell) and the Knights of the Round Table are wronged somehow.
Unfortunately, I can only conclude that Cursed (2020) doesn't even reach the top fifty best series in its current state. The Weeping Monk (Daniel Sharman, Medici) and Pym (Lily Newmark, Temple) can't make up for the flaws and Father Carden (Peter Mullan, Ozark) is not convincing either. I don't blame the actors, but I do blame the script. And it doesn't improve, at all.
Too many lines result in stilted conversations and that shouldn't be the case. Nimue is - according to the original legend - the downfall of Merlin, but in this story, it's the other way around. Lancelot is not a celebrated hero and even Percival and Gawain cannot convince me. Guinevere isn't even there, although I think that Pym is the closest thing we have. And Uther Pendragon (Sebastian Armesto, The Terro) turns out to be a crybaby.
And you know what. If there is going to be a second season, I will sit and watch. To see if there's going to be more familiar characters, such as Map, Guinevere, Mordred and Morgause. Maybe this could make the story more interesting.
And one more final thing; there are too many players on the field that want something. Whether or not they want something from Nimue, the sword, Merlin or someone else entirely, sometimes it just becomes so muddled. Especially when the Vikings intervene.
Alas, all we can do is wait for a potential second season. I've also decided to give a near-sufficient grade as I can't bear to give Nimue anything lower.
“The sword is cursed. It will corrupt all who wield it.”
Sometimes, you just stumble across a series that you should criticize, but know you can't. Cursed (2020) is such a series. It is a wannabe that has obviously failed. Well, nearly. Every now and then, there are some good things. I must admit, it's like finding a needle in a haystack, but still. I will try to explain.
Cursed (2020) tells the story about the sword Excalibur and the lady who was the first and final person to wield it: Nimue, who is also known as the Lady of the Lake. My own daughter - who is twenty years old - is also called Nimuë, which pretty much means that everything that involves her, the sword, Merlin or Arthur is mandatory to watch. This also applies to this series.
In this version of the story, the story is shown in a different way and also shows a lot more of Nimue (Katherine Langford, 13 Reasons Why). The story is a twist to the original and I have no issues with that. But to portray the sword as some kind of demon is too much. Ultimately, I found myself comparing the sword to the ring from Lord of the Rings.
There were also too many parts of the story that felt too coincidental. That is a shame and completely unnecessary. The original Celtic story has more than enough information to be turned into something beautiful. The creators have either missed that or missed it on purpose. And because of that, Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård, Westworld), Arthur (Devon Terrell) and the Knights of the Round Table are wronged somehow.
The role of Sister Igraine (Shalom Brube-Franklin, Our Girl) also takes a rather unusual turn, even though her original part in the story was a lot more exciting. The cast isn't really that great for this particular story, and the special effects and CGI are something i'd rather soon forget. Some fighting scenes seem very clumsy, and then all of a sudden there is a bit of beautiful choreography that shows quality.You may die outside if you wish, but not in the house of the Hidden.
© Netflix
The fantasy series clearly wants more, but this is hard to see. I don't think this series could ever be the 'top three' series it wants to be. Langford is unable to carry the entire show, and sometimes she's dragging the sword around in such a manner that the show loses its credibility. Gustaf Skarsgård too - no matter how good he is - is unable to elevate the series. His role as Merlin is too limited for that. And that limitation is the fault of the writers.And you’re the wolf blood witch. Dreaded wielder of the devil tooth.
Unfortunately, I can only conclude that Cursed (2020) doesn't even reach the top fifty best series in its current state. The Weeping Monk (Daniel Sharman, Medici) and Pym (Lily Newmark, Temple) can't make up for the flaws and Father Carden (Peter Mullan, Ozark) is not convincing either. I don't blame the actors, but I do blame the script. And it doesn't improve, at all.
Too many lines result in stilted conversations and that shouldn't be the case. Nimue is - according to the original legend - the downfall of Merlin, but in this story, it's the other way around. Lancelot is not a celebrated hero and even Percival and Gawain cannot convince me. Guinevere isn't even there, although I think that Pym is the closest thing we have. And Uther Pendragon (Sebastian Armesto, The Terro) turns out to be a crybaby.
And you know what. If there is going to be a second season, I will sit and watch. To see if there's going to be more familiar characters, such as Map, Guinevere, Mordred and Morgause. Maybe this could make the story more interesting.
And one more final thing; there are too many players on the field that want something. Whether or not they want something from Nimue, the sword, Merlin or someone else entirely, sometimes it just becomes so muddled. Especially when the Vikings intervene.
Alas, all we can do is wait for a potential second season. I've also decided to give a near-sufficient grade as I can't bear to give Nimue anything lower.
“The sword is cursed. It will corrupt all who wield it.”
About the writer, Karzal
Mike (1995) has been a member of MySeries since 2016 and is mainly active on the English version of the site. Since 2018, he has been actively translating news articles, columns, reviews and basically everything that ends up on the Dutch site. The original articles, columns and reviews were actually written by others. During the week Mike can be found at IKEA, where he is a national systems specialist and occasionally also in the classroom to teach an English lesson. In addition, Mike logically enjoys watching series and has actually been spoon-fed this from an early age. The genre doesn't matter, there is a place for everything in the otherwise busy life.
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