The fourth series of the British

drama series In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-ge ...

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and leg ...

'' began on 1 October 2011 with the episode "The Darkest Hour - Part 1". It consists of 13 episodes originally shown on Saturday evenings on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

and

BBC One HD BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

(repeats shown on

BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes targeting 16 to 34-year-olds, covering all genres including animation, comedy, cur ...

). The series producer was Sara Hamill, and executive producers were Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy. The directors of the series include

Alice Troughton Alice Troughton is a British film and television director known for her work on ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-offs. Career From 2006 to 2010, Troughton directed episodes of each of ''Torchwood'', ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'', and ''Doctor Who''. ...

, Alex Pillai, Justin Molotnikov and Jeremy Webb. Writers include Julian Jones (head writer),

Howard Overman Howard Overman is a British television writer, best known for creating the series '' Misfits'' which won the 2010 BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series and the police-procedural comedy ''Vexed''. Career Overman has written scripts for se ...

, Jake Michie, Lucy Watkins, and Richard McBrien. Series four stars the regular cast from the previous series including

Colin Morgan Colin Morgan (born 1 January 1986) is a Northern Irish actor. He is best known for playing the title character in the BBC fantasy series ''Merlin'' (2008–2012), Leo Elster in ''Humans'' (2015–2018), and Billy Clanton in Kenneth Branagh’s ...

Angel Coulby Angel Leonie Coulby (born 30 August 1980) is an English actress in film, television, and theatre. She gained recognition for portraying the character Gwen (Guinevere) in the BBC fantasy series ''Merlin''. Early life Coulby was born and grew u ...

Bradley James Bradley James (born 1983 or 1984) is an English actor. He is best known for starring as Arthur Pendragon in the BBC TV (NBC in America) series ''Merlin,'' Damien Thorn in '' Damien'', Varga in '' Underworld: Blood Wars'', Giuliano de' Medici '' ...

Katie McGrath Katie McGrath () is an Irish actress. In television, she gained recognition for portraying Morgana Pendragon in the BBC One series ''Merlin'' (2008–2012), Lucy Westenra on the British-American series ''Dracula'' (2013–2014), Saskia in th ...

, and Richard Wilson. Credited as a regular,

Anthony Head Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor and singer. Primarily a performer in musical theatre, he rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s following his role in the Gold Blend couple television advertisements for Nescafé, w ...

left the series after his character was killed off in "The Wicked Day".

Nathaniel Parker Nathaniel Parker (born 18 May 1962) is an English stage and screen actor best known for playing the lead in the BBC crime drama series '' The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'', and Agravaine de Bois in the fourth series of ''Merlin''. Early life N ...

joined the regular cast in this series (credited as such for the first time in "Aithusa") and

John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in t ...

returned as the voice of the Great Dragon. Supporting cast members include

Adetomiwa Edun Babatunde Adetomiwa Stafford "Tomiwa" Edun, (born 1985)Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage 2003, vol. 3, p. 3063Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage, 1995, ed. Patrick Montague-Smith, Debrett's Peerage Ltd, p. 986 is a Nigerian actor. He is ...

Eoin Macken Eoin Christopher Macken (born 21 February 1983) is an Irish actor, director, and model. Macken has modelled for Abercrombie and Fitch, Ralph Lauren, and GQ, and has appeared in films such as ''Resident Evil'', ''Close, Killing Jesus'', and '' ...

Tom Hopper Thomas Edward Hopper (born 28 January 1985) is a British actor. He has appeared as Percival in ''Merlin'', Billy Bones in '' Black Sails'', Dickon Tarly in ''Game of Thrones'', and Luther Hargreeves in ''The Umbrella Academy''. Early life T ...

, and Rupert Young. Notable guest actors include

Santiago Cabrera Santiago Cabrera (; born 5 May 1978) is a Chilean-British actor who has worked mainly in the UK and United States. Cabrera is best known for his roles as the character Isaac Mendez in the television series '' Heroes'', Lancelot in the BBC dra ...

Emilia Fox Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox (born 31 July 1974) is an English actress and presenter whose film debut was in Roman Polanski's film '' The Pianist''. Her other films include the Italian–French–British romance-drama film '' The Soul Keeper'' ( ...

Gemma Jones Jennifer "Gemma" Jones (born 4 December 1942) is an English actress. Appearing on both stage and screen, her film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility (film), Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), the Bridget Jones (film series), ''Bridget Jo ...

, Phil Davis,

James Callis James Nicholas Callis (born 4 June 1971) is a British actor. He is known for playing Dr. Gaius Baltar in the re-imagined ''Battlestar Galactica'' miniseries and television series, and Bridget Jones's best friend Tom in ''Bridget Jones's Diar ...

Lindsay Duncan Lindsay Vere Duncan (born 7 November 1950) is a Scottish actress. On stage, she has won two Olivier Awards (for ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' and ''Private Lives'') and a Tony Award (for ''Private Lives''). She has starred in several plays by Ha ...

, Gary Lewis,

Charlene McKenna Charlene Lee McKenna ( ga, Searlaoin Nic Chionaoith; born 26 March 1984) is an Irish actress. She became a household name in Ireland after starring as Jennifer Jackson in the miniseries '' Pure Mule'' (2005). She appeared on Irish television in ...

Janet Montgomery Janet Ruth Montgomery (born 29 October 1985) is an English film and TV actress. She first gained attention for her role as Ames in the second season of the television series '' Human Target'' (2010–11), and also for her appearance in the 2009 ...

, Terence Maynard,

Ben Daniels Ben Daniels (born 10 June 1964) is a British actor. Initially a stage actor, Daniels was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor for ''Never the Sinner'' (1991), the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor for ''900 Oneonta'' ...

Miranda Raison Miranda Caroline Raison (born 18 November 1977) is an English actress and voice-over narrator. Early life Miranda Raison was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, on 18 November 1977. Her mother is former Anglia News reader Caroline Raison (''né ...

and Caroline Faber.

Plot

A year has passed since Morgana fell from power and openly betrayed Camelot, and Camelot has entered a dark age. With Uther left heartbroken from the ultimate betrayal his daughter committed, it is now up to Prince Arthur to take charge. A new face has arrived at court; Agravaine, the young Prince's uncle and most trusted advisor, but is he to be trusted? After all one can be betrayed by anyone, Arthur has been forced to learn. With Morgana's powers growing at an alarming rate outside the castle walls, Merlin must be more cautious than ever if he is to protect Arthur and save Albion from falling into ruin. With the trust of Merlin, Guinevere and Gaius to back him as Camelot enters dark times, Arthur is given a lease of hope. However, whilst enemies grow stronger outside the walls of Camelot, another flourishes from within....with loyalties tested to their very limit, Merlin and Arthur must place their full trust in one another if they are to prevent the kingdom from falling into Morgana's hands; if the vengeful sorceress takes the throne, Camelot will be doomed to eternal darkness. As Morgana spreads fear and horror throughout Albion, Guienevere meets her destiny, Arthur finds out what it is to bear the weight of a kingdom and Merlin finds his destiny fast approaching, the battle for Camelot may be closer than anyone could've thought....

Cast

The full list of cast members is as follows:

Main cast

Gwen Gwen may refer to: * Gwen (given name), including a list of people with the name * ''Gwen, or the Book of Sand'', a 1985 animated film * Gwen (film), a 2018 horror film * Tropical Storm Gwen, several storms with the name Acronyms * AN/URC-117 Grou ...

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more wi ...

as Morgana *

Uther Pendragon Uther Pendragon ( Brittonic) (; cy, Ythyr Ben Dragwn, Uthyr Pendragon, Uthyr Bendragon), also known as King Uther, was a legendary King of the Britons in sub-Roman Britain (c. 6th century). Uther was also the father of King Arthur. A few ...

as Lord Agravaine * Richard Wilson as

Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus * Gaius Asiniu ...

Recurring

as the Great Dragon (voice) *

Sir Lancelot Lancelot du Lac (French for Lancelot of the Lake), also written as Launcelot and other variants (such as early German ''Lanzelet'', early French ''Lanselos'', early Welsh ''Lanslod Lak'', Italian ''Lancillotto'', Spanish ''Lanzarote del Lago' ...

* Rupert Young as Sir Leon *

as Sir Gwaine *

as Sir Elyan *

Sir Percival Percival (, also spelled Perceval, Parzival), alternatively called Peredur (), was one of King Arthur's legendary Knights of the Round Table. First mentioned by the French author Chrétien de Troyes in the tale ''Perceval, the Story of the Gra ...

* Michael Cronin as

Geoffrey of Monmouth Geoffrey of Monmouth ( la, Galfridus Monemutensis, Galfridus Arturus, cy, Gruffudd ap Arthur, Sieffre o Fynwy; 1095 – 1155) was a British cleric from Monmouth, Wales and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography ...

* Terence Maynard as Helios

Guest stars

Morgause The Queen of Orkney, today best known as Morgause and also known as Morgawse and other spellings and names, is a character in later Arthurian traditions. In some versions of the legend, including the seminal text ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', she is ...

as The Cailleach * Phil Davis as The Gleeman *

as Julius Borden *

as Lamia *

as Princess Mithian *

as Queen Annis * Steven Hartley as King Caerleon * Zee Asha as Audrey * Sarah Beck Mather as Vilia * Gary Lewis as Alator of the Catha *

as Isolde *

Tristan Tristan ( Latin/Brythonic: ''Drustanus''; cy, Trystan), also known as Tristram or Tristain and similar names, is the hero of the legend of Tristan and Iseult. In the legend, he is tasked with escorting the Irish princess Iseult to wed ...

* Caroline Faber as Hunith

Episodes

Production

The production of a fourth series of Merlin was confirmed on 25 October 2010. Anthony Head confirmed that the show will air in September 2011. Series 4 will consist of 13 episodes. Colin Morgan said episodes would no longer be as stand-alone, "Each episode takes a progression as a piece of a jigsaw that has to be completed. There's no reverse going on." Due to the popularity of the show, Merlin was renewed for a fifth series.

Casting

Three days before the series finale Julian Jones the series creator stated that

, and Richard Wilson are all contracted for multiple season and they would return as series regulars.

who narrated the show and plays the voice of the great dragon would also be upgraded back into a series regular after having a recurring role in season two. On 19 August 2011 Phil Davis was cast as the Gleeman.

and

would also join the casting playing Agravaine and Lamia.

joined that casting for the fourth episode as Julius Borden.

will play Cailleach the gatekeeper to the spirit world.

will appear in one episode playing the Queen of Annis. Steven Hartley also joined the casting as King Caerleon. Rupert Young will also return.

and

confirmed that they will also return on their roles.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merlin (Series 4) 2011 British television seasons Merlin (2008 TV series)