NBC Premieres Summer Series MERLIN On Sunday

Billed as the “900 years before Harry Potter” alternative, NBC is premiering “Merlin” this Sunday as one of its summer programming series. Having taken a preview of the pilot I can admit it’s not entirely cheesy, but definitely something I would have sooner expected on the SciFi Channel than NBC.

The mythical city of Camelot, in a time before history began; a fantastical realm of legendary beasts and mysterious people; a dangerous world in which magic has been banned by the ruthless tyrant, Uther Pendragon.

When Merlin, a young man gifted with extraordinary magical powers, arrives in the kingdom, he quickly makes enemies including the heir to Uther’s crown, the headstrong Prince Arthur. But guided by Uther’s wise physician Gaius, Merlin is soon using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets.

Ohh, get it. The evil king’s name is Pendragon to help us know he’s bad. Sigh. Mike Judge was right.

Here’s a preview clip from Sunday’s episode:

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