No, that didn't really bother me. Actually, I rather enjoyed seeing how this series would handle bits about the Arthurian legend. It's more like the character inconsistencies, along with how it ended made the entire series pointless for me. Trying to maintain a plot contrivance of keeping the magic secret stalled the story and the writers wrote themselves into a pit that they could not escape from. The characters became even more plot-driven.

I thought the finale and the Merlin/Arthur stuff were wonderful but it also made Merlin's journey through the entire series seem tragic and pointless. He created more problems than he solved trying to keep the magic secret. Arthur grows and comes into his own only to die in what is really his first real battle as King. His brief reign is nothing legendary.

So, for the first time ever, I ended a favorite series feeling brokenhearted and bitter. I'm not even sure I will ever be able to watch it again. I actually started watching SPN as a way of trying to avoid the Merlin spoilers which also had an impact because SPN is a character driven show and just gets it. I couldn't help comparing the two. THIS is how you forward the plot without sacrificing your characters!

Okay, probs TMI and I have hijacked my own thread..Sorry (LOL!)