The BBC series didn’t exactly bring “magical” ratings to NBC during its short run last summer but Merlin’s second season will still be seen here in the states.
Merlin follows the life of the legendary wizard in early adulthood, living in the court of King Uther, Arthur’s father. The series stars Colin Morgan as Merlin, Bradley James as Prince Arthur, Anthony Head as King Uther, Katie McGrath as Morgana, Angel Coulby as Gwen, Richard Wilson as Gaius, and John Hurt as the voice of the Great Dragon.
A production of BBC One, Merlin has been a big enough success in the UK to be renewed for seasons two and three. NBC picked up the supernatural show and decided to run the first season during the summer of 2009. The ratings weren’t very good and the network has been mum on any plans to bring it back.
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Now, there’s word that Merlin is indeed coming back to the US — but not on NBC. Word is that Syfy (also owned by NBC Universal) will begin airing season two of Merlin on Friday, April 2nd; paired with the returning Stargate Universe.
If you need a refresher on season one, Syfy will be airing the episodes during an all-day marathon on March 28th. You can also purchase the official DVD release
What do you think? Are you glad to hear Merlin is returning to the US? Does it matter to you that it’s on Syfy and not NBC?
I LOVE this show, and would be so sad if it was not coming back!! Maybe people just don’t know about it, but i thought it was great! They did a good job of making things look real, and not cheesy like hercules was. I would definitley buy this series, and continue to watch it!!
I agree with Lane that the networks give up on shows before they can gather a following. They go for the cheap microwave dinner rather than the real food that takes time but is well worth it. I hope that analogy is understood. They air the tragic wrecks that cause people to rubberneck to see and so bring the fast ratings and forget the beautiful scenery that can be enjoyed for hundreds of miles. I don’t watch the trash on NBC either and was pleasantly surprised when a genuinely intelligent, well scripted period legend was modernized both in language and… Read more »
Yes I’m happy Merlin is returning for a second season in the US. But it pisses me off that NBC and the other networks won’t stand behind their shows anymore. The don’t nurture or groom them into hit shows. They don’t allow them enough time to gather an audience. If they don’t have the ratings in the first 3-4 episodes they want to cancel and move on to the next show. This happens with all networks not just NBC. The networks have produced some of the most innovative and creative shows but don’t allow them to cultivate a following.
I’m so excited to hear Merlin is coming back. My son and I both love the show and really enjoyed watching it together. I was bumed when I thought they weren’t going to show it in the US.
I am so glad that Merlin will be on the SyFy channel this spring. NBC does not have any good shows at all. All the shows on that network are trash.
I do not ever watch it ever since they took Merlin off.
It is nice to see a good family show for a change.
I’m THRILLED to hear that Merlin will be airing for a second season here in the US! My father and I both watched every episode of it last season and loved every minute of it. We have been hoping that SyFy or another channel would be taking it over. I have been contemplating watching season 2 online, but now I don’t have to! I can’t wait to tell my father. It’s nice to have something to watch with him that isn’t so suggestive. 🙂
02/03/10 I agree with Kookie; I am absolutely thrilled Merlin will be broadcast in the U.S. on SyFy. I think it’s a good fit for this channel! I enjoy stories that contain fantasy & magic, and this one is particularly splendid because – I think – it contains something for many of us and it is family friendly viewing! Thanks a million times over to SyFy for broadcasting Merlin beginning Friday, April 2nd! And don’t miss the day-long marathon of Series 1 on March 28th beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST! I needed good news today (and got great news when… Read more »
Bryan-I agree with you completely! The same, reheated shows with the same dull plots are dished out to us every single year. They’re either absurdly mindless or borderline pornographic…not much choice for children/tweens/families! Shame on NBC for not promoting this creative, family show with a twist and continuing to produce the same old garbage for families year after year. Oh, and we’ll be watching on SyFy, too!
I’m so happy that Merlin is returning to the USA! :):) It’s ok if NBC dosen’t want to pick it up but at least another ch will be. NBC’s loss Sci/Fi gain.
This is the best news ever…..Since I can’t stand NBC and only watch a couple shows on NBC I’m absolutely thrilled that Merlin will be on Syfy this season. I watch a lot of Syfy anyway so this is just great…..
I’m absolutely thrilled that Merlin is coming back for a second season. It sucks that NBC cancelled the show. It doesn’t really matter to me since I watch SyFy as well. I’ve been obsessing about if the show was returning, and decided to find out today. Great news!!!
We need more family shows like this one. It has become increasingly difficult for me to watch anything on TV with my son. Usually we just end up watching Animal Planet. This is a new take on Merlin and the storytelling has been consistently well done. It would be a shame to see it go completely. If I can’t see it on NBC I won’t be upset. NBC rarely takes chances on something as wholesome as a good clean show like Merlin. I’m surprised they kept it for a full season. I’ll continue to watch it on SyFy and let… Read more »
YES! I’m so happy to hear Season 2 will be coming to the US. Honestly, I think it fits in better on SyFy than on NBC anyways.
[…] audiences will still be able to see the second season. Instead of showing it on NBC, it will be shown on SyFy, which is also owned by NBC Universal. I guess now Merlin knows how Conan O’Brien feels. SyFy […]
I’m glad to hear merlin will be back. the more scifi and fantasy the better.