Review: Cursed finishes with a bang in Episodes 9 and 10
CURSED (L to R) KATHERINE LANGFORD as NIMUE in episode 1010 of CURSED Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2020
Cursed has been meandering all season, but the final two episodes prove how fun and emotional a show it can be, and have us hoping for a season 2.
Whew! Well, if you’ve been watching Cursed like we have, you’ve probably been hoping for the Netflix fantasy drama to kick into high gear. Relax, viewers, for the re-imagined tale of Nimue and her Arthurian posse finally makes a full-throated and largely engaging argument for itself in the final two episodes.
Episode 9: “Poisons”
Nimue weighs a fateful decision, Uther takes a defiant step, and Gawain discovers all is not what it seems in the Red Paladin camp.
Cursed’s ninth episode moves at a fair clip, busily arranging its story chess pieces in advance of the finale. Schemers scheme as they vie for control of the fabled sword, often with Merlin in the center of things.
Merlin escapes the Fisherman’s ambush but emerges badly wounded. While Arthur and Nimue struggle with the dire situation at the siege of Gramaire, Father Cardin is pressured by the Pope’s representatives. Uther poisons his mother, Lady Lunete, and takes charge. The Ice King Cumber complicates the alliance between Uther and Father Cardin.
Father Cardin tortures Gawain, who secretly appeals to the Fey nature (Ash Folk) of the conflicted Weeping Monk. After making love to Arthur, Nimue accepts Uther’s offer of surrender in order to save the Fey people, but Cumber and Father Cardin complicate matters.
Cursed Weeping Monk Netflix
“Poisons” puts the focus on some of the series’ best characters, highlighting Nimue’s heroics, Arthur’s loyalty, Merlin’s desperation and the inner conflict of both Morgana and the Weeping Monk. Political maneuvers are a big part of this installment, but they’re tightly written and don’t weigh the narrative down.
There are a few stumbles. The setup for the Fisherman was very powerful, but in the end he’s little more than a nasty speed bump for Merlin. And why does nobody seem to notice that Sister Iris is completely off her rocker?
The series is finally whittling its focus down to its core conflicts and the inner demons confronting its characters. While the Nimue/Merlin storyline has always been compelling, the other storylines like Arthur/Morgana and Gawaine/Perceval (Squirrel) are catching up. Even Uther, infantile whiner as he is, emerges as a dangerous snake-in-the-grass. Here’s hoping it all pays off in the finale.