Camelot. A name familiar to everyone who dared to dabble in myths and legends at some point in life. This name is now being brought (once again) to life by KA Television, GK TV, Starz and Take 5. The only one that somewhat stands out of these four musketeers is Starz (Media), the same one that gave us the pretty cool Spartacus: Blood and Sand only to dissapoint a bit later with the straight-to-tv failure Merlin and the Book Of Beasts.

The pilot of the series that aired this week is definitely a treat for the eyes. Sure, it’s not the literate Mists of Avalon, that blended history with pagan tradition and legend. Here we can witness a strange thing: the producers are (intentionally or not) heeding some of the older versions of the arthurian myth, mixing them with (obviously) a layer of originality that includes some touches of modern cosmopolitanism. A long time ago I used to be close to a purist when it came to myths, but when it comes to bringing them to life, I confess I’ve loosened up the ties that bind. Surely it would be awkward to use the attitudes and languages of old … they wouldn’t draw many fans.

The cast is wonderful. We have Eva Green (The Golden Compass, Kingdom of Heaven, Casino Royale) as Morgan, Jamie Campbell Bower (Sweeney Todd, Twilight: New Moon) as Arthur, Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, Antitrust, CSI New York) as Igraine, Tamsin Egerton (Mists of Avalon … coincidence?) as Guinevere, Joseph Fiennes (Enemy at the Gates, Elizabeth, Shakespeare in Love, Merchant of Venice – this man can’t play a bad part if he tried) as Merlin and James Purefoy (Rome, Solomon Kane, A Knight’s Tale) as King Lot.

Of these, Eva Green makes an amazing Morgan, that will surely reignite a turn to the Goth. Joseph Fiennes has his own take on Merlin, a very interesting one that will draw fans and enemies alike. James Purefoy makes a great King Lot, one that has great chemistry with Morgan, making an evil pair to remember.

Overall, the show has a touch of class that reminds me of the great series The Tudors. Visually beautiful, classy and well acted, the show does has drawbacks. First of all, it is fairly straightforward, we have no doubt who’s bad, who’s good and who’s restless. Although the characters are not particularly stereotyped, they do little to alter the common perception of the classical myth. Morgan is evil, Merlin is good, Lot is ambitious. The story moves a bit too fast, there’s no room to process what’s thrown at us except at the end of the episode. The writing has its ups and downs, but it is more than decent.

In conclusion, this is one show that’s worth watching. Its potential is off the charts and there’s more than a fair chance it will be met along the way, should the writers give it proper attention. The cast is the strongest ever seen in a TV series, I can only hope they will be given material up to their worth.