Merlin co-creator addresses divisive ending – and possibility of a reboot

by

Thirteen years after the popular fantasy series Merlin ended, one of its creators, Jake Michie, has spoken about the finale. He admits the ending didn’t satisfy everyone and didn’t live up to some fans’ hopes.

The two-part finale, “The Diamond of the Day,” written by Michie and Julian Jones, first aired on December 22nd and 24th, 2012.

The show’s ending took some viewers by surprise, as it didn’t offer a typical happy conclusion. Arthur (Bradley James) died after fighting Mordred (Alexander Vlahos).

Wow, the show ended with such a cool twist! Merlin, played by Colin Morgan, somehow ended up in our time, basically waiting for Arthur to be reborn. It felt like a hopeful, yet bittersweet ending, knowing his journey wasn’t truly over.

In a recent interview with the Ladies of the Lake podcast, Julian Michie acknowledged that the show’s ending didn’t satisfy everyone, particularly those hoping for a different outcome.

One possible ending would have seen Arthur survive. With the ban on magic lifted and Merlin’s secret revealed, they could have continued their playful arguments in a thriving Camelot, having defeated all their enemies and accomplished everything they set out to do, successfully navigating and even outsmarting fate itself.

Michie explained the choice to avoid a definitive ending, opting instead for ambiguity. She felt that resolving the story too neatly would be difficult because the work is both a fictional tale and needs to respect the established mythology and legends it draws upon.

“How far can you stray from those moments, and in a sense, how do you want to leave it?” he posed.

Merlin, co-created by Michie, Jones, Johnny Capps, and Julian Murphy, aired for five seasons from 2008 to 2012. The show followed the early adventures of the wizard Merlin and gained a loyal following during its time on television.

When asked if Merlin could have lasted longer, Michie explained that the show would have needed to essentially start over with a fresh approach.

The final episode has a lovely touch: Merlin shows up in the present day. I especially enjoyed the concept of Merlin living forever, and Arthur eventually returning with Merlin there to guide him – Merlin continuing to be the hero in a new era.

He mentioned they discussed the possibility of revisiting the idea, wondering if they could bring Merlin back in a different time or setting.

Want to see this content?

I’m having trouble seeing this content right now because of a Google security feature. Apparently, I need to sign out of Contentpass first to get it to display properly. Hopefully that fixes it!

The concept of reimagining Merlin in a contemporary setting, a departure from the show’s earlier focus on a legendary, historical Camelot, was ultimately abandoned. Producers worried that viewers were too fond of the original characters and setting to embrace such a significant change.

The challenge with bringing Colin and Bradley back is that viewers have really grown attached to them, and to the specific dynamic they had with the other characters. While it might be possible to introduce Colin as Merlin in a different setting with a new cast, the show’s success really hinged on those particular actors and their relationships at that time.

The next episode of the Ladies of the Lake podcast features a full interview with Jake Michie, and it will be available on December 24th.

Don’t miss out on Merlin! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.

Authors

Morgan JefferyDigital Editor

I’m a big fan of the work coming out of TopMob, and a lot of that is down to Morgan Jeffery. He’s the Digital Editor there, basically running everything you see online. Before that, he was the TV Editor at Digital Spy, so he really knows his stuff. You might even have seen him on TV – he’s been a TV expert on shows like BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live, and Sky Atlantic. He’s a proper pro!

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2025-12-23 19:35